How?? I've got nothing against Jonny, but he is not like Louis, they have nothing in common, no way. Louis Theroux risked his life, limb and reputation for some of his documentaries, they open eyes and provoke thought. While Jonny just drives around in a car, perfectly safe and comfortable, and then gives us his opinion about it. Sure, these videos are professionally done and are pleasant to watch, but that's all. Your statement is ridiculous.
Interesting that Citroen were one of the first to go with touch screen climate control and they’re now reverting to physical controls in new cars due to customer feedback.
I reverted to a physical controls on my cooking hob, instead of touch based shite that doesn't even work if I have gloves on! Nothing wrong with knobs and switches! Touch feels cheap.
My wife drives a C4 Grand Picasso - almost the entire car is touch screen based. It is basically impossible to change climate or other settings without using the screen - it is so dangerous and frustrating.
I don't think touch screens are safe to use while moving, surely it's as bad as trying to text while driving. How long do your eyes leave the road while trying to find ventilation controls on a touch screen compared to feeling for a rotary control. How will technophobe OAPs be able to deal with that. My Dad couldn't operate an iPad because his hands used to shake yet he had no problem driving and operating a Toyota Prius or his old Jaguar. All this touch screen stuff is great but it just will not work for all people and I believe it's as dangerous as using a mobile phone while driving!
In Australia it is illegal to use a mobile phone in a vehicle except hands free ( some states even have cameras, both fixed and mobile, to catch you using your phone whilst driving). And yet just about every new car allows you to connect your phone thru Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and then use the vehicle’s touch screen to use the phone. How is doing that not just as bad as using the mobile directly? And all this touchscreen crap is down to bloody Elon Musk and damn Tesla’s. The world is going to Hell in a hand basket abetted by corporations that will do anything for money, even when it’s totally stupid and dangerous.
It’s an awkward phase until voice AI commands make its way into cars. Lots of regulations to still hurdle to get it in a car package, and not too much profit to incentivize tech companies to get over those hurdles faster compared to their other ventures.
Yeah I love my Tesla, but I REALLY don't feel comfortable using the touchscreen on the move. For most functions that's fine - I don't need to use them on the move - but for "driving" controls, I want a damn button
Great review! In the RUclips landscape it's quite rare to have a normal calm speaking person who knows his stuff to do video's. Its so much nicer to listen to. Great relief from the standard: HelloOOW RUclips!!! WHAT'S UP?!
The new Seat Leon is basically the same - worse than the Mk3.5 in just about everyway. I'm just glad I got the current Cupra 290 and not the Mk4 crap that's coming down the line.
Hey Jonny, I like that you put the time into the little time stamp description things at the bottom of the video, nobody else seems to bother with them. It's the little things that show you're not like the others jonny, you really care about us, don't go and leave us for topgear now :) hahah
@@Birmingham_racing and ? So you have to be excited to watch it ? Maybe he was hoping to be surprised or have his mind changed. I couldnt agree more, proper anticlimactic yuck
That dash and cluster with all that shiny black plastic is truly horrible, a lot of distracting reflections and looks very cheap and nasty. Bad design VW.
Juho Jalonen if they still sold the mk2 we would probably buy more than the 13000 golf 7 gtis we bought. China still sells a variant of the mk2 I think.
Even the back end looks a little too overwrought, and somehow from that rear angle the wheels look too small. The 7 looks taught and more purposeful by comparison.
The angry jack-o-lantern face is getting really tiring. Can't we have an optimistic and eager face like the old GTIs of the past? Agro is just not endearing.
Ugliest new hatchback in my opinion on par with BMW 1 series. EVERY new hatchback looks better... Focus, Megane, i30, Fiat Tipo, and yes even Astra and Corolla.
@@mastermaltese8731 At least the Golf stays the same underneath. The BMW 1 series, oh boy. Front wheel drive and a design like its an mini suv? Jeez. That upsets many people.
Those one piece seats remind me of something. Oh yeah, the ones in my dad’s top of the range 😀 Lada Riva SLX around 1987. I’d rather have adjustable head rests thanks.
I know the Golf has long been an "evolution, not revolution" type of car, but honestly this just looks like the Mk7 and Scirocco had a baby. I'll always love the GTI, but I can't say this update has filled me with excitement.
It went from feeling like brethren to the Audi to a second cousin of a civic. I am sooooo glad I got the 7.5, it still feels like a drivers car and not a video game cockpit.
I love the car but, piano black on the key fob? Oh, my, OCD! Car designers, can you please leave off the cheap, shiny black, easily scratched plastic on our frequently touched surfaces and switch gear?
Crash Box “the more you bypass the plumbing, the easier it is to block up the drains”. Copyright Montgomery Scott, Chief Engineer U.S.S. Enterprise NC-1701
Push voice control button: say "it is to warm" Just use voice control. Didn't take me 15 minutes. But activating active cruise control and predicative speed assist and automatic speed limit recognition took me a little bit longer. Awesome. It gets slower at the corner you need to turn and you don't even have to push brake or accelerator if you use GPS. Awesome on the autobahn. Did 1200km last week, mostly 190kph at the unrestricted sections, ended up with 5.9L/100km Diesel. Awesome. Construction sites it gets slower and accelerates with the changing speed signs. Just awesome.
