My wife has a 8.5 on order replacing her 8! Have on order metallic black, pan roof, upgraded wheels and winter pack! In the Match trim. Exactly what we have in the 8 apart 14:53 from it being a Life! Looking forward to it!
This seems to be a common theme but does any big manufacturer integrate them now? As I’ve said before the fact most are perched like 8.5 can only be to allow the air conditioned air to get to the interval. Modern electrical devices create a lot of heat and integrating in dash limits the amount of processing they can do
@@volkswizardmy understanding is none of the infotainment cpus and processing takes place in the display case. The display is all that is housed in the display stand and that doesn’t generate much heat. The CPUs take up too much space to be housed in the display unit. There are one or more controller units inside the dashboard or engine compartment. So having a free standing display as in the 8.5 is purely a design and/or cost consideration. Not a cooling/ventilation requirement.
Thanks for your honest assessment of the Mk 8.5. Better than usual PR guff fed through most car mags. 40K is steep but sadly seems the norm now. Guess the GTI/R will be north of 50K once specced to any sort of acceptable level. Crazy. Staying with now 3.5 year old Mk8 GTI for now😊 Off to Wolfsburg next week for the GTI Fan Fest. Hope I meet the IT muppet from VW....
Great review, Andrew. Your reviews are impartial unlike quite a few YT channels. Continuing bugbear of mine with VW - the alloy wheel styles, but even more so the rear doorcards don't match the front (costcutting gone mad imo). Also, £300 for a spacesaver seems a lot and I'd always prefer that to a can of foam. Personally don't like the light upholstery on the seats - it won't stay like that for long. My manual 1.5 150 tsi now at 15,000 miles and I like it. Around 45mpg in town and over 50 on longer runs. I think the manual will be more reliable than DSG and cheaper too. Personally I like the screen, saw one in dealership - in real life it doesn't look as imposing, much more in your eyeline than in a dash and as long as the system glitches sorted, it's a win-win for me. Look forwards to the GTI review
Just ordered a 1.5 match with the optional 18s - with a manual box as well. Am so used to driving a manual. I feel like I have less control in an auto, especially with it being hilly where I live.
Just ordered the bottom of the barrel life 1.5 Tsi, can't wait, my first Volkswagon, of course would have loved the R line or GTi but my pockets are not that deep, am sure I will still love the Golf Life when it arrives 👌
@@anthonybragg4844lol, the wheels are literally an option around 500-600 EUR/GBP. Wow, you could potentially save 50 with no plastic plates XD. If you need to pay this attention to your wallet just don't watch for a car like this in the first place.
Hi Andrew, a great selection of cars Looking forward to the Standard 8.5 GTI review. I think this is the golf to buy and keep great all rounder. I’m picking up my mk5 R32 from VW dealership service department having had more preventative work done to always keep it running well to always enjoy on the weekends. Great video thank you VDub:)
I totally agree I have a golf mk8 r line, never had a issue with steering wheel, love the car its pointless upgrading to the mk8.5 I dont need a larger sat nav panel the one I have is responsive as been updated, I rather save the money as the mk8 has the same chassis and engine and gearbox technically underneath its the same car
I am trading early 2020 cars for 12k 15k retail which show some interest, just make sure you have all the latest updates.VW the industry worst for warranty now as most offer 5 or 7 years rather than 3...I also have to give a battery report but so far no issues
These tablet screens cannot contribute to road safety. You have to take your eyes off the road just to turn the volume up. If you have to delve into the sub menu's, it's an accident waiting to happen
Great video! Love the Golf and wish they were still coming to the USA. That kings red R-line is a Beauty! My wife had an mk7 golf 5 spd before she got her new Tiguan R-line. I was lucky enough to get an mk8 40th anniversary edition (6 spd in Urano grey) and I’m so glad I did. My 4th GTI in a row 😁 i hope hatchbacks become popular again in the future. It seems all people want here are boring SUV’s & crossovers.
Thanks JT! 👍 Agreed, Kings Red on an R line (in sunshine) looks spectacular! There is some chatter about legislation making people buy smaller cars so you never know in the longer term hatchbacks might be back in en vogue. They are inherently more efficient than SUV regardless of means of propulsion so are a very rational choice, seems crazy car buyers need to be forced to make a rational choice and drop the SUV but there we go :)
Great video once again, I look forward to your GTI video! I am awaiting the order book of the Golf R to open before hopefully returning to VW performance Golf's after successive BMW'S. Sadly BM seem to have lost the knack of making nice looking cars, so its back to VW for me! Thanks for sharing. Subscribed! Dave
Thanks Dave and thanks so much for subscribing. I think you've picked a good time to come back to VW as 8.5 generally seems more well rounded and R even more so. It's a shame the current 1 series is so aesthetically a bit clumsy as it's a good car and the interior is way better than anything from VW, but looks are important. Hope the facelift improves it but I think it needs more than a nip and tuck :)
Really wish we got the R-line Estates in the US. I'd buy one for sure! I love my 2014 Jetta Sportwagon TDI and would upgrade to a equivalent Mk 8.5. Great reviews! Drooling over them! Be safe and have fun driving always!
