Black suits that car so well. The best spec I’ve seen so far for the mk8, I must admit it looks awesome! Way north of 40k I imagine for this particular car though...
Very good review ! This is progress love the instrument layout & rear spoiler . Would be great to see you take it on the track & try out drift mode . My wife’s car is due for a change & I rank this car top as a replacement .👍
Being a current owner of a MKIV R32, at first look I didn't like the MK8. Now, after seeing so many videos and reviews I must say I like it very much. I have to figure out a way to get one and at the same time not have the wife throw a fit when I tell her I'm getting one, eventually. lol
Some people say the VW Design is boring and everybody is entilted to their opionen but I really like the Golf, T-Roc and Passat Design, also the Tiguan and Touareg look great!
Boring no, conservative yes. But I prefer conservative. A car I wouldn't be embarrassed to have drop me off at the symphony. Now if I can just disable those exhaust pops.
Most people who knock the Mk8 are just parroting what they read or watch. They haven't driven one or sat in one. I'll reserve judgement until I do both. We don't get this in the states till later this year.
I tested the GTE and the GTI and i still hate the mk8. Wouldnt buy it, wouldnt advice anyone to buy it. Nothing to do with the engine and performance, its just the usability with the touchscreen controls, the hideous infotainment, that ridiculous peanut for gear change and the horrible exterior design that has nothing of a golf that threw me away. Example: Cornering hard, or sometimes just by some sort of a distraction driving normaly, i just kept pressing touchscreen controls on the steering wheel, and they are very sensitive. This is ridiculous and vw should have never have gone this way. There was nothing wrong with the physical buttons. I cant purchase a car just for the engine. I have to like the entire package and this package sucks, and im a vw golf fanboy. Good engines, trash design and usabilty.
Most of the critique I've seen is purely about the *interior* - a grips shared with the Mk8 GTi and Mk8 base Golf. The decision to use single-piece capacitive steering wheel buttons may be politely described as an "interesting" one (cynics would call it an embarassing cost saving meausre), but the air-con controls are *unquestionably* less ergonomic and more fussy to use, which is a potential safety hazard in a performance car. At best, it's divisive. I'm yet to hear _anyone_ complain about it's ability to chew up any B-road at the speed limit, or how well it goes down track in almost any weather.
I remember doing research on the Golf GTI from way back and I felt it was terribly boring. Still I felt I had to drive it first before making a decision. Once I did, I knew I had to have one. Because they were so rare at the time, I ended up getting the sedan version (GLI), but I loved every minute of it. In fact, I'd go for long drives because it was so much fun.
Just bought a 16 mk7 golf r. It’s near 5 year old now but has 20k miles and absolutely love it, could never imagine owning one and could never afford one new, I’ll probably keep it 4 years and hopefully by then I can afford the mk8 r. In the meantime the 7 r is still a great car and has aged very well for being 1.5 generations old now
I like the new R but not a fan of the interior. I don't care much for LCD Gauge Clusters or all the touch sensitive stuff. Guess I am old fashioned and just like buttons and actual switches with physical gauges. Love everything else about it though, GTI included.😎 If I am not mistaken the MK8 does NOT use the Haldex AWD system.
Glad you've been able to drive the new Mk8 R and review it. However you didn't meantion anything about the use of the touchscreens with the climate control and other vehicle settings etc? From other reviews it's been the sticking point based on how fiddly they are to use, did you find that too?
Granted I never watched the whole video but within the fist 6 minutes and no mention of the GTI club sport which I believe is quite relevant esp if we’re talking about performance. It’s a very underrated car. Great video
Hello Luke. I live in Hampshire too, with a new R. Which bit of road are you referring to in this video (your favourite) so I can thrash it too? Just been on a driving weekend in Wales and found the A4069 which has to be the best road I've ever driven. Your new R would love that! Thanks for all the content mate, really enjoy it.
Even if Aussie fans can get this car in 2022! And that's a big if.I think the price will exceed $70k. The Akoprovic exhaust may not even be offered. We have missed the boat, literally. Thanks for sharing.Cheers.
Really enjoyed that, well I do all your stuff but given that I have had my eye on a new Golf R to replace my 2014 Golf Gti all the more so. I have seen lots of reviews and I don't think the power and driving experience is in doubt but most reviews I have seen have not been that keen on the interior and functionality of the controls. You didn't really mention that which is fine but it does make me think that you are being a bit protective about that or others are way off the mark. I expect I wouldn't be disappointed and it would be an improvement but it is putting me off buying one. I was all set for blue too but loved the look of the black one you drove. I hope you don't think this is critcal, like i said your content is great. I expect the only way to know if to test drive one and see for myself re the interior. COVID has been putting a stop to that over the last few months. Keep the vids coming.
Very nice car and good video mate 👍 Might be worth taking your draggy with you when you test drive cars to get real time numbers 👍 Also the rough price on that car would be good to know as well 👍 But like I said enjoy your videos keep up the good work 👍👍
No doubt brilliant to drive. The one thing i cant stand with the modern vw's are the haptic touch crap fake buttons. When im driving around im always busy with the radio buttons connecting to bluetooth or setting climate. I xan do that without taking my eyes off the road. Haptic touch does not allow u to do this which is annoying all of the time. If i could get the new golf with the old golf buttons it would be perfect
Not keen on the haptic rubbish but externally it looks good. Glad to see my favourite stretch of road from Kingsclere to Overton on film 👍 I do like VW and have an R line Tiguan for everyday, the weekender is a Lotus Exige. Have you ever driven one?