I was gonna wait a bit get a mk 8 but just got a full spec mk7.5 barely used around the same price as the mk8 mid spec would be. I made the choice when I learned that even the air-conditioning was going to be through a screen and I prefer buttons even though it looks less modern don't necessarily dislike.mk8 looks more then 7 kinda the same for me I think mk7 with the daylight led's looks modern enough though mk8 interior is more modern the exterior looks uglier upfront yet better at the back don't see what things I can get on the mk8 and not on the 7
This is the the best GOLF VW has ever produced....it feels fast cos it is. Great handling and has 245 WHEEL HORSE POWER not crank like the other generations GTi and competitors are claiming.
Agreed, I’m not interested in any cars other than EV but this video was entertaining, JS knowledge and relaxed style make it. Mark I looks best to me but that’s probably nostalgia
@@TDS981 I want a hot hatch the reignites the excitement the cars of the 90's. They weren't big bhp but they were light and flick able and the driver made the car not the on board computers.
Good review! But I must admit that this GTI doesn't get me excited - at all. I 've previously owned a MK6 GTI and currently own a MK7 GTI Clubsport (which I like a lot!). This new GTI somehow looks a bit cheap and sad. :(
Awesome pick with the Clubsport! Yeah, as a 20 year GTI fan, the Mk8 looks like it misses a lot of key things...still probably a good chassis, but GTIs always win by doing almost everything well. This exterior design and interior interface do not look like they would foster that long-term appeal like previous GTIs have, though...
Wonderful as always, this among my top 3-4 YT sites. As a bonus, today, it forced me to look up what is to this old man a new word- haptic. Thank you for that. Oops you gave the definition later on.
Non physical buttons don't seem like a good idea. I hate saying that though because it seems like such a grandaddy thing to say. Mark 8 looks like they melted a mark 7.
Great video as always. Have a 7.5 GTI and it doesn’t make me want it enough to change later this year. Would of liked it to be more powerful but love the 7.5 and is pretty much the perfect all rounder. If I had to have one car for 10 years, it would be the 7.5 GTI. Cheers Jonny 👍🏻
I prefer my Mk7. That electronic dash with all electronic temperature screen looks horrible. The one piece bucket seats look out of place and bulky. As it is I had issues with the infotainment system loose all power and nothing would work on it six months in. The power button did nothing either. They had to do some kind of update at the dealer. The same occurred once again 1 year later. This time they kept the car for a week and provided me with a loaner. I’ve no recurring issues since. Aside from that it’s a great car to drive. It’s better than the BMW 328i Xdrive Sport that I had prior. The GTI is fun to drive, lots of power. Great steering. Love the paddles on the DSG. I love manual shift except in the GTI the clutch pedal has a long travel, which just did not give me the fast gear shifting I like. It’s a keeper.
No it isn’t. It’s the culmination of a hundred years of mass industrialisation, mass production, air travel, mass farming.. It’s humans fault. If humans weren’t here 2020 would be another mostly peaceful year on the planet. With humans it’s burning, flooding, collapsing and generally suffering. It’s humans fault NOT the chronological measurement of an abstract human concept.
I am a Golf Gti owner, and have owned every Gti since the Mk5, my honest opinion is that the Mk 6 was my favourite 'full package' to own & drive. This Golf 8 Gti is truly underwhelming to look at in the video & picture reviews. I will reserve my full judgement until I see in the metal & drive it, but so far, it's very obvious that some serious budget cuts took place here, and VW is serving us a hot dish on a very, very cold plate. They are in deep trouble about "dieselgate" and suffered tremendously during lockdowns, so it is not surprising that they need to cut corners but still make it seem they are giving us value for money. Let's see when it releases in early 2021 here in South Africa.
I watched the whole review without finding positive changes against the MK7. I would give this car a score of 0,1 on a scale of 10 on design, build quality, control and innovation.
I test drove the Gen 1 way back and almost got one. Then over the decades never quite got one but always wanted one. Now I've gone EV (but at least a practical hatchback) and while the GTI will remain on my Regrets list, I sure won't miss the ever increasing maintenance costs of ICE cars.
I just bought a used GTI as my so long song to ICE. I’m gonna keep it for a year or so. Hoping North America gets a cute, small EV. You guys get so many more options than we do.
At least we still have this car. People are harsh on the design, I think it look pretty good. Especially when it’ll be lowered and modded. People said the same thing about the new Supra.
Great review! Personally I like the Mk7.5 GTI much more. The all touch screen interior is horrible to operate on the move and the material quality on the MK8 is a step backwards for the brand. The shiney plastic surrounds on the screens look cheap and blinding. Add to that, VW still wants you to pay extra for the adaptive suspension (like prior gen) that they love to talk about. I would be much happier with an I30N and it's more playful character. Seems like now VW wants you to pay even more money on the Clubsport just to get a competitive car. The Mk8 GTI looks depressed and uninspirings up front.
MK2 is the one that appeals to me the most, although if I'd have to choose a modern era golf GTI I'd say MK7 (pre facelift) 3dr manual with the performance package
Totally agree with you you too mate after the Mark 1 and as you said maybe the Mark to they all got fat and boring and actually started to lose their reputation as being reliable most estate agents and double glazing salesman drive them ip people's rears on the motorway. Will realise just because the door closes nice thing on a car doesn't mean it's reliable or well built it can just mean they have a nice door catch🤣
Top tip for touchscreens. Don't use you fingers, put your fingers on the outer edge of the screen and use your thumb you press the icon. After all, this is exactly how you use the buttons on a steering wheel, your fingers are against the rim of the wheel and your thumb actually presses the button. No one complains about steering wheel controls because they are not trying to press them with a single outstretched digit.
