Golf GTI 8.5 reviews

[jon87]

The first review of the new GTI has landed:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/volkswagen/golf-gti

Hope it looks better in person than the photos!

[Dogman12]

The problem with MK8 GTI or any other MK8 is that it's not a perfect looking car from any angle ))) 

Same with 8.5. It will definitely look descent in person, just like MK8.

[fredgroves]

The first review of the new GTI has landed:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/volkswagen/golf-gti

Hope it looks better in person than the photos!

" Rivals Hyundai i30 N Ford Focus ST Honda Civic Type R "

Of which you can only still buy the Focus... the only other choice they overlooked is the 128TI or other VAG badges

[Dav3smith]

That LCD screen is hideous, no attempt at integration, I know they're popular these days but I could not live with that, having to look at it every journey, no way. It simply stinks of desperation and is a lazy implementation to pander to the whingers and a desperate attempt to resolve the issues from the previous incarnation.

[fredgroves]

Stuck on screen blocking half the forward view fairly standard for 2024 model cars. Nobody sticks them in the dash any more...

[Exonian]

The first review of the new GTI has landed:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/volkswagen/golf-gti

Hope it looks better in person than the photos!

I think it has the best looking of the mk8/8.5 front ends now.

[Kgti8]

I definitely think the front end looks better and more aggressive. The MK8 looked a bit boring at front for GTI.

[SRGTD]

I definitely think the front end looks better and more aggressive. The MK8 looked a bit boring at front for GTI.

Agree, but then I’ve always thought the mk8 could never be described as VW’s best attempt at designing a good looking car. That’s just my opinion though, and no offence meant to mk8 owners . With the mk8 having become a more common sight on the roads over the years, familiarity does seem to make it look better.

Small design changes on the mk8.5 like the slimmed down headlamps do make quite a marked improvement to the front end, and then VW go and spoil it with a gimmicky illuminated VW badge to go with the existing (equally gimmicky IMHO) grille lighting strip. As for the interior; I don’t dislike the large ‘stick-on’ iPad style screen. However, other manufacturers seem to do it better with a mix of physical controls and a touchscreen.

Let’s just hope the tech gremlins of the mk8 have been banished once and for all…………..

[Exonian]

https://youtu.be/VjuvhGGsPRg?si=usaTft-MbObeTKy9

[alland]

Two points: I bought my Mk8 in April this year (ex-demo), and have had absolutely no problems with the infotainment screen or the haptic steering wheel buttons - the items the motoring press caned it for. I think the cabin and instrumentation is great, and a nice place to be. Everything works well, perhaps because the software is up to date (1969) and improved over the earlier
versions. Which brings me to the second point:
When I bought the car I knew the Mk8.5 was imminent, but still went ahead anyway. And thank goodness I did! That infotainment screen totally spoils the interior of the car, that alone would have stopped me going down the Mk8.5 route. It looks as if someone has glued a cheap laptop screen to the dashboard in effort to answer the critics of the Mk8 as described above - faults that appear to have been addressed anyhow. My wife has a 2018 Ecotec Fiesta and Ford used the same approach on that - a silly wee screen stuck on the dash as an afterthought. I didn't think VW would stoop to that!