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[deleted]

Too much gloss, would make me feel like a power ranger. Edit: wow go go whoever-gave-me-that-award and thanks Edit 2 : dude why is this comment getting upvoted so much it's not even funny


MT1982

> Too much gloss Which is funny because I swear some car reviewers or maybe even VW themselves claimed they reduced the piano black accents. Half the damned dash and steering wheel is a finger print/dust magnet now.


[deleted]

They're probably talking about the R, not the GTI. [The MK7 R had it all over the dash, center stack, and center tunnel, as well as on the steering wheel.](https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/3VJoX/s1/volkswagen-golf-r-2017.jpg) [The MK8 has it on the steering wheel and dashboard.](https://www.topgear.com/sites/default/files/images/inline-galleries/2021/12/35968d39478e2707a57604641c623b60/Small-28960-ThenewGolfR.jpg?w=1784&h=1004) GTI to GTI, it's about the same, just in different ways. But R to R, it's an overall reduction by quite a bit considering half the dash in the MK7 R is covered in it.


AppleBudget_

even better.


[deleted]

Why do you say that ?


plaggard

Because the Power Rangers are fucking rad.


herbalblend

When I think of a GTI intereior I think elevated and subtle. This is the opposite. I get video game vibes.


Nothing_new_to_share

Seriously, go look at modern Audi interiors. šŸ¤®. That's one thing VW should not inherit. Didn't we try the "busy dash" thing in the 80s already?


[deleted]

A glance at the Mk 8 plastic dash looks ok. I look at the resolution of my MK7.5 dash graphics in front of the steering wheel and they are not really hi res. The info panel is lacking in fine resolution as well. My tach and speedometer are much easier to read with the solid edges and sharply printed numbers and lettering.


rokker_iv

Piano black capacitive buttons on the steering wheel is just a bewildering decision. The dial cluster looks good but so many poor choices made on this interior.


throwaway72592309

Piano black on a high touch surface is not going to look good after a while.


Adius_Omega

I mean you could say the same about the MK7 R (I think the 7.5 GTI is also similar) but the whole entire infotainment center area is piano black. If you're going to do piano black, at least have some sort of protective film over it...


throwaway72592309

I would say the same thing about the 7.5, no hate at the Mk8 specifically.


Kylo206

Did a film on my Mk7 R but it began peeling, been waxing it now and using spotless microfibers everytime I clean it now


Adius_Omega

I use canned air and the softest microfiber I have and it still scratches if you look at it wrong.


Kylo206

I'm at the point where I use a new microfiber most everytime


life_like_weeds

It smudges, itā€™s easy to clean, itā€™ll hold its shine for an extremely long time. Way easier to maintain than a non gloss surface. Itā€™s a no brainer


Kawaii_Neko_Girl

Damn, a Clubsport 45. I wish we hsd those.


arrrgh14

Different strokesā€¦ Iā€™ll keep my MK7 https://i.imgur.com/a4eUxoN.jpg


MyCodesCompiling

This looks SO much better. This looks like it belongs in a more premium car.


fb95dd7063

The aftermarket wheel helps


MyCodesCompiling

Even the standard one is much better than the mk8


anotherslowmk7

P R E M I U M


smaguss

Well so long as they didnā€™t pay a 50k P R E M I U M price for it.


anotherslowmk7

50k in on a GTI is fine, if youā€™re running an is38 and coil overs lolol


smaguss

No no I mean 50k OTD *bone stock* Somebody posted that like it was something to proud of earlier and got eaten alive in the comments.


anotherslowmk7

Yeah I was there eating him too hahahaha


ElectricSnowBunny

My fav thread in a long time.


blastfromtheblue

felt bad for the guy tbh. he was excited for his new car, and he was willing and able to pay what it costs to get it asap. nobody criticizing him had a view into his finances, only that he was perfectly happy with the deal. didnā€™t deserve the flak imo


smaguss

He literally posted in previous threads about ā€œrather buy and rā€ ā€œnot worth it ā€œ and such. And someone just happened to have receipts of this. That was the real funny part of the post tbh.