@@TheLateBrakeShow This technique works very well for me on my Model 3 but then again the system works so well that I very rarely need to touch the screen whilst driving. Especially as most functions can be voice controlled and you can pre-condition the cabin temperature before you even get into the car.
I'm tired of every car trying to be "premium" in all aspects. I dont want technology, I want a lighter car. I understand building to a price point, that's a reality of the capitalist framework in which we exist. but I don't need the inside of my gti to look nice and have g-sensors and lane-keep assist. that's missing the point. legal requirements aside, could you not take that shit out and save money - in development and in production? give me air conditioning (with physical buttons for fucks sake) and then take out all the unnecessary bullshit. get it to a state where its lighter and cheaper and still legal. I'll take that gti. edit - also where's my golf ball?
if you want a lighter car instead of quality of life features, you’re living in the wrong generation. the gti would lose its touch if it abided by your standards since it would have pretty shitty daily drivability
Completely agree on the MK-V being a good one. Explaining the dash issues with stock footage doesn't really work, may be smart to take 15 minutes after your drive to shoot some b-roll of the dash, steering wheel, windows, seats and the infotainment system, you may not catch it all but you'll definitely be able to add a little extra footage to make things clearer :)
I took delivery of one last week in Oryx White. It’s replacing a Ford Focus ST Mk3.5. Impressions - doesn’t feel as fast as the ST initially. The ST has instant torque and a flat power band. The GTI has a bit of turbo lag and feels more peaky. Ultimately not much between them power wise but they do feel different. The ride is much more refined on the GTI - even though I don’t have the adjustable option. The ST is much stiffer. Interior is a huge step up from the ST. The computer displays look great. They are a bit daunting at the start and take a day or two to know where everything is. Fortunately once you set them up you can generally just leave things alone so you don’t have to faff around with them. I would certainly prefer manual heater controls. The steering wheel controls are a bit fiddley but once you have set up your instrument displays you don’t really need most of the buttons. Mostly just volume and the skip function for the stereo, which is the standard one and perfectly acceptable. Overall a lovely car and a great drive. It has lane keeping assist which Seems to work quite well and a blind spot alert system. Looks very good in the Oryx white particularly in the sun. Overall very happy with it. Definitely would prefer manual climate controls though.
One piece seats of that style just seem cheap to me. If they're proper bucket seats sure, but my friends Citreon C1 has them and it's horrible in the back with those massive hulking ugly seats.
I thought they would try to change the styling to at least try to make it look aggressive... MK8 for me is a complete write off. MK7.5... even MK7 nailed it in the styling department.
Front end looks cheapened rear looks good, but those seats and the dash alone make me want to look elsewhere. Golfs are supposed to be simple and elegant this is too busy with buttons all over the wheel and digital dash with no coherence. They should of just made a larger infotainment screen and went back to analog main gauge dials/climate controls and give an option like the seats from the mk5 R32 at a premium.
@KC Yep, The 7.5 has slightly better looking tail lights, by the DRLs on the Mk7 are way nicer ... subtle with a wink of mischief. I could stare into those eyes for days
As a mk7.5 Golf GTI owner I think it’s the better daily car. Sure the mk8 is better to drive, as it should be, but the Golf GTI is meant to do everything and the interior with the tech makes it harder to use, plus the mk7 is a better looking car.
Dave Allen: I bought a fast car last week, it gets from 0 to 60 in 5seconds and i've saved 2minuets in 1 week. What did you do with the 2 minuets? I've been telling people.
@@johnmiller9953 My apology for the typo, I'm blind and as such, my typing speed sometimes gets the better of me. I meant to type "Minuet". I hope this helps.
Flitzer roughly translates as "zoomer". Zoom in the sense of moving quickly rather than increasing magnification. So someone zooming about is a flitzer...
you need good hot-cold and blower direction knobs. A few manufacturers tried and failed to get the climate controllers into the entertainment screen. .
I never found something better than the old mechanical controls, especially the rotary ones. Even with real buttons, I still need to look at them, with the old stuff, I never looked it.
@@pbyfr right,, and you can see what the other things are doing just with a quick look. cant remember the car but in one vehecal you have to hit thee screen to move it up-down every degree 🤦♂️
Got a mk7.5 with the performance pack, 2019. Happy I didn’t wait for this. Interior on this looks cheap, hate the word golf under the vw badge on the rear, front end looks daft.
Agree about the MK8 "face". Can imagine when these cars age a little and become more affordable, they will get into the hands of the "modders" who will retrofit MK7/7.5 front ends to them.
Watching this review and having driven the 5,6 and 7 I still feel like they've missed the point. It's meant to have an element of devilment, a cult classic, understated cool but capable. Now it seems like a car a middle class wealthy old white man would drive. Soulless and joyless. I owned the mk5 and it got the balance right between fun and all rounder. Now it's too refined, no turbo noise, too light on the steering, too solid on the corners. Gti is about fun, not just fast cruising. Feels like a deliberate move to sell up the club sport or r models.
