For the last two years I have been driving a GTE VW hybrid which has many shortcomings but as you say puts a huge smile on your face when you select the GTE mode and wow the car comes alive. Stiffer suspension and steering together with that lovely grunt from the engine when you floor it!, and I’m 74 and still enjoy driving haha
With the GTI . You don't need huge power . It's the best all rounder . It's like Ronseal ....... Does what it says on the tin . I love my 7,5 Manual . Puts a smile on my face every time I drive it 😊
I don't get how everyone here calls the GTI an all rounder. If it rains you're barely putting any power down and things turn into an FWD understeering snoozefest once you start cornering. If it snows lol, might as well leave it in the garage. The R is the true all rouder because its versatile and usable in all conditions because of AWD. In case of the MK8, you've even got a trick rear-diff capable of power on oversteer to boot. GTI's are great FWD fun, i've owned and tracked one, they're iconic. However, an all rounder, they are not.
I bought a MK5 TDI about 8 years ago: plain simple boring but it did have DSG about which I knew nothing. I’d had a 2002 for years, an Audi 90 and a Volvo 850 but was looking for a cheap to run care not a sports. A couple of years ago I was at a parts yard stripping a aircon from a GT and saw the bigger discs. I fitted them and had to buy higher wheels to fit. I got Siena 17s and good tyres - I’d already thought it handled well as standard but the new setup was a revelation! Subsequently I fitted paddle shift and cruise control along with the wheel from the GT badged TSI. The diesel is an amazing motor and squeezing torque effortlessly down country roads is my favourite thing ❤ Not about power, it’s the package!
Best is 7.5 3 dr 6 speed manual. Owned one since 2018 and love it. I’m lucky to live close by to many mountain roads and nothing is as fun in all weather conditions (except snow!)
I run a 7.5 DSG PP with the torque vectoring l/s diff and Bridgestone blizzak winters tyre's and can assure you it's unbelievable. Couple of years ago we had some good snow and live on a single track road....it pushed through drifts upto the bonnet height with little fuss. On one occasion it rained and froze, no gritters on these back roads and on the 1/2 mile straights I could run at 50 with plenty of control, even when braking for corners I could do so with more force than I thought possible before it locked up and it recovered almost straight away. The winter tyres transform the cars abilities.
Never really got the GTI. Then decided to sell my 5.0 mustang as I needed a better daily driver. Decided to get a GTI mark 7 as a cheap run around. My first VW, and decided to get the DSG and it’s my first auto in 30 years of driving. I’m completely blown away. Even with my mustang being a V8, this little golf puts a way bigger smile on my face everytime I fire it up. I absolutely love it!!!
This gen was a horrible miss for me. I took delivery of a Clubsport in November 2021 and VW accepted my rejection about 4 months later. The bugs on the SW where it thought it was in Germany and braked because it thought you were undertaking, set the speed to 100mph thinking it was 100kph... The hepatic buttons were miserable, the volume and temp buttons not illuminated and the infotainment crashed all the time. Then I got creaking suspension dealers couldnt sort and that was the end of that! It was a shame as it was great fun to drive!
I bought a CS (2023) for my wife as a daily driver and she loves it. No issues with the software, and the ACC has been brilliantly intuitive. My wife would be the first to say she isn't into cars and doesn't like tech - but she really likes the CS. True, it takes time to adjust to the haptic buttons but once you've dialed into it they are not a problem. It's a car that quietly grows on you and impresses you over time. We've found it economical, plenty of power, superb motorway cruiser, easy to drive and park. Build quality has been excellent. And it's great fun on B roads.
My wife & I both owned Mk 7.5 GTi's and enjoyed them both. On the 1st March this year I took delivery of a manual Mk 8 GTi. It was one of the last manual GTi's ever to be built. 👍👊
Ditto, mine registered 30th Jan. Manual is the way to go, just a shame you haven’t been able to order it for some time and there will be no more three pedal GTIs.
I have a manual 2017 MK7 GTI and it puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. One of its strengths, as this video points out, is its ability to laugh at inclement weather. It just stays so composed, it's a joy to drive. And the MK7 is delightfully analog. I can actually set the temperature with a dial!
I owned a Mk7 GTI for a few years and got rid of it late 2022. I've missed it so much that I'm getting a new MK8 GTI in 2 more months (waiting for it to get to port). Was such a great daily driver that was very practical, but if you ever wanted to have fun it knew how to flip a switch and become more than a daily. The MK8 styling and interior takes a lot of getting used to coming from someone who owned a MK7. However, working at a dealer and being around them and hearing from people who have owned them for 10k+ you start to see that they aren't bad especially the outgoing 2024 model year. I look forward to your endeavor coming up later this year the 8.5s as I'm curious to see what all changes.
I have a Mk2 GTI (1989) which I absolutely love. A few years ago I took it to Wolfsburg to visit the factory and it was a very memorable trip. Glad you’ll be joining VW for the drive to Wolfsburg to celebrate 50 years and the chance to drive all the variants. I’m sure VW will bring out a special edition GTI to celebrate 50 years. Now that would be a temptation as it will almost certainly be the last ICE GTI before it all goes electric with the Mk9. The GTI has always been understated and a great all rounder which is why it’s such an excellent car.
We had a mk 2 16v for about 12 years. That was an excellent car. Very well built and reliable. Quick and decent handling. Much better brakes than my old mk1. We sold it with well over 100k miles on it for decent money. You cant really beat that , can you?
Absolutely agree - I remember Jeremy Clarkson writing in Performance Car in the 1990s as to why anyone would buy GTI over Maestro EFI - I wasn’t the only one who replied to that opinion - my view was if it was your own hard earned money you wouldn’t be saying that plus how many EFIs will be on the road in 10 or 20 years
Most overrated Hot hatch, I had a NEW (1989) MK2 Golf GTi Campaign on loan for a week. What a Shed, No Central Locking, Wind Up Windows No Tints totally GUTLESS, Having been bombarded by the likes of Clarkson and Brewer about how great they were It was CRAP, So I bought a Toyota Corolla GTi-16v , Pilloried by the motoring press as BORING. Well Guess What, It's a better car than any MK1 MKII or MK3 Golf, I still have it th-cam.com/video/Ll0KxvuCsWU/w-d-xo.html
Congratulations on your Corolla - very good car and sorry about your experience with the Mk2 Golf GTI - early cars didn’t come with electric windows, power steering or tinted windows except the 1988 special models to celebrate either 19 or 20 million Golfs. The big bumper models from 1990 came with central locking, power steering and electric windows. Enjoy the Toyota- it looks great in red and well looked after 😊
My only Golf was the ‘89 Mk2 GTI. Was fun but by modern standards a bit of a yawn! I remember thinking 0-60 in 8.5 seconds was great, especially after coming from an MGB GT shed !!
I bought an 18 plate 7.5 in January and its a great car. My last car was a 206 180 which was a teenager and the Golf is a grown up. The performance is enough on British roads and it feels very planted. Following the demise of the 206 I had a Mk 8 for a month but prefer mine. Loving it ❤
My mates always had Golfs when I had 205 GTis and I thought the Golf was not as good. After I bought my first Golf GTi I reckon I was converted within about 500 miles ! They are a great car - and so stable in the wet as you found out. I reckon because they are built to drive flat out on the Autobahn at normal driving speed they just tick over easily. I remember back prior to speed cameras driving to the south of France in one at a steady 120 mph, 3 up with 3 mountain bikes hanging on the back - great memories !
I had never driven a Golf GTI until two years ago when I was looking to replace my JCW and had found a 19 plate GTI Performance but I was really disappointed in the sense of theater with it ie interior and noise. It drove OK in the limited time I had it on test but in fact I liked my Golf GTD Estate more than that car with the sound generated through the speakers, fuel consumption and practicality with the Estate and two dogs. There is still something to this day I seem to like about the Golf GTI though and I think it is the heritage of being the genre of car I seem to revert back too after owning a JLR product and being let down but always returning after I have come to terms with it.
My G7 GTI is 10 years old this year and I haven't had a single issue with it. It still looks brand new and I love driving it. I was a bit disappointed by the interior of the G8, but I'm glad that they've fixed a lot of the issues in the G8.5, so I'm looking to finally upgrade later this year. The fact that it's understated is something I really love, but those who know, know. Cars like the i30N are a bit too boy racer for me, whereas the GTI is the more "elegant" of the bunch.