Thanks Michael, we do take these models for granted in Europe. We've already lost the GTD Estate and now the GTD has gone so the range is shrinking here too but still plenty to choose from. On reflection R line diesels and GTD were overlapping quite a bit so no surprise the latter has gone.
Presently you get £1,000 more for the manual box model over the DSG on VW Solutions. The DSG is also over £1,600+ extra on a Style for example. How much of that extra £1,600 would you get back over the manual when you sell it? 🤔
It’s really annoying that you can’t get a 150 tdi with auto gear box in style or match , I hate the r seats due to disability and think it’s a bad choice of vw not to offer it especially with an auto on the diesel especially when mobility allowances are being reduced not everyone wants a petrol or phev due to life style to and from work
Good video Andrew. I liked lots of the VW wheel designs in the mk7-mk7.5 era. I hate EVERY single design in the mk8. Why are they so bad? They all look like designs from bad sci-fi films.
thanks mooferoo. I don't know what's happening with wheels. TBH the Match wheels on car 3 were quite nice as inoffensive. I did like the R line wheels on the Estate which are optional but not sure why, think it just worked with Estate though hatch on configurator has them. The new R optional Warmenau wheels are pretty smart though so let's hope that's the start of a new wheel design language 🤞🏻
@@volkswizard for me the only standard wheels that look somewhat OK are R Line Coventry in combination with King's Red or maybe some other bright color, and they get bonus points for being 17 inch / 45 profile. Estoril on the GTI look great but then I'm not sure I'd want 35 profile where I live :D otherwise it's pretty bad... maybe it has something to do with aerodynamics? they all seem to be pretty covered up, so maybe they help to bring down the drag coefficient
@@volkswizard Also, Andrew would you recommend to go for the bigger 18 inch wheels to improve the aesthetics or to stick with the standard 17 inch Coventry wheels? I’m not sure whether the larger wheels would impact the ride quality by much?
If you had any credibility as an impartial reviewer, you would be calling out that monstrosity of a screen. The exterior cosmetics look great , but not having a screen contoured into the dash is diabolical. A design error I would never have thought the Germans would make. I also never thought VW would allow themselves to fall victim to cheap Apple Marketing strategies by incrementally making minimal improvements for maximum return. I’ll just wait for the next release …..the Golf 9 Pro Max. I’ve already heard rumours that the screen will be integrated along the front of the dashboard incorporating the drivers dashboard .😂.
If you are going to review reviewers, it is probably a good idea to a) understand opinions are just that, opinions and b) that the subject of aesthetics is very subjective. Also you might want to educate yourself with how many other manufacturers are not integrating the screen into the dash and I am confident the reason for this is that it allows better cooling which means it can run faster. What isn't subjective is a poor performing infotainment system and that's what we had with the Mk8 and I'm confident this was not unrelated into its cosy position in the non-ventilated dash moulding. I've had cameras, phones and laptops pack up in relatively modest heat this summer and I can't see why an infotainment system is any different. So do you want the looks or do you want the system to work correctly?
Just thought I'd have a quick search to see if any brand has infotainment cooling issues and didn't take long. And guess how XC40 screen is located on dash? www.xc40forum.com/threads/cooling-infotainment-system-warning.5244/
@@informedcarpet When I first saw the new infotainment I wasn't sure as I like the one in my mk8. But having seen more and more of the new one and sat in the car a few times I really quite like it. It will be nice to have a bigger screen plus the one in my mk8 has crashed occasionally when out in it.
I test drove both the Golf 8.5 and new Formentor with this screen and I can assure you it does not impede visibility. Also thanks to it's size, it's easy to use most of the important stuff. I do not like the 'look' of it, but functionally it's fine and it's honestly harder and harder to find a car without one. VW and Cupra at least still nest the cockpit screen the 'old way' instead of going the BMW/Audi route and just planting a huge, wide megascreen...
Hi Andrew, Great review! you kept saying "we lost the inlay" when referring to the rear doors covers. just wanted to mention we lost it away back before 8.5 i own a mark 8 and there is no inlays there either. actually the rear doors covers quality is going down hill since mark 6, almost every review on the planet mention this over and over again. but VW simply don't care. i wonder if the savings on the cheap materials worth it. they should learn from Mazda. the 3 model which is in the same class of the Golf uses much better interior materials, and the back doors are soft exactly like the front ones.
Hey simpledude, I've been mentioning the downgraded rear doors for a while now, it's my pet hate. To my surprise I think new Passat has the same spec rear doors but IIRC the Passat doesn't. I don't have wide enough experience of other brands to know what they are doing though. I think even Mk7 Golf lost ambient light on back doors or something like that. Still its not as bad as Audi quilting the front TT seats and not the backs :) With regards to 8.5, I'm pleasantly surprised the door cards have only lost the inlay, I've seen other VWs (maybe a small SUV) where the alcantara and the padded elbow rest have gone too !