@@LivingLifeSlower VW agrees, it's where the money is I guess, that's why they're so common on the roads now, it's why the Scirocco is no more. The fun has gone.
@Moe I like the way, fast Fords drive, but I hate the seats. I'm quite tall and I find them too high and too narrow, always give me a back ache. If it wasn't for that I'd buy one.
When the MK7 came out, I immediately wanted one. It's just about the perfect Golf. Don't feel the same about the MK8 because of the dash design and awkward front end. I want to love it, but can't (yet).
Jonny is like the Louis Theroux of the automotive world.
How?? I've got nothing against Jonny, but he is not like Louis, they have nothing in common, no way. Louis Theroux risked his life, limb and reputation for some of his documentaries, they open eyes and provoke thought. While Jonny just drives around in a car, perfectly safe and comfortable, and then gives us his opinion about it. Sure, these videos are professionally done and are pleasant to watch, but that's all. Your statement is ridiculous.
Also the fact that Jonny pinned your comment makes me think that he could use a big slice of humble pie.
Your username instantly gives you zero credibility. Lighten up Mr Magnet.
@@dg2911 My username is a joke and a reference and has nothing to do with you talking shit. Nice try to deflect and change subject though.
RUclips comments are much like magnets, theres positive and negative.
You sir clearly favour the latter.
Jonny didn't smile once. In the Autogefühl review, Tomas didn't smile once. This tells me exactly what I need to know.
It's a nice daily
Interesting that Citroen were one of the first to go with touch screen climate control and they’re now reverting to physical controls in new cars due to customer feedback.
I reverted to a physical controls on my cooking hob, instead of touch based shite that doesn't even work if I have gloves on! Nothing wrong with knobs and switches! Touch feels cheap.
My wife drives a C4 Grand Picasso - almost the entire car is touch screen based. It is basically impossible to change climate or other settings without using the screen - it is so dangerous and frustrating.
Even Elon Musk put buttons for important functions on Crew Dragon.
@@pbyfr Elon Musk uses touchscreen to flush his toilet at his home. fact!
abz 7183 I’m glad they’re listening
I don't think touch screens are safe to use while moving, surely it's as bad as trying to text while driving. How long do your eyes leave the road while trying to find ventilation controls on a touch screen compared to feeling for a rotary control. How will technophobe OAPs be able to deal with that. My Dad couldn't operate an iPad because his hands used to shake yet he had no problem driving and operating a Toyota Prius or his old Jaguar. All this touch screen stuff is great but it just will not work for all people and I believe it's as dangerous as using a mobile phone while driving!
Ken Edwards, I totally agree. If I was a law maker I would ban the use of touchscreens in cars, and I’m quite serious on that.
In Australia it is illegal to use a mobile phone in a vehicle except hands free ( some states even have cameras, both fixed and mobile, to catch you using your phone whilst driving). And yet just about every new car allows you to connect your phone thru Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and then use the vehicle’s touch screen to use the phone. How is doing that not just as bad as using the mobile directly? And all this touchscreen crap is down to bloody Elon Musk and damn Tesla’s. The world is going to Hell in a hand basket abetted by corporations that will do anything for money, even when it’s totally stupid and dangerous.
It’s an awkward phase until voice AI commands make its way into cars. Lots of regulations to still hurdle to get it in a car package, and not too much profit to incentivize tech companies to get over those hurdles faster compared to their other ventures.
@Antonio Zamudio Yes this is true, we did set up accessibility options but my point about the car is it doesn't have these options.
Yeah I love my Tesla, but I REALLY don't feel comfortable using the touchscreen on the move. For most functions that's fine - I don't need to use them on the move - but for "driving" controls, I want a damn button
Cheers Jonny. You do a good job. I like the combo of good info and relaxed presentation style.
I wish you well.
V kind. Cheers Chris.
Great review! In the RUclips landscape it's quite rare to have a normal calm speaking person who knows his stuff to do video's. Its so much nicer to listen to. Great relief from the standard: HelloOOW RUclips!!! WHAT'S UP?!
Savagegeese is quite chilled as well.
Let me get that straight: The MK8 is basically a MK7 with a worse looking exterior, worse controls interior and cheaper materials?
It’s probably way cheaper to produce than the mk 7
Sadly it looks like it
I think you summed it up. It looks awful.
Yep 👍
The new Seat Leon is basically the same - worse than the Mk3.5 in just about everyway. I'm just glad I got the current Cupra 290 and not the Mk4 crap that's coming down the line.
Hey Jonny, I like that you put the time into the little time stamp description things at the bottom of the video, nobody else seems to bother with them. It's the little things that show you're not like the others jonny, you really care about us, don't go and leave us for topgear now :) hahah
Finally Mk8 GTi content, even better that it's Jonny to bring it to us!
You mean a mk8 GOLF GTi? Stop pronouncing it as a mk8 GTi.
I've literally never been less excited for a car review.
Yet you still watched it?
@@Birmingham_racing I had hope...
@@Birmingham_racing and ?
So you have to be excited to watch it ? Maybe he was hoping to be surprised or have his mind changed.
I couldnt agree more, proper anticlimactic yuck
That dash and cluster with all that shiny black plastic is truly horrible, a lot of distracting reflections and looks very cheap and nasty. Bad design VW.
so true, worst design on a massmarket car in ages. So surprised VW did so bad, usually they get it right or at least mostly right.
