2025 Gti

[The Fed]

The lower intake is a tremendous improvement.
Gone is that shapeless, gaping maw.
I like the addition of real buttons on the wheel, but positively hate the tablet they added in the center.
The MK8 actually had a nice intergration of screens, the way they flowed together. (though I'm not a fan of screens)
Looks like they still have HVAC sliders, or am I missing something?
In any event, having owned a MK6, and my current MK8, I'm out after I give up this car in around a year and a half.
Still love the car, but don't like the MK8 enough to want to continue to deal with low profile tires, and babying a car over sharp dips, driveway transitions, broken pavement etc.

What do you mean by needing to deal with low profile tires, and babying a car over sharp dips, driveway transitions, broken pavement etc.? What's your main gripe, the stiffer ride? Do you use comfort mode and reduce the tire pressures 2-3 PSI from the "recommended" one?

 

[The Fed]

Get 17” wheels like Neuspeed’s and go to 45 sidewalls with a tire like DWS06+. Makes a crazy difference in comfort and also adds performance. GTIs aren’t Corvettes they don’t really require “babying the car over” the above stated obstacles.

Totally get not loving the MK8 enough to want one. Even if the 8.5 makes up for my misgivings with the 8, I just generally lack passion or appreciation for the brand these days. I am ready for my 8th car to be Japanese. I want either an 11th gen Civic Type R or the next gen Miata for my first foray outside VW, and also my first 2nd car (not getting rid of my Touareg - EVER. It will be my child’s first car lol).

"It will be my child’s first car..." Probably, by that time ICE will be long outlawed.

 

[ElectricEye]

What do you mean by needing to deal with low profile tires, and babying a car over sharp dips, driveway transitions, broken pavement etc.? What's your main gripe, the stiffer ride? Do you use comfort mode and reduce the tire pressures 2-3 PSI from the "recommended" one?

My car doesn't have DCC.

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

"It will be my child’s first car..." Probably, by that time ICE will be long outlawed.

Not really, they might not be selling many new ones but they can’t just tell people who already own paid off ICE cars they can no longer drive them. And they can’t just shut every fueling station down.

But it’s a valid point that the cost of diesel will likely exceed $10 a gallon by then lol

 

[ElectricEye]

Not really, they might not be selling many new ones but they can’t just tell people who already own paid off ICE cars they can no longer drive them. And they can’t just shut every fueling station down.

But it’s a valid point that the cost of diesel will likely exceed $10 a gallon by then lol

I wouldn't put anything past the government.
If they can mandate what types of vehicles a manufacturer can produce, and when.
Mandate what type of vehicle the people must purchase.
I wouldn't put it past them to reduce the number of filling stations.
They've already got their sights on natural gas stoves.

 

[GTIfan99]

That center screen is just awful.

Hopefully that's just for AB.

 

[PerceivedShift]

"It will be my child’s first car..." Probably, by that time ICE will be long outlawed.

They do what they always do, make whatever itis too expensive for the normal Joe. Tax the hell out of gas and make property taxes on ICE cars insane.

 

[bobloblawGTI]

Un-camoflaged photos: https://www.caranddriver.com/photos/g46507511/2025-volkswagen-golf-gti-revealed-gallery/

And a video tour:

I'm not gonna trade in my 7.5 any time soon (will likely hold on to the 6MT until electric is feasible for us apartment dwellers) but this is definitely an improvement over the 8. Love the matrix lights (which I'm sure we won't get here, but still). The side badges are fugly and the iPad is meh but overall a big step up.

 

[sterkrazzy]

This still bugs the hell out of me. Maybe if there more holes that weren't filled in. I don't get why they had to make the grill taller than the 8, but have the same amount of airflow coming in by filling in the top couple rows of hexagons. I'd like to see it where the top of the grill only went as high as where the air can flow in. But I don't matter. I'm not in the market.

 

[mrmatto]

It's def an improvement over the mk8, but as long as they're still using flawed electronics and sensors, it's a non-starter IMO. There are SO many unhappy mk8 owners needing to constantly deal with issues and visit the dealership.

 

[avenali312]

It's def an improvement over the mk8, but as long as they're still using flawed electronics and sensors, it's a non-starter IMO. There are SO many unhappy mk8 owners needing to constantly deal with issues and visit the dealership.

Probably hums like a mothereffer, too.

 

[Cuzoe]

All I can see is that they moved the front radar back into the grill. I saw it some of the camo'd cars but wondered if it was just a pre-production. Now we see the reason is so they could do an illuminated front emblem. If that emblem had the front camera mounted (instead of where I see the front camera, above the radar) you can be very sure I would have been sourcing one of those emblems for my car. Either way, wonder if that's a "standard" 2Q0 front radar down there, which must now have a heated front cover.

Blah blah blah... I'm not in the market, although I like the Mk8 (and now 8.5 I guess) but all I can see is the potential for retrofits into my Mk7.

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

I like the tail lights!!!

 

[Daks]

It's def an improvement over the mk8, but as long as they're still using flawed electronics and sensors, it's a non-starter IMO. There are SO many unhappy mk8 owners needing to constantly deal with issues and visit the dealership.

What are the issues?

 

[GTIfan99]

If they fix steering wheel buttons, backlight the sliders AND add the 20hp that Europe is getting, I'll consider selling the 19.