Just seen my first real world MK8

[Mag_Pie]

In a poorly lit underground car park I saw my first MK8 Golf this morning. I wasn’t sure if it was a MK8 at first but the wrap around on the headlights gave it away, I think it was the most basic model in that flat grey colour. From the side it’s still a Golf.

I got to follow it out and the rear is quite nice, although somehow looked lower down around the light cluster, I prefer the ‘hips’ to be a little higher. I think with GTi add ons things will improve nicely though.

I’ve always felt the door mirror glass area is small on the MK7 compared to other manufacturers and hoped it would be improved with the MK8 but it looked the same to me. Shame as with all the other changes for safety I thought this might be included, I’m sure it meets all the requirements though.

[kmpowell]

Saw my first one in the metal yesterday, as I followed it out of the services and down the slip road onto the M40.

From a distance it never really registered with me that it was something new to look at, the T-Roc/T-Cross/Golf/Tiguan family DNA is now so strong that it was only when I saw the GOLF lettering did it register in my brain (and pull me out of the sub-conscious) that it was a MK8 and made me pay attention. As I joined the motorway it stayed in lane one and I made me way across lane two to three where I could see the side/front. The side is very MK7.5-esque and nothing special, the wing-mirror placement makes it look quite SUV/MPV-esque. The front however, wow(!) what a mess, I can't believe EU crash test regs have taken away that much freedom of the designers, it's so bulbous, lumpy and quite squinted.

Interesting article today on PH about how the latest iteration is just the same and peak is here.

https://www.pistonheads.com/news/blog/goodbye-to-all-that---ph-footnote/42659

[Exonian]

That’s a very good article from PH. It does indeed seem like we are in a void between ICE and EV’s with one in the wind down phase and one not yet out of diapers.

I posted a few weeks ago having seen a mk8 out on the roads and mistook it for an Astra at first.

Where the mk7 to these weary eyes looks by far its best in light colours to show off the sharp lines and relative simplicity of styling, the mk8 looks best in dark colours. And by saying “looks its best” I’m stretching it a bit. The dark colours merely mask some of the awkwardness.
The outgoing Leon and Focus were leagues ahead in styling compared to their replacements too. It’ll drive even more people towards SUV’s.

I had to smile when this email popped in the other day from VW.
They’re obviously more switched on than they appear so chose to show the car from its best angles...

[Guzzle]

All interesting stuff, but most potential Golf buyers aren't car enthusiasts. What they will be wanting to know is, is it any better than a Ford Focus?

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/hatch-match-2020-volkswagen-golf-vs-ford-focus

VW has invested billions in electrification, and with the end of combustion engined motoring now in sight it was obvious this is where the vast amount of research needs to go, especially when the Golf has already been developed to the point of near perfection. You'll notice the basic architecture of the Golf's dash layout and tech is very similar to the ID3, which is what many a Golf driver will be sat in once the days of combustion engines are behind us. By slowly getting us used to it now, an ID3 won't seem like such a radical change when the point of changing to a full EV eventually comes.

While I have some reservations myself, much of the complaints about the Mk8 seem like an overreaction to me. The look of the front end isn't what I would call pretty, but the performance models mostly fix that issue. The rest of it isn't exactly a radical departure from the styling of the Mk7. An entry level or mid-range Mk7 or 7.5 isn't a particularly stunning looking car either.

At least this time it looks like VW have made a bit of an effort with the GTi front seats, unlike the half-hearted Mk7 effort.

[fredgroves]

Interesting article today on PH about how the latest iteration is just the same and peak is here.

https://www.pistonheads.com/news/blog/goodbye-to-all-that---ph-footnote/42659

The guy is wrong though, there won't be a Mk9 Golf. The Mk8 is the last Golf.

There might be a facelift, but this is the end of the Golf, its all ID3 from here on out...

[p3asa]

Seen my first MK8 Golf today coming towards me.
What caught my eye at first was a car with no front number plate 
Apart from that it was the DRL's.
It was just the light that runs along the edge of the bonnet. No other light was on which I found strange as all the pictures of the new Golf have that light plus a curved light below.
I did find it quite distinctive and it certainly caught my eye.
It was in black so I never really noticed anything else about it.

[SRGTD]

I was at my local VW dealership earlier this week and had a chance to see my first mk8 Golf in the metal. It was in the showroom but locked, so I couldn’t check out the interior, other than by peering through the windows, but it didn’t look as bad as I feared it would. However, I still have reservations over the buttonless / switchless interior when it comes to using some of the basic functions like heating and ventilation while driving.

The car was the ‘Style’ model - the mid range of the three available models currently available. It was in that rather lurid Lime Yellow colour that VW seem very keen on using in their TV ads. It was unmistakably a Golf, although I don’t think the design is as cohesive as the mk7 / mk7.5 design, although I thought it did look better in the metal than it does in many of the online reviews. IMO it’s certainly not one of VW’s best design efforts.

Did seeing one change my opinion on whether or not I’d buy one? Unfortunately not; I don’t think it would be for me .

[fredgroves]

I saw one of the ghastly yellow Mk8's back in March in my local dealership - I think it had only been there a couple of days.

It was obviously a lesser model and its hard to say how that will compare to the performance ones - I mean, look at a non-performance mid range Mk7 and see if that feels like your car.

I've had loaner "normal" golfs and they feel and look nothing like mine - very empty interior and frumpy exterior.

I'd suggest we wait to see the GTI/GTD/R before passing final judgement - certainly in the photos and videos they don't look shoddy and in real life they will definitely improve.

[Watts]

I've had loaner "normal" golfs and they feel and look nothing like mine - very empty interior and frumpy exterior.

So true, the TSI I've just had was so boring and like a different model of car altogether.

[SRGTD]

And what is it they say about waiting for a bus to come along and two turn up? After seeing my first mk8 earlier this week, I just saw my second earlier this afternoon  - not Lime Yellow this time, but the free colour; Urano Grey.