Thanks for the great vid! In South Africa the Gti isn’t a car, it’s an institution. Will be interesting to see how it is received here.
Truth only! It should be loved as they always are.
Are they already selling the mk2 there? :D
Juho Jalonen if they still sold the mk2 we would probably buy more than the 13000 golf 7 gtis we bought. China still sells a variant of the mk2 I think.
Bro it'll still be crazy popular here
Front end still looks stupid. Still has the stupid dash. I don't see how this is an improvement on the 7.5.
It's bloody awful.
Even the back end looks a little too overwrought, and somehow from that rear angle the wheels look too small. The 7 looks taught and more purposeful by comparison.
Agreed!!
Antonio Zamudio it’s not archaic if a digital dash is less ergonomic than an analogue one, it’s devolution
Antonio Zamudio well they’re all the same because you can’t use while driving.
The angry jack-o-lantern face is getting really tiring. Can't we have an optimistic and eager face like the old GTIs of the past? Agro is just not endearing.
Ugliest new hatchback in my opinion on par with BMW 1 series. EVERY new hatchback looks better... Focus, Megane, i30, Fiat Tipo, and yes even Astra and Corolla.
@@mastermaltese8731 At least the Golf stays the same underneath. The BMW 1 series, oh boy. Front wheel drive and a design like its an mini suv? Jeez. That upsets many people.
@@Gentleman...Driver the 1 series looks and probably drives like they shrunk their minivan.
makes me love my mk6 even more
Has the GTI lost its touch this generation? Quite possibly
With all generations I would imagine
It's more the competition have moved ahead, like in terms of the horsepower you get with a hot hatch. Vw played it safe imo
It's the new MK4
Thanks Jonny. Car Pervert is the Golf GTi of RUclips channels. Every other channel wants be this good.
Those one piece seats remind me of something. Oh yeah, the ones in my dad’s top of the range 😀 Lada Riva SLX around 1987. I’d rather have adjustable head rests thanks.
Personally the mk5 golf is the best looking modern golf. Great content as always. 👍
1:43 Love that sketch
I know the Golf has long been an "evolution, not revolution" type of car, but honestly this just looks like the Mk7 and Scirocco had a baby. I'll always love the GTI, but I can't say this update has filled me with excitement.
I surely can´t be the only one who wants knobs and gauges in my car, am I?
No, you aren't!
The only thing that needs physical buttons is the climate controls for me
@@KevBoy3D And the radio? Much easier to press a channel button than scroll through a menu.
@@KevBoy3D Windows? Lights? Cruise Control? Radio? Wipers?!
No physical buttons is a total deal breaker 👎 not messing around with that crap while driving
That was my first thought when I saw the Model 3
@@thesneakinmonkey yeah but the Tesla is quick and clean.
It went from feeling like brethren to the Audi to a second cousin of a civic. I am sooooo glad I got the 7.5, it still feels like a drivers car and not a video game cockpit.
I'm glad I have my Mk 7. 3 pedals, no driver nannies, gauges and knobs
I love the car but, piano black on the key fob? Oh, my, OCD! Car designers, can you please leave off the cheap, shiny black, easily scratched plastic on our frequently touched surfaces and switch gear?
You think that's bad? The GTI typeface used inside doesn't match the one on the boot. Nightmare!
Zat's ze Germans though innit? They go from over engineering to tacky to unnecessary all within a few inches of interior trim.
Agreed. Gloss black is such a cliche now, scratches and looks awful in no time.
Damn it looks good from the side, especially with those wheels.
It's easier to set the Self-destruct mode on the starship Enterprise than to work the ventilation system on a mk8. Utter madness.
Crash Box “the more you bypass the plumbing, the easier it is to block up the drains”.
Copyright Montgomery Scott, Chief Engineer U.S.S. Enterprise NC-1701
Is it really that bad?
Does the Second Officer concur?
Push voice control button: say "it is to warm"
Just use voice control. Didn't take me 15 minutes.
But activating active cruise control and predicative speed assist and automatic speed limit recognition took me a little bit longer. Awesome.
It gets slower at the corner you need to turn and you don't even have to push brake or accelerator if you use GPS.
Awesome on the autobahn. Did 1200km last week, mostly 190kph at the unrestricted sections, ended up with 5.9L/100km Diesel. Awesome.
Construction sites it gets slower and accelerates with the changing speed signs.
Just awesome.
I was gonna wait a bit get a mk 8 but just got a full spec mk7.5 barely used around the same price as the mk8 mid spec would be. I made the choice when I learned that even the air-conditioning was going to be through a screen and I prefer buttons even though it looks less modern don't necessarily dislike.mk8 looks more then 7 kinda the same for me I think mk7 with the daylight led's looks modern enough though mk8 interior is more modern the exterior looks uglier upfront yet better at the back don't see what things I can get on the mk8 and not on the 7
We got the 7.5 GTI-P Love it... still every day. Perfect everyday, fun, practical and way faster than I ever need...
Save the clocks!
Save Three peddles!
Save Key Start ignition!
Don't forget the hand brake!
This is the the best GOLF VW has ever produced....it feels fast cos it is. Great handling and has 245 WHEEL HORSE POWER not crank like the other generations GTi and competitors are claiming.