Id rather buy a mk8 and save a lot of money over a brand new one as a private buyer, the steering wheel buttons are a step back, never had an issue on my mk8 with the haptic ones over 18months over rated negatively by the car reviewers. Infotainment system on all modern cars is a bit rubbish unless it’s the BMW os 8.5…..just plug in apple car play/android auto. I’ll stick with my mk8 for now
As a fellow mk8 owner I have to agree with you. I actually like the haptic buttons on the steering wheel and have no issue with them. They look more premium as well. I also much prefer the smaller infotainment on my 40th anniversary edition GTI. To me there is simply no reason to have a screen as large as the mk8.5 in such a small car.
I’m now on my second mk8 golf r and I think all the negativity about them is over rated to be honest. The later ones are better than the earlier ones if you go for a mk8
I ordered my R Line dsg 4 weeks ago. I heard something yesterday that there's a delay with the dsg orders but the manuals are coming through quite quickly. Have you heard something too?
@@volkswizard I just heard from someone replying to a comment I made on another RUclipsr's page that the dsg won't be available until 2025. He'd ordered the 50th Edition last May but got a call yesterday from his dealer. He's now switching his order to a manual.
In the US, you won’t be able to get a manual transmission Golf. DSG only. Perhaps that’s sucking up some of the DSG supply. I think VW isn’t building Golf’s in Mexico anymore. So the US supply will come from Germany.
Hi volkswizard, I’ve just ordered the Mk8.5 facelift Golf GTE, I’ve got a week to make up my mind on colour for the GTE before they start to build it , any suggestions please what the colour the GTE would look good in ?
Kings red is bowling me over right now for some reason. Check out the KR R line in the line up, all day that was drawing my eye. You can even have a black roof. I’m intrigued by GTE, 272 PS is plenty, hope chassis and brakes can take it
I will ask the question but until it’s released if it ever is VW won’t say much. It would be unusual for it to be last to be announced so I’d assume no, sadly 😥
Not even in Germany. I think company car tax laws that promote EV/hybrid and higher co2 than TDI 150 have killed it off. Plus the GTE hybrid is 272 PS now so maybe they see that as the replacement?
Thanks J. Just checked and base Life model does have electric folding mirrors so yes, standard across the range in the UK. I did mention them on one of the 3 I tested. You do take it for granted!
Sounded very noisy when you were driving the cars compared to the Golf MK7 SV which I owned. I'd buy another SV of those in a heartbeat if they still made them.
I thought that when I heard it back but trust me it's quiet. The Seat Leon for example is really noisy like a window has been left open and it's not like that.
Indeed Chris, I film with background noise suppression on but not when I am driving as some cars make it go haywire (as they are so noisy) but the main reason is that the noises are important to capture but as you say it's impossible to assess exact volume and the reviewers assessment is crucial and I'll stand by my assessment that interior wind and tyre noise levels as tested are acceptable.
I wish VW wouldn't use the name R as a trim level. It dilutes the actual R and gives the R Line an air of someone who cant afford an R or being cheap. They should use Sport Line or something as an alternative imo.
Totally agree - bit like the old Driver models vs GTI. When I first sat in a Mk8 R after being in an R line a few weeks earlier - I could not believe how similar they were. You can see how R is a cash cow for VW, add AWD and a slightly more expensive engine and hazaar! £10k more please.
It's whatever nearly every other manufacturer uses to so the same - as I've said before it will be perched like that partly for cooling purposes. So many things crap themselves when ambient is over 25 degrees.
They are lovely, but starting at 30k is so much money to a average guy. I'm sticking with my gtd estate 181 bhp like the one you have. Cheap tax and goes like the wind. 😂
GTD Estate is a very under rated car. The range actually starts at £27035 with the Life hatchback, 115 PS 1.5 TSI and 6 speed manual with a decent standard spec. 0-60 under 10 secs and it gets the big 12.9 inch screen which is standard across the range. Even gets alloys!
Shame VW didn't spend some of the cash they wasted on developing cars like the ID7 on producing some decent Kia/Toyota rivalling hybrid drive trains for it s ICE cars. They should be offering more than mild hybrid tech in 2024 and that is only on a few DSG models.
I should have said the Style has the option of 204 PS Plug in Hybrid and the GTE which had 204 PS in 7.5, 245 PS IIRC in Mk8 now has 272 PS in Mk8.5. I think I'm most excited about the GTE of all the range but it needs to have a sporty edge to the drive which it has had so far and they better give it some decent brakes with all that weight - I know it will regen to some degree but it won't be enough for a sporty car.
Really? That's very interesting, I presume the CITI Golf has been discontinued too now? What's the alternative offering from VW? Can't be electric in ZA can it?
More super dull boring modern driver aided rubbish, vw’s styling and brands ‘face’ is awful these days. Just bought another mk5 gti to go with my 6r and honestly wtf happened to vw
My initial impression is 'ugly'. Those overly large 'scoops' at the front just look ridiculous and are probably false anyway. It says, 'trying too hard'. Styling like that on something like an RS3...is still cringe but on a cooking Golf? Just...no.
