Mk8 Golf GTI/Clubsport/R - really rather good?
Discussion
So there's been a lot of criticism of the Mk8 - looks, haptic controls, reliability issues and so on.
However I'm thoroughly impressed with my Mk8 GTI Clubsport, it's really rather good. In fact it's substantially better than my old Mk7.5 GTI in almost every area: I prefer the exterior styling, the interior styling and angled dash is more modern, more power (albeit not comparing like for like models, but it's still a decent power jump from the Mk7.5 Clubsport), noticeably better chassis, better infotainment and so on.
With regards to reliability, I've had no issues. The adaptive cruise, lane assist, infotainment, android auto, speed limit reading all works as expected. It seems like over-the-air updates have sorted most issues?
My only negative point would be the haptic controls for the aircon, these really would be much better as rotary dials for the fan speed and temp.
Anyone else enjoying their Mk8?
However I'm thoroughly impressed with my Mk8 GTI Clubsport, it's really rather good. In fact it's substantially better than my old Mk7.5 GTI in almost every area: I prefer the exterior styling, the interior styling and angled dash is more modern, more power (albeit not comparing like for like models, but it's still a decent power jump from the Mk7.5 Clubsport), noticeably better chassis, better infotainment and so on.
With regards to reliability, I've had no issues. The adaptive cruise, lane assist, infotainment, android auto, speed limit reading all works as expected. It seems like over-the-air updates have sorted most issues?
My only negative point would be the haptic controls for the aircon, these really would be much better as rotary dials for the fan speed and temp.
Anyone else enjoying their Mk8?
Hi
If I had thought of posting, that’s almost exactly what I would have written!
I love my Clubsport. No reliability issues, soon got used to the media controls, nice amount of performance, rides well, great seats, good feel to the brakes and I really like the look of them.
I highly rate them, and my car history includes a Cosworth, Subaru’s, S3, MK7’s, Fiesta & Focus ST’s , R32, ED30 and a Cayman 718!
Great all rounder.
Cheers!
If I had thought of posting, that’s almost exactly what I would have written!
I love my Clubsport. No reliability issues, soon got used to the media controls, nice amount of performance, rides well, great seats, good feel to the brakes and I really like the look of them.
I highly rate them, and my car history includes a Cosworth, Subaru’s, S3, MK7’s, Fiesta & Focus ST’s , R32, ED30 and a Cayman 718!
Great all rounder.
Cheers!
The MK8 has grown on me. I saw a 24 plate GTD today and it looked pretty decent. Chunky and purposeful.
A change in corporate styling is always hard to swallow among enthusiasts, I mean, look what BMW are up to these days! Ugly as hell currently, but just as the Chris Bangle E60 M5 was heavily criticised for looking so different to the E39 M5, people have grown to love the E60 M5 over time. And so it will happen with the MK8 also. People hate change but car makers have to move on to avoid becoming stale.
Anyway, I digress, glad you're happy with it. Nothing you can do about the Haptics, but Ferrari owners are complaining about the same thing. First world problems
Just ignore them and enjoy the dynamics. Savage Geese reckon the MK8 GTI is just about perfect dynamically. Good engines, good chassis, you can't go wrong.
A change in corporate styling is always hard to swallow among enthusiasts, I mean, look what BMW are up to these days! Ugly as hell currently, but just as the Chris Bangle E60 M5 was heavily criticised for looking so different to the E39 M5, people have grown to love the E60 M5 over time. And so it will happen with the MK8 also. People hate change but car makers have to move on to avoid becoming stale.
Anyway, I digress, glad you're happy with it. Nothing you can do about the Haptics, but Ferrari owners are complaining about the same thing. First world problems
Just ignore them and enjoy the dynamics. Savage Geese reckon the MK8 GTI is just about perfect dynamically. Good engines, good chassis, you can't go wrong.GE90 said:
I love my Clubsport. No reliability issues, soon got used to the media controls, nice amount of performance, rides well, great seats, good feel to the brakes and I really like the look of them.
I highly rate them, and my car history includes a Cosworth, Subaru’s, S3, MK7’s, Fiesta & Focus ST’s , R32, ED30 and a Cayman 718!
Great all rounder.
Cheers!
Very nice. My old ED30 was the best car I ever owned. I put 100K miles on it and it never put a foot wrong and always drove superbly. The MK5 recipe was so good, the same underpinnings are still used to this day in the MK8 I highly rate them, and my car history includes a Cosworth, Subaru’s, S3, MK7’s, Fiesta & Focus ST’s , R32, ED30 and a Cayman 718!
Great all rounder.
Cheers!
Olivera said:
Chainedtomato said:
Woes
Oh dear, sounds like a Friday afternoon car! Any pics of the issues?Am considering a used mk8 Clubsport when my M135 goes back in a few weeks time. I had a leased 7R for 3 years, then a 7.5R wagon for 3 years before 3 years in the BMW. I preferred the golfs by some margin.
I’m put off the 8R by what I’ve read and have been considering all sorts - CTR, Focus ST, i30N, m340i but the Clubsport caught my attention. Catchpole and Joe Achilles both seem to like them.
Anything I need to look out for/avoid etc?
I’m put off the 8R by what I’ve read and have been considering all sorts - CTR, Focus ST, i30N, m340i but the Clubsport caught my attention. Catchpole and Joe Achilles both seem to like them.
Anything I need to look out for/avoid etc?
cslwannabe said:
Anything I need to look out for/avoid etc?