Love my mk5 gti, great performance and practicality for the money
Afraid this one won't be remembered too well.
Johnny Smith driving a non-electric car, and a HOT HATCH?
Am I dreaming?
This was another massively informative review. I swear, Jonny Smith could read the phone book and make it interesting.
Agreed, I’m not interested in any cars other than EV but this video was entertaining, JS knowledge and relaxed style make it. Mark I looks best to me but that’s probably nostalgia
Not sure about that John, but the comment is really appreciated. Thank you.
Despite the bells & whistles this car reminds me of magnolia paint.
And exactly what you want from a hatchback.
@@TDS981 I want a hot hatch the reignites the excitement the cars of the 90's. They weren't big bhp but they were light and flick able and the driver made the car not the on board computers.
1979....cars, Gary Neuman, I remember that song playing in my head while going 2 soccer practice. Our record was 0-8....but had so much fun.
Me: _why car pervert ?!_
Johnny: *0:35*
Me: OK
nothing beats the simplicity of the Mk1
Good review!
But I must admit that this GTI doesn't get me excited - at all. I 've previously owned a MK6 GTI and currently own a MK7 GTI Clubsport (which I like a lot!). This new GTI somehow looks a bit cheap and sad. :(
Awesome pick with the Clubsport! Yeah, as a 20 year GTI fan, the Mk8 looks like it misses a lot of key things...still probably a good chassis, but GTIs always win by doing almost everything well. This exterior design and interior interface do not look like they would foster that long-term appeal like previous GTIs have, though...
Can't see the car, that massive watch covers the whole screen...
Killing it with the content lately Jonny👍
Wonderful as always, this among my top 3-4 YT sites. As a bonus, today, it forced me to look up what is to this old man a new word- haptic. Thank you for that. Oops you gave the definition later on.
Non physical buttons don't seem like a good idea. I hate saying that though because it seems like such a grandaddy thing to say. Mark 8 looks like they melted a mark 7.
Buttons give feedback without taking eyes off the road. How simple is that?
Fast becoming one of the reliable youtube channels!
FYI your patreon link is pointing to the old URL.
Great video as always. Have a 7.5 GTI and it doesn’t make me want it enough to change later this year. Would of liked it to be more powerful but love the 7.5 and is pretty much the perfect all rounder. If I had to have one car for 10 years, it would be the 7.5 GTI. Cheers Jonny 👍🏻
I prefer my Mk7. That electronic dash with all electronic temperature screen looks horrible. The one piece bucket seats look out of place and bulky. As it is I had issues with the infotainment system loose all power and nothing would work on it six months in. The power button did nothing either. They had to do some kind of update at the dealer. The same occurred once again 1 year later. This time they kept the car for a week and provided me with a loaner. I’ve no recurring issues since. Aside from that it’s a great car to drive. It’s better than the BMW 328i Xdrive Sport that I had prior. The GTI is fun to drive, lots of power. Great steering. Love the paddles on the DSG. I love manual shift except in the GTI the clutch pedal has a long travel, which just did not give me the fast gear shifting I like. It’s a keeper.
2020 is a cursed year.
No it isn’t.
It’s the culmination of a hundred years of mass industrialisation, mass production, air travel, mass farming..
It’s humans fault. If humans weren’t here 2020 would be another mostly peaceful year on the planet.
With humans it’s burning, flooding, collapsing and generally suffering.
It’s humans fault NOT the chronological measurement of an abstract human concept.
Agreed. Also so many sheeple buying into the Covid-1984 Plan-demic.
Hi Johnny...great review on the GTI. Love all your work!. Thank you. Richard
I am a Golf Gti owner, and have owned every Gti since the Mk5, my honest opinion is that the Mk 6 was my favourite 'full package' to own & drive. This Golf 8 Gti is truly underwhelming to look at in the video & picture reviews. I will reserve my full judgement until I see in the metal & drive it, but so far, it's very obvious that some serious budget cuts took place here, and VW is serving us a hot dish on a very, very cold plate. They are in deep trouble about "dieselgate" and suffered tremendously during lockdowns, so it is not surprising that they need to cut corners but still make it seem they are giving us value for money. Let's see when it releases in early 2021 here in South Africa.
This video was brought to you by the word HAPTIC
I don’t really see any improvements on the mk7.5 gti ?
And it's uglier
It's for people who think the 7.5 isn't ugly enough.
You know what? I can see only downgrades.
I watched the whole review without finding positive changes against the MK7. I would give this car a score of 0,1 on a scale of 10 on design, build quality, control and innovation.
The looks are growing on me tbh
It looks like a Chinese car that's had VW badges glued onto it. It looks really quite dull.
Lol - knock off badges at that
I'd never heard the word 'haptic' and now I've heard it more in this video than any other word :D
Not a very exciting car at all. I got bored of the video ( not Johnny the car ).
All the above ,plus the current virus,until the next one comes along.
I test drove the Gen 1 way back and almost got one. Then over the decades never quite got one but always wanted one. Now I've gone EV (but at least a practical hatchback) and while the GTI will remain on my Regrets list, I sure won't miss the ever increasing maintenance costs of ICE cars.
I just bought a used GTI as my so long song to ICE. I’m gonna keep it for a year or so. Hoping North America gets a cute, small EV. You guys get so many more options than we do.