There are no mistakes in the 8, just some cost savings that remained with the 8.5 as well. Even the screen is better in the 8 vs the 8.5 with that ugly tablet
I agree the price tag is optimistic but the key point is that unlike a robbery, buying a Golf isn't forced upon anyone. VW is a volume brand and pricing needs to reflect that, if it doesn't then nobody will buy them and now the factories are building cars flat out they need to shift metal. If the RRP isn't viable, then there will be some hefty discount (as their always has been with the fleet/lease market). Let's see what Drive the Deal and Car Wow are offering by way of discounting but even 10% isn't enough looking at current RRPs - the market ultimately decides the price. On the positive side the 8.5 appears to be a more agreeable car and I suspect the wider media will get behind it which will help sales.
Maybe the cheaper versions will sell, but i have no high hope here in belgium, the price is still sky high, the golf R starts at 58000 euro without options. Like i said before, the tesla model 3 performance is tempting and it wipes the floor with the R. And its very good on a track also, except for the brakes maybe. My golf days are over thanks to VW's shitty pricing ruclips.net/video/0tdhYevUGwM/видео.htmlsi=art-Sp2WuxWNuIIp
Just had a refresher look at Mk8 and that screen isn't full integrated either but being small it's less controversial. If you look at most manufacturers, the screen are all mounted in a similar way as they need the cooling air from air conditioned cabin. Let's hope the processing power is now sufficient for it to work flawlessly because when the old system used to drop out, you didn't give a hoot how it sat in the dash.
![KSI - Thick Of It (feat. Trippie Redd) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/At8v_Yc044Y/mqdefault.jpg)
My wife has a 8.5 on order replacing her 8!
Have on order metallic black, pan roof, upgraded wheels and winter pack! In the Match trim.
Exactly what we have in the 8 apart 14:53 from it being a Life!
Looking forward to it!
40k with 1.5😂😂😂
Pathetic times we are living in
Add leather and call is £43k, that's not better is it?😁
@@volkswizardbut it’s not even leather it’s pvc
Good video. I prefer watching content of the regular models over the higher performing stuff.
I much prefer the look of the integrated screen in my MK8 than that clumsy looking gluded on i pad in the 8.5
This seems to be a common theme but does any big manufacturer integrate them now? As I’ve said before the fact most are perched like 8.5 can only be to allow the air conditioned air to get to the interval. Modern electrical devices create a lot of heat and integrating in dash limits the amount of processing they can do
@@volkswizardPorsche integrates screens in Macan, Cayenne. Audi integrates in Q3, A6, Q7, Q8, A8. Only cheap cars do not integrate.
@@volkswizardmy understanding is none of the infotainment cpus and processing takes place in the display case. The display is all that is housed in the display stand and that doesn’t generate much heat. The CPUs take up too much space to be housed in the display unit. There are one or more controller units inside the dashboard or engine compartment. So having a free standing display as in the 8.5 is purely a design and/or cost consideration. Not a cooling/ventilation requirement.
@@sergeydanilovno it’s because those dashes are bigger to easily incorporate a larger screen . The golf has a smaller dash
@volkswizard yes bmw integrate them on the new Z4
Thanks for your honest assessment of the Mk 8.5. Better than usual PR guff fed through most car mags. 40K is steep but sadly seems the norm now. Guess the GTI/R will be north of 50K once specced to any sort of acceptable level. Crazy. Staying with now 3.5 year old Mk8 GTI for now😊
Off to Wolfsburg next week for the GTI Fan Fest. Hope I meet the IT muppet from VW....
Great review, Andrew. Your reviews are impartial unlike quite a few YT channels. Continuing bugbear of mine with VW - the alloy wheel styles, but even more so the rear doorcards don't match the front (costcutting gone mad imo). Also, £300 for a spacesaver seems a lot and I'd always prefer that to a can of foam. Personally don't like the light upholstery on the seats - it won't stay like that for long. My manual 1.5 150 tsi now at 15,000 miles and I like it. Around 45mpg in town and over 50 on longer runs. I think the manual will be more reliable than DSG and cheaper too. Personally I like the screen, saw one in dealership - in real life it doesn't look as imposing, much more in your eyeline than in a dash and as long as the system glitches sorted, it's a win-win for me. Look forwards to the GTI review
@@chrislee6650 Thanks. Totally agree. (I'm sure I didn't pay anything like £300 though on my last VW)
Just ordered a 1.5 match with the optional 18s - with a manual box as well. Am so used to driving a manual. I feel like I have less control in an auto, especially with it being hilly where I live.
Just ordered the bottom of the barrel life 1.5 Tsi, can't wait, my first Volkswagon, of course would have loved the R line or GTi but my pockets are not that deep, am sure I will still love the Golf Life when it arrives 👌
5:14 Wheels horrendous
I'm not even going to look at which wheels - I just know 🤣
The plastic inserts on the leeds wheels can be removed to get a more traditional looking wheel.
@@ThePeak64 Great - but means you are paying for something you dont want. The wheels on my Mk 7 more attractive.