I have a Mk8 GTI, and I love it!! I don’t find the haptic buttons to be a big issue, you get used to them over time. I have accidentally turned on the steering wheel heater a time or two, but that’s all. It is a blast to drive on the twisties and should be better with a few modifications. When accelerating and the turbo kicks in, it feels like a rocket ship. No regrets on my purchase!!!
i bought a golf r estate 7.5 2 years back and lov it , it has not been modified , it has the superb engine and dsg gearbox and 4 wheel drive , what more can i ask for , digital dash etc the only drawback is that the police are always there and they caught me speeding 2 mph more so got a speeding ticket 2 years ago lol .
Hi Ped It was a wake up call when you mentioned “50 yrs”.🤭 Going way back in time we had Golf GTI but then changed over to scirocco and then Corrado VR6. What a car never went back to the Golf!😉
Really balanced review; I currently run a late 7.5 DSG and can't think what I'll replace it with. I was very close to pressing the button on a Mk 8.0 clubsport last year but just could not see past the VW cost cutting (no std heated seats/rear view camera/gas struts deleted on bonnet). Add to that the low rent interior and poorly thought out controls - what is that gear selector about? - Like many people in the comments have said, it's an 'everyman' car; enough power without ever being intimidating.
Great video! In the past I owned an '88 GTI for 200+ thousand miles and loved it. Currently own a Mk6 GTI (since 2011) and have handed it down to my 16 year old son. They are truly great all around cars!👍
Love our golfs , my first car in the 80’s was a mk1 golf and since then my wife and I have owned 5 different generation GTI’s. Our current mk8 is a fabulous drive. It shares the garage with my much loved 350z and current model Defender 90. If we could only own one car it would hands down be the GTI - great review - cheers from Brisbane
Had a MK6 GTi manual, loved it. Now in a DSG 7.5, and never fails to not put a smile on my face. Had a 7.5 R as well and I know which one I preferred, the GTI all day long
@@MartinPearson-df8xf for me the R was great as well but the 4motion just seemed to take some of the fun away, knowing you can chuck it in to any corner and it would get you round there. The GTI just feels a bit more fun. Dad has had 4 Golf GTI now and has move onto his 2nd polo GTI now. I can see where I get it from now
Great video Ped, I’m not a great lover of the 8 truth be told. However, we had a MK5 GTI Edition 30 that we just loved, also a MK5 GTI which was great but my own personal favourite was our MK 7.5 GTI Performance (‘Eddie’), absolutely amazing car!!!!! 🥰
I ran 2 MK1 Sciroccos and then got both an 8 and 16V Mk2 GTI as company cars when I worked for London Car Telephones. The Mk2 was a wonderful car, and so reliable. I put 100,000 miles on the 16V between services (it was a company car after all) and it never missed a beat and always a blast to drive on any type of road
Such a nice surprise this evening watching your video on the Golf GTI. Never owned a GTi, sadly, but loved my Golf 7 GTD, and now my 8 eTSI. You can’t go wrong with a Golf. It is the iPhone of the car world. I remember loving the GTIs back in the 80s. Hope to drive one sometime soon. Brilliant review Pete, and can’t wait for more Golf content this summer! Am loving your Japan trip coverage btw! 👍🏻 Cheers, Tom
6:28 steering wheel controls are button-y. They do press. Very hard to hit/ change by accident. Screen haptics are absolutely fine. After 2 hrs no big deal
Great review! I have an identical GTI to the one you drove and overall it’s a great all rounder. After 3 years however I have to say the infotainment gets no better and the unlit slider controls are just stupid. Otherwise it really is a car, greater than the numbers suggest,is fantastically well balanced, technology like the predictive cruise control and the IQ lights are seriously good and it still puts a smile on my face. I’ll be ordering an 8.5 as soon as the order books open and really hope they’ve sorted the software and infotainment as promised. Enjoy Wolfsburg!
Even the basic TDI can be a lot of fun on a twisty road - gobs of power and precise handling. I put 17" wheels and bigger discs and paddle shifts in mine - quite happy with the power and easy on the mpg
Yes never really ticked the box for me. Test drove a couple a 6 and 7 I think. Just missing something. Was a passenger in a mk1 convertible a number of years ago and yes that was very special.
Took me a few days to get used to the haptic controls on the steering wheel, and mercifully, have the 8" infotainment (S model). No complaints with the lack of real buttons. Really happy with my Mk 8.
Nice motor but I couldn’t get past the slider controls & why I bought a BMW 128ti. No manual option, but such is life. An absolute hoot in sport mode & sensible when needed in normal. Great review as usual 👍😎
I recently bought a Mk7 Clubsport Gti (supposedly for my wife) and I absolutely love it. I test drove a Mk8 Golf R a few years back and I was not excited by it. Also not a fan of the Mk8 Styling. I think Mk 7/7.5 is my favourite flavour of Golf Gti. Fairplay on your honesty about previous Golf Gti experience btw.
I have a Jaguar XF-S sportbrake, my wife has a 7.5 GTi performance (both are auto). I love driving both cars as they are so different. The Jaguar is understated, practical, great on a long journey, superbly smooth and plenty quick enough. The GTi is louder, more of a hooligan, feels quick and is great fun to drive. Sadly, hers doesn't have the adaptive dampers and this makes it quite a hard ride on our country roads, It also has the low profile 19's making it even more rock hard but, in a way, that adds to the fun. oh, and hers is volcano red !
That's great driving on the right hand side. Most of the people I watched before they drive on the wrong side and I don't like that. Thanks for the beautiful video brother. Keep up the good work ✌🏻🇿🇦
Mark 3.5 Octavia 245 in manual, passive dampers, 18" wheels. Best setup for broken UK roads, with all the power of the GTI, the LSD, tardis interior, proper buttons and handbrake
It’s tuff for me to get into the mk8 because I have no payments on my 7.5 and I heard that no more manual transmission 😢 It’s one of my favorite cars and it feels a little like my gf mk1 r8 in overall drivability.
Although i had my doubts, considering the lousy software, i bought one last year. It is as brilliant as my late Golf 7 GTI Performance. It’s still the car that ticks all the boxes. Comfortable and spaceous for the family and when you are allone, you can drive as if your trousers were on fire. The software problems are gone, although, when the emblem is wet or dirty, the radar behind it gets confused and leads to alarm messages that the brake assist and travel assist do not operate anymore. Slight drawbacks that do not nearly weigh up to the exquisite ride. A brilliant car then, but fully equipped like mine it costs EUR 70,000 here, in the Netherlands….
Have a MK5 GTI, owned for the last 5 years and still love it. Completely stock apart from a cat back exhaust. Fancy a MK 7.5 but I still think the MK5 styling is great, much more distinctive than later models. Hate the MK8 front end.
Great video. I love the Golf over the years and the Scirocco that came from it. Had a lovely bright red mk 2 Scirocco in the 80’s. Can’t wait to see the Golf 8.5. Sounds like they’ve sorted many of the issues and Golf is back to its best.
It’s a perfect car. Mine is the US GTI 380. Manual. Got all the Autobahn dynamic stuff, sticky tires and adaptive dampers with LsD. It’s fabulous. It’s my daily driver and I have a Cayman for the weekend. I didn’t wait for 8.5 because this was the last manual to be ever made and I can live with the infotainment.
I had a Mk1 GTI. It was a 1983 Y reg model with the 1781cc engine. Just about the best fun car I’ve owned, and never failed to put a smile on my face. As said, not loads of power, but the package was just so right. A very forgiving car, which was just as well given my youthful exuberance😄. The overall package is made/makes it was it was/is.
I had a mk7.5 Golf R and while it was fun, I always wanted a GTi because the R wasn’t fun unless you were breaking the speed limit everywhere. Hate the mk8 design inside.
I’ve had my MK8 GTI (in Kings Red which is gorgeous in person) for two weeks now after having had a MK7 for 9 years. I went through a period of frustration and adjustment to the infotainment system but after a bit of time, I’m now understanding the system and feeling incredibly at home in it. I’m totally getting the haptic steering wheel buttons with no false presses. Being able to swipe and light press and hard press to adjust ACC, swipe for volume and swipe for skipping etc. All easy. The range of views and widgets you can have on the dash is nuts! I’m now completely comfortable with the UI and think it’s pretty smart. I love driving the car and I personally love the finish and acres of gloss black. Just keep a microfibre towel in the glove box. I did not like the MK8 when I first saw it. I didn’t like it the second or third time. But by sitting in it and driving it and playing with the infotainment system I came around quickly. I’d go so far as to say I love it.
