Both have the same power but they perform very differently.
The Volkswagen Golf R is the hottest hatch, and CarWow manages to get a hold of one to race against a Honda Civic Type R in drag races. This is your chance to find out which Honda Civic Type R really lives up the R moniker.
These two cars are very similar if you only look at their specs. The Honda’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine has 306 horsepower (228 Kilowatts) as well as 295 pound-feet (405 Newton-meters) according to American specifications. The Golf R’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder produces 315 horsepower (235 kW) as well as 310 lbft (420 Nm). This video, however, with examples from the British market has the output for both at just 320 HP (239 kW). However, the rest of the drivetrain makes a significant difference. Honda offers a six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive. The VW comes with a seven speed dual-clutch gearbox and all-wheel drive.
When the drag race starts, you can immediately see the difference. The Civic Type R is slow to launch while the Golf R rockets ahead. This is not an issue with the CTR driver, CarWow hosts claim. He’s a professional stunt driver.
These drag races show how fast the Golf R is. The VW driver waits for the Honda to start, but the German model still wins. Then, he counts to 10, which is enough to allow the Civic to win by one nose.
It’s basically the same story as racing from a roll. The Golf R speeds past the Civic with no problems.
The only thing that makes the CTR better than the Golf R is its brakes. Although the difference is only a few feet, it is enough to give Honda one victory in this video.