@@anthonybragg4844lol, the wheels are literally an option around 500-600 EUR/GBP. Wow, you could potentially save 50 with no plastic plates XD. If you need to pay this attention to your wallet just don't watch for a car like this in the first place.
I think they look great but I know a lot of people will agree with you.
Hi Andrew, a great selection of cars
Looking forward to the Standard 8.5 GTI review.
I think this is the golf to buy and keep great all rounder.
I’m picking up my mk5 R32 from VW dealership service department having had more preventative work done to always keep it running well to always enjoy on the weekends.
Great video thank you VDub:)
I totally agree I have a golf mk8 r line, never had a issue with steering wheel, love the car its pointless upgrading to the mk8.5 I dont need a larger sat nav panel the one I have is responsive as been updated, I rather save the money as the mk8 has the same chassis and engine and gearbox technically underneath its the same car
The id 3 which was classed as the electric car people can afford was rumoured to launch at 25k but it's like 37 k now
Give it 6 months depreciation and for £25k it's yours :)
I am trading early 2020 cars for 12k 15k retail which show some interest, just make sure you have all the latest updates.VW the industry worst for warranty now as most offer 5 or 7 years rather than 3...I also have to give a battery report but so far no issues
I’d definitely give the keyless and Harmon kardon options a miss on that estate and pay less tax
hate stuck on screens be keeping myTCR thanks
These tablet screens cannot contribute to road safety. You have to take your eyes off the road just to turn the volume up. If you have to delve into the sub menu's, it's an accident waiting to happen
@@wynhughes9072 you can change the volume from the wheel and it's been like that for years.
Great video! Love the Golf and wish they were still coming to the USA. That kings red R-line is a Beauty! My wife had an mk7 golf 5 spd before she got her new Tiguan R-line. I was lucky enough to get an mk8 40th anniversary edition (6 spd in Urano grey) and I’m so glad I did. My 4th GTI in a row 😁 i hope hatchbacks become popular again in the future. It seems all people want here are boring SUV’s & crossovers.
Thanks JT! 👍 Agreed, Kings Red on an R line (in sunshine) looks spectacular! There is some chatter about legislation making people buy smaller cars so you never know in the longer term hatchbacks might be back in en vogue. They are inherently more efficient than SUV regardless of means of propulsion so are a very rational choice, seems crazy car buyers need to be forced to make a rational choice and drop the SUV but there we go :)
Great video once again, I look forward to your GTI video!
I am awaiting the order book of the Golf R to open before hopefully returning to VW performance Golf's after successive BMW'S. Sadly BM seem to have lost the knack of making nice looking cars, so its back to VW for me! Thanks for sharing. Subscribed! Dave
Thanks Dave and thanks so much for subscribing. I think you've picked a good time to come back to VW as 8.5 generally seems more well rounded and R even more so. It's a shame the current 1 series is so aesthetically a bit clumsy as it's a good car and the interior is way better than anything from VW, but looks are important. Hope the facelift improves it but I think it needs more than a nip and tuck :)
Really wish we got the R-line Estates in the US. I'd buy one for sure! I love my 2014 Jetta Sportwagon TDI and would upgrade to a equivalent Mk 8.5. Great reviews! Drooling over them! Be safe and have fun driving always!
Thanks Michael, we do take these models for granted in Europe. We've already lost the GTD Estate and now the GTD has gone so the range is shrinking here too but still plenty to choose from. On reflection R line diesels and GTD were overlapping quite a bit so no surprise the latter has gone.
I have just bought the new Golf! I love it to drive! She’s a dream!
That's great news! I saw my first one today that was being driven by an owner rather than on a test drive so you are one of the first, enjoy!
also some guy is hating the new golf but if they would see the mk8.5 in real life I'm pretty sure they would like it
theres no more 2 doors :/ which makes me want a mk6 r 2 door in white after my last mk6 gti. but they do look cool
Presently you get £1,000 more for the manual box model over the DSG on VW Solutions. The DSG is also over £1,600+ extra on a Style for example. How much of that extra £1,600 would you get back over the manual when you sell it? 🤔
By the way with the Leeds alloy wheels you can take the caps off and give it a completely different look if you want.
Can you do that with the York wheels?
@@GolferTom Hi, I've not seen that with any of the other wheels.
Any idea how much it is to add 2 zone climate from the connect store?
I thought the Match model only came out 8 months before a model change, and had some extras added to help shift the existing cars
That has always been the case in the past
Thought that was the Match Edition - but yes confusing.
Nice video, i have a 8.5 style hatch on order!
I ordered end april a 8.5 R-Line in Belgium. Delivery time is end of september. What’s your delivery time?
41k for the r line wtf?
Maybe that should be a new limited edition with a few options and a price tag over £40k the 'R line WTF' 😁
Does this model have automatic seat adjustment selection ? Either standard or optional ?
R line has electric adjustment and memory with £2085 Vienna leather option.
Does the touchpad below the screen now light up in the dark because that was also a problem on the Leon we had.
