Volkswagen Golf GTI's mid-life makeover

The burden of expectation weighed heavily on the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI, as the slightly unusual circumstances of this review demonstrate. Our first chance to try this updated ‘8.5’ model comes on a road trip to Wolfsburg for the inaugural GTI Fest. As well as the newest model, Volkswagen wheeled out examples of its seven predecessors. And, well, would you take a pre-facelift eighth-gen GTI over its incredible 7.5 predecessor?

Me neither. Consider the Mk8 GTI in isolation and it’s still a really, really good car, but it wasn’t that perfect, intoxicating mix of performance, practicality and everyday useability. The infotainment system suffered from glitches and had that stupid unilluminated slider, while VW’s decision to firm up the suspension to focus more on performance resulted in a slightly harder and less balanced machine. It was really good, but a Golf GTI badge is supposed to mean ‘great’.

Still, it’s often with the mid-life facelift that a Golf GTI really comes alive. Perhaps it’s because GTIs are all about balance, so it takes the finessing that comes with the half-generation update to really hone an everyday performance classic.

You wouldn’t know much has changed from the outside: there are new LED lights front and rear, new optional 19-inch wheels with a design inspired by the Mk5 GTI (which we like) and an illuminated front VW roundel (which… well, if you must).

Inside, the changes are more meaningful and will be familiar if you have read our reviews of other facelifted versions of the Golf that use the updated MEB Evo platform.

There’s a new 12.9-inch touchscreen running the latest version of VW’s infotainment. The OS is better designed, with key controls fixed at the top and bottom of the screen (which, again, we like). Meanwhile, the touch slider beneath the screen is illuminated, although we would still prefer a physical volume knob.

There are actual buttons on the perforated leather steering wheel – thank you, VW – although the angle of them didn’t quite gel with the way I gripped the wheel.

Improving the useability and quality of the infotainment is a significant step, but since this is a Golf GTI, you will want, and expect, more. So Volkswagen has given the venerable EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged unit a tune and drawn out an extra 15kW, raising total output to a healthy 195kW.

The GTI has never been about outright power, though – its output remains positively demure compared with some rivals – but it’s a welcome boost. What isn’t so welcome is the absence of a manual gearbox: the GTI is now offered only with a seven-speed dual-clutch. Don’t worry, there are still tartan seats if you want them.

The suspension set-up is mechanically the same as the previous model’s (struts up front and a multi-link rear axle), but there has been significant work on the electronic front-axle differential lock, progressive steering and, in particular, the optional Dynamic Chassis Control. The latter works in conjunction with the various drive modes to adjust the suspension and alter the car’s performance, and it provides a notable difference from the pre-facelift model.

Broadly, the DCC-equipped Golf GTI is now more pliant and useable than the 8 (if not the 7.5) in Normal mode, making it a little softer on uneven surfaces and bumps. Stick it in Sport and things stiffen up considerably, which is welcome when you find smoother, more enjoyable roads. The broader performance window means there’s less compromise between hot hatch and daily driver: the whole GTI ethos is about having a performance car you can use every day.

The extra power is notable, and while peak torque remains at 370Nm, it’s now accessible all the way between 1600 and 4590rpm. It makes things more responsive and enjoyable but without getting into the rarefied air of superhatches such as the all-wheel-drive Golf R. And VW’s DSG ’box is still brilliantly smooth, at least.

The interior remains comfortable and well laid out, and while the revised infotainment still isn’t entirely glitch-free, it’s a step forward. It’s a lot of small changes that add up to a discernible and welcome improvement, returning the Golf GTI to the ‘everyday performance’ window in which it has thrived for so long – although, with prices said to be close to the outgoing car’s $59,990 drive-away mark, it’s not exactly an affordable everyday hero.

Progress, then, with more of the balance the Golf GTI is known for, even if some of the interior tech, the ride and the lack of a manual ’box mean the blend perhaps isn’t perfect given the lofty expectations.

So would you still take a 7.5 GTI on a long road trip over this one? It’s at least a tougher call now.

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