The most useful video made about the mk8 yet, that not a single ‘journalist’ has been arsed to consider themselves. I guess in the age of cancel culture and clickbait headlines, its just easier and more lucrative to brandish a detailed product ‘impossible to use’. VW should be paying you, but it says everything about their products that you do it for the sheer love and in your own time. A software developer that I know said that the mk8 system was fundamentally very good and detailed, clearly trying to copy Apple, and for that, really over-engineered. The processor and hardware wasn’t strong enough to cope in reality so VW sorted it for 21 MY. This is why the software (and Golf 8) was delayed and fairly hideous to use to begin with as it was released without being finished. Marketeers set the deadlines for product releases and the devs have to meet them. Software is never completely finished nowadays with constant tweaking required, and why wouldn’t you want that? You get new features on the car all the time!
I'm a software engineer myself working in Automotive. I worked on a recently released car that had a large focus on SOTA (software over the air) and other 'advanced' (advanced in automotive context) systems. I can confirm exactly what you have said here is true not just in VW but most automotive companies and third party ECU vendors (bosch etc) too. The automotive industry is ran by older-style of engineering management that do not understand the processes behind software development. Developing a new part for an engine block is not the same as writing software for a new ECU, and management don't see that in many companies.
@@iShox2711 Thanks for the comment! Very interesting, all the corporate talk coming out of VW at the moment, it suggests that they are in transition from legacy automaker into software company that makes cars. Of course, this takes time (decades?) and was not the case when Golf 8 / ID.3/4 were being developed! It’s a major Tesla niche currently
@@Tom_banx a lot of automotive companies are doing transitions like this; working to replace old antiquated engineering practices with Agile ways of working. Tesla had a very distinct advantage with their systems as they could start on a clean slate chassis and vehicle architecture. The reality for other manufacturers is that there is dozens, sometimes over 100 ECUs in a vehicle all using old systems. So rather than building out a new platform, they try to maintain support of their legacy hardware so you end up with this mix of new cutting edge software that is being bottlenecked by ECUs that haven't been updated since the early 2000s lol. It's currently an absolute mess in the automotive sphere but I'd give it 3-5 years and we will start seeing all the big names become more like software companies than automotive!
Agreed. The touch screen stuff doesn't appeal to me in the slightest, but Andrew's at least demonstrated that it is nowhere near as difficult to use as it's made out to be & it does have some good features
I'm just a mere peasant with a mk7 😂 but when using the paddles when going from drive to manual, when going back to drive I just pull back on the selector. Quicker than holding the shifter for a second or 2 to get it back to drive. Is this still the case on the mk8? Also I've seen loads of videos about how nobody can get the mk8 to do a launch control? Has anyone figured it out yet?
11 Tap the Temperature "Buttons" with both Fingers + and - for Seatheating. 12 You can also leave Manual Mode by Switching the Gearshift to D/S. 13 Quickmute Audio by the OnOff Button under the Touchscreen.. Thanks for 3, did not know..
Just purchased a MK8 Golf R Line. Was a little bit sceptical about buying one due to the new controls. But I must admit I found nothing wrong with any of the buttons or functions. If you can use a modern day phone you can use these modern day buttons . Simple to use even while driving. This video did help with my decision. Thanks Volkswizard.
I knew I'd got that wrong as soon as I said it, I think that's what BMW do or an older Golf, as you say on Mk7 it's RES and SET which isn't ideal either because neither of these buttons are marked as being able to do that
Fantastic, thank you!. Mk8 GTD has impressed and driven me round the twist in equal measures for the last year. Now the frustration has pretty much gone, two presses to kill the lane assist (albeit every time you crank the engine), pull the gearbox down shift for max attack and a shortcut menu I didn't know I had to set up. Brilliant.
Excellent vid and really useful info! I got my GTI this week, there was no handover and my key (or whatever) was registered as guest so I couldn't do anything - I couldn't switch on the air con or even the fan (it was a hot day so I was getting really pissed off), and I couldn't get the mirrors to deploy, TBH even though I've loved every golf I've had I wanted to send this one back as I was so frustrated. VW should include a 'quick start guide as it took me ages to figure the basics out. Then I got out on the road and I thought; this is noisier and the ride is more harsh than I was expecting - I honestly thought I'd made a big mistake buying this car. But then I went into my first bend too fast (like about 10 to 15 MPH faster than usual) and I suddenly smiled at how effortless it was! Then I floored it to overtake for the first time and actually shouted some swear words! It was faster than I was expecting'. Long story short - it's not quite the 'jump in and just drive' experience that you normally expect from a Golf, I had to do a bit of swatting up and you do need to spend a bit of time learning it, but I think I am beginning to love this car.
I've just got a new GTE as a Company car. The control system has been quite baffling in the first couple of days but, after watching this video and reading some of the comments, a lot of my queries have been answered. Many thanks Andrew and everyone for the comments and tips.................
Great video. I purchased my Golf 8 eTSI Style from Germany also because of the earlier review you’ve shared. Had a 7.5 and 6 before that and for me it is the same: after some proper software updates all works really well and the sliders I hardly ever use. Thanks for these 10 tips, enjoy your Golf 8, I certainly do. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Hello Spartanni and thanks for the comment. Ultimately VW don’t put things to market that are no good as they want to sell cars. I think in this context they didn’t allow for the fact motoring journalists hop in and out of cars and they didn’t get time to adapt to it like owners will with regular exposure and negative, often inaccurate reviews have dominated. Is this true in Holland too? I do think when you do this kind of revolution, the media need to be hand held through the process and informed of what the system can do to ease the initial unfamiliarity (like shortcuts for ESC etc that add no time over Mk7). They must also have scientific stats on benefits of new screen location higher up on dash. I guess COVID wasn’t a great time to launch a car needing so much personal contact so journalists were left to work it out for themselves and inevitably missed some real world benefits and focused on the bad bits.
Great video, thank so very much. I bought my Mk 8 GTi demo at 2 months old during the height of Covid (Jan 2021). The salesmen were having to comply with various regulations and rules. Consequently, I got naff all spiel from them, they just said sit in the car and have a fiddle! Which I did, but one misses many useful points that this gentleman has covered so magnificently.
I have a Golf 8 GTE from my work and i have to say i had seen alot of reviews and those made me a bit scared to be honost about the quality of the infotainment system and also the weak power the GTE would have when the battery hit 0. I work with software and i like to mess around with it. My Golf is a month old, it was build in may 2021. The software works very good. It is intuitive as you would expect from any modern system. (maybe i have a little edge over the average user because i work alot with software). I like to mess around with all the functions. I can also say that the touch buttons on the steering wheel where suprisingly easy to use. Because you get feedback when pressing you know exactly what you are doing. Alot of reviews told me that it worked like crap, but i strongly disagree. Alot of reviewers will also tell you the infotainment system sucks. Maybe my release already had a few software upgrades which they implemented over the course of 2020. But in my "model" software works like a charm. I think VW did a good job with the software considering modern standards. I can also use android auto wireless (as it ofcourse should be) i never plugged in my phone for anything. Even charging the phone is wireless, at least in my model. The only problem i see is that you can easily focus to much the infotainment system and set things up while driving. But this is not a VW problem i think, but more a generic problem. The driver should be smart enough to do big settings when standing still or when parked. Settings like putting on music, navigation and other daily driver things can be done in a safe way while driving, specially with the voice command thing. I can honostly not understand why alot of reviewers are beiing so negative. The golf 8 is a great car.