I think the golf will have about 11 years before a full redesign.
This is really just the Golf 7.6 with a lot of cost cutting and worse styling.
At least we still have this car. People are harsh on the design, I think it look pretty good. Especially when it’ll be lowered and modded. People said the same thing about the new Supra.
Great review! Personally I like the Mk7.5 GTI much more. The all touch screen interior is horrible to operate on the move and the material quality on the MK8 is a step backwards for the brand. The shiney plastic surrounds on the screens look cheap and blinding. Add to that, VW still wants you to pay extra for the adaptive suspension (like prior gen) that they love to talk about. I would be much happier with an I30N and it's more playful character. Seems like now VW wants you to pay even more money on the Clubsport just to get a competitive car. The Mk8 GTI looks depressed and uninspirings up front.
That new front facial is really cool and like it a lot
Excellent real world review but please use a different font for your tool tips! These ones weren’t very easy to read quickly.
Great video. Best I have seen on the new GTI.
Still, I would prefer a Mk1 with a few upgrades. To me it just looks so much cooler and is most likely much easier to maintain.
MK2 is the one that appeals to me the most, although if I'd have to choose a modern era golf GTI I'd say MK7 (pre facelift) 3dr manual with the performance package
Totally agree with you you too mate after the Mark 1 and as you said maybe the Mark to they all got fat and boring and actually started to lose their reputation as being reliable most estate agents and double glazing salesman drive them ip people's rears on the motorway. Will realise just because the door closes nice thing on a car doesn't mean it's reliable or well built it can just mean they have a nice door catch🤣
get one then they're not going anywhere
Top tip for touchscreens. Don't use you fingers, put your fingers on the outer edge of the screen and use your thumb you press the icon.
After all, this is exactly how you use the buttons on a steering wheel, your fingers are against the rim of the wheel and your thumb actually presses the button.
No one complains about steering wheel controls because they are not trying to press them with a single outstretched digit.
Still too sensitive while driving. And the haptic swipe steering wheel buttons are awful.
@@TheLateBrakeShow This technique works very well for me on my Model 3 but then again the system works so well that I very rarely need to touch the screen whilst driving. Especially as most functions can be voice controlled and you can pre-condition the cabin temperature before you even get into the car.
I'm tired of every car trying to be "premium" in all aspects. I dont want technology, I want a lighter car.
I understand building to a price point, that's a reality of the capitalist framework in which we exist. but I don't need the inside of my gti to look nice and have g-sensors and lane-keep assist. that's missing the point.
legal requirements aside, could you not take that shit out and save money - in development and in production?
give me air conditioning (with physical buttons for fucks sake) and then take out all the unnecessary bullshit. get it to a state where its lighter and cheaper and still legal. I'll take that gti.
edit - also where's my golf ball?
Get the mk7.5 then. Fits all your requirements
@@dins.garage you're entirely missing the point. those cars are exactly what I'm talking about
Up Gti?
if you want a lighter car instead of quality of life features, you’re living in the wrong generation. the gti would lose its touch if it abided by your standards since it would have pretty shitty daily drivability
@@shijima_ending yer acting like there's never been a comfortable car made in the past?
Great to hear your views on the new GTI Jonny. Thanks
Unpopular opinion but to me the VW Golf is possibly the most boring car in the world. It is the Toyota Camry of Europe
I agree, it's an easy pick for people who tend to know a little bit about cars.
That's why you get the GTI. Just spend a day with one.
@@davidmccarthy6061 I couldn't live with the gaping mouth of this one.
It would have to be a MK VII.
How is that an unpopular opinion 🤔
@@ICHDERTWEETY Because the VW Golf is almost universally loved, particularly by the motoring press.
Completely agree on the MK-V being a good one.
Explaining the dash issues with stock footage doesn't really work, may be smart to take 15 minutes after your drive to shoot some b-roll of the dash, steering wheel, windows, seats and the infotainment system, you may not catch it all but you'll definitely be able to add a little extra footage to make things clearer :)
This was filmed the same day as the ID3 so I don't think he had a lot of time.
@@paulaus he did mention that in the podcast, yes. Good point. Still, pity!
Black gloss is a terrible material for interiors especially touch surfaces like the gear knob in a manual car?
Bring back the golf ball.
It has an electric parking brake too which sucks
I took delivery of one last week in Oryx White. It’s replacing a Ford Focus ST Mk3.5. Impressions - doesn’t feel as fast as the ST initially. The ST has instant torque and a flat power band. The GTI has a bit of turbo lag and feels more peaky. Ultimately not much between them power wise but they do feel different. The ride is much more refined on the GTI - even though I don’t have the adjustable option. The ST is much stiffer. Interior is a huge step up from the ST. The computer displays look great. They are a bit daunting at the start and take a day or two to know where everything is. Fortunately once you set them up you can generally just leave things alone so you don’t have to faff around with them. I would certainly prefer manual heater controls. The steering wheel controls are a bit fiddley but once you have set up your instrument displays you don’t really need most of the buttons. Mostly just volume and the skip function for the stereo, which is the standard one and perfectly acceptable. Overall a lovely car and a great drive. It has lane keeping assist which Seems to work quite well and a blind spot alert system. Looks very good in the Oryx white particularly in the sun. Overall very happy with it. Definitely would prefer manual climate controls though.
