Sunday 13th November 2016

VW Golf facelift details

Just like a Golf, only with a slightly nicer interior now

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In the wake of VW's issues in America, plus the ceaseless hype around the Golf R, it could be easily forgotten that the regular Golf Mk7 has been around since 2012 now. Therefore it's due a VW nip and tuck, ahead of an all-new Golf Mk8 in 2018.

GTI Performance now up to 245hp

And yes, this is the new Golf. Definitely. Probably best deal with that first. It's the subtlest of subtle visual updates, the introduction of LED lights and some new wheel designs perhaps the most significant tweaks. Oh yes, and the bumpers are a bit different.

There are bigger changes inside, including an Active Info Display available as an option instead of the normal analogue instruments. The 12.3-inch screen works through five profiles - much like the Virtual Cockpit in a TT - that vary the information shown: 'Navigation' prioritises the map, 'Classic' retains a more traditional look, then there's also 'Consumption and Range', 'Efficiency' and 'Performance and Driver Assistance'. The central screen is now bigger on all models too, the smallest screen now 6.5 inches and the largest 9.2-inch Discover Pro system now featuring entirely haptic buttons and gesture control too.

All very nice. There's a customisable home screen as well. But while that's the stuff that will sell it to regular customers, PH is rather more interested in the fast Golfs. Sadly there's little to report just yet, a small power boost for the GTI (230hp for the standard car, 245hp for the Performance) and a newly developed seven-speed DSG the most significant news. If diesel is no longer a priority then the R400 must be a goer now, right?

Gesture control in a Golf? It's happened!

Like almost every new car in 2016, the latest Golf comes with a raft of safety measures to prevent you from falling asleep, hitting the next car in traffic, reversing into a wall or burning your mouth on a pizza. Maybe not the last one. But listed in the Golf's suite of assistance features are Traffic Jam Assist, Lane Assist, Emergency Assist, Front Assist, City Emergency Braking, Trailer Assist, Park Assist 3.0 and PreCrash. That last one is proactive protection system, pre-tensing the seatbelts when the