There's quite a few software versions, anywhere from 1664 to 1788. The version is dependent on your trim too, e.g GTI might support 1788 but a Style might only support 1668. Depends on your hardware. Point to note too, VW have instructed dealerships to only carry out software updates where necessary (where customers are having issues and bugs with the software).
@@neilstait7459 16XX is the version you have if you don't have Discover Media Pro. 17XX if you do have it (or if your car was built before week 38 of 2020)
I’ve got a 2020 Ford Focus and download updates onto usb on my pc . There’s also an Over the Air option. Do VW need to be taken to dealership for update? Also lane assist being on as default is inconvenient and PIN number every time? Seriously!?
@@asmith9040 currently because the updates are so large, they need to be done through proprietary VW systems in the dealership. When the major issues are fixed and minor updates and bug fixes come in the future they will be OTA. I also don’t have a PIN on mine, just optional for additional security.
Got my mk 8 Variant on 27th october 2022. I absolutely love it, despite having to spend time on the controls, once its set its amazing to just jump in and go for it. Build quality is the best ive ever had too. Worth every £000’s it cost.
Great video. I shall save this to watch again; as I am currently waiting for the MK8 R Estate (variant) to become available for order in the UK, 10 March I'm told by VW UK Customer Service, subject to change they said 😆
Great video. I've had a regular Mk8 since June, and have been frustrated a lot with the software. The sat nav has never worked, and every time I start the car, after a few hundred metres of driving it gives me a warning saying "Dynamic Roadsign display is restricted", but then it always works. Other phantom errors appear occasionally like "SOS call activated." Taken it into a dealer twice, to no avail. In a software update just before Xmas the radar cruise control distance changed: now it resets to maximum follow distance every time I start the car, instead of remembering where I left it. And then there's the touch controls for temperature: when operating the main touch screen whilst driving, you naturally want to rest your hand below the screen to stabilise it while operating the screen with your index finger. But you can't, because you'll activate the temperature controls. This isn't necessary when stationary because your hand doesn't move around when you're not driving. I can only assume VW's real world testing of the interface was limited to stationary tests! The car is great but the software is definitely substandard.
I heard the regular mk8's from early batches had a lot of software issues. To my knowledge this is now mostly fixed. Hope it is software related and you can get it sorted
Great video, and will be very helpful. I´ve had loads of Golfs. To be honest I love the Golf 8 but....I had the emergency brake activate many times while VERY slowly coming on & off my driveway which is not particularly narrow. Also had the brakes slam on when it detected an 80km sign on the exit lane (ie, only on one side of the car) of the autobahn here in Germany. My Android phone loses all internet connectivity when it wirelessly connects to the car. It could be amazing, but for me I will not buy another Golf until they sort out all these problems.
Oh wow you're a genius mate, no silly nonsense, just pure facts and very positive thanks so much I feel like I know my new baby so much better now. Thank you again 👍
This makes a lot of journos look a bit silly that they haven’t bothered to work it out, Harry’s garage and Auto car included. Enjoying your videos thanks.
Excellent video - very informative. On my MK7 GT 2.0TDi 150 diesel one of the best/most frequently used features was the speed limiter function, but I can't find out how to activate it on my new Mk8 if indeed it has that facility. Physical and on line handbooks show how to do it, but I can't get it to work. Any ideas, please? 😁 ...update: found it at last and it works as well as the MK7 speed limiter did, but not that intuitive. My MK8 is fantastic!
Great review! I suspected that one just needs to spend a little time with the system to get used to it. The mk7 owners have been whining non-stop about the system, so I found it funny to hear you say it's what you missed most when returning to your mk7.5.
Still to this day I love it, it's all there in one place you once you get to know it it's easy. Also there are other benefits, for example, in Smart Climate you can choose 'fresh air' or 'warm feet' etc, you don't need to toggle the controls to do it, you just select the desired output in one press! No more laggy than a Mk7 mode button on start up either. Only caveat is heated seats, adding that function in is maybe a step too far as it takes up the place at the bottom right of the screen that is normally vacant and pressing it puts you into the climate menu (it's easier to do this that press the clima button as it's higher up so less time not looking out of screen)
This just goes to show that so many people that are complaining about the functionality of the new interior are simply ignorant and are not familiar with certain systems, such as the drop down configurable quick menu.
I was waiting for this! I always cut that corner and TBH honest if I was scrabbling for the ESC button on Golf 7 hidden to the side of the shifter on UK cars, I'd be swerving too. There was no traffic coming. You can see later I do it again and again and I don't move out of the lane. A lot easier when not filming too.
@@volkswizard Again, dishonest and inaccurate. The ESC button in the mk7/7.5 can be easily used by feel without taking your eyes off the road and swerving onto the wrong side. I just tried it. It's easy. And not the least bit distracting. And I didn't wander out of my lane in the process. I'm beginning to think you are a paid shill for VW. Videos such as this one are helpful, and top marks for producing it, but hiding your head in the sand insisting the UI is easy and safe to use on the road doesn't help anyone and just destroys your integrity. Just admit it's a retrograde step and stop trying to insist it's not.
@@volkswizard You weren’t on a corner, seems like a poor excuse to me to avoid saying anything bad about a VW product. You’re allowed to be constructive once in a while, I’m sure VW won’t get mad.
Handy tips! 🫶🏻 just brought a MK 8 R, this will be very handy to know. So far the infotainment system hasn’t been too bad, but it’s just a matter of getting use to it! as a car it’s Ballistic, handles like it’s on rails and I love it’s more rear biased and the zero lag turbo is fantastic, instant pick up :)
Thank you for this! We golf fans in the U.S. are drooling over this car, and personally i cant get enough. I want to know how easy is it to live with, and if it will age gracefully.
@@volkswizard It won’t look as dated as digital screens. Have you looked at an original iPhone recently? It looks terrible, analog dials and buttons date nowhere near as badly as screens.
@@mscm4592 well to be honest I’ve owned a mk8 for four months & I really don’t mind the haptics on the steering wheel & most stuff on the info screen but not having a volume knob or fan controls really sucks especially if you have kids.
Great video, tips I didn't know about in my new Clubsport. Especially the ESC was a bit distracting to find while driving. I found the buttons on the steering wheel a bit annoying at first, especially the heated steering wheel. Takes a few minutes to heat up before i noticed i pressed it and then it's too late on a hot day this can be annoying. Not sure if you can disable this during summer months? All in all great video I love my ClubSport
Great vid and some good tips. Nice to see someone who appreciates the tech in the mk8. You could do a whole video just playing with the adaptive cruise. Strangely exciting to let the car do a twisty B road all by itself (foot hovering over the brakes though eh)
Great vid as always Andrew. Worth pointing out wrt the voice command to change heating settings, it only works if you have the 3 zone climatic control. If you have one zone, like I do, you can't control it by voice. I wish I had known that when choosing my options. No air care etc either on the one zone
I agree my life trim 8 also has single zone and the voice commands don’t work the only thing that does is to say hi Volkswagen open air conditioning settings
I have the R and I was a bit concerned because I watched so many videos criticising the touch buttons, but to be honest, no I have been using them for a while I think is really good, I have no issues, the only one I would say is that sometimes I accidentally turn the wheel heater on accidentally, but that’s all…
I still don't get the fact that the center HVAC bar doesn't light up at night. Is it for daytime use only? Ridiculous. The passenger can also hit the CLIMA button as well to respond to your point.