Yes it does
It’s really annoying that you can’t get a 150 tdi with auto gear box in style or match , I hate the r seats due to disability and think it’s a bad choice of vw not to offer it especially with an auto on the diesel especially when mobility allowances are being reduced not everyone wants a petrol or phev due to life style to and from work
Good video Andrew. I liked lots of the VW wheel designs in the mk7-mk7.5 era. I hate EVERY single design in the mk8. Why are they so bad? They all look like designs from bad sci-fi films.
thanks mooferoo. I don't know what's happening with wheels. TBH the Match wheels on car 3 were quite nice as inoffensive. I did like the R line wheels on the Estate which are optional but not sure why, think it just worked with Estate though hatch on configurator has them. The new R optional Warmenau wheels are pretty smart though so let's hope that's the start of a new wheel design language 🤞🏻
@@volkswizard for me the only standard wheels that look somewhat OK are R Line Coventry in combination with King's Red or maybe some other bright color, and they get bonus points for being 17 inch / 45 profile. Estoril on the GTI look great but then I'm not sure I'd want 35 profile where I live :D
otherwise it's pretty bad... maybe it has something to do with aerodynamics? they all seem to be pretty covered up, so maybe they help to bring down the drag coefficient
Andrew ~ What alloys do you prefer the Leeds 18 inch or the York 18 inch ?
Definitely Leeds 👍
@@volkswizard Also, Andrew would you recommend to go for the bigger 18 inch wheels to improve the aesthetics or to stick with the standard 17 inch Coventry wheels? I’m not sure whether the larger wheels would impact the ride quality by much?
Fantastic overview, thank you!
If you had any credibility as an impartial reviewer, you would be calling out that monstrosity of a screen.
The exterior cosmetics look great , but not having a screen contoured into the dash is diabolical. A design error I would never have thought the Germans would make. I also never thought VW would allow themselves to fall victim to cheap Apple Marketing strategies by incrementally making minimal improvements for maximum return. I’ll just wait for the next release …..the Golf 9 Pro Max. I’ve already heard rumours that the screen will be integrated along the front of the dashboard incorporating the drivers dashboard .😂.
If you are going to review reviewers, it is probably a good idea to a) understand opinions are just that, opinions and b) that the subject of aesthetics is very subjective. Also you might want to educate yourself with how many other manufacturers are not integrating the screen into the dash and I am confident the reason for this is that it allows better cooling which means it can run faster. What isn't subjective is a poor performing infotainment system and that's what we had with the Mk8 and I'm confident this was not unrelated into its cosy position in the non-ventilated dash moulding. I've had cameras, phones and laptops pack up in relatively modest heat this summer and I can't see why an infotainment system is any different. So do you want the looks or do you want the system to work correctly?
Just thought I'd have a quick search to see if any brand has infotainment cooling issues and didn't take long. And guess how XC40 screen is located on dash?
www.xc40forum.com/threads/cooling-infotainment-system-warning.5244/
Well said !! I like it !! As you say, must help with cooling, which will help performance of the unit !!@@volkswizard
@@informedcarpet When I first saw the new infotainment I wasn't sure as I like the one in my mk8. But having seen more and more of the new one and sat in the car a few times I really quite like it. It will be nice to have a bigger screen plus the one in my mk8 has crashed occasionally when out in it.
I test drove both the Golf 8.5 and new Formentor with this screen and I can assure you it does not impede visibility. Also thanks to it's size, it's easy to use most of the important stuff. I do not like the 'look' of it, but functionally it's fine and it's honestly harder and harder to find a car without one. VW and Cupra at least still nest the cockpit screen the 'old way' instead of going the BMW/Audi route and just planting a huge, wide megascreen...
Hi Andrew,
Great review!
you kept saying "we lost the inlay" when referring to the rear doors covers. just wanted to mention we lost it away back before 8.5
i own a mark 8 and there is no inlays there either.
actually the rear doors covers quality is going down hill since mark 6, almost every review on the planet mention this over and over again. but VW simply don't care. i wonder if the savings on the cheap materials worth it.
they should learn from Mazda. the 3 model which is in the same class of the Golf uses much better interior materials, and the back doors are soft exactly like the front ones.
Hey simpledude, I've been mentioning the downgraded rear doors for a while now, it's my pet hate. To my surprise I think new Passat has the same spec rear doors but IIRC the Passat doesn't. I don't have wide enough experience of other brands to know what they are doing though. I think even Mk7 Golf lost ambient light on back doors or something like that. Still its not as bad as Audi quilting the front TT seats and not the backs :) With regards to 8.5, I'm pleasantly surprised the door cards have only lost the inlay, I've seen other VWs (maybe a small SUV) where the alcantara and the padded elbow rest have gone too !