Just to be clear, the R line is a visual appearance upgrade. There is also an Tiguan R which has the same identical "performance package" as the Golf R although not as quick since it is taller and heavier.
This is a great car but I expect a better interior at this price. I want to feel more like I’m in a fighter cockpit rather than a mostly empty plastic room with a chair and an iPad.
Good review lad! But on a design note, still no golf beats my GTI Clubsport MK7 in my op. Will continue wait for mk9, and perhaps keep waiting long after that. In my op, what you pay for that MK8 is almost as much as for a bmw m2 competition, so i would think more than twice.
The touch controls on the steering wheel and the large blank piano black surfaces around the gauge cluster are an epic fail. Everything else seems fine.
I am still not a fan of having no physical buttons. And dont get me started on the touch sensitive buttons on the steering wheel. For me personally, the Mk7 interior is superior to the Mk8 interior. Performancewise it is safe to say the Mk8 is superior to the Mk7. But overall I would still go for a used Mk 7.5 R in nice condition. There are alot of these on the market right now and theyre a lot cheaper than a Mk8 R.
The MK8 starts at 1:15 I personally love the new design of the car, the interior im more skeptical of. Im sure there is a learning curve and after messing with it for a while im sure ill get the hang of it. But ill have to wait 5-6 more months until It reaches the US; only thing i hope the infotainment can do is turn the display off/dark mode when driving at night like my f150.
Excellent review Luke really enjoyed the content. Car is fantastic and one that I am seriously considering....just can’t quite afford the £50,000+ for that top spec version.
Happy that I can get this in the US, in manual, fully loaded (except the exhaust) for just 44k USD. Unhappy the manual only has 7 more tq than the GTI lol.
Think you might mean 357mm disks, not 257..?? I upgraded my MK1 Golf 16v...(long time ago now) to Mk2 Gti front disks and they were 239mm. I think the R would need a little bigger than 257..??? Great review, BTW.....I want one right now..!!!
Exterior looks great but the interior has gone far too digital with the screens for things that simply require a switch or dial. Fingerprints on black glossy surfaces galore.
be interested to see your review of the CS. I've had a good test of each and loved both. both brilliant cars but with a €10k price difference in Ireland it's hard to justify the R at €70k plus for a bit of spec it's hard to pass the CS. I've a CS coming in July with every extra except leather at similar price to base level R and have no regrets
Incredibly capable car, but I hate when manufacturers put loads of buttons on their steering wheels, especially when they’re crappy haptic touch buttons
What's the deal with offering only three colors for the R (invisible white, dull-as-dirt black, and blue)? Why not at least offer the some of the same colors available on the GTI? Royal Red, Moonstone Grey, perhaps BRG, or Indium Grey?
Nice review, Luke. Really honest of you to say you can’t quite afford one, instead of doing like most in the same situation and saying it’s rubbish, Mk7 is better and you don’t want one! You didn’t mention if the car had DCC which I think transforms it with 15 ride settings ranging from roller skate to limo! I’m looking to replace my 7.5R and have driven both Mk8 Clubsport and R. I prefer the look of Clubsport to R if I’m honest, it’s certainly quick, brakes are fantastic and it grips very well; but I actually think that 300bhp is too much power for a fwd car. At an extra £2k (or £4K for the Performance Pack) though, you can have an R which feels so much more car for the extra money. It’s just brilliant, certainly quicker, more exciting and agile and has more ‘feel’ than my 7.5. I had no issues with the touchscreen or the haptic buttons. If anyone has any doubts check out Volkswizard’s vid where he talks about how to use the screen properly.
Not car related...but do your shoes also get the same crease line before the big toe when you bend them 😆. I know, very random...but mind cracked in about 2 months
I’m picking up my mk8 20th anniversary R in deep black later this week and it doesn’t come with the Akrapovic exhaust as they stopped doing it with the car 😢
Great video!! Ordered one the other day..........literally cant wait but that is what i'll have to do with a Oct / Nov delivery date (fingers crossed it doesn't move!!) Keep up the good work........Sub button pressed! 🔴👍
Last I spoke to them it was looking like Week 50 delivery so shifted slightly but if you’re ordering one today it’s now 10 months plus (apparently)……..ordered just in time 😅
Great video and I’m sure the MK8.5 when released in a few years will clean up the gen 8 even more. The one thing I don’t understand with RU-vid reviewers is why has no one paid any credit to the MK3 Focus RS for a) the clutch pack trick diff in the rear and the drift mode in itself all started with Ford didn’t it?
Great review Luke. That is a perfect spec for me, but i bet the price is shocking for a Golf. Whoever spec'd this at the dealership is definitely a true petrol head. When will this demo be for sale?
@@stevestewart9510 yeah, hopefully the used market will see them priced better, the non performance and normal exhaust you can get for around 42 000, its just all the extra packs put the price up.
Its still not a massive leap from the 7 or 7.5 golf r and please don't think the golf 8 r is stupendously better than the 7 because it just isn't. The price is now stupid and quality is good but not great and as for the infotainment well that's garbage so I will be keeping the 7.5 r until VW make a 8.5 hopefully, and then it will better this one and then everyone will say booooo, and not be happy if they have spent lots money modding this. So good car...but not great at least not yet.