Thank you for the video, and the tips. I didn't know about some of those, but has it changed my opinion of Golf 8? No. I still don't like it, and I haven't yet found some of my dislikes on videos ... what is going on?! Your video amply demonstrates how awful the central screen is, at around 14m50s when you operate it whilst driving and the steering drifts into the oncoming half of the road. That should be enough to say "don't try to touch the central screen whilst driving." Some of my other pet hates are ... well the main one is how SLOW the thing is to move off from rest or to accelerate from slow speed, like trying to enter a roundabout. I find myself shouting at it "Come on,... COME ON..." the DSG is really awful at that point. It has 150bhp? really? No, it has either 50 or 100, nothing in between. The steering wheel buttons are slightly different layout on mine, and the cruise set "does my head in" the way it sometimes sets the speed, sometimes reduces the speed by 1mph and sometimes does nothing unless you press it twice of press it very hard. That sort of thing should not make it into production. The lock/unlock buttons on the door are not lit until locked! So when you get in when it's dark you can't lock the door. How dumb is that. The central locking can set when I'm in the car and the alarm goes off! The cruise control has a software bug which activates braking when a car ahead of you turns off left, i.e. out of your way, and the ACC brakes hard! Can you make a video explaining some of these things!?
Thanks Andrew. I took delivery of a factory standard GTi from dealer stock today, so this vid is pretty useful. I consider myself fairly "techie' anyway, but all tips are welcome. Unfortunately there will always be people who are determined not to like change, regardless of how much better it might be. VW certainly aren't the first to go button free - just look at any Tesla... and Merc are at it too, with some of their new high end motors.
Coming from just watching all the US reviews, it’s hilarious to me that no one knew about the shortcuts. EVERY reviewer complained about how long it took to turn off ESC and none of them bothered to ask VW reps if there was an easier way…
I just bought a mk 8 R manual transmission last week & I don’t hate the controls as much as I thought I might. The main head scratcher is that with the millions of controls on the steering wheel there is no mute button for the stereo. Also FYI the lane keep assist stays turned off & only is there if you select it.
I haven't seen mute for ages, Mk7 and 7.5 doesn't have it. Lane Assist on 2021 cars definitely comes back on again, they've probably changed it because it pissed so many people off. Also you are in US and different laws apply there so it's probably that,.
Just slide the volume control all the way to the left and keep going over thi litle hil into the heating control and it mutes. My Golf 6 with RNS310 Navigaton had no phone connection but the Phone button on the Nav functinoed in that case as a mute butten.
Hey Andrew, thanks for the video, very informative as always. Just one question about the exhaust modes. I think the Golf 8 R has a "pure" mode which basically switches the sound actuator off. Is it also the case for the GTI CS? Thanks!
Thanks. I watched this video before I got my MK8 and now that I have it I’m using full use of the tips. Also, I agree the interior isn’t as bad as journalist say
Hi Andrew, another great video. I have a 2021/22 Golf Style and I can't find keyless entry like you show in this video. Do you know if VW have removed this function?
I just collected my Clubsport 45 at the weekend and this Video is absolutely essential viewing for any new owner. The tech in the car is a bit overwhelming at first... Can I ask you one question, My Wife will be driving this car and I want to add her as a driver. Do I add her as a "New User" or as a "Guest" She will also want to have the We VW App I assume. Liked and subscribed!
Mine was delivered last Friday and I've sorted all this out today. Funnily enough now its connected to VW servers it will update when pressing the update button which is cool 👍 awesome car though, really useful tips and all I need now is to get to that magic 1000 mile marker! 😁 keep up the great content!
Glad you like them Jim, hopefully that day won't be too far away, Mk8 R is stateside now and you get a manual gearbox which we don't get so worth waiting for!
@@volkswizard The R is supposed to be released to dealers this month (Jan 2022). The GTI was just released last month. While I wait to save my money, your videos - especially this one - go a long way towards dispelling my misgivings about the dash. When I started driving, just about every control in a car could be - and should have been - easily located and operated without taking your eyes off road. I still feel they should be. Touchscreens and soft buttons are fine in an airplane, where a ditch or a telegraph pole aren't possibly just a few feet away, but not in a car. If we didn't have touchscreens, would we need lane keeping assist? Are they down to creating solutions to the problems they've created? That being said, the Golf R is still tops of my short list.
Hi excellent video thank you! Do you know if you can turn off lane assist permanently? I do not like it and have to turn it off each time i drive the car.
Do you know if the App and connectivity services are available on all trims and on US spec cars? I'm in the US and we tend to get weird options compared to European cars. I know we get front fog lights as standard but it doesn't look like this car has them. I just spent some time on the British configurator and some of the free paint options in the US are an added cost in the UK. I specced out the equivalent of a base model US spec car and it came to 39k GBP which is just shy of 50k USD, for reference I had dealer down to 30k out the door, or 25k GBP.
Another great video Andrew. It’s quite simple really like you said, read the handbook, spend some time in the drive playing, and set it up how you want it. I hardly ever mess about with altering anything when I’m driving anyway if it’s all set up properly 👍
Here are some more thoughts: Screen swipe: I didn't know about the short-cut menu on a swipe-down, and I thought it would be a really useful feature for me, so I set up the items I use most: cancel stop/start and set air-recirculation. Then I found that instead of two or three dirty-looking finger spots on the screen I now have dirty-looking vertical lines, and it looks awful. So I cleaned the screen and gave up using the short-cut menu. Stop start system: This cuts the engine for half a second when you know you don't want it to stop, then it will keep the engine running for 2 minutes at a red traffic light! It's about as frustrating as it could be, and should be programmed properly, so I always switch it off, every time I start the car. Gear lever: Having no separate “detente” against reverse on the lever is a disaster waiting to happen. It needs a button, like on proper (older) gear levers. Whilst they are doing that, they could make the gear lever about 4 times bigger, so the driver can find it without looking down. The most cost-effective upgrade you can make to the Golf8 is to stuff a small wad of paper between each paddle shift and the steering wheel, and secure them in place with some blu-tak. Then you won't select manual by mistake, which is happening a lot.
To change the radio station or to operate the Aircon you have to take your eyes off the road so you can physically direct your finger accurately towards the right icon. It's not safe, there will be many accidents because of this. Yes, it is possible to do it with voice control but then you have to still take your eyes off the road and read the options it presents on the screen.
Thanks for the tips. Knew most of the stuff, but this video actually motivated me to setup some shortcuts. I am wondering if you, or an informed viewer, could clarify something for me. I am really enjoying driving modes and especially using my own individual mode set up to my needs and preferences. There are several options: while Steering, Drive and ACC are easy to understand, I do not really know what are the differences between modes for Air conditioning, Light assistance (if the car is equipped with IQ matrix lights) and especially the sport and comfort settings for Chassis (my car does not have DCC, so I am puzzled about what difference could this setting make - reading forums there are mentions about some kind of "basic DCC", maybe someone could investigate that?).