One piece seats of that style just seem cheap to me. If they're proper bucket seats sure, but my friends Citreon C1 has them and it's horrible in the back with those massive hulking ugly seats.
Yeah mate - totally spot on - they do look utterly CHEAP!
A stick!!! Glad to see you can still drive this car
I thought they would try to change the styling to at least try to make it look aggressive... MK8 for me is a complete write off. MK7.5... even MK7 nailed it in the styling department.
Mk7 > Mk 7.5. The original was much cleaner.....and was available in 3 doors.
I like the fog lights the light bar across the front the colour the dials and the one piece seats and that’s about it
On the nail as ever, MK5 the best (edition 30 the best of the best ?) ... GTi better than R ... that was my conclusion but I didn’t know why !
Sorry but the Mk2 16v was the best( or maybe the G60???)
@@grantta7450 that your opinion buddy
Wtf those seats are amazing and in the states we never get those types.
Front end looks cheapened rear looks good, but those seats and the dash alone make me want to look elsewhere. Golfs are supposed to be simple and elegant this is too busy with buttons all over the wheel and digital dash with no coherence. They should of just made a larger infotainment screen and went back to analog main gauge dials/climate controls and give an option like the seats from the mk5 R32 at a premium.
Amazing review. Best I have read or seen in English or German.
I don't like it, especially the touch screen in cars for important controls, just lame
I love buttons, knobs. switches, easier to fix when things go wrong.
this is the first GTI ive got no interest in
I love it
79, what a great vintage ;)
MK7 pre-refresh is still the best looking. DSG is also far more tunable out of the box, which is a big draw of this car.
Mk5 all day
@KC Yep, The 7.5 has slightly better looking tail lights, by the DRLs on the Mk7 are way nicer ... subtle with a wink of mischief. I could stare into those eyes for days
This is the correct take. My 3 door , tornado red , dsg mk 7 also agrees.
As a mk7.5 Golf GTI owner I think it’s the better daily car. Sure the mk8 is better to drive, as it should be, but the Golf GTI is meant to do everything and the interior with the tech makes it harder to use, plus the mk7 is a better looking car.
@5:45 Jesus Jonny, slow down bud.
😆
Where can I grab those artist images of all GTI versions? Great review. Mk7 owner that hasn't felt the need to upgrade (manual of course)
Dave Allen: I bought a fast car last week, it gets from 0 to 60 in 5seconds and i've saved 2minuets in 1 week. What did you do with the 2 minuets? I've been telling people.
What's a minuet?
@@johnmiller9953 A minuet is a social dance of French origin for two people, usually in 3/4 time.
Spent an extra 2min in the toilet.
@@johnmiller9953 My apology for the typo, I'm blind and as such, my typing speed sometimes gets the better of me. I meant to type "Minuet". I hope this helps.
I think it looks absolutely superb. And much better than the 7.5. But I might be alone in that.
Flitzer roughly translates as "zoomer". Zoom in the sense of moving quickly rather than increasing magnification. So someone zooming about is a flitzer...
@@kenankoca3567 oh yeah i forgot that fkk
you need good hot-cold and blower direction knobs. A few manufacturers tried and failed to get the climate controllers into the entertainment screen. .
I never found something better than the old mechanical controls, especially the rotary ones. Even with real buttons, I still need to look at them, with the old stuff, I never looked it.
@@pbyfr right,, and you can see what the other things are doing just with a quick look. cant remember the car but in one vehecal you have to hit thee screen to move it up-down every degree 🤦♂️
Got a mk7.5 with the performance pack, 2019. Happy I didn’t wait for this. Interior on this looks cheap, hate the word golf under the vw badge on the rear, front end looks daft.
They had to cut costs because if the costs of developing a new electric car platform and paying off fines.
Agree about the MK8 "face". Can imagine when these cars age a little and become more affordable, they will get into the hands of the "modders" who will retrofit MK7/7.5 front ends to them.
Watching this review and having driven the 5,6 and 7 I still feel like they've missed the point. It's meant to have an element of devilment, a cult classic, understated cool but capable. Now it seems like a car a middle class wealthy old white man would drive. Soulless and joyless. I owned the mk5 and it got the balance right between fun and all rounder. Now it's too refined, no turbo noise, too light on the steering, too solid on the corners. Gti is about fun, not just fast cruising. Feels like a deliberate move to sell up the club sport or r models.
Nowt wrong with being a middle class wealthy old white guy.
I'll come back to this in a decade, to read that it's the best car you've ever owned...when you can finally afford it.
@@LivingLifeSlower VW agrees, it's where the money is I guess, that's why they're so common on the roads now, it's why the Scirocco is no more. The fun has gone.
@Moe I like the way, fast Fords drive, but I hate the seats. I'm quite tall and I find them too high and too narrow, always give me a back ache. If it wasn't for that I'd buy one.
Bst car review for GTI. Respect.
5:45 Didn't expect that.
Tiff being the Jonny's stunt double
Relaxed presentation, not like other stressful youtuber, good to have time to assimilate the information.
Mark 7.5 is going to be a very difficult act to follow, both outside and interior
When the MK7 came out, I immediately wanted one. It's just about the perfect Golf. Don't feel the same about the MK8 because of the dash design and awkward front end. I want to love it, but can't (yet).