Well going from manual GTD to DSG GTI I mainly found the engine sound and general feeling of speed was better. Fuel economy is obviously worse by about 10mpg but doesn’t bother me too much. In terms of the mk7.5 to mk8, I’d say none of the ‘missing’ things they go on about in comparison reviews really affect my usage of the car. The infotainment makes sense when you get to know it, and mine is reasonably responsive (wireless charging is hit and miss though). the haptic steering wheel buttons are actually quite nice to use, but I will say the climate control is a slight pain and I generally adjust it before setting off. Big improvements I’ve noticed are the headlights (mk7.5 dipped are dim and mk8 matrix are amazing). Seats are more comfortable imo, the ACC is a bit smarter and brakes earlier and reacts more like a human would. The ambient lighting is a lot nicer with the colour settings, and I personally think the lightbar at the front looks smart in the dark. One thing I do like, is in my area the mk8 and especially the GTI isn’t a very popular car, so you stand out a bit even though it’s a sensible daily driver. I found after I’d had my 7.5 for a few years it seemed every other person in town had one.
The last GTI I drove was an '82 or '84 Mk I in the early 90's - since then I've not parked my cheeks in the fun seat - only rode as a passenger. We were considering one before we purchase our first F56 JCW - I'd be interested in give a vee-dub a whirl....
Bought a Mk8 GTI. I love it! When you put your foot down, like on an overtake, and that turbo kicks in, man does it take off!. Few peeves, the seats do get a little uncomfortable on long drives. I had the infotainment screen not come on, then later work, twice now. I find the Windshield wiper controls for both front and back to be a bit Fiddley. No problems with the haptic buttons. Many reviewers complain about accidentally turning on the heated steering wheel, it has happened a couple times, but for the most part, it’s not a problem. Overall I love my GTI, it’s a fun car on the twisties. Maybe my only regret is not going for the Golf R.
I think the mk7 gti is where it's at, looks and performance, especially mine. Stage 1 300bhp more fun than my standard golf mk7 r for sure! Both are manual aswel. I think you would ❤it too in gunmetal grey!
As a mk5 gti owner, the mk8 is the ugliest, crappiest, cheapest looking thing ever, and really dragged the VW badge down so low that I don't think I'll bother with VW in the future. Everywhere you look on the mk8 screams "Cost cutting" and nothing else. The engineers were tasked with making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. If you own a mk7.5, don't ever let it go, they'll surely appreciate in value once the supply of them thins out.
Got a 2018 GTI 7.5 Performance DSG (APR stage 1). Been fantastic for the 5 years I have had it. It's everything you need in one car. Prices are slowing going down again now, I've been riding the wave of high resale values for the past couple of years. I think this will be with me until it dies (or I do!) 🤣 Welcome to the GTI party, Ped - even though it's overdue 🖖
Have had 2 Golf GTI’s over the years, both red (sorry!) and both with a manual gearbox. The first was a 1983 late mark 1 with the 1800cc engine rather than the earlier 1600. It was an ex demonstrator which was about a year old when I bought it, I loved it, a really great car . My second Golf GTI was bought new in 2012, it was an “edition 35” that the dealer had in stock which meant it had slightly more power than the regular one, it must have been god because I kept it for over 3 years. Shortly after buying the second one a friend looked at the edition 35 badge and asked if that meant 3.5 litre or 350 horsepower, I was tempted to lie but decided to explain it was the 35th anniversary model which had apparently been kept in production for a few years!
First time owner, '24 380 SE. REALLY getting to like it! Just have to modify the gear shift height and throw. Stock feels too much like a game. Shifting by sound is out, intuition is the name of the game, about the only learning curve. Yeah, the buttons are a different philosophy, but workable. Would like better software functionality behind them, though. Beautiful sound system.
Yeah the infotainment sucks, but as for it being "better" in the 8.5 - that MASSIVE tablet they stuck on the dash on the 8.5 is absolutely hideous. I wouldn't want either, hence I keep my 7.5 R.
I have owned one of the first Mk1 1800cc in the country, mk2 8v, mk3 vr6, mk4 Gti,mk 7 R. The mk1 was outstanding in its day, great reliability and build (I traded in a mk2 RS2000 Escort), the Others never had the spark of the Mk1,but the Golf R is a fantastic car.
Had a mk7 performance for 9 years. Always loved it, still looks great. Put a stage 1 on it and it became a completely new beast. Even more smiles when you chuck it through corners and it jumps out ready to eat up the road. Great car.
Good review here - well balanced viewpoints and I’m thankful you’ve got the GTI “thing” ! I started with a Mk2 16v GTi shortly after a canny salesperson loaned me an 8v when my lowly 1.6 Golf was out of action. This was it for me and became just a matter of time until I had that 16v sitting on the drive. Fast forward 30 years when a random visit to the dealer left me with a 7.5 Performance on the drive during lockdown. Living near open countryside meant I could sneak out for some hooning about on very quiet roads, for legitimate reason of course. The LSD was the most amazing feature for a FWD hot hatch, just astounding grip out of corners and out of gnarly junctions. Someone got a great motor when I swapped it for a Tiguan…..
My dad had a couple of mark 2 gtis back in the 90# and noughties as his sensible car (his other being an early 1988 911 carrera sport which he had for over 25 years from 1991)- and he loved his golf’s. They handled being driven so damned hard without breaking sweat, yet my mum would drive it if they popped out and didn’t want to take the family car (she refused to drive the 911). The gti could keep up in the twisties with much more powerful cars especially amazing if you weren’t called senna or Prost or mansell, but my dad also picked me up from uni in it as my mum needed the big car. We both enjoyed the drive home. The second one left us with 150k on the clock only just run in, and feeling like it still had 139 ponies under the hood. My dad always came back to golf as a model. He still has a golf (gtd now, mk7) as it does enough of the fun stuff whilst being parked on the street and not get noticed, and 50 to the gallon on a run.
🖐️It was mentioned a while ago on a Top Gear episode , that when questioned about the 220 h/p (at the time) , not being significantly more , VW said it was quite sufficient . All these years later even at 240 h/p , it seems they were right . Great review , thank you 👊
I think many of us are in the same camp as you Pete, when it comes to the Golf GTI. I lusted after them back in the day. I owned a MK2 1.6CL, which looked like a GTI, but obviously lacked the performance. I just loved the look of the MK2 though, in a Lancia Delta kind of way. From there on the GTI just seemed to become more of a ‘sport lite’ car, not delivering the performance of the R, the A145, the M135i/M140i etc. I’ve given them a cursory consideration from time to time, but have struggled to see why I would consider it ahead of some of its rivals. Like you say in the video however, sometimes we should just drive and experience cars, rather than shortlisting after playing a game of top trumps with the stats.
Don’t have a gti but do have a 21 plate GTD so inside just the same .I actually think the steering wheel buttons controls are brilliant as for the virtual dash and screen control unit again I think it works brilliantly. The gear lever thing I think your just old school Porsche has a very similar one in the 911
Great review of the GTi - summed up perfectly why these are such fabulous daily cars. We’ve been lucky to have had 3 GTis including our current 7.5 Performance which is arguably the best ever. Very keen to try the 8.5 as that will surely be the last ?
Thank goodness they are changing the interior slightly and the mild increase in power gives it just enough to be a great finish for one of the automotive greats.
I had a MK2 16 valve which I loved. Still fancy anothe GTI, possibly a 7.5 which I feel is peak recent GTI. So pleased VW are moving away from those awful haptic controls, it was noticeable how much you had to look down to make changes. That synthetic engine sound is a bit much as well.
Great review but that interior dash with the tandy display and haptic controls just ruins it. Mk7 seems the sweet spot, would rather have a mk7 than an 8. Fake noise not great either. If VW had analogue dials and buttons, that would be spot on
I was always attracted to golf as a kid.. i am as old as the golf..😑 the first car i bought was a golf! A manual 1981 With the skinny bumpers.. i had a super bike at the time before having a car! I called it my rally car. It had no power, interior was basic. But the driving experience was mind blowing. After that i got a 1998 e36 bmw 318i .. manual as well.. 🤯 german cars are so nice to drive.. love the handling and the driving experience even if you dont have the top end model. Back then my dream car was a golf vr6! Cheers mate.. yeah not much power but the driving experience is super nice...✌️👊👌👍♥️
I had a 1987 Mk2 GTi 16V back in 1991. It had no power steering, the ride of a steam roller on a cattle grid and the motorway noise was like sittng on a V1 Doodlebug. A long drive was so very tiring from the constant sensory overload - I ended up hating it. Back then they were not particularly quick, too big and heavy to be considered a H Hatch compared to a 1.9 205 GTi or Renault 5 Turbo IMO. They were expensive too and you got sod all for your money - very basic interior. I bet they are great now though but still very expensive.