The complaint with the infotainment system is that the cognitive and concentration load can lead to distracted driving. Take a look at 14:47, he practically is straddling the oncoming lane whilst trying to deactivate ESC.
Another great video Andrew 👍 I’ve had my Mk 8 GTI two weeks now and after a few hours or so and as you say configure it to your preferences all good ....like anything take some time to learn the system it’s got some great features ... It’s the future .... I bet at the time of the invention of the wheel someone said it was too round 😎..... no journalists have disliked the Touch screen only Tesla dash ... Only saying !!!
Thanks Volkswizard! I just took delivery of my CS two weeks ago and was wondering if you had figured out a way to disable or password protect the guest user? I’m the primary user and my account is passworded but I noticed if you start the car switch to the guest user you can then disable the tracking in the guest user settings. Wondered if you had found any way round this? So only the primary user can change the tracking settings! Thanks! :)
Great stuff Andrew, many thanks :) I did hear that the replicator keyless car theft trick is close to impossible with most recent cars as they are now using a type of ultra wide signal that provides a range element to the car, so even if they try the trick, car still sees key not in range and alarm goes off.
Hi, video say you do not have to put pin if you get in a car within half hour. I have to put pin every time, even if i am back to car within 5 minutes. . Does anyone know how to set up to 30 minutes.
Hi there great video , in terms of locating your VW car on the map function on the app does your car need to be fitted with a tracker for the app to find your car? or does all Vw club sports mk8 come standard with a tracker otherwise how else would the app find your car? I hope there is a tracker as standard as if not I am going to purchase a tracker for my newly bought clubsport mk8
The infotainment system is a real pain in the ass. I don’t configure it anymore, because every now and then, the settings change and you can start all over again. I would never choose the Golf 8 if I had to do it all over. Sadly, because the car itself is outstanding. But Volkswagen doesn’t understand how it should work. If my iPad worked like that, I would throw it in the bin.
Great tips and vid. I've had the car a few months now and there are multiple glitches with the system and keyless entry is hit and miss but hoping software update sorts that, although poor it has to go into VW for a software update. Whatever the buttons below the screen are intended for, they are awful and often get activated when using screen. Also unforgivable that android auto isn't wireless when Apple car play is. The system overall isn't user friendly. despite all this the chassis and engine is great so fun to drive !
All people do is whine about these cars. Sure an abacus is simpler than a computer but that doesn't make it better. Set climate to 22. 21 if your fat like me and never worry about it again. Then just enjoy the drive which is the whole point
Watched many videos of the mk8 now and a big talking point is always the usability and the lack of buttons. Kinda getting boring listening to them keep pointing it out. Nice to see you take interest in explaining all the mk8 features and how they work Instead of just slating the system without even trying to understand them like every other car journalist... keep it up 👍
As a long term Golf 8 owner as mine is one of the first uk cars it has never been a problem to drive and the touch controls work well and fall easily to hand it really annoys me how people knock it as Andrew says you can do much by voice and also touch
IMO, voice control is simply a gimmick. Such a hassle having to say things out loud, interrupting whatever I was listening to, when I could simply reach down and push a button or twist a dial, in a fraction of the time, probably without even having to look at it. A well thought out physical control makes voice control completely obsolete.
What's you thought's on Vw taking the engine cover off instead of fixing the problem I for one was well disappointed when I lifted the lid. My dealer didn't say a thing.
I have had software issues with my car since new. At around 1000 miles it started ringing the sos service as if I had broken down, it then clicks as if cancelling and starting again and again. VW changed the gateway and updated the software but it stated again a few days later. It has been in again yesterday and they could not find a fault
my MK8 GTi key fob goes to sleep after a set time of being idle to stop it sending a signal to prevent key-less theft, youll notice a flashing red light when you pick it up it goes off when left still
The most useful video made about the mk8 yet, that not a single ‘journalist’ has been arsed to consider themselves. I guess in the age of cancel culture and clickbait headlines, its just easier and more lucrative to brandish a detailed product ‘impossible to use’. VW should be paying you, but it says everything about their products that you do it for the sheer love and in your own time.
A software developer that I know said that the mk8 system was fundamentally very good and detailed, clearly trying to copy Apple, and for that, really over-engineered. The processor and hardware wasn’t strong enough to cope in reality so VW sorted it for 21 MY. This is why the software (and Golf 8) was delayed and fairly hideous to use to begin with as it was released without being finished. Marketeers set the deadlines for product releases and the devs have to meet them. Software is never completely finished nowadays with constant tweaking required, and why wouldn’t you want that? You get new features on the car all the time!
I'm a software engineer myself working in Automotive. I worked on a recently released car that had a large focus on SOTA (software over the air) and other 'advanced' (advanced in automotive context) systems. I can confirm exactly what you have said here is true not just in VW but most automotive companies and third party ECU vendors (bosch etc) too. The automotive industry is ran by older-style of engineering management that do not understand the processes behind software development. Developing a new part for an engine block is not the same as writing software for a new ECU, and management don't see that in many companies.
@@iShox2711 Thanks for the comment! Very interesting, all the corporate talk coming out of VW at the moment, it suggests that they are in transition from legacy automaker into software company that makes cars. Of course, this takes time (decades?) and was not the case when Golf 8 / ID.3/4 were being developed!
It’s a major Tesla niche currently
@@Tom_banx a lot of automotive companies are doing transitions like this; working to replace old antiquated engineering practices with Agile ways of working. Tesla had a very distinct advantage with their systems as they could start on a clean slate chassis and vehicle architecture. The reality for other manufacturers is that there is dozens, sometimes over 100 ECUs in a vehicle all using old systems. So rather than building out a new platform, they try to maintain support of their legacy hardware so you end up with this mix of new cutting edge software that is being bottlenecked by ECUs that haven't been updated since the early 2000s lol. It's currently an absolute mess in the automotive sphere but I'd give it 3-5 years and we will start seeing all the big names become more like software companies than automotive!
Agreed. The touch screen stuff doesn't appeal to me in the slightest, but Andrew's at least demonstrated that it is nowhere near as difficult to use as it's made out to be & it does have some good features
I'm just a mere peasant with a mk7 😂 but when using the paddles when going from drive to manual, when going back to drive I just pull back on the selector. Quicker than holding the shifter for a second or 2 to get it back to drive. Is this still the case on the mk8?
Also I've seen loads of videos about how nobody can get the mk8 to do a launch control? Has anyone figured it out yet?
11 Tap the Temperature "Buttons" with both Fingers + and - for Seatheating.
12 You can also leave Manual Mode by Switching the Gearshift to D/S.
13 Quickmute Audio by the OnOff Button under the Touchscreen..
Thanks for 3, did not know..
Thanks for 11. I can now put on heated seats with one action!
Just purchased a MK8 Golf R Line. Was a little bit sceptical about buying one due to the new controls. But I must admit I found nothing wrong with any of the buttons or functions. If you can use a modern day phone you can use these modern day buttons . Simple to use even while driving. This video did help with my decision. Thanks Volkswizard.