Worth checking the VED due, my 2021 car fell just under 40k when new so isn't subject to the extra £410 per annum.Out of interest what did you make of the M135i? I did consider one of these.
Would be rude not to include a pic of my Clubsport:
Dull to drive. Gearbox isn’t great (Aisin, not ZF) and engine has no character. Doesn’t feel like 450Nm. My Golf Rs were both pre OPF which probably helped though. It’s nice inside though and SWMBO said it was her favourite car - it just doesn’t handle like the Golfs did. I should probably have replaced the Turanzas with PS4 though as most of my miles in the golfs were with that tyre fitted.
Thanks for the VED heads up. My 2007 987 costs me nearly 5x as much in VED as it does to insure, so I really don’t want to be paying the surcharge on my 2nd car if it can be avoided.
Thanks for the VED heads up. My 2007 987 costs me nearly 5x as much in VED as it does to insure, so I really don’t want to be paying the surcharge on my 2nd car if it can be avoided.
Edited by cslwannabe on Sunday 21st April 20:26
I bought a brand new GTI in 2021, I hated it with a passion, especially the controls and over the top driver aids, I can drive lol. Most of all, the constant need for software upgrades.
My son took it over, let a 17 year old borrow it, you can guess the rest, 3 wheels on my wagon, even the roof was bent, badly. Thankfully no one was hurt.
Copart sold it, long before I got paid out, it was back on the road before that.
I got a good deal on it, and with the shortages after lockdown, the insurance first offer, was just over 5k more than I paid.
I bought another GTI, my son has nicked that too, this time a MK6, from a lady who was offered 300 quid as a trade in. Overheard the convo, popped out, had a look, gave her 2k.
Got a real shock, it looks bog standard, heaven knows what has been done, can only be a remap, but it is quick, my Mountune ST3 cannot keep up with it, a guy with a Golf 8 R asked at the lights what was in it, an auto though, after it passed him at ahemmmmm, 40mph.
fun per pound, it makes the 8 look a poor second.
My son took it over, let a 17 year old borrow it, you can guess the rest, 3 wheels on my wagon, even the roof was bent, badly. Thankfully no one was hurt.
Copart sold it, long before I got paid out, it was back on the road before that.
I got a good deal on it, and with the shortages after lockdown, the insurance first offer, was just over 5k more than I paid.
I bought another GTI, my son has nicked that too, this time a MK6, from a lady who was offered 300 quid as a trade in. Overheard the convo, popped out, had a look, gave her 2k.
Got a real shock, it looks bog standard, heaven knows what has been done, can only be a remap, but it is quick, my Mountune ST3 cannot keep up with it, a guy with a Golf 8 R asked at the lights what was in it, an auto though, after it passed him at ahemmmmm, 40mph.
fun per pound, it makes the 8 look a poor second.
Legacywr said:
The Mk8 has grown on me, I currently have a deposit on a 24 plate R 20 years, in white. Good choice, I hope.
Any advice?
Also, it doesn't have DCC, am I right in thinking that the drive modes change the suspension settings anyway?
Regarding the R - IIRC the torque vectoring rear diff is nice, but an option. Worth checking if it has this, if you want it.Any advice?
Also, it doesn't have DCC, am I right in thinking that the drive modes change the suspension settings anyway?
DCC - if it doesn't have this then IIRC the suspension is a fixed rate. As previously stated I find the performance Golf's ride/damping very well judged on non-DCC cars, so up to you whether you want the extra adjustability of the DCC.
GE90 said:
Hi
If I had thought of posting, that’s almost exactly what I would have written!
I love my Clubsport. No reliability issues, soon got used to the media controls, nice amount of performance, rides well, great seats, good feel to the brakes and I really like the look of them.
I highly rate them, and my car history includes a Cosworth, Subaru’s, S3, MK7’s, Fiesta & Focus ST’s , R32, ED30 and a Cayman 718!
Great all rounder.
Mind me asking where you got the sticker from?
Cheers!
If I had thought of posting, that’s almost exactly what I would have written!
I love my Clubsport. No reliability issues, soon got used to the media controls, nice amount of performance, rides well, great seats, good feel to the brakes and I really like the look of them.
I highly rate them, and my car history includes a Cosworth, Subaru’s, S3, MK7’s, Fiesta & Focus ST’s , R32, ED30 and a Cayman 718!
Great all rounder.
Mind me asking where you got the sticker from?
Cheers!
Legacywr said:
The Mk8 has grown on me, I currently have a deposit on a 24 plate R 20 years, in white. Good choice, I hope.
Any advice?
Also, it doesn't have DCC, am I right in thinking that the drive modes change the suspension settings anyway?
I hope you got a really good deal on that as those are gonna drop like a lead balloon. Mk8 prices seem to be in free fall across the performance models Any advice?
Also, it doesn't have DCC, am I right in thinking that the drive modes change the suspension settings anyway?
Of course you may have all the money in the world and not care lol
Chainedtomato said:
Legacywr said:
The Mk8 has grown on me, I currently have a deposit on a 24 plate R 20 years, in white. Good choice, I hope.
Any advice?
Also, it doesn't have DCC, am I right in thinking that the drive modes change the suspension settings anyway?
I hope you got a really good deal on that as those are gonna drop like a lead balloon. Mk8 prices seem to be in free fall across the performance models Any advice?
Also, it doesn't have DCC, am I right in thinking that the drive modes change the suspension settings anyway?
Of course you may have all the money in the world and not care lol
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