Great video ped. I owned 4 mk 2 gti s 1 mk 3 gti and an mk 5 R32. My son runs a mk 7.5 slightly modified also various golf diesels. So a true golf history. Looking to move to a golf R . or an 8.5. Looking forward to the 50 th celebration. .
Had a Mk5 R32 for 6yrs. Great fun, wonderful all-rounder. Last year, picked up a 2019 Mk7.5 GTi. Big improvement over Mk5 in many ways, yet the core spirit of the Golf lives on inside. Hugely practical, fantastic economy, great fun on b roads...and everybody in the family can drive it any time anywhere!
Picked up a 1991 last of the Mk2 8v back in 99 and owned it for 15 yrs mostly over in Spain and in the mountains was so much fun. Finally had to give it away for free !! to my garage nr Madrid with 252 000 miles on it as had as well the Mk5 GTi and could not afford both. Still got the Mk5 now 17 yrs old and still the Mk2 was always so grippy. Maybe this Mk5 which the first owner crashed in Spain suffers chassis damage even though told it was straight so can't really compare the bigger Mk5 as never driven a straight one, but the Mk2 I still dream of. Don't get me wrong, the Mk5 is alot of fun too !
Had the mk4 gti but it was fat and only had 150hp. Then years later had the mk7.5 then traded it in for the R as it was alot more fun. Sold it back to vw for the same price I bought it....chip shortage at the time. Wish i kept it and now a mini f56 stage 2 with your recommendations lol....Will go back to vw/audi at some point.
I had 7.5 performance gti .. great car wish I still had it . Plenty of power for driving on roads front wheel drive but handled really well . Much prefer the interior of golf compared to the mini
I see in the comments that people really like the 7.5. I really like mine and agree that the interior is probably the best GTI interior ever. My issues with the car are a creaking sunroof that no dealer can fix, and VW just dismisses it. And the godforsaken UNDEFEATABLE traction/stability control. My MK 7.5 is stage 2 ecu and tcu tuned, but that bloody TC/SC are the bain of my ownership experience since day one. I came from an MK7 that had fully defeatable TC/SC, and it was WAY more fun, no comparison. I only kept the 7.5 because i was told repeatedly that the TC/SC would eventually be defeatable; unbelievably, it never happened, and at this point, most likely, never will be. So sad, so frustrating. I would have upgraded, but then VW s@#t the bed in interior design, making the choice for me. Maybe they will fix the interior, and i will then make the move. I won't hold my breath. They may bring back more buttons, but will probably ruin it with some monster screen no-one needs or wants.
Great vid but can’t believe how big the GTI has become. Owned a Mk1 1.6, Mk2 oak green 16v, Mk3 VR6 and MK4 GTi/1.8T. Hands down the Mk2 16v is the only one i really miss and regret selling as a drivers car. But if I could only have one back it would be the mk1 but in lhasa green not the red mine was.
I've only driven a gen 2 GTi in Germany. I'll always have a soft spot for these... Lovely...even when lots of folks don't seem like this or that version. Hot hatches...forever!
Took delivery of a brand new manual MK8 GTI in Nov last year after 10 months of wait. Unfortunately, it has been a pretty mediocre experience so far. The right rear door would not open from the inside after collecting it from the factory. Car was pulling to the right from the get go at speeds above 60mph. Also I would not recommend the manual to anyone, VW seems to have used some low quality parts for the clutch/ pedal; the clutch starts vibrating and squeaking after a few km in stop and go, something I have never experienced before with any car I've ever driven and I've driven a many. Vw has not been able to fix any of those issues so far, after 5 visits to two different dealerships.
Thank you for this video and bringing across that the Golf Gti is not just about number chasing power figures; it’s the consummate practical all rounder that can do it all without looking out of place at Harrods or on a housing estate. The GTi is playful as the rear moves around whereas an R is so planted you have to go above and beyond the speed limit for the car to un stick but you then may end up in a hedge. I am on my second GTi. I had a mk5 (featured in your Covid 20 owners cars section) and had that for 9.5 year. I now have a 2020 mk7.5 GTi performance. The LSD works a treat and makes the car fun and enjoyable to drive.
Pete, I had a 1980 reg Mk 1 1.6 GTI in red between 1983 to 1986, but had to sell it not long after getting married. If I remember correctly it cost £4600 then. Fond memories of that car, really quick in 2nd & 3rd gears [only 102hp if I recall]. Before the days of aircon and elec windows, but such a great drive! Definitely had the grin factor. Sad to see it go, but don't have the marriage either any more :). Great video.
Peter, I race cars at our local hillclimbs and also do some club level circuit races. I want to put a DSG in my cars and get rid of the manual gearbox. The paddle shift or the lever shift is so much better than the manual shifter for better times at any event. I have metal bars on my gear change to stop the miss shift and the transition from either higher or lower gears is cleaner. On the hillclimbs I am chasing tenths of a second and the DSG gives me that. With the car loaded up into a corner and the gear linkages twisted, your shifts are going to be slower with a manual box. I know you also do a lot of circuit time and i wonder if you really find a DSG box an advantage. I understand the involvement a manual makes and I do get a thrill out of climbing a twisty mountain road and getting the shifts right. But if you are chasing tenths of a second on your last run, that DSG takes the pressure off.
Power isn’t everything, but if it’s your fancy know that same as your mini, a stage one tune with all stock hardware on the MK8 gets you to 360ps 370lb/tq in the blink of an eye.
![Is the McLaren 750S that different from the 720S ? [Road and Track Test] - 4K](/img/n.gif)
Bring back red cars. The sea of monotone grey, black and white cars is depressing.
I bought one like 4 days ago in the kings red with black rims 😁😁
Tornado red is best, I have moonstone which is cool
Charcoal gray is best for me. It looks clean even if it’s dirty lol.
For the last two years I have been driving a GTE VW hybrid which has many shortcomings but as you say puts a huge smile on your face when you select the GTE mode and wow the car comes alive. Stiffer suspension and steering together with that lovely grunt from the engine when you floor it!, and I’m 74 and still enjoy driving haha
With the GTI . You don't need huge power . It's the best all rounder . It's like Ronseal ....... Does what it says on the tin . I love my 7,5 Manual . Puts a smile on my face every time I drive it 😊
The 7.5 was the best golf imo. I wish they still made them new. I've got a mk8 r, it just feels cheap compared to the 7.5
Love that comparison to Ronseal 😂
@@leccy9901had a mk 8 gti and to drive it was ace. But the infotainment and software was awful. If the 8.5 has fixed it I’d love another
I have a 7.5 …my 6th gti over the years and it is a brilliant all rounder
I don't get how everyone here calls the GTI an all rounder. If it rains you're barely putting any power down and things turn into an FWD understeering snoozefest once you start cornering. If it snows lol, might as well leave it in the garage. The R is the true all rouder because its versatile and usable in all conditions because of AWD. In case of the MK8, you've even got a trick rear-diff capable of power on oversteer to boot.
GTI's are great FWD fun, i've owned and tracked one, they're iconic. However, an all rounder, they are not.
I literally picked up my MK7.5 GTI Performance on Monday, and I’m absolutely in love with it
Congrats 🥳
I bought a MK5 TDI about 8 years ago: plain simple boring but it did have DSG about which I knew nothing.
I’d had a 2002 for years, an Audi 90 and a Volvo 850 but was looking for a cheap to run care not a sports.
A couple of years ago I was at a parts yard stripping a aircon from a GT and saw the bigger discs. I fitted them and had to buy higher wheels to fit. I got Siena 17s and good tyres - I’d already thought it handled well as standard but the new setup was a revelation!
Subsequently I fitted paddle shift and cruise control along with the wheel from the GT badged TSI.
The diesel is an amazing motor and squeezing torque effortlessly down country roads is my favourite thing ❤
Not about power, it’s the package!