My pleasure, enjoy 👍
On the Mk7 you get 5mph increments by using the +/- buttons and 1mph on the RES and SET buttons. I never had to long press.
I knew I'd got that wrong as soon as I said it, I think that's what BMW do or an older Golf, as you say on Mk7 it's RES and SET which isn't ideal either because neither of these buttons are marked as being able to do that
res and set buttons give me 1 km/h increments in my mk7 clubsport
This is also true for none haptic mk8
@@jagg88 My German spec MK7 here in Brazil has either 1km/h +- on res and set while active or 10km/h left and right on the arrows
That's my experience too - both the Mk 7 & 7.5. It's pretty intuitive
Fantastic, thank you!. Mk8 GTD has impressed and driven me round the twist in equal measures for the last year. Now the frustration has pretty much gone, two presses to kill the lane assist (albeit every time you crank the engine), pull the gearbox down shift for max attack and a shortcut menu I didn't know I had to set up. Brilliant.
You are the first person to give the buttonless dash a chance. I’m quite excited to get mine hopefully this weekend.
Excellent vid and really useful info! I got my GTI this week, there was no handover and my key (or whatever) was registered as guest so I couldn't do anything - I couldn't switch on the air con or even the fan (it was a hot day so I was getting really pissed off), and I couldn't get the mirrors to deploy, TBH even though I've loved every golf I've had I wanted to send this one back as I was so frustrated. VW should include a 'quick start guide as it took me ages to figure the basics out. Then I got out on the road and I thought; this is noisier and the ride is more harsh than I was expecting - I honestly thought I'd made a big mistake buying this car. But then I went into my first bend too fast (like about 10 to 15 MPH faster than usual) and I suddenly smiled at how effortless it was! Then I floored it to overtake for the first time and actually shouted some swear words! It was faster than I was expecting'. Long story short - it's not quite the 'jump in and just drive' experience that you normally expect from a Golf, I had to do a bit of swatting up and you do need to spend a bit of time learning it, but I think I am beginning to love this car.
I got my car in guest mode too and could change everything.
I've just got a new GTE as a Company car. The control system has been quite baffling in the first couple of days but, after watching this video and reading some of the comments, a lot of my queries have been answered. Many thanks Andrew and everyone for the comments and tips.................
Great video. I purchased my Golf 8 eTSI Style from Germany also because of the earlier review you’ve shared. Had a 7.5 and 6 before that and for me it is the same: after some proper software updates all works really well and the sliders I hardly ever use. Thanks for these 10 tips, enjoy your Golf 8, I certainly do. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Hello Spartanni and thanks for the comment. Ultimately VW don’t put things to market that are no good as they want to sell cars. I think in this context they didn’t allow for the fact motoring journalists hop in and out of cars and they didn’t get time to adapt to it like owners will with regular exposure and negative, often inaccurate reviews have dominated. Is this true in Holland too? I do think when you do this kind of revolution, the media need to be hand held through the process and informed of what the system can do to ease the initial unfamiliarity (like shortcuts for ESC etc that add no time over Mk7). They must also have scientific stats on benefits of new screen location higher up on dash. I guess COVID wasn’t a great time to launch a car needing so much personal contact so journalists were left to work it out for themselves and inevitably missed some real world benefits and focused on the bad bits.
Great video, thank so very much. I bought my Mk 8 GTi demo at 2 months old during the height of Covid (Jan 2021). The salesmen were having to comply with various regulations and rules. Consequently, I got naff all spiel from them, they just said sit in the car and have a fiddle! Which I did, but one misses many useful points that this gentleman has covered so magnificently.
I have a Golf 8 GTE from my work and i have to say i had seen alot of reviews and those made me a bit scared to be honost about the quality of the infotainment system and also the weak power the GTE would have when the battery hit 0.
I work with software and i like to mess around with it. My Golf is a month old, it was build in may 2021.
The software works very good. It is intuitive as you would expect from any modern system. (maybe i have a little edge over the average user because i work alot with software).
I like to mess around with all the functions.
I can also say that the touch buttons on the steering wheel where suprisingly easy to use. Because you get feedback when pressing you know exactly what you are doing.
Alot of reviews told me that it worked like crap, but i strongly disagree.
Alot of reviewers will also tell you the infotainment system sucks. Maybe my release already had a few software upgrades which they implemented over the course of 2020.
But in my "model" software works like a charm. I think VW did a good job with the software considering modern standards.
I can also use android auto wireless (as it ofcourse should be) i never plugged in my phone for anything. Even charging the phone is wireless, at least in my model.
The only problem i see is that you can easily focus to much the infotainment system and set things up while driving. But this is not a VW problem i think, but more a generic problem.
The driver should be smart enough to do big settings when standing still or when parked.
Settings like putting on music, navigation and other daily driver things can be done in a safe way while driving, specially with the voice command thing.
I can honostly not understand why alot of reviewers are beiing so negative.
The golf 8 is a great car.
There's quite a few software versions, anywhere from 1664 to 1788. The version is dependent on your trim too, e.g GTI might support 1788 but a Style might only support 1668. Depends on your hardware.
Point to note too, VW have instructed dealerships to only carry out software updates where necessary (where customers are having issues and bugs with the software).
This in my opinion is incorrect I know many people who have 1664 and are driving styles and my style has 1788
@@neilstait7459 16XX is the version you have if you don't have Discover Media Pro. 17XX if you do have it (or if your car was built before week 38 of 2020)
Mine is now 1805 after being updated
I’ve got a 2020 Ford Focus and download updates onto usb on my pc . There’s also an Over the Air option. Do VW need to be taken to dealership for update? Also lane assist being on as default is inconvenient and PIN number every time? Seriously!?
@@asmith9040 currently because the updates are so large, they need to be done through proprietary VW systems in the dealership. When the major issues are fixed and minor updates and bug fixes come in the future they will be OTA.
I also don’t have a PIN on mine, just optional for additional security.
Got my mk 8 Variant on 27th october 2022. I absolutely love it, despite having to spend time on the controls, once its set its amazing to just jump in and go for it. Build quality is the best ive ever had too. Worth every £000’s it cost.
Great video.
I shall save this to watch again; as I am currently waiting for the MK8 R Estate (variant) to become available for order in the UK, 10 March I'm told by VW UK Customer Service, subject to change they said 😆
Great video. I've had a regular Mk8 since June, and have been frustrated a lot with the software. The sat nav has never worked, and every time I start the car, after a few hundred metres of driving it gives me a warning saying "Dynamic Roadsign display is restricted", but then it always works.
Other phantom errors appear occasionally like "SOS call activated."
Taken it into a dealer twice, to no avail.
In a software update just before Xmas the radar cruise control distance changed: now it resets to maximum follow distance every time I start the car, instead of remembering where I left it.
And then there's the touch controls for temperature: when operating the main touch screen whilst driving, you naturally want to rest your hand below the screen to stabilise it while operating the screen with your index finger. But you can't, because you'll activate the temperature controls. This isn't necessary when stationary because your hand doesn't move around when you're not driving. I can only assume VW's real world testing of the interface was limited to stationary tests!
