Autoexpress drives Golf Gti's 1 - 8,

[clubsport]

Steve Sutcliffe drives all mark 1-8 GTi's with a fairly predictable conclusion?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-agUJZsUle4

[Sootchucker]

It’s interesting that despite all the online reviews and owners saying the handling is slightly better on the MK8’s, he said he thought the MK7’s chassis and handling doing were the best ?

[joe6]

Drove a mk1 in Germany in 1978 while living there and it really felt like nothing I had driven before and still remember the experience. Could not afford one though! Eventually bought a mk3 escort efi 10 years later that handled well with Bilsteins. The mk 6 gti sits lower on standard suspension than the mk7 but driving both regularly the mk 7.5 handles better. Can't comment on the mk8 but also found his judgement on handling interesting.

[clubsport]

Handling is subjective as such, just because a car has more mechanical grip and can corner faster, it may not actually be the better handling car of it does not communicate it's responses back to the driver giving them the ability to react to that information.
While driving the Mk8 in the video Sutcliffe highlights it's capabilities, but lack of communication comparing the steering response to a video game.
He hardly slated it, but appeared to favour the mk7 on balance. Now if he had compared a mk7 Ed40 or CS-S at the test track, it may have been more decisive?

Sutcliffe has years of experience and is more than handy behind the wheel, I am yet to drive a Mk8, but having owned Mk1, 2, 3,5 &7, I found this comments on the earlier cars accurate, particularly his remarks on the wallowy Mk3 and it's long suspension travel.

[Watts]

That was an interesting watch, thanks for posting. I wonder if the comments about the steering on the MK8 related to lane assist? Perhaps that bit of control the car has robs some of the feel?

Nice to see him driving around one of my favourite places, Waddesdon Manor.

[clubsport]

I obviously don't know for certain, but I would expect a seasoned road tester driving on a private road to turn off lane assist as soon as he gets in the car?

[Yusee]

Yes, a good watch- thanks for posting.

It’s always interesting to hear what the best journalists make of new cars, but even more interesting to see how those cars are looked back on a few years down the line.

He was always a big fan of the mk7, as many of the top journos were, so maybe that clouds his judgement a little.

I’d keep your mk7s!

[Watts]

I obviously don't know for certain, but I would expect a seasoned road tester driving on a private road to turn off lane assist as soon as he gets in the car?

You'd have thought so but perhaps it's the kit that robs a bit of feel regardless of whether it's on or off?

[Yusee]

The car is heavier too. For “ feel”, weight is a killer

[Rudedog]

Maybe the difference is from the older marks with hydraulic steering-racks compared the electric ones we have now... I know some of the 'reporter drivers' seemed to feel the difference.