I picked up an Mk8 GTI 10 days ago & I’m absolutely in love with it as well!!
Where did you buy it from? Looking for one myself
Got my 7.5R around the same time as you, loving it
Best is 7.5 3 dr 6 speed manual. Owned one since 2018 and love it. I’m lucky to live close by to many mountain roads and nothing is as fun in all weather conditions (except snow!)
congraz, best combo!
I run a 7.5 DSG PP with the torque vectoring l/s diff and Bridgestone blizzak winters tyre's and can assure you it's unbelievable. Couple of years ago we had some good snow and live on a single track road....it pushed through drifts upto the bonnet height with little fuss. On one occasion it rained and froze, no gritters on these back roads and on the 1/2 mile straights I could run at 50 with plenty of control, even when braking for corners I could do so with more force than I thought possible before it locked up and it recovered almost straight away. The winter tyres transform the cars abilities.
Good choice!
Agree, mk8 GTI is a fun drive. Even the infotainment you get used to it when you live with it for a while, it's not a deal breaker for sure.
Never really got the GTI. Then decided to sell my 5.0 mustang as I needed a better daily driver. Decided to get a GTI mark 7 as a cheap run around. My first VW, and decided to get the DSG and it’s my first auto in 30 years of driving. I’m completely blown away. Even with my mustang being a V8, this little golf puts a way bigger smile on my face everytime I fire it up. I absolutely love it!!!
This gen was a horrible miss for me. I took delivery of a Clubsport in November 2021 and VW accepted my rejection about 4 months later. The bugs on the SW where it thought it was in Germany and braked because it thought you were undertaking, set the speed to 100mph thinking it was 100kph... The hepatic buttons were miserable, the volume and temp buttons not illuminated and the infotainment crashed all the time. Then I got creaking suspension dealers couldnt sort and that was the end of that! It was a shame as it was great fun to drive!
I bought a CS (2023) for my wife as a daily driver and she loves it. No issues with the software, and the ACC has been brilliantly intuitive. My wife would be the first to say she isn't into cars and doesn't like tech - but she really likes the CS. True, it takes time to adjust to the haptic buttons but once you've dialed into it they are not a problem. It's a car that quietly grows on you and impresses you over time. We've found it economical, plenty of power, superb motorway cruiser, easy to drive and park. Build quality has been excellent. And it's great fun on B roads.
The creaking suspension needs a thick grease in the voids of the suspension bush
Not good 😢
@@chrisp4899 Sadly VW at the time couldnt work out what to do despite 3 visits to the dealer.
@@PixelVibe42Looks like they ironed out the bugs from the early cars as you'd expect!
My wife & I both owned Mk 7.5 GTi's and enjoyed them both. On the 1st March this year I took delivery of a manual Mk 8 GTi. It was one of the last manual GTi's ever to be built. 👍👊
Ditto, mine registered 30th Jan. Manual is the way to go, just a shame you haven’t been able to order it for some time and there will be no more three pedal GTIs.
Very nice!
I have a manual 2017 MK7 GTI and it puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. One of its strengths, as this video points out, is its ability to laugh at inclement weather. It just stays so composed, it's a joy to drive. And the MK7 is delightfully analog. I can actually set the temperature with a dial!
I owned a Mk7 GTI for a few years and got rid of it late 2022. I've missed it so much that I'm getting a new MK8 GTI in 2 more months (waiting for it to get to port). Was such a great daily driver that was very practical, but if you ever wanted to have fun it knew how to flip a switch and become more than a daily. The MK8 styling and interior takes a lot of getting used to coming from someone who owned a MK7. However, working at a dealer and being around them and hearing from people who have owned them for 10k+ you start to see that they aren't bad especially the outgoing 2024 model year. I look forward to your endeavor coming up later this year the 8.5s as I'm curious to see what all changes.
I have a Mk2 GTI (1989) which I absolutely love. A few years ago I took it to Wolfsburg to visit the factory and it was a very memorable trip. Glad you’ll be joining VW for the drive to Wolfsburg to celebrate 50 years and the chance to drive all the variants. I’m sure VW will bring out a special edition GTI to celebrate 50 years. Now that would be a temptation as it will almost certainly be the last ICE GTI before it all goes electric with the Mk9. The GTI has always been understated and a great all rounder which is why it’s such an excellent car.
We had a mk 2 16v for about 12 years. That was an excellent car. Very well built and reliable. Quick and decent handling. Much better brakes than my old mk1. We sold it with well over 100k miles on it for decent money. You cant really beat that , can you?
Absolutely agree - I remember Jeremy Clarkson writing in Performance Car in the 1990s as to why anyone would buy GTI over Maestro EFI - I wasn’t the only one who replied to that opinion - my view was if it was your own hard earned money you wouldn’t be saying that plus how many EFIs will be on the road in 10 or 20 years
Most overrated Hot hatch, I had a NEW (1989) MK2 Golf GTi Campaign on loan for a week.
What a Shed, No Central Locking, Wind Up Windows No Tints totally GUTLESS, Having been bombarded by the likes of Clarkson and Brewer about how great they were It was CRAP,
So I bought a Toyota Corolla GTi-16v , Pilloried by the motoring press as BORING. Well Guess What, It's a better car than any MK1 MKII or MK3 Golf, I still have it
th-cam.com/video/Ll0KxvuCsWU/w-d-xo.html
Congratulations on your Corolla - very good car and sorry about your experience with the Mk2 Golf GTI - early cars didn’t come with electric windows, power steering or tinted windows except the 1988 special models to celebrate either 19 or 20 million Golfs. The big bumper models from 1990 came with central locking, power steering and electric windows. Enjoy the Toyota- it looks great in red and well looked after 😊
My only Golf was the ‘89 Mk2 GTI. Was fun but by modern standards a bit of a yawn! I remember thinking 0-60 in 8.5 seconds was great, especially after coming from an MGB GT shed !!
I bought an 18 plate 7.5 in January and its a great car. My last car was a 206 180 which was a teenager and the Golf is a grown up. The performance is enough on British roads and it feels very planted. Following the demise of the 206 I had a Mk 8 for a month but prefer mine. Loving it ❤
Had a MKV GTI for twelve years and absolutely loved it. Had no issues with it and was a joy to drive.
Good to hear!
Ditto
Great review. I am waiting for the next Golf GTI 8.5, to see if there are real improvements.
I have own some Golf GTI in the past, a long time ago.
My mates always had Golfs when I had 205 GTis and I thought the Golf was not as good. After I bought my first Golf GTi I reckon I was converted within about 500 miles ! They are a great car - and so stable in the wet as you found out. I reckon because they are built to drive flat out on the Autobahn at normal driving speed they just tick over easily. I remember back prior to speed cameras driving to the south of France in one at a steady 120 mph, 3 up with 3 mountain bikes hanging on the back - great memories !
I had never driven a Golf GTI until two years ago when I was looking to replace my JCW and had found a 19 plate GTI Performance but I was really disappointed in the sense of theater with it ie interior and noise. It drove OK in the limited time I had it on test but in fact I liked my Golf GTD Estate more than that car with the sound generated through the speakers, fuel consumption and practicality with the Estate and two dogs. There is still something to this day I seem to like about the Golf GTI though and I think it is the heritage of being the genre of car I seem to revert back too after owning a JLR product and being let down but always returning after I have come to terms with it.
My G7 GTI is 10 years old this year and I haven't had a single issue with it. It still looks brand new and I love driving it. I was a bit disappointed by the interior of the G8, but I'm glad that they've fixed a lot of the issues in the G8.5, so I'm looking to finally upgrade later this year. The fact that it's understated is something I really love, but those who know, know. Cars like the i30N are a bit too boy racer for me, whereas the GTI is the more "elegant" of the bunch.
Will keep my Mk 7 Golf GTI. Just simple to use buttons and switches. Not stabbing away at a screen! What a stupid idea!
Say that again. Surprising how they could approve such a stupid idea
I have a Mk8 GTI, and I love it!! I don’t find the haptic buttons to be a big issue, you get used to them over time. I have accidentally turned on the steering wheel heater a time or two, but that’s all. It is a blast to drive on the twisties and should be better with a few modifications. When accelerating and the turbo kicks in, it feels like a rocket ship. No regrets on my purchase!!!
i bought a golf r estate 7.5 2 years back and lov it , it has not been modified , it has the superb engine and dsg gearbox and 4 wheel drive , what more can i ask for , digital dash etc the only drawback is that the police are always there and they caught me speeding 2 mph more so got a speeding ticket 2 years ago lol .