The car is great but the software is definitely substandard.
Even if Andrew’s car was doing this I doubt he’d actually tell us.
I heard the regular mk8's from early batches had a lot of software issues.
To my knowledge this is now mostly fixed. Hope it is software related and you can get it sorted
@@shiugen676 thanks! Good to hear. Taking back in for software update with next service in a few weeks. Fingers crossed.
Great video, and will be very helpful. I´ve had loads of Golfs. To be honest I love the Golf 8 but....I had the emergency brake activate many times while VERY slowly coming on & off my driveway which is not particularly narrow. Also had the brakes slam on when it detected an 80km sign on the exit lane (ie, only on one side of the car) of the autobahn here in Germany. My Android phone loses all internet connectivity when it wirelessly connects to the car. It could be amazing, but for me I will not buy another Golf until they sort out all these problems.
Oh wow you're a genius mate, no silly nonsense, just pure facts and very positive thanks so much I feel like I know my new baby so much better now. Thank you again 👍
THE most useful video for my new VW! Thank you so much, you taught me a heap of useful things. Love your enthusiasm also.
This makes a lot of journos look a bit silly that they haven’t bothered to work it out, Harry’s garage and Auto car included. Enjoying your videos thanks.
Picked up my mk8 golf yesterday.
It is brilliant, what is everyone moaning about!
The info system is so easy to use.
Absolutely, enjoy Glynn 👍👍
Going from my Mk6 TDI to a MK8 TSI so this was really helpful as getting into the MK8 felt like a spaceship
Excellent video - very informative. On my MK7 GT 2.0TDi 150 diesel one of the best/most frequently used features was the speed limiter function, but I can't find out how to activate it on my new Mk8 if indeed it has that facility. Physical and on line handbooks show how to do it, but I can't get it to work. Any ideas, please? 😁
...update: found it at last and it works as well as the MK7 speed limiter did, but not that intuitive. My MK8 is fantastic!
How did you turn it on? I've been stuck for ages haha
Going through the screen to turn lane assist off every time I get in the car has been driving me mad! The stork shortcut is such a relief - thank you!
It's a pleasure. Big ups to Joe Knight at Tamworth VW for that tip 👍
Great review! I suspected that one just needs to spend a little time with the system to get used to it. The mk7 owners have been whining non-stop about the system, so I found it funny to hear you say it's what you missed most when returning to your mk7.5.
Still to this day I love it, it's all there in one place you once you get to know it it's easy. Also there are other benefits, for example, in Smart Climate you can choose 'fresh air' or 'warm feet' etc, you don't need to toggle the controls to do it, you just select the desired output in one press! No more laggy than a Mk7 mode button on start up either. Only caveat is heated seats, adding that function in is maybe a step too far as it takes up the place at the bottom right of the screen that is normally vacant and pressing it puts you into the climate menu (it's easier to do this that press the clima button as it's higher up so less time not looking out of screen)
Great video. Can you make something like "10 more tips for Golf 8"? I'm sure that you found some great things since this video.
This just goes to show that so many people that are complaining about the functionality of the new interior are simply ignorant and are not familiar with certain systems, such as the drop down configurable quick menu.
“I’ll show you how easy it is to use the shortcut while driving” swerved onto the wrong side of the road whilst using it. 14:40
I was waiting for this! I always cut that corner and TBH honest if I was scrabbling for the ESC button on Golf 7 hidden to the side of the shifter on UK cars, I'd be swerving too. There was no traffic coming. You can see later I do it again and again and I don't move out of the lane. A lot easier when not filming too.
@@volkswizard or have Lane Assit on and it's not an issue.
@@volkswizard Again, dishonest and inaccurate. The ESC button in the mk7/7.5 can be easily used by feel without taking your eyes off the road and swerving onto the wrong side. I just tried it. It's easy. And not the least bit distracting. And I didn't wander out of my lane in the process. I'm beginning to think you are a paid shill for VW. Videos such as this one are helpful, and top marks for producing it, but hiding your head in the sand insisting the UI is easy and safe to use on the road doesn't help anyone and just destroys your integrity. Just admit it's a retrograde step and stop trying to insist it's not.
I approve ☝ this message. Steven Swann is correct I have no issue with my MK 7.5 button easy to do no distractions.
@@volkswizard You weren’t on a corner, seems like a poor excuse to me to avoid saying anything bad about a VW product. You’re allowed to be constructive once in a while, I’m sure VW won’t get mad.
Handy tips! 🫶🏻 just brought a MK 8 R, this will be very handy to know. So far the infotainment system hasn’t been too bad, but it’s just a matter of getting use to it! as a car it’s Ballistic, handles like it’s on rails and I love it’s more rear biased and the zero lag turbo is fantastic, instant pick up :)
Thank you for this! We golf fans in the U.S. are drooling over this car, and personally i cant get enough. I want to know how easy is it to live with, and if it will age gracefully.
Glorious video. Picking up my mk8 this week 😊😊😊
Enjoy it Lou!
The car is even better than "oh my God, no knobs, we are allergic to buttons" youtubers told us.
Seriously. I just got my golf r two days ago and I was so scared about the infotainment system and the touch buttons. So easy and simple
The journalists really fucked up with the MK8. Have had my GTI for almost a month now and I absolutely love it.
Thank you for this positive review. Most videos I have seen are people just needlessly crapping on the infotainment system.
I'm still flabbergasted that the "practical" Germans got rid of the volume dial & climate control buttons.
They’ve got to think ahead as 8 year production run ahead of Mk8 and a knob laden interior will look dated very soon.
@@volkswizard I guess but nothing dates a care faster than infotainment screens & digital controls.
@@volkswizard It won’t look as dated as digital screens. Have you looked at an original iPhone recently? It looks terrible, analog dials and buttons date nowhere near as badly as screens.
Oh no - the car is garbage because it has no volume knob! Aaaahhhhhh!
(Eye roll)
@@mscm4592 well to be honest I’ve owned a mk8 for four months & I really don’t mind the haptics on the steering wheel & most stuff on the info screen but not having a volume knob or fan controls really sucks especially if you have kids.
You’re the Brian Cox of Mk8 reviews. Bravo! Finally something useful instead of complaining babies I’ve been watching…
An easier way to switch from manual to drive mode is by the shift lever - one click in the D direction, and it switches to auto.
The whole car net thing with MK7.5 you also have to put in a pin at least here in the States.
Great video, tips I didn't know about in my new Clubsport. Especially the ESC was a bit distracting to find while driving. I found the buttons on the steering wheel a bit annoying at first, especially the heated steering wheel. Takes a few minutes to heat up before i noticed i pressed it and then it's too late on a hot day this can be annoying. Not sure if you can disable this during summer months? All in all great video I love my ClubSport
Another gem from Volkswizard. Life saver
My dream car 🥰🥰 maybe someday I can afford it!. In the meantime these videos are like a delicious entree 🍻
Great vid and some good tips. Nice to see someone who appreciates the tech in the mk8. You could do a whole video just playing with the adaptive cruise. Strangely exciting to let the car do a twisty B road all by itself (foot hovering over the brakes though eh)
An other option for adjusting cruise control speed: if you slide up or down you get increments of 10km/h
Hate the intrusive lane assist. UK roads are no good for this feature. Love the ATTACK mode 😂
Fantastic video. Love the "attack mode" feature and I am now using that on the daily!!
