Strap in as this is my 6 month review and it is long, but there is a lot to say about this Golf Gti. I can only compare my mk8.5 Gti DSG to my previous Golf Gti which was a manual 2018 mk7.5 GTi PP
Specification• Oyster Silver Metallic Black with black roof
• Soul Black-Tornado Red interior
• 19” Queenstown alloy wheels
• Adaptive Chassis Control DCC
• Exterior styling package Black Style with Matrix headlights
• Sound system Harmen Kardon, 8+1 speakers, 480W total power output, 12 channel amplifier & subwoofer
Initial cost savings by purchasing a nearly newI initially went onto the VW website and used the configuration tool to spec up a brand new GTi with the above specification. I had a big shock when I saw the prices bearing in mind that I bought my mk7.5 GTi PP in 2018 which was 7 years ago. I paid about £34k for the mk7.5 and the mk8.5 (with the above spec) came in at £45.4K.
I had to ask myself if I was really happy about spending just over £45k for a GTi and then by sheer chance I found a used GTi advertised that matched my spec that was being used as a demonstration car by a VW dealer. Not only that, it was a staggering £8.4k cheaper than a brand new one and it was only 5 months old with 4k miles on the clock. So I bought it.
Exterior StylingI couldn’t make my mind up with the colours, although the car looks great in white, I live in the countryside amongst a lot of farming vehicles and the roads are pretty muddy. So I thought that the Oyster Silver black option would work for me. The exterior of the mk8.5 looks sharper than the mk7.5 & mk8 and I liked this option as the black roof and blacked out front end seemed to go well with the Queenstown wheels. Not sure if it is my imagination, but the twin exhausts look bigger than the ones on the Mk7.5. I also think that the front and rear end lighting on the mk8.5 is a major improvement from the mk7.5 and the mk8. Although I have nothing against the standard GTi alloy wheels, I really think that the 19” Queenstown wheels look really good on the GTi.
After 6 months of ownership I am still pleased with my colour choice and have not seen another one the same colour on the road yet. I had the car detailed with a 2-year ceramic coating applied to it. The finish is extremely glossy and the car looks great – see photos
Interior stylingThe new infotainment system layout is good and works well but the screen seems to be so big compared to the mk7.5. I went for the traditional classic GTi cloth tartan seats because to me, this defines a Gti and I think that these seats look great. In my opinion the interior quality of the mk8.5 is not as good as the mk7.5. I do like the ambient lighting as it has some nice touches.
Driving & comfortThere’s no doubt that both cars are great to drive.
There is a lot of technology in this car, most of the driving aids are good but some are a bit annoying. Rather than disabling the annoying ones every time I start up the car, I leave them all on and just learn to live with them.
I don’t think that the mk8.5 front seats are as comfortable as the mk7.5 front seats. There are certainly less adjustment options and it took a long time to find the best position for me.
I always use individual mode with the softest suspension setting with the exterior and interior engine sound in sport and everything else in comfort. To me, this is a nice set up for everyday driving.
This is the first car that I have driven without a manual gearbox so I can’t really comment on the DSG and I had to physically tuck my left foot under the seat to stop me from inadvertently operating the break thinking that it was the clutch pedal. The car seems to handle well, but I didn’t push it as I was still getting used to the DSG. I am glad that it has the DCC as I always leave it in comfort mode as the condition of the roads is shocking.
There are also more rattles in the mk8.5 probably due to the cheaper materials and plastics used. I think that this is no different to most new cars these days.
As the car didn’t come with a spare wheel, I have added a space saver spare wheel & jack kit.
PracticalityIt is very well known that both the mk7.5 and mk8.5 are very practical cars. The boot space can be adjusted to make it a little deeper if you have a lot to carry. It is still a brilliant daily driver for both long and short journeys.
I am getting and average of 32 to 35 mpg but did manage to get 49 mpg on a steady trip from the South West to Oxford.
Engine, drive and performanceThe exhaust sound on the mk8.5 doesn’t seem to be as loud as the mk7.5. I am sure that the mk7.5 had more pops, bangs and crackles.
I know that I am new to automatic gearboxes but occasionally when in D drive it can be a bit sluggish or uncertain about gear changes at times. Saying that, Sport mode is mind blowingly fast.
I do have a couple of niggles and the main one is the start/stop system. It was never really annoying on the mk7.5 manual, but with the mk8.5 DSG it does sometimes cut out when I am slowing down to almost a standstill at traffic lights or a queue of slow-moving traffic. The car isn’t even stationary and unless I bring it to a standstill the engine restarts itself again. The other one is that the autohold is a bit harsh when releasing the brakes and the car does tend to jerk forward rather than pull away smoothly.
Acceleration – Although there is a bit of a delay in acceleration between 2000 and 3000 revs, the mk8.5 feels much quicker than the mk7.5. It’s also a shame that there is still a noticeable amount of torque steer which at times can be quite scary, especially on the West Country narrow roads!
I have noticed that this engine consumed quite a bit of oil too. But from memory all Golf’s do.
IssuesConvenience window opening feature keeps stopping even after doing several resets.
ConclusionThis car is very enjoyable and makes me smile every time I walk up to it and every time I get in it (especially when I start it up).
This is a really good car. It looks good, feels good, sounds great and goes like a rocket.
OK it does not have the grunt or sound as good as the R and although the 0 – 60 is slower than the R, the acceleration is incredible and it is still a fast car. It is cheaper to run than the R without having to sacrifice too much on the performance.
Do I love it? Yes, I do.
Is it better than the mk7.5? Yes and no. Looks, performance and technologies are definitely better but the build quality, especially the interior is not as good. I just hope the build quality elsewhere is good and it turns out to be reliable.