Hi Ped
It was a wake up call when you mentioned “50 yrs”.🤭 Going way back in time we had Golf GTI but then changed over to scirocco and then Corrado VR6. What a car never went back to the Golf!😉
Really balanced review; I currently run a late 7.5 DSG and can't think what I'll replace it with. I was very close to pressing the button on a Mk 8.0 clubsport last year but just could not see past the VW cost cutting (no std heated seats/rear view camera/gas struts deleted on bonnet). Add to that the low rent interior and poorly thought out controls - what is that gear selector about? - Like many people in the comments have said, it's an 'everyman' car; enough power without ever being intimidating.
Yep 👍
Great video! In the past I owned an '88 GTI for 200+ thousand miles and loved it. Currently own a Mk6 GTI (since 2011) and have handed it down to my 16 year old son. They are truly great all around cars!👍
Very nice!
Ive had several over the years and for me the best was the Mk2 16v in Oak green! Lovely, wish I still owned it!
Love our golfs , my first car in the 80’s was a mk1 golf and since then my wife and I have owned 5 different generation GTI’s. Our current mk8 is a fabulous drive. It shares the garage with my much loved 350z and current model Defender 90. If we could only own one car it would hands down be the GTI - great review - cheers from Brisbane
Loved my 7.5 manual. I think it was a sweet spot. I am keen to see the 8.5 but not sure we will see another manual.
Had a MK6 GTi manual, loved it. Now in a DSG 7.5, and never fails to not put a smile on my face. Had a 7.5 R as well and I know which one I preferred, the GTI all day long
I have a r and love it. But never tried a golf gti. I literally went from a stage 1 polo gti to an R....what do you prefer about the golf gti ???
@@MartinPearson-df8xf for me the R was great as well but the 4motion just seemed to take some of the fun away, knowing you can chuck it in to any corner and it would get you round there. The GTI just feels a bit more fun.
Dad has had 4 Golf GTI now and has move onto his 2nd polo GTI now. I can see where I get it from now
Great video Ped, I’m not a great lover of the 8 truth be told. However, we had a MK5 GTI Edition 30 that we just loved, also a MK5 GTI which was great but my own personal favourite was our MK 7.5 GTI Performance (‘Eddie’), absolutely amazing car!!!!! 🥰
I ran 2 MK1 Sciroccos and then got both an 8 and 16V Mk2 GTI as company cars when I worked for London Car Telephones. The Mk2 was a wonderful car, and so reliable. I put 100,000 miles on the 16V between services (it was a company car after all) and it never missed a beat and always a blast to drive on any type of road
My brother had a Mk1 Scirocco Storm…loved that car 👌
Such a nice surprise this evening watching your video on the Golf GTI. Never owned a GTi, sadly, but loved my Golf 7 GTD, and now my 8 eTSI. You can’t go wrong with a Golf. It is the iPhone of the car world. I remember loving the GTIs back in the 80s. Hope to drive one sometime soon. Brilliant review Pete, and can’t wait for more Golf content this summer! Am loving your Japan trip coverage btw! 👍🏻 Cheers, Tom
Had a mk1 8v on a y plate, loved it, yet never went back to one.
6:28 steering wheel controls are button-y. They do press. Very hard to hit/ change by accident. Screen haptics are absolutely fine. After 2 hrs no big deal
Great review! I have an identical GTI to the one you drove and overall it’s a great all rounder. After 3 years however I have to say the infotainment gets no better and the unlit slider controls are just stupid. Otherwise it really is a car, greater than the numbers suggest,is fantastically well balanced, technology like the predictive cruise control and the IQ lights are seriously good and it still puts a smile on my face. I’ll be ordering an 8.5 as soon as the order books open and really hope they’ve sorted the software and infotainment as promised. Enjoy Wolfsburg!
Even the basic TDI can be a lot of fun on a twisty road - gobs of power and precise handling. I put 17" wheels and bigger discs and paddle shifts in mine - quite happy with the power and easy on the mpg
Yes never really ticked the box for me. Test drove a couple a 6 and 7 I think. Just missing something. Was a passenger in a mk1 convertible a number of years ago and yes that was very special.
Took me a few days to get used to the haptic controls on the steering wheel, and mercifully, have the 8" infotainment (S model). No complaints with the lack of real buttons. Really happy with my Mk 8.
Nice motor but I couldn’t get past the slider controls & why I bought a BMW 128ti. No manual option, but such is life. An absolute hoot in sport mode & sensible when needed in normal.
Great review as usual 👍😎
Good choice!
Nikes a manual. The last one to ever be made in the US. We demanded it.
Not a big deal after a few hrs in the car
I recently bought a Mk7 Clubsport Gti (supposedly for my wife) and I absolutely love it. I test drove a Mk8 Golf R a few years back and I was not excited by it. Also not a fan of the Mk8 Styling. I think Mk 7/7.5 is my favourite flavour of Golf Gti. Fairplay on your honesty about previous Golf Gti experience btw.
I have a Jaguar XF-S sportbrake, my wife has a 7.5 GTi performance (both are auto).
I love driving both cars as they are so different. The Jaguar is understated, practical, great on a long journey, superbly smooth and plenty quick enough. The GTi is louder, more of a hooligan, feels quick and is great fun to drive.
Sadly, hers doesn't have the adaptive dampers and this makes it quite a hard ride on our country roads, It also has the low profile 19's making it even more rock hard but, in a way, that adds to the fun.
oh, and hers is volcano red !
That's great driving on the right hand side. Most of the people I watched before they drive on the wrong side and I don't like that. Thanks for the beautiful video brother. Keep up the good work ✌🏻🇿🇦
Mark 3.5 Octavia 245 in manual, passive dampers, 18" wheels. Best setup for broken UK roads, with all the power of the GTI, the LSD, tardis interior, proper buttons and handbrake
It’s tuff for me to get into the mk8 because I have no payments on my 7.5 and I heard that no more manual transmission 😢 It’s one of my favorite cars and it feels a little like my gf mk1 r8 in overall drivability.
Although i had my doubts, considering the lousy software, i bought one last year. It is as brilliant as my late Golf 7 GTI Performance. It’s still the car that ticks all the boxes. Comfortable and spaceous for the family and when you are allone, you can drive as if your trousers were on fire. The software problems are gone, although, when the emblem is wet or dirty, the radar behind it gets confused and leads to alarm messages that the brake assist and travel assist do not operate anymore. Slight drawbacks that do not nearly weigh up to the exquisite ride. A brilliant car then, but fully equipped like mine it costs EUR 70,000 here, in the Netherlands….
I had a 7.5 GTI for a few years, it was a fantastic daily driver and good for an early morning Sunday drive in the hills.
This video makes me miss it!
👍
Have a MK5 GTI, owned for the last 5 years and still love it. Completely stock apart from a cat back exhaust. Fancy a MK 7.5 but I still think the MK5 styling is great, much more distinctive than later models. Hate the MK8 front end.
Great video. I love the Golf over the years and the Scirocco that came from it. Had a lovely bright red mk 2 Scirocco in the 80’s. Can’t wait to see the Golf 8.5. Sounds like they’ve sorted many of the issues and Golf is back to its best.
Loved the Scirocco 👌
It’s a perfect car. Mine is the US GTI 380. Manual. Got all the Autobahn dynamic stuff, sticky tires and adaptive dampers with LsD. It’s fabulous. It’s my daily driver and I have a Cayman for the weekend. I didn’t wait for 8.5 because this was the last manual to be ever made and I can live with the infotainment.
Very nice!
I had a Mk1 GTI. It was a 1983 Y reg model with the 1781cc engine. Just about the best fun car I’ve owned, and never failed to put a smile on my face. As said, not loads of power, but the package was just so right. A very forgiving car, which was just as well given my youthful exuberance😄. The overall package is made/makes it was it was/is.
I had a mk7.5 Golf R and while it was fun, I always wanted a GTi because the R wasn’t fun unless you were breaking the speed limit everywhere. Hate the mk8 design inside.