Id rather buy a mk8 and save a lot of money over a brand new one as a private buyer, the steering wheel buttons are a step back, never had an issue on my mk8 with the haptic ones over 18months over rated negatively by the car reviewers. Infotainment system on all modern cars is a bit rubbish unless it’s the BMW os 8.5…..just plug in apple car play/android auto. I’ll stick with my mk8 for now
As a fellow mk8 owner I have to agree with you. I actually like the haptic buttons on the steering wheel and have no issue with them. They look more premium as well. I also much prefer the smaller infotainment on my 40th anniversary edition GTI. To me there is simply no reason to have a screen as large as the mk8.5 in such a small car.
This is so true. I've had a mk 8 for almost a year and never once mis-hit a button. It has me looking at car reviewers differently
The main problem is that the buttons are failing prematurely, VW has replaced tons of steering wheels as a result. Not good
I’m now on my second mk8 golf r and I think all the negativity about them is over rated to be honest. The later ones are better than the earlier ones if you go for a mk8
@@MC-gp1zg your on your 2nd mk8? 🤔 what happened w/ the first one just out of curiosity?
I ordered my R Line dsg 4 weeks ago. I heard something yesterday that there's a delay with the dsg orders but the manuals are coming through quite quickly. Have you heard something too?
I haven’t but going by the number of manuals at the event I’d say that sounds very plausible
@@volkswizard I just heard from someone replying to a comment I made on another RUclipsr's page that the dsg won't be available until 2025. He'd ordered the 50th Edition last May but got a call yesterday from his dealer. He's now switching his order to a manual.
In the US, you won’t be able to get a manual transmission Golf. DSG only. Perhaps that’s sucking up some of the DSG supply. I think VW isn’t building Golf’s in Mexico anymore. So the US supply will come from Germany.
@@roch145 They don't still call it the VW Rabbit in the US i hope? 😂🐰
@@roberttye5908 No they dropped the Rabbit name decades ago
Hi volkswizard, I’ve just ordered the Mk8.5 facelift Golf GTE, I’ve got a week to make up my mind on colour for the GTE before they start to build it , any suggestions please what the colour the GTE would look good in ?
Kings red is bowling me over right now for some reason. Check out the KR R line in the line up, all day that was drawing my eye. You can even have a black roof. I’m intrigued by GTE, 272 PS is plenty, hope chassis and brakes can take it
Great stuff Andrew.
Great review 👍
Hi Antony, thanks so much for your kind words, Andrew
Will you be getting a mk 8.5?
Never say never :)
Understand there will be no 8.5 GTD? Is this correct?
I will ask the question but until it’s released if it ever is VW won’t say much. It would be unusual for it to be last to be announced so I’d assume no, sadly 😥
Not even in Germany. I think company car tax laws that promote EV/hybrid and higher co2 than TDI 150 have killed it off. Plus the GTE hybrid is 272 PS now so maybe they see that as the replacement?
Great reviews. Do they have auto folding wing mirrors as standard?
Thanks J. Just checked and base Life model does have electric folding mirrors so yes, standard across the range in the UK. I did mention them on one of the 3 I tested. You do take it for granted!
Sounded very noisy when you were driving the cars compared to the Golf MK7 SV which I owned. I'd buy another SV of those in a heartbeat if they still made them.
I thought that when I heard it back but trust me it's quiet. The Seat Leon for example is really noisy like a window has been left open and it's not like that.
Indeed Chris, I film with background noise suppression on but not when I am driving as some cars make it go haywire (as they are so noisy) but the main reason is that the noises are important to capture but as you say it's impossible to assess exact volume and the reviewers assessment is crucial and I'll stand by my assessment that interior wind and tyre noise levels as tested are acceptable.
@@volkswizard did you have a chance to compare it to the facelifted Cupra Leon?
Andrew did I hear right that the GTD is now history? - that’s a big miss if true!
I wish VW wouldn't use the name R as a trim level. It dilutes the actual R and gives the R Line an air of someone who cant afford an R or being cheap. They should use Sport Line or something as an alternative imo.
Totally agree - bit like the old Driver models vs GTI. When I first sat in a Mk8 R after being in an R line a few weeks earlier - I could not believe how similar they were. You can see how R is a cash cow for VW, add AWD and a slightly more expensive engine and hazaar! £10k more please.
Agree too. Whenever I see one I always check the exhaust tips to see if it is an R or R line.
Good old diesel👌👍👍
🙌🏻
It is a NICE car.
Is that screen stuck on with velcro?
It's whatever nearly every other manufacturer uses to so the same - as I've said before it will be perched like that partly for cooling purposes. So many things crap themselves when ambient is over 25 degrees.
30k for 2.0tdi hatch, crazy. Just go and buy a used mk7 tdi for 8k.
My 22 Tiguan r was the worst ever car in terms of reliability so won’t even be looking at any new vw products unfortunately 😢
It is bigger in the back then my bmw 520 touring?🤔🧐
Best car out of the box, it’s the perfect car ❤️🍉
Some people out there still prefer a manual...like me 😉
R-line estate 150d for me, rather expensive
ive bought a new merc diesel wish i had the golf now i had a mk7.5 golf estate but didnt want an 8 wish i had bought a mk 8.5 rline estate diesel now
Oh well Nick, the 8.5 will be around for 4 years so hopefully you can bag one next time around :)
Why harmon kardon and not dynaudio 😮 😢
They are lovely, but starting at 30k is so much money to a average guy. I'm sticking with my gtd estate 181 bhp like the one you have. Cheap tax and goes like the wind. 😂
GTD Estate is a very under rated car. The range actually starts at £27035 with the Life hatchback, 115 PS 1.5 TSI and 6 speed manual with a decent standard spec. 0-60 under 10 secs and it gets the big 12.9 inch screen which is standard across the range. Even gets alloys!