Great videos, this will save me loads of time for when I take delivery of an Mk8 GTD in September, It all looks rather simple and fairly easy to use.
Great vid as always Andrew. Worth pointing out wrt the voice command to change heating settings, it only works if you have the 3 zone climatic control. If you have one zone, like I do, you can't control it by voice. I wish I had known that when choosing my options. No air care etc either on the one zone
I agree my life trim 8 also has single zone and the voice commands don’t work the only thing that does is to say hi Volkswagen open air conditioning settings
I have the R and I was a bit concerned because I watched so many videos criticising the touch buttons, but to be honest, no I have been using them for a while I think is really good, I have no issues, the only one I would say is that sometimes I accidentally turn the wheel heater on accidentally, but that’s all…
I still don't get the fact that the center HVAC bar doesn't light up at night. Is it for daytime use only? Ridiculous. The passenger can also hit the CLIMA button as well to respond to your point.
Ive had one for a month and got used to it 3 weeks ago
no night driving🤣
Thank you for the video, and the tips. I didn't know about some of those, but has it changed my opinion of Golf 8? No. I still don't like it, and I haven't yet found some of my dislikes on videos ... what is going on?! Your video amply demonstrates how awful the central screen is, at around 14m50s when you operate it whilst driving and the steering drifts into the oncoming half of the road. That should be enough to say "don't try to touch the central screen whilst driving." Some of my other pet hates are ... well the main one is how SLOW the thing is to move off from rest or to accelerate from slow speed, like trying to enter a roundabout. I find myself shouting at it "Come on,... COME ON..." the DSG is really awful at that point. It has 150bhp? really? No, it has either 50 or 100, nothing in between. The steering wheel buttons are slightly different layout on mine, and the cruise set "does my head in" the way it sometimes sets the speed, sometimes reduces the speed by 1mph and sometimes does nothing unless you press it twice of press it very hard. That sort of thing should not make it into production. The lock/unlock buttons on the door are not lit until locked! So when you get in when it's dark you can't lock the door. How dumb is that. The central locking can set when I'm in the car and the alarm goes off! The cruise control has a software bug which activates braking when a car ahead of you turns off left, i.e. out of your way, and the ACC brakes hard! Can you make a video explaining some of these things!?
Thanks Andrew. I took delivery of a factory standard GTi from dealer stock today, so this vid is pretty useful. I consider myself fairly "techie' anyway, but all tips are welcome. Unfortunately there will always be people who are determined not to like change, regardless of how much better it might be. VW certainly aren't the first to go button free - just look at any Tesla... and Merc are at it too, with some of their new high end motors.
Coming from just watching all the US reviews, it’s hilarious to me that no one knew about the shortcuts. EVERY reviewer complained about how long it took to turn off ESC and none of them bothered to ask VW reps if there was an easier way…
Another very informative video, my GTi is being built this week 33, I’m like a child ! I can’t wait- thanks Andrew.
Thanks David, not long now then, bet you can't wait! How long have you been waiting?
I just bought a mk 8 R manual transmission last week & I don’t hate the controls as much as I thought I might. The main head scratcher is that with the millions of controls on the steering wheel there is no mute button for the stereo. Also FYI the lane keep assist stays turned off & only is there if you select it.
I haven't seen mute for ages, Mk7 and 7.5 doesn't have it. Lane Assist on 2021 cars definitely comes back on again, they've probably changed it because it pissed so many people off. Also you are in US and different laws apply there so it's probably that,.
Just slide the volume control all the way to the left and keep going over thi litle hil into the heating control and it mutes. My Golf 6 with RNS310 Navigaton had no phone connection but the Phone button on the Nav functinoed in that case as a mute butten.
Hey Andrew, thanks for the video, very informative as always.
Just one question about the exhaust modes. I think the Golf 8 R has a "pure" mode which basically switches the sound actuator off. Is it also the case for the GTI CS?
Thanks!
Thanks. I watched this video before I got my MK8 and now that I have it I’m using full use of the tips. Also, I agree the interior isn’t as bad as journalist say
Brilliant vid, thank you
Hi Andrew, another great video. I have a 2021/22 Golf Style and I can't find keyless entry like you show in this video. Do you know if VW have removed this function?
Don’t think the Style trim level gives you keyless.
I just collected my Clubsport 45 at the weekend and this Video is absolutely essential viewing for any new owner. The tech in the car is a bit overwhelming at first...
Can I ask you one question, My Wife will be driving this car and I want to add her as a driver. Do I add her as a "New User" or as a "Guest" She will also want to have the We VW App I assume.
Liked and subscribed!
thanks for sharing! super useful tips for people who are new to Golf!
Glad it was helpful Lu!
Brilliant video just got my mk8 Gte any Tips how to remove the old primary user?
Mine was delivered last Friday and I've sorted all this out today. Funnily enough now its connected to VW servers it will update when pressing the update button which is cool 👍 awesome car though, really useful tips and all I need now is to get to that magic 1000 mile marker! 😁 keep up the great content!
Great video! I've been enjoying your MK8 videos immensely. Here in the USA and counting the days until I can buy one here. Keep up the great vids!
Glad you like them Jim, hopefully that day won't be too far away, Mk8 R is stateside now and you get a manual gearbox which we don't get so worth waiting for!
@@volkswizard The R is supposed to be released to dealers this month (Jan 2022). The GTI was just released last month. While I wait to save my money, your videos - especially this one - go a long way towards dispelling my misgivings about the dash. When I started driving, just about every control in a car could be - and should have been - easily located and operated without taking your eyes off road. I still feel they should be. Touchscreens and soft buttons are fine in an airplane, where a ditch or a telegraph pole aren't possibly just a few feet away, but not in a car. If we didn't have touchscreens, would we need lane keeping assist? Are they down to creating solutions to the problems they've created? That being said, the Golf R is still tops of my short list.
I’ve had my gtd for 2 years no2 and your number 1 is brand new to me. Huge thanks
Hi excellent video thank you! Do you know if you can turn off lane assist permanently? I do not like it and have to turn it off each time i drive the car.
I don’t think so, unfortunately all this got harder with mk8. Have you gone into settings and backed it off as much as possible?
it's possible to code it using obd. I used obdeleven which has a one click app which always sets it to the last selected option when starting the car
Do you know if the App and connectivity services are available on all trims and on US spec cars? I'm in the US and we tend to get weird options compared to European cars. I know we get front fog lights as standard but it doesn't look like this car has them. I just spent some time on the British configurator and some of the free paint options in the US are an added cost in the UK. I specced out the equivalent of a base model US spec car and it came to 39k GBP which is just shy of 50k USD, for reference I had dealer down to 30k out the door, or 25k GBP.
Another great video Andrew. It’s quite simple really like you said, read the handbook, spend some time in the drive playing, and set it up how you want it. I hardly ever mess about with altering anything when I’m driving anyway if it’s all set up properly 👍
Well said Ian 👍
Here are some more thoughts:
Screen swipe: I didn't know about the short-cut menu on a swipe-down, and I thought it would be a really useful feature for me, so I set up the items I use most: cancel stop/start and set air-recirculation. Then I found that instead of two or three dirty-looking finger spots on the screen I now have dirty-looking vertical lines, and it looks awful. So I cleaned the screen and gave up using the short-cut menu.