Had a mark 2 16v 3 door big bumper back in mid 90’s…very little could keep up with it
I’ve had my MK8 GTI (in Kings Red which is gorgeous in person) for two weeks now after having had a MK7 for 9 years. I went through a period of frustration and adjustment to the infotainment system but after a bit of time, I’m now understanding the system and feeling incredibly at home in it. I’m totally getting the haptic steering wheel buttons with no false presses. Being able to swipe and light press and hard press to adjust ACC, swipe for volume and swipe for skipping etc. All easy. The range of views and widgets you can have on the dash is nuts! I’m now completely comfortable with the UI and think it’s pretty smart. I love driving the car and I personally love the finish and acres of gloss black. Just keep a microfibre towel in the glove box. I did not like the MK8 when I first saw it. I didn’t like it the second or third time. But by sitting in it and driving it and playing with the infotainment system I came around quickly. I’d go so far as to say I love it.
I’ve got a mk8 GTI and came from a mk7.5 GTD, and i found after a couple of days of getting used to it, it’s actually a really good car
What differences did you notice the most ? I’ve got a mk7.5 GTD & thinking of making the change
Well going from manual GTD to DSG GTI I mainly found the engine sound and general feeling of speed was better. Fuel economy is obviously worse by about 10mpg but doesn’t bother me too much. In terms of the mk7.5 to mk8, I’d say none of the ‘missing’ things they go on about in comparison reviews really affect my usage of the car. The infotainment makes sense when you get to know it, and mine is reasonably responsive (wireless charging is hit and miss though). the haptic steering wheel buttons are actually quite nice to use, but I will say the climate control is a slight pain and I generally adjust it before setting off. Big improvements I’ve noticed are the headlights (mk7.5 dipped are dim and mk8 matrix are amazing). Seats are more comfortable imo, the ACC is a bit smarter and brakes earlier and reacts more like a human would. The ambient lighting is a lot nicer with the colour settings, and I personally think the lightbar at the front looks smart in the dark. One thing I do like, is in my area the mk8 and especially the GTI isn’t a very popular car, so you stand out a bit even though it’s a sensible daily driver. I found after I’d had my 7.5 for a few years it seemed every other person in town had one.
The last GTI I drove was an '82 or '84 Mk I in the early 90's - since then I've not parked my cheeks in the fun seat - only rode as a passenger. We were considering one before we purchase our first F56 JCW - I'd be interested in give a vee-dub a whirl....
Informative enjoyable great GOLF GTI review i love all your car content on you tube m8.😁
Still enjoying my MK6 GTI. A great daily driver and a quite fun back road bomber.
Bought a Mk8 GTI. I love it! When you put your foot down, like on an overtake, and that turbo kicks in, man does it take off!. Few peeves, the seats do get a little uncomfortable on long drives. I had the infotainment screen not come on, then later work, twice now. I find the Windshield wiper controls for both front and back to be a bit Fiddley. No problems with the haptic buttons. Many reviewers complain about accidentally turning on the heated steering wheel, it has happened a couple times, but for the most part, it’s not a problem. Overall I love my GTI, it’s a fun car on the twisties. Maybe my only regret is not going for the Golf R.
Nice 👌
Just got an mk8 R but test drove the GTI. Great car
I think the mk7 gti is where it's at, looks and performance, especially mine. Stage 1 300bhp more fun than my standard golf mk7 r for sure! Both are manual aswel. I think you would ❤it too in gunmetal grey!
As a mk5 gti owner, the mk8 is the ugliest, crappiest, cheapest looking thing ever, and really dragged the VW badge down so low that I don't think I'll bother with VW in the future. Everywhere you look on the mk8 screams "Cost cutting" and nothing else. The engineers were tasked with making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. If you own a mk7.5, don't ever let it go, they'll surely appreciate in value once the supply of them thins out.
Hi,
I had a Mk1 campaign and enjoyed it very much.
I sold it due to buying a house and later saw it on Car SoS when Tim Shaw went to a specialist.
Got a 2018 GTI 7.5 Performance DSG (APR stage 1). Been fantastic for the 5 years I have had it. It's everything you need in one car. Prices are slowing going down again now, I've been riding the wave of high resale values for the past couple of years. I think this will be with me until it dies (or I do!) 🤣
Welcome to the GTI party, Ped - even though it's overdue 🖖
Have a 2017 7,5. Love the drive and a great all round runner
Have had 2 Golf GTI’s over the years, both red (sorry!) and both with a manual gearbox. The first was a 1983 late mark 1 with the 1800cc engine rather than the earlier 1600. It was an ex demonstrator which was about a year old when I bought it, I loved it, a really great car . My second Golf GTI was bought new in 2012, it was an “edition 35” that the dealer had in stock which meant it had slightly more power than the regular one, it must have been god because I kept it for over 3 years. Shortly after buying the second one a friend looked at the edition 35 badge and asked if that meant 3.5 litre or 350 horsepower, I was tempted to lie but decided to explain it was the 35th anniversary model which had apparently been kept in production for a few years!
A good all rounder but those haptic controls would be challenging.Look forward to more drives later in the year.
First time owner, '24 380 SE. REALLY getting to like it! Just have to modify the gear shift height and throw. Stock feels too much like a game. Shifting by sound is out, intuition is the name of the game, about the only learning curve. Yeah, the buttons are a different philosophy, but workable. Would like better software functionality behind them, though. Beautiful sound system.
Yeah the infotainment sucks, but as for it being "better" in the 8.5 - that MASSIVE tablet they stuck on the dash on the 8.5 is absolutely hideous. I wouldn't want either, hence I keep my 7.5 R.
I have owned one of the first Mk1 1800cc in the country, mk2 8v, mk3 vr6, mk4 Gti,mk 7 R. The mk1 was outstanding in its day, great reliability and build (I traded in a mk2 RS2000 Escort), the Others never had the spark of the Mk1,but the Golf R is a fantastic car.
Golf GTI 8 is an awesome car. I totally agree with you with the switchgear being poor. That has now been corrected in the Golf GTI 8.5.
I have no issues with mine works fine
Had a mk7 performance for 9 years. Always loved it, still looks great. Put a stage 1 on it and it became a completely new beast. Even more smiles when you chuck it through corners and it jumps out ready to eat up the road. Great car.
Very nice!
Good review here - well balanced viewpoints and I’m thankful you’ve got the GTI “thing” ! I started with a Mk2 16v GTi shortly after a canny salesperson loaned me an 8v when my lowly 1.6 Golf was out of action. This was it for me and became just a matter of time until I had that 16v sitting on the drive. Fast forward 30 years when a random visit to the dealer left me with a 7.5 Performance on the drive during lockdown. Living near open countryside meant I could sneak out for some hooning about on very quiet roads, for legitimate reason of course. The LSD was the most amazing feature for a FWD hot hatch, just astounding grip out of corners and out of gnarly junctions. Someone got a great motor when I swapped it for a Tiguan…..
My dad had a couple of mark 2 gtis back in the 90# and noughties as his sensible car (his other being an early 1988 911 carrera sport which he had for over 25 years from 1991)- and he loved his golf’s. They handled being driven so damned hard without breaking sweat, yet my mum would drive it if they popped out and didn’t want to take the family car (she refused to drive the 911). The gti could keep up in the twisties with much more powerful cars especially amazing if you weren’t called senna or Prost or mansell, but my dad also picked me up from uni in it as my mum needed the big car. We both enjoyed the drive home. The second one left us with 150k on the clock only just run in, and feeling like it still had 139 ponies under the hood. My dad always came back to golf as a model. He still has a golf (gtd now, mk7) as it does enough of the fun stuff whilst being parked on the street and not get noticed, and 50 to the gallon on a run.
🖐️It was mentioned a while ago on a Top Gear episode , that when questioned about the 220 h/p (at the time) , not being significantly more , VW said it was quite sufficient . All these years later even at 240 h/p , it seems they were right .
Great review , thank you 👊
I think many of us are in the same camp as you Pete, when it comes to the Golf GTI. I lusted after them back in the day. I owned a MK2 1.6CL, which looked like a GTI, but obviously lacked the performance. I just loved the look of the MK2 though, in a Lancia Delta kind of way. From there on the GTI just seemed to become more of a ‘sport lite’ car, not delivering the performance of the R, the A145, the M135i/M140i etc. I’ve given them a cursory consideration from time to time, but have struggled to see why I would consider it ahead of some of its rivals. Like you say in the video however, sometimes we should just drive and experience cars, rather than shortlisting after playing a game of top trumps with the stats.