The prices are insane
Not a fan of the 8.5 styling especially the lower spec ones the new r line Coventry wheels also are not pretty , love my mk8 R-line
wish you didn't hate on the MK8 so much, I might watch you again if you did....
I’m a Mk8 hater? That’s news to me
@@volkswizard sorry, probably a little harsh, but you are a little hard on them compared to other versions.
The facelift is a definite improvement in the looks department but for a launch event that's such a boring array of colours!
Agreed and agreed, one Kings red car which looked amazing and as a result I never saw it stationary apart from during my intro
@@volkswizard Yes, fair point that red does look great!
Nice review, but everyone please learn how to pronounce “anemone” correctly. It’s a small flower, often blue
Good point, I realised that just after filming
Shame VW didn't spend some of the cash they wasted on developing cars like the ID7 on producing some decent Kia/Toyota rivalling hybrid drive trains for it s ICE cars. They should be offering more than mild hybrid tech in 2024 and that is only on a few DSG models.
I should have said the Style has the option of 204 PS Plug in Hybrid and the GTE which had 204 PS in 7.5, 245 PS IIRC in Mk8 now has 272 PS in Mk8.5. I think I'm most excited about the GTE of all the range but it needs to have a sporty edge to the drive which it has had so far and they better give it some decent brakes with all that weight - I know it will regen to some degree but it won't be enough for a sporty car.
The Golf range is irrelevant in South Africa 🇿🇦 sadly we only get the GTI and R . RIP Golf
Really? That's very interesting, I presume the CITI Golf has been discontinued too
now? What's the alternative offering from VW? Can't be electric in ZA can it?
The front bumper looks daft
More super dull boring modern driver aided rubbish, vw’s styling and brands ‘face’ is awful these days. Just bought another mk5 gti to go with my 6r and honestly wtf happened to vw
My initial impression is 'ugly'. Those overly large 'scoops' at the front just look ridiculous and are probably false anyway. It says, 'trying too hard'. Styling like that on something like an RS3...is still cringe but on a cooking Golf? Just...no.
There are no mistakes in the 8, just some cost savings that remained with the 8.5 as well. Even the screen is better in the 8 vs the 8.5 with that ugly tablet
But the old screen didn't work very well which is more important than its external aesthetics IMHO.
facelift, facelift, facelift ..... 2035 facelift.......
Ugly front end. Nasty wheels. Rubber bands for tyres. I'll stay with my Mk.7, thank you.
Why is the rear camera not inside the VW badge? What a downgrade
Ithat’s only on estate which doesn’t use badge to open tailgate, hatchback does and camera is in there 👍
Selling alloys in a review - 😢
*Those prices are highway robbery!*
The People's Car is no longer The People's Car.
I agree the price tag is optimistic but the key point is that unlike a robbery, buying a Golf isn't forced upon anyone. VW is a volume brand and pricing needs to reflect that, if it doesn't then nobody will buy them and now the factories are building cars flat out they need to shift metal. If the RRP isn't viable, then there will be some hefty discount (as their always has been with the fleet/lease market). Let's see what Drive the Deal and Car Wow are offering by way of discounting but even 10% isn't enough looking at current RRPs - the market ultimately decides the price. On the positive side the 8.5 appears to be a more agreeable car and I suspect the wider media will get behind it which will help sales.
@@volkswizard Only remedy for most buyers now will be the Polo. I see that attracting more and more buyers since the price is more reasonable.
Maybe the cheaper versions will sell, but i have no high hope here in belgium, the price is still sky high, the golf R starts at 58000 euro without options. Like i said before, the tesla model 3 performance is tempting and it wipes the floor with the R. And its very good on a track also, except for the brakes maybe. My golf days are over thanks to VW's shitty pricing ruclips.net/video/0tdhYevUGwM/видео.htmlsi=art-Sp2WuxWNuIIp
Well made video as normal but such a boring car 😢
As long as you like the video …😅👍
I think 'the best' is now a Corolla Hybrid to be honest.
Screens are not built-in. Look awful.
Just had a refresher look at Mk8 and that screen isn't full integrated either but being small it's less controversial. If you look at most manufacturers, the screen are all mounted in a similar way as they need the cooling air from air conditioned cabin. Let's hope the processing power is now sufficient for it to work flawlessly because when the old system used to drop out, you didn't give a hoot how it sat in the dash.
Garbage cars, badly designed, badly designed and full of faults.
Avoid VW at all cost.
Great stuff Andrew 👍
Thanks Rasher, it was a hard day’s work but if you like it, it’s worth it 👍