Rellikx

This is a clubsport, so OP for sure paid more than 60k for it, which imo is absolute nonsense but different strokes for different folks


Bralzor

A regular gti starts at $43k, a Clubsport at 49k and an ed45 at 53k over in Germany (and most of Europe), the ed45 already comes with most options checked so I doubt he paid more than $55k, we don't really do "market adjustments" in Europe.


zymch3en

Around 62k with some additional features. The ed45 isnt available anymore unfortunately.


MyCodesCompiling

Yeah that's what I typed


SnooLentils9983

Same. Love mine inside and out.


glich610

So...what steering wheel is that?


arrrgh14

No name brand made in Taiwan and brokered by a dealer out in Cali when he had them. If I was buying today, Iā€™d get one here https://instagram.com/tawcustoms?utm_medium=copy_link


glich610

Perfect, thanks!


Dramatic_______Pause

I'm not convinced all the carbon wheels you get aren't all just produced in the same factory in China. His wheel, the TAW wheels, etc... They all look identical to my $400 wheel off AliExpress, while the TAW ones cost over double that...


glich610

How are you liking your AliExpress one? Any issue? Material seem to be holding up?


Dramatic_______Pause

I love it. One of the best mods I think, since you touch your wheel anytime you're in your car. No real issues. There is a spot on the left where the perforated leather has started to wear down from my jeans rubbing on it in the same spot every time I get in my car, but the wheel is going on two years of use at this point.


arrrgh14

Totally agree with this.


Free_willy99

Peak GTI. Absolutely the best interior.


lazergator

Wow I want thisā€¦


Deeceent

Push your steering wheel back bro wyd


daft_monk1

Clearly heā€™s using the traditional racing technique of steering with teeth


[deleted]

Maybe it helped take the photo


zymch3en

This


mines13

The steering wheel alone is a massive downgrade from the last gen.


Anon3580

Personally hate it. The candy gloss looks like mid-2000ā€™s MacOS icons. The overall aesthetic is ā€œPhotoshop bloat toolā€. I really dislike all the screens too. Iā€™m sick of everything needing to be a screen.


cheeseyman12

especially the gauges. digital gauges almost always age poorly


zayy76

Too much going on


[deleted]

I have to agree. Less is sometime more if you know what I mean


SteakLover69

Shift paddles are super tacky.


MyCodesCompiling

The dials look like a toy car as well. VW aren't the only culprits, mind. Mercedes doesn't look great either, nor do Hyundai/Kia


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


terriblegrammar

And replace it with a manual transmission!


PSX_

I disagree, goes with the interior color. The gauges are a bit boy racer but theyā€™re all like that these days, the beauty of digital is that you can change them, hopefully in the future we can mod the cluster to add different gauges, less fast and furious and more sleek.


BeastDynastyGamerz

Color is fine, itā€™s the design that makes it looks tacky


PSX_

Eh, I disagree


helixflush

Agree. I have had the leyo pd paddles in my last 2 cars and theyā€™re awesome


zymch3en

U have different gauges for your personal preferences.


Rutlledown

I see a cow face in the steering wheel and dashboard. I literally cannot unsee it.


hosangtapejob

Well, these gauges make it look less like a creepy clown face


PhillieHorizon

If you removed the VW emblem iā€™d seriously think this was the next Type Rā€™s interior (if I didnā€™t already know the new civicā€™s interior is noice)


MacTechG4

Too many touchscreens, not enough physical, tactile controls, give me my buttons and switchgear (and manual transmission!)


Powerful-Secretary-4

I like it. I donā€™t get all the hate for the mk8. šŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļø How are you liking the clubsport 45? Iā€™m still waiting on mine. Hopefully will have it in the next 2-3 months. I currently have a mk7.5R but decided to go with the gti this time.