Stop start system: This cuts the engine for half a second when you know you don't want it to stop, then it will keep the engine running for 2 minutes at a red traffic light! It's about as frustrating as it could be, and should be programmed properly, so I always switch it off, every time I start the car.
Gear lever: Having no separate “detente” against reverse on the lever is a disaster waiting to happen. It needs a button, like on proper (older) gear levers. Whilst they are doing that, they could make the gear lever about 4 times bigger, so the driver can find it without looking down.
The most cost-effective upgrade you can make to the Golf8 is to stuff a small wad of paper between each paddle shift and the steering wheel, and secure them in place with some blu-tak. Then you won't select manual by mistake, which is happening a lot.
Wonderful news, thank you, watching this has given me such a great insight into my new Golf!!!
To change the radio station or to operate the Aircon you have to take your eyes off the road so you can physically direct your finger accurately towards the right icon. It's not safe, there will be many accidents because of this. Yes, it is possible to do it with voice control but then you have to still take your eyes off the road and read the options it presents on the screen.
Very informative and great video , some many journalists were gossiping about mk8 golf , love the mk8
Thanks for the tips. Knew most of the stuff, but this video actually motivated me to setup some shortcuts.
I am wondering if you, or an informed viewer, could clarify something for me. I am really enjoying driving modes and especially using my own individual mode set up to my needs and preferences. There are several options: while Steering, Drive and ACC are easy to understand, I do not really know what are the differences between modes for Air conditioning, Light assistance (if the car is equipped with IQ matrix lights) and especially the sport and comfort settings for Chassis (my car does not have DCC, so I am puzzled about what difference could this setting make - reading forums there are mentions about some kind of "basic DCC", maybe someone could investigate that?).
The complaint with the infotainment system is that the cognitive and concentration load can lead to distracted driving. Take a look at 14:47, he practically is straddling the oncoming lane whilst trying to deactivate ESC.
Another great video Andrew 👍 I’ve had my Mk 8 GTI two weeks now and after a few hours or so and as you say configure it to your preferences all good ....like anything take some time to learn the system it’s got some great features ... It’s the future .... I bet at the time of the invention of the wheel someone said it was too round 😎..... no journalists have disliked the Touch screen only Tesla dash ... Only saying !!!
Octavia & Leon seem to escape criticism too and yet they are less easy to use than Golf. Weird
I had a MK7, drove a ranger for a year, traded it for a Mk8 today. Literally the best decision of my life car is amazing
LH paddle long hold is a game changer! Saw this yesterday on Autogefuhl review of the new Arteon R 👍. Now need to test it on my Formentor! 😁
Thanks Volkswizard! I just took delivery of my CS two weeks ago and was wondering if you had figured out a way to disable or password protect the guest user? I’m the primary user and my account is passworded but I noticed if you start the car switch to the guest user you can then disable the tracking in the guest user settings. Wondered if you had found any way round this? So only the primary user can change the tracking settings! Thanks! :)
This would be great to know
Excellent video. Thank you.
Great video. I was told that the vw connect app updates the software?
Subscribed. Thank you!
thanks for the esc trick !
My pleasure 🙌🏻
Just got a gti s, this video was so helpful
Nice one, enjoy 👍
Great stuff Andrew, many thanks :)
I did hear that the replicator keyless car theft trick is close to impossible with most recent cars as they are now using a type of ultra wide signal that provides a range element to the car, so even if they try the trick, car still sees key not in range and alarm goes off.
I've ordered a MK8 GTI, this video is very useful for Golf newbies like me. Thanks for the info @Volkswizard
Glad it was helpful barry 🙌
That lane assist short cut is brilliant! Thanks for much for the details
Hi, video say you do not have to put pin if you get in a car within half hour. I have to put pin every time, even if i am back to car within 5 minutes. . Does anyone know how to set up to 30 minutes.
Great video mate ,what is refinement like in the mk8 would you say mk8 does a better job at keeping out wind and road noise than the mk7.5
It's no worse but is very tyre dependent. Much better than Leon
Hi there great video , in terms of locating your VW car on the map function on the app does your car need to be fitted with a tracker for the app to find your car? or does all Vw club sports mk8 come standard with a tracker otherwise how else would the app find your car? I hope there is a tracker as standard as if not I am going to purchase a tracker for my newly bought clubsport mk8
The infotainment system is a real pain in the ass. I don’t configure it anymore, because every now and then, the settings change and you can start all over again. I would never choose the Golf 8 if I had to do it all over. Sadly, because the car itself is outstanding. But Volkswagen doesn’t understand how it should work. If my iPad worked like that, I would throw it in the bin.
Great tips and vid. I've had the car a few months now and there are multiple glitches with the system and keyless entry is hit and miss but hoping software update sorts that, although poor it has to go into VW for a software update. Whatever the buttons below the screen are intended for, they are awful and often get activated when using screen. Also unforgivable that android auto isn't wireless when Apple car play is. The system overall isn't user friendly. despite all this the chassis and engine is great so fun to drive !
I found this video very useful thank you for your efforts.
Informative but still a dreadful system for changing temperature airflow as you travel and we all do that after a cold start
Just pop your car into a dealership and get a courtesy car...sure mate. Sure thing.
Was it only me that noticed that when Andrew live demo'd ESC off he veered onto the other side of the road?
How exactly you switch off the Lane keep assist shortcut? I follow your instriction however it didnt gave the option to proceed and switch iit off...
Volkswizard doesn't mention function not on Life spec.
All people do is whine about these cars. Sure an abacus is simpler than a computer but that doesn't make it better. Set climate to 22. 21 if your fat like me and never worry about it again. Then just enjoy the drive which is the whole point
Watched many videos of the mk8 now and a big talking point is always the usability and the lack of buttons. Kinda getting boring listening to them keep pointing it out. Nice to see you take interest in explaining all the mk8 features and how they work Instead of just slating the system without even trying to understand them like every other car journalist... keep it up 👍
As a long term Golf 8 owner as mine is one of the first uk cars it has never been a problem to drive and the touch controls work well and fall easily to hand it really annoys me how people knock it as Andrew says you can do much by voice and also touch
IMO, voice control is simply a gimmick. Such a hassle having to say things out loud, interrupting whatever I was listening to, when I could simply reach down and push a button or twist a dial, in a fraction of the time, probably without even having to look at it. A well thought out physical control makes voice control completely obsolete.
Excellent, thank you.
What's you thought's on Vw taking the engine cover off instead of fixing the problem I for one was well disappointed when I lifted the lid. My dealer didn't say a thing.
I have had software issues with my car since new. At around 1000 miles it started ringing the sos service as if I had broken down, it then clicks as if cancelling and starting again and again. VW changed the gateway and updated the software but it stated again a few days later. It has been in again yesterday and they could not find a fault
my MK8 GTi key fob goes to sleep after a set time of being idle to stop it sending a signal to prevent key-less theft, youll notice a flashing red light when you pick it up it goes off when left still