Is the new Volkswagen Golf GTI a return to form? – car pictures of the week
In issue 326 of evo, we get to know the Mk8.5 Golf GTI on some of the best roads in the UK – these are our favourite shots
It’s well documented that the Mk8 Volkswagen Golf GTI wasn’t one of the finest iterations of the world’s longest-running hot hatchback. It wasn't a bad car – the Clubsport in particular was formidably fast across the ground – but it fell behind its Mk7 predecessor in a few key areas, such as quality, ergonomics and ease of use. Key tenets of the Golf GTI, in other words.
Now, Volkswagen is having another crack at the formula with the revised Mk8.5 GTI, and we test it extensively in the latest issue of evo. To read the full test, pick up a copy of evo 326 in-store or online via the evo shop.
Visually, not much has changed for the updated model besides a new front bumper, new 19-inch wheels and new light units, but detail changes have been made elsewhere in response to criticism levelled at the Mk8. Climb inside and you’ll find a larger, quicker-reacting infotainment touchscreen, and the Mk8’s touch sliders for volume and temperature controls are now backlit. Finally…
The Mk8.5 is more powerful, too, stretching its EA888 2-litre turbocharged engine to 261bhp – 19bhp more than before. There are minor changes to the GTI’s chassis electronics as well, designed to restore some of the dynamic polish that its predecessor lacked.
The results aren’t transformative, but the new car is a step in the right direction. ‘Put these pieces together and the GTI is really quite handy for covering ground quickly,’ we said. ‘It’s not especially memorable or interactive, but impressive in how it digs in, finds grip and strolls on to the next corner with very little drama.’
To find out whether the Mk8.5 is a genuine return to form, pick up a copy of evo 326 in-store or online to read the full feature.