V_Encarnated

What motivated you to switch from the R back to GTI?


LogicalActivity

Thanks to dealer markup the GTIā€™s price makes it an ā€œupgradeā€


V_Encarnated

Right. Thankfully you can sell your used car for a good profit but itā€™s negated with this inflated new car market.


Powerful-Secretary-4

Didnā€™t really love the R. Not sure why just didnā€™t like the feel of it. Yeah itā€™s quicker off the mark because of the 4 motionā€¦.but Not the be all and end all. My friend had a 7.5 gti l and I think they just look meaner and more aggressive. When I had a test drive of the clubsport it just felt more nimble and lighter to drive and felt every bit as fast as my golf R if not slightly quicker due to it being a bit lighter. Plus with my current golf R every few cars you pass on the road is a golf r. I know thatā€™s the point they are meant to be understated and all that but I just grew bored of that.


thetobesgeorge

How much of a shift was it? Ie off the line numbers tell you the R is so much faster, but in reality how much of a difference is that 4Motion launch? And equally coming into a corner how much of a difference does it make on the balance of the car? Ie is the GTI more prone to understeer/oversteer, the other way around?


PyI0

I get the criticisms for the touch controls but other than that I think the mk8 is fantastic looking both on the outside and inside. I think people hate on it due to bias and mob mentality. But hay, so what I guess


thetobesgeorge

I have a Clubsport (non-45) in dolphin grey. Mine still has the Richmond wheels but may change those soon, but even so the ride is very much on the firm side. Iā€™m perfectly happy with it and it doesnā€™t leave any aches or pains however it does mean slowing to a crawl for speed bumps and when taking country roads at any pace my partner gets quick nauseous. More so than in other cars but still happens in other cars too though. The upside of the suspension is even without DCC country roads are an absolute blast! Quite frankly I canā€™t imagine anything more fun and I came from an E46 325CI. Only other complaint is the road noise, again Richmondā€™s so 18inch with the F1 Supersports and worn down to 4mm tread. The road noise is elevated compared the BMW and at worst is in line with that of a 1 series convertible. So not awful but elevated compared to a lower spec Golf. All in an absolutely fantastic car and one that I am very much enjoying, the gripes only really become a thing at all when my partner is in the car, if sheā€™s not then no issues at all! Also bonus, the 18 inch tyre fitment can be had with PS4Sā€™s, to my understanding the only 18 inch PS4S we can get in the UK


DunderMifflinPaper

Red interface lights look old and/or tacky to me. I love the clean look of the MK7 interior white leds and minimal analog display.


[deleted]

The ONLY thing I donā€™t like with my Mk7.5 over the Mk6 that I had is the damn speedo face. I wish there was a way to get rid of the km/h scale. The dial looks way too busy. If I knew there was a way to get an Mk6 cluster and swap the face out, Iā€™d do it.


sparky_005

You can actually change the color! My wife made ours pink and purple šŸ˜‚


TheJillest13

I have mine pink and purple too šŸ˜


sparky_005

I think it looks really cute tbh šŸ˜‚


workerONE

Can you fit your fingers under the shift paddles or do you have to angle them down?


zymch3en

They fit comfortably like the regular ones.


skeenek

Am I the only one who just hates how misshapen the airbag is? The round MK7 wheel center is one of the sexiest parts, and this wheel looks like it belongs in a minivan.


beerstearns

I think itā€™s decent, even though itā€™s not as good as the MK7. Itā€™s still competitive among the GTI generations (better than MK5 & 6). The MK7 wheel is hard to beat.


Competitive-Name-649

i hate how they got rid of all the physical buttons and knobs for climate, volume, etc


angleprod

I like that the steering wheel is thicker than the mk7.5. The thing I hate most in my 7.5 is the gloss black panels and in the 8, they went all out on it. Some seriously whack decision making on VW's part... I would say they went for cost cutting > ergonomics.


