Gti Reviews

[Yusee]

Interesting head to head in this week’s autocar, mk8 gti v focus st- by Andrew Frankel- who is a big hot hatch and Golf GTI fan. He’s picked the ST essentially because the golf seems to have moved away from what it does best. I think it probably just means ride is a bit too firm.

I've just read that review finally.

And yes, it does seem to be that the GTI has lost its effortless ability that makes it a warm hatch for normal people and become more pointy....

It remains to be seen by me personally whether I consider that an issue or not. It just depends on the degree to which they have gone and that is hard to determine from reading someone else's words.

Others here suggest its like a "TCR on 18's and no DCC" - I'm fairly sure that ultimately could lose VW some of the "I bought a GTI because its like a normal car but with a go faster badge" customers.

Obviously someone buying the Clubby won't be expecting anything less than a hard riding fast car, but the normal GTI isn't that beast, its the unicorn of reasonable performance while still being a normal family car.

I wonder, have VW decided that right now, the only market for a petrol performance car is in the hardcore end? That everyone looking for normal is wanting an EV?

Again, I would love to be privvy to VW HQ marketing meetings...

I got Autocar last week as well and at the end of reading it, did feel a little confused. All through the Mk7 life, reviews would say...take the Golf GTI as the effortless, everyman, live with it every day performance car.

The Magazine/Website assessment was always "Golf GTI is good but not as sharp/lesser driver involvement/not as engaging as.....Focus ST/Megane RS/Civic Type R 

And plenty of people bought the Golf for that very reason. 

Now the reviewers (at least at Autocar) are saying "that's weird the Golf is sharper and more engaging but why have they(VW) done that. I like the Focus ST as we knew what you would get and all the previous STs have been the same.

It would have been good to be fly on the wall as the marketing department set up how to approach mk 8 GTI sales strategy. But Fred I think you have put your finger on it. In the current climate, I think they are aiming for the petrolhead market more and they are pushing the GTE especially say amongst all the company car buyers that are thinking twice whereas they might have gone straight to GTI previously.

 

I think initial reviews are never as informative as long term ones- essentially the write up is heavily clouded by the reviewers expectations.
My theory is that they just had to make the mk8 different from the mk7- not just in tech but in the way it drives- so they changed the focus of the car ( excuse the pun).
The mk6 is an excellent car, but almost anonymous in the gti generation line up because it offered little more than the mk5- perhaps VW didn't want to repeat this situation with the mk8?

[fredgroves]

Could sticking with MQB for the Mk8 have been the problem?

Clearly they were going to stick with MQB because an ICE design now only has 5-10 years left in it - no point in a big investment now in ICE.

So to deliver something "new" they had to do *something*.

That something being the sharper handling and consequently harder riding....

I really feel like I want to carefully look at this one before I decide to jump - driving both a non-DCC 18 and a DCC 18 one. Seeing firslty if non-DCC is too hardcore for a daily driver (that I do monster miles in) or if it is, seeing if DCC can fix that.

TBH I feel the same about the 128ti.... the initial reviews of that say "it might not be popular on UK roads" or words to that effect.... which is definitely not what I or anyone else experienced on non-DCC suspension on the M135i - which is as comfy and soft as a Mk7.

[Yusee]

Yes, they couldn't just offer it as a mk7 with a gimmicky interior, so they had to revise steering and suspension to make a different car.
I agree with your point though, that a review can't really tell you how far they've gone- and whether it will be acceptable for you

[SRGTD]

Review of the mk8 Golf GTI by Racingline, who I think were originally VW Motorsport back in the late 1990’s.

Their car is LHD, so not UK spec. It doesn’t have front fog lights, which IMO makes it look better, as do the wheels they’ve fitted - they’re R360 19” (their car had the standard 17” alloys that some non-UK markets get).

Interesting that the control panel below the infotainment screen for the heating and volume controls isn’t illuminated at night. I think the last car I had without illuminated heating controls was back in 1980!

All in all a positive review, although as with most reviews, the switchless, buttonless interior cones in for some criticism.

https://www.racingline.com/single-post/golf-8-gti-first-impressions?fbclid=IwAR0tPirJY7HSUzkhsOHJMKTyNxRizCIM5cY_yB8sXn68A05A9ksLHrwr79s

[Yusee]

2 reports comparing the mk8 with the civic type r- one in November Evo, the other in What Car ( I was a bit hesitant to admit I occasionally read this).
Nothing unexpected in either write up-the consistent theme emerging is that the mk8 is more exciting to drive than the mk7 but in changing it's character, it has lost it's advantage as the most comfortable, easiest to live with hot hatch- and it can't beat be the best dynamically- engine, handling, steering, brakes, gear change all better in the Honda. Ride just as good too.

It'll be very interesting to hear views of those who move from mk7 to mk8. The mk7 was the best hot hatch of the day- because it excelled at doing the daily duties, and wasn't far behind the best dynamically.
I wonder if the change will be welcomed by the typical golf gti buyer.

Anyway the civic won both tests, though in my view this is wrong. The golf is better, because you don't look a t1t driving it. Very simple.

[king monkey]

What I never understand about these reviews is that the gti has always been criticised for not being more dynamic to drive, Vw make is that way and are then criticised again. Part of me wonders if Vw has now lost some of the gti essence by making this move.

I completely ignore most of these reviews as the gti is never going to win in a track based review. I believe a review in one magazine said ‘if we were looking for an all round hatch that’s great every day, the gti would be a contender but we’re not.’ What an utter nonsense that statement is.

[Yusee]

Yes, it is nonsense. It has to be assessed as a road car because that’s what it is.
I remember tiff needell slated the mk7 on the fifth gear video review because he couldn’t turn the ESC off completely. He rubbished the car almost on that basis alone, ignoring the  obvious fact that these cars are not bought for the track.

[king monkey]

Yes, it is nonsense. It has to be assessed as a road car because that’s what it is.
I remember tiff needell slated the mk7 on the fifth gear video review because he couldn’t turn the ESC off completely. He rubbished the car almost on that basis alone, ignoring the  obvious fact that these cars are not bought for the track.

Exactly. Have I ever turned ESC off? No. Why? Because I like staying in one piece. I’m odd like that.

[Yusee]

I have to correct myself- it was November Car magazine- not Evo- that this test was in

[Ubique]

https://youtu.be/AZgSFsTQ5Yo

Just found this Mk8 GTI vs Civic type R review.