Who’s swapping their Mk7/7.5 then...

[Hertsman]

Do not like the rear badge or the smiley over sized grill and hate what hope is the fog lights (so can turn them off)

Red is not the best colour it seems as it masks the red stripe, other colours would accentuate

The R with some Pretoria and Air scoops instead of fog lights would likely look much improved

Its not as if its awful, and will stick to the thinking that once added new rims the new GTI would look ok, and maybe the R a little bit better - definitely liveable with and not a stopper to buying but think the MK 7 series looks better.

The real stopper is the interior, definitely a step backwards with way the two screens are split makes for masses of piano black (should have copied the Touraeg) the distracting touch and gesture environment and finally removal of the DSG lever for a soulless knob thing - The steering wheel is ugly too, with a really bulbous center section

[rajb]

Well done VW (not)! But as @rajb has said, it’ll sell because it’s a Golf.

I remember when the MkIV was first seen and everyone hated it. But again it went on to sell really well and after they'd been around a while and you got used to seeing them you started to like them more.

BMW's hideous styling has gone the other way with the front grille becoming over exaggerated in size compared to the rest of front end. It's getting slated on all the groups/forums but again after a while it'll grow on everyone.

[Watts]

To me, the design looks all over the place. The squat front end, the slightly bloated middle and the angular rear. It looks like there were three teams involved in the design but none of them knew what the others were doing I'll reserve final judgement until I see one in the flesh but I can't see one tempting me out of my current car.

[CookieMonsterGTi]

For me the design doesn't look anywhere near as well resolved as the 7.5 (maybe its better in person).  The front, middle and rear of the car really don't sit right together for me.

I think looking at the side profile of the GTD I think a face-lift where they restyle the front bumper/lights and change the wheels would make a huge difference.

Interior - much prefer the steering wheel and setup of the current 7.5 although the seat shape looks nice.

Im sure there are a raft of improvements inside and out and it will sell really well, but if this was parked up on the forecourt next to my TCR I wouldn't give this a second look on visuals alone.

[CookieMonsterGTi]

To add to that, if I was moving from my BMW m135 right now with the order books closed on the 7.5 I don't think VW would be top of my list of garages that I would be visiting.

It will be interesting to see how the R looks (if its the same as the leaked shots suggest) as the 7.5 was more conservative looking than the GTI. 

*Just seen the leading group shot of the models on the EVO homepage and certainly paints the GTI in a much better light that what the other sites are leading with.  Different wheels/pan roof/different angle etc. 

[Hertsman]

To add to that, if I was moving from my BMW m135 right now with the order books closed on the 7.5 I don't think VW would be top of my list of garages that I would be visiting.

It will be interesting to see how the R looks (if its the same as the leaked shots suggest) as the 7.5 was more conservative looking than the GTI. 

*Just seen the leading group shot of the models on the EVO homepage and certainly paints the GTI in a much better light that what the other sites are leading with.  Different wheels/pan roof/different angle etc.

Convinced now that if had to choose now I would not even be considering the MK 8 - Getting a run out TCR is beginning to feel like a real stroke of luck in timing.

[Craig]

I like the seats. But for me I cannot see the embossed GTi logo on the seat. Cost cutting measure? And I cannot stand the Gti badge under the rear central VW badge. Looks cheap and just stuck on with no thought. I think it will grow on me but man it just looks like a bigger polo Gti and that is not a looker.

[DaveA]

These pictures of the Mk8 GTI remind me of when the F30 3 series BMW landed in ’11/’12 (or so).. Then, that car, I felt had improved the look of the rear end whilst, at the same time, maybe not being as nice at the front as its predecessor… and that is how I feel looking at these pictures… I kinda like the new rear of the Golf, but am less wowed by the front… Like others say, guess it’s going to look different when you see them ion the flesh, and start to see more of them…

Not sure that red is the colour for the best for car’s shape, mind..

Have to say, though, I think the new interiors look as though they are going to be a massive leap forwards in many respects… With all the connected services, infotainment etc... Coming from a BMW to the Golf I always felt the infotainment etc was a step or two behind and I think that will now be put right…

[DaveA]

Just to add to my last post... A few additional thoughts after looking at the EVO article mentioned earlier in the thread…

The white seems to suit the shape of the car best, of those colours sampled in the pictures…

On first impression, I don’t particularly like the “5” spot dice like look to the running lights in the front grill area… Looks a bit tacky to me, although not as bad as Porsche’s 4 spot version (that makes their cars look somewhat off, in my opinion)…

Symmetrical wheels with straight spokes always look better to me than the ones with the spokes that look like they are already spinning (bent)…

Would be interested to see how a more aggressive look (like, say, TCR) would work on the car… The Mk7.5 TCR has grown on me, particularly at the rear which feels less “soft” than my 245 Performance….

[fredgroves]

Regardless of whether you prefer a Mk7 to a Mk8, from here on out, if you want a new Golf its a Mk8. I don't think anything they have done here will increase or decrease the sales of the Golf.

Whether the GTI is going to sell much vs the pressure of the M135i is going to be down to cost and I think this is a particular battle VW need to be very careful of not winning.

The BMW is no worse looking, the same size but more powerful, AWD, arguably has better technology and that technology is available in its most opted for forms under 40k.

The 40k threshold is important.

With VW saying the Mk8's improvements are all about the tech, they HAVE to make most of that tech available for under 40k, because BMW can do that.

If I can't have a Mk8 NavPro, HUD, a colour of my choice, DSG, dynamic lighting, ACC, lane assist, automatic parking and rear view camera for probably an RRP of under £36k RRP, why would I choose a Mk GTI that lacks AWD and 310BHP? A M135i with all of that spec is £33k discounted, just under 40k RRP.

We'll have to wait and see if VW UK can achieve that goal - but I doubt that they will.

When it comes to the R they really need to compete head on with the M135i. They need to absolutely achieve fully tech loaded for under 40k.

Sure other marques have similar sorts of cars, but the relationship between the 1 Series and the Golf is absolutely the direct competition and for most people that's two well loved German brands with equal history and merit - VW need to win this or give up the hot hatch battle that they have dominated since the Mk1 GTI.