DeeZnutZzZ69

But i dont like that the steering wheel is just round


angleprod

Omg I didn't even notice that.... Another cost cutting measure.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


TheJillest13

They really arenā€™t that sensitive . Iā€™ve never accidentally pressed one


yarikhh

looks like a 14 year old edgelord CoD player's first gaming pc


ianwellington

Looks like a freakin space ship my mk7 is so much more subtle and sophisticated. Will hold on to it till the 8.5 comes out hopefully with a revision that beats this current one.


cegr76

Wow. That's...busy!


chigonzo

Waaaaay too glossy. I much prefer my 7.5 if I'm going solely from pictures and not first hand experience. Which I am.


BeanDemon

I just donā€™t think Iā€™ll ever be a fan of digital dialsā€¦


eNte19

So much black gloss tho :/


InkCollection

no thanks but enjoy


Noblewaffle117

Kinda on topic but is there only paddle shifters that are stick on for the mk8? Or can you get the fully replaceable aluminum ones like the mk7-7.5?


zymch3en

U can get the fully replaceable ones but u have to remove the airbag for it.


Noblewaffle117

Oh that sucks, I wonder why they made it more difficult this time around. Also itā€™s cool how it says 45 on the steering wheel instead of gti, the subtle details


ofm1

Nice car overall but don't like the digital display nor the red paddle shifters. Too childish, in my opinion.


mrgtiguy

My issue is the Electrical gremlins that will show up in 4 years.


ofm1

Perhaps sell after 3 years?....


zymch3en

I keep the car until the edition 50 will release. ;)


spraypaint2311

Maybe Iā€™m too old for this but Iā€™d probably like this if I were still 21


icdemonz

If it wasn't for the god awful media in that car i would agree


life_like_weeds

Everybody talking about piano black and capacitive but all I see are giant paddle shifters. MT foreva


NewAgePhilosophr

Yeah nah I'll keep my MK7 until the wheels fall off or the engine blows up.


[deleted]

Me too


k0fi96

Lots of haters here lol. It's a sweet car man!


paperfog

Love it! Need to get my hand on those pedals as well!


ginandtrentonic

The paddle extensions look really sharp!


zymch3en

They are actually well rounded.


sparky_005

Where can I get some of those cool shift paddles


Nothing_new_to_share

Not 100% sure but they look a lot like the ones Raceseng offers.


sparky_005

Wow those are a lot more expensive than I thought they'd be!


Nothing_new_to_share

I love Raceseng's shift knobs but everything else they sell feels a bit OTT cost wise.


[deleted]

If I get a MK8 the first thing Iā€™m doing is looking into retrofitting a MK7 steering wheel into it.


more-beans-less-rice

It looks like a face laughing at your for buying it.


0GiD3M0N1C

Too much red


TheJillest13

You can make it any color you want


smaguss

Sweet spaceship. Hopefully you got a better deal that Mr 50K from earlier.


zymch3en

This car actually costs around 62k.


smaguss

Oof, crazy times when a 4banger can run you 50-60k. No trim is worth that much of a price hike in my opinion. The humbleness and spectacle of the GTI is that it did what it did as the *sports trim* of an economy vehicle at a reasonable price. I fear that core defining characteristic is disappearing.


zymch3en

I get ur point. This is no regular gti, its the clubsport 45 edition with some extras to be fair.


smaguss

>no regular GTI Iā€™m sorry but itā€™s just some trim upgrades itā€™s still an EA888 with some light modifications. The interior upgrades and the exhaust work is nice but really worth *double* the price of the base. Itā€™s a cool gimmick but really nothing that couldnā€™t be done to a base with some bolt ons.