Don’t have a gti but do have a 21 plate GTD so inside just the same .I actually think the steering wheel buttons controls are brilliant as for the virtual dash and screen control unit again I think it works brilliantly.
The gear lever thing I think your just old school Porsche has a very similar one in the 911
Great review of the GTi - summed up perfectly why these are such fabulous daily cars. We’ve been lucky to have had 3 GTis including our current 7.5 Performance which is arguably the best ever. Very keen to try the 8.5 as that will surely be the last ?
Thanks 🙏🏻
Thank goodness they are changing the interior slightly and the mild increase in power gives it just enough to be a great finish for one of the automotive greats.
Had a mk 2 what a car beautiful no gimmicks power steering power windows just a solid Moter brilliant drive 😊
I had a MK2 16 valve which I loved. Still fancy anothe GTI, possibly a 7.5 which I feel is peak recent GTI.
So pleased VW are moving away from those awful haptic controls, it was noticeable how much you had to look down to make changes. That synthetic engine sound is a bit much as well.
Great review but that interior dash with the tandy display and haptic controls just ruins it. Mk7 seems the sweet spot, would rather have a mk7 than an 8. Fake noise not great either. If VW had analogue dials and buttons, that would be spot on
I was always attracted to golf as a kid.. i am as old as the golf..😑 the first car i bought was a golf! A manual 1981 With the skinny bumpers.. i had a super bike at the time before having a car! I called it my rally car. It had no power, interior was basic. But the driving experience was mind blowing. After that i got a 1998 e36 bmw 318i .. manual as well.. 🤯 german cars are so nice to drive.. love the handling and the driving experience even if you dont have the top end model. Back then my dream car was a golf vr6! Cheers mate.. yeah not much power but the driving experience is super nice...✌️👊👌👍♥️
I had a 1987 Mk2 GTi 16V back in 1991. It had no power steering, the ride of a steam roller on a cattle grid and the motorway noise was like sittng on a V1 Doodlebug. A long drive was so very tiring from the constant sensory overload - I ended up hating it. Back then they were not particularly quick, too big and heavy to be considered a H Hatch compared to a 1.9 205 GTi or Renault 5 Turbo IMO. They were expensive too and you got sod all for your money - very basic interior.
I bet they are great now though but still very expensive.
Great video ped. I owned 4 mk 2 gti s 1 mk 3 gti and an mk 5 R32. My son runs a mk 7.5 slightly modified also various golf diesels. So a true golf history. Looking to move to a golf R . or an 8.5. Looking forward to the 50 th celebration. .
Very nice!
Never owned a GTI, but had the privilege of driving a MK2 back in the 00’s. Still my favourite car to have driven all these years later
I'd always have the GTI over the R, the badge is better, you don't get the stigma you get of driving an R and they offer more engagement!
Had a Mk5 R32 for 6yrs. Great fun, wonderful all-rounder. Last year, picked up a 2019 Mk7.5 GTi. Big improvement over Mk5 in many ways, yet the core spirit of the Golf lives on inside.
Hugely practical, fantastic economy, great fun on b roads...and everybody in the family can drive it any time anywhere!
Neither had I until I was 50 then I bought it and flipping love it. 2016 GTI performance pack.
Picked up a 1991 last of the Mk2 8v back in 99 and owned it for 15 yrs mostly over in Spain and in the mountains was so much fun. Finally had to give it away for free !! to my garage nr Madrid with 252 000 miles on it as had as well the Mk5 GTi and could not afford both. Still got the Mk5 now 17 yrs old and still the Mk2 was always so grippy. Maybe this Mk5 which the first owner crashed in Spain suffers chassis damage even though told it was straight so can't really compare the bigger Mk5 as never driven a straight one, but the Mk2 I still dream of. Don't get me wrong, the Mk5 is alot of fun too !
Had the mk4 gti but it was fat and only had 150hp. Then years later had the mk7.5 then traded it in for the R as it was alot more fun. Sold it back to vw for the same price I bought it....chip shortage at the time. Wish i kept it and now a mini f56 stage 2 with your recommendations lol....Will go back to vw/audi at some point.
I had 7.5 performance gti .. great car wish I still had it . Plenty of power for driving on roads front wheel drive but handled really well . Much prefer the interior of golf compared to the mini
Just came from an 09 R56 Mini Cooper. Wanted manual and awd so the mk8 R checked the boxes ☑️
With you on the gear selector it's putting me off replacing my superb with the Octavia
I see in the comments that people really like the 7.5. I really like mine and agree that the interior is probably the best GTI interior ever. My issues with the car are a creaking sunroof that no dealer can fix, and VW just dismisses it. And the godforsaken UNDEFEATABLE traction/stability control. My MK 7.5 is stage 2 ecu and tcu tuned, but that bloody TC/SC are the bain of my ownership experience since day one. I came from an MK7 that had fully defeatable TC/SC, and it was WAY more fun, no comparison. I only kept the 7.5 because i was told repeatedly that the TC/SC would eventually be defeatable; unbelievably, it never happened, and at this point, most likely, never will be. So sad, so frustrating. I would have upgraded, but then VW s@#t the bed in interior design, making the choice for me. Maybe they will fix the interior, and i will then make the move. I won't hold my breath. They may bring back more buttons, but will probably ruin it with some monster screen no-one needs or wants.
Great vid but can’t believe how big the GTI has become. Owned a Mk1 1.6, Mk2 oak green 16v, Mk3 VR6 and MK4 GTi/1.8T. Hands down the Mk2 16v is the only one i really miss and regret selling as a drivers car. But if I could only have one back it would be the mk1 but in lhasa green not the red mine was.
I've only driven a gen 2 GTi in Germany. I'll always have a soft spot for these... Lovely...even when lots of folks don't seem like this or that version. Hot hatches...forever!
Took delivery of a brand new manual MK8 GTI in Nov last year after 10 months of wait. Unfortunately, it has been a pretty mediocre experience so far. The right rear door would not open from the inside after collecting it from the factory. Car was pulling to the right from the get go at speeds above 60mph. Also I would not recommend the manual to anyone, VW seems to have used some low quality parts for the clutch/ pedal; the clutch starts vibrating and squeaking after a few km in stop and go, something I have never experienced before with any car I've ever driven and I've driven a many. Vw has not been able to fix any of those issues so far, after 5 visits to two different dealerships.
Interesting 🤨 😢
Thank you for this video and bringing across that the Golf Gti is not just about number chasing power figures; it’s the consummate practical all rounder that can do it all without looking out of place at Harrods or on a housing estate. The GTi is playful as the rear moves around whereas an R is so planted you have to go above and beyond the speed limit for the car to un stick but you then may end up in a hedge.
I am on my second GTi. I had a mk5 (featured in your Covid 20 owners cars section) and had that for 9.5 year. I now have a 2020 mk7.5 GTi performance. The LSD works a treat and makes the car fun and enjoyable to drive.
Pete, I had a 1980 reg Mk 1 1.6 GTI in red between 1983 to 1986, but had to sell it not long after getting married. If I remember correctly it cost £4600 then. Fond memories of that car, really quick in 2nd & 3rd gears [only 102hp if I recall]. Before the days of aircon and elec windows, but such a great drive! Definitely had the grin factor. Sad to see it go, but don't have the marriage either any more :). Great video.
Peter, I race cars at our local hillclimbs and also do some club level circuit races. I want to put a DSG in my cars and get rid of the manual gearbox. The paddle shift or the lever shift is so much better than the manual shifter for better times at any event. I have metal bars on my gear change to stop the miss shift and the transition from either higher or lower gears is cleaner. On the hillclimbs I am chasing tenths of a second and the DSG gives me that. With the car loaded up into a corner and the gear linkages twisted, your shifts are going to be slower with a manual box. I know you also do a lot of circuit time and i wonder if you really find a DSG box an advantage. I understand the involvement a manual makes and I do get a thrill out of climbing a twisty mountain road and getting the shifts right. But if you are chasing tenths of a second on your last run, that DSG takes the pressure off.
Power isn’t everything, but if it’s your fancy know that same as your mini, a stage one tune with all stock hardware on the MK8 gets you to 360ps 370lb/tq in the blink of an eye.
Still no where near the RS Megane 300. 297hp (Renault claim 300hp) 420nm and that's stock, no mods.
Great mix of content on the channel well done 👍👍👍
Thank you 👍
You need the Clubsport if you want to experience the real GTI power Much better than the normal GTI and an absolute joy to drive