Golf 8.5 - you saw it here first!

[jon87]

The new id.2 All was revealed this week, with a much improved interior from VW. Steering wheel looks great, and there is also a row of physical buttons just below the infotainment screen.

The Golf 8.5 is confirmed to have physical buttons on the steering wheel, but looking at all the latest news articles, I'm feeling more and more confident there will be a row of physical buttons below the infotainment screen.

I know it's not important for some, but it was a real deal breaker for me with the mk8.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1MgIf7UP-0

https://insideevs.com/news/701296/vw-physical-controls-to-return/

https://www.thedrive.com/news/vw-is-putting-buttons-back-in-cars-because-people-complained-enough

https://www.gearpatrol.com/cars/a46165171/volkswagen-physical-buttons/

[ar899]

Physical buttons but an awful looking dash on the ID2.....hopefully the 8.5 will not be anything like that.

[fredgroves]

That id dash is no different to the Mk8.

Four physical buttons (plus hazards)

And non haptic steering wheel which I don't think anyone ever said is a problem.

[jon87]

New video from VW. Towards the end of the video they show the frontend of the 8.5 with an illuminated VW badge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkUYnq91IJo&t=112s

[jon87]

There is an article from today suggesting VW may bring back the manual gearbox too for the GTI:
https://www.motor1.com/news/702035/2024-volkswagen-golf-facelift-teaser/

Anyone heard anything about this from someone at VW?

Maybe the manual gearbox and no options is the only way to keep the car below the £40k price point.

[clarky92]

I don’t like the lightbar on the mk8 but seems they have gone overboard now with the VW badge illumination its awful

Maybe it got lost in translation - customers wanted illuminated heating controls not the badge!

[SRGTD]

I don’t like the lightbar on the mk8 but seems they have gone overboard now with the VW badge illumination its awful

Maybe it got lost in translation - customers wanted illuminated heating controls not the badge!

Agree - I’ve always thought the light bar was a bit tacky; that’s just my opinion though, and I’m sure there are many that really like it. The light bar also has a slightly yellow-ish tint compared to the headlight colour when you meet a mk8 with light bar coming towards you after dark.

When VW designed the light bar into some of their cars (latest Polo GTI has one too, as does the ID range), maybe it was their modern interpretation of the front end of some American cars of a few years back? - The 1980’s / 1990’s American Mercury Sable had a very prominent light panel between the headlamps;

[Dogman12]

I don’t like the lightbar on the mk8 but seems they have gone overboard now with the VW badge illumination its awful

Maybe it got lost in translation - customers wanted illuminated heating controls not the badge!

Agree - I’ve always thought the light bar was a bit tacky; that’s just my opinion though, and I’m sure there are many that really like it. The light bar also has a slightly yellow-ish tint compared to the headlight colour when you meet a mk8 with light bar coming towards you after dark.

When VW designed the light bar into some of their cars (latest Polo GTI has one too, as does the ID range), maybe it was their modern interpretation of the front end of some American cars of a few years back? - The 1980’s / 1990’s American Mercury Sable had a very prominent light panel between the headlamps;

i do like this Christmas tree together with the fog lights on my MK8 GTI    I hope they'll leave same fog lights in 8.5 GTI.

[fredgroves]

The illuminated front badge was touted for the Mk8 but it's illegal in the UK and maybe Europe. Possibly not elsewhere...

[Dogman12]

According to some information, Golf 8.5 might be presented on January 18th, 2024 .