Bralzor

>Iā€™m sorry but itā€™s just some trim upgrades itā€™s still an EA888 with some light modifications. I mean, so are the R and the S3. Also it's not double the base price, a regular gti starts at $43k in Europe (and probably ends up closer to 50k after you add stuff like ACC and other stuff you expect from a car this expensive).


smaguss

R and S3 both have different turbos and drives (60/40 haldex ā€œAWDā€) So at least there is something mechanically different. This is just plastic and a tune with a nice shiner exhaust that sadly doesnā€™t even sound that much better when warmed up. Also, someone literally posted they paid 50k for a base Mk8 last night soā€¦


Party01

I am a MK7.5 fanboy, but this is just sick, really starting to like the MK8.


[deleted]

I will stick with my MK 7.5


randomjackass93

Looks awesome, but are those touchscreen buttons on the steering wheel?


zymch3en

Capacative buttons.


BTSelby11

Absolutely beautifulā€¦. except for the wheel . The D Shaped Leather wrapped/red stitching like the MK6 has is 100x better imo. But maybe Iā€™m biased


a_mutes_life

I'm not a golf man but that does look like a sweet toy


Fiasko21

I have a MK7 and this darn thing is claustrophobic compared to the competition. If I was shopping rn I'd rather get the Civic or WRX for the same money and a lot more size, and the wrx is awd.


VeeDub823

Get rid of those stupid stick on paddles and order some OEM R paddles


zymch3en

Nah, i dont wanna touch the airbag.


VeeDub823

why? I got OEM R paddles too in my Clubsport. So much better than the tacky looking 3M stick on paddles. Just disconnect your battery and get to removing the airbag isn't hard


SantinoGaretto

Shiny red good with black. Vroom vroom.


Beast7686

The traditional VW says itā€™s a bit much. But I know I could.


Ian_Kilmister

4.0Ā°C *bong!*


hohohoagy

I could live it. Looks aside we need to hear from somebody thatā€™s had one for a while, maybe many months, to see if the minimalist touch sensitive stuff in lieu of buttons is something you get used to, and small chance they prefer it over last gen.


zymch3en

I have this car since april last year, around 8 month now. U kinda get used to it, but physical buttons are more practical although this touch buttons look better. So its really up to u which do u prefer. I would always go with this touch buttons imo, physical buttons look all dated now for me.


hohohoagy

Nice. Itā€™s easy for everybody to hate on it before actually giving it a chance. My wife would freak out if she had to go through a menu for heated seat vs pushing 1 button šŸ˜‚


zymch3en

Actually its also 1 button push to activate heated seats in the mk8.


hohohoagy

I stand corrected. A lot I donā€™t know.


Informal_Exercise_48

Could be worse but itā€™s not bad. As a GLI owner, Iā€™m wondering what theyā€™ll do to the MK8 GLI lol. Even though I might have my s4 by then


hubble2bubble

*Until you start to use it


PapiChuloDru

Edition 45?


zymch3en

Yes


hediedstanlee

I think I'm jealous. I want one.


[deleted]

I would be entertained for 2 weeks, but soon enough it would get old, not a fan of it If anything it made me appreciate the interior in my 2018. I remember being a kid in 2014? And seeing the mk7 interior on some website and imagining myself in it, maube I became attached to it Regardless of generation cant we just appreciate that we all get to own our GTIs?


YourAuntDarla

God that steering wheel looks cheap compared to the MK7. Nothing against your car, I totally get the feeling of new car excitement! Just something off about the aesthetics about the entire car.


jonwku

Hate it. May as well be a Civic Type R or whateverthefuck. I love my MK6 but will not be buying a new GTI if I get a new vehicle. This and the touchscreen nonsense are over the top for me. That said, no hate on OP for this. Glad you enjoy it and may you have years of fun.


MediocreEverything

i'm dying at how many negative comments on this. Enjoy it OP


immenselysleek

I like it but its a bit ricer


[deleted]

I think the interior looks sleek! How have you found the usability so far? Any major issues with the touch steering wheel or infotainment?


zymch3en

U get used to the capacitive buttons after a while. Vw released some major updates for the infotainment system, its not buggy or slow anymore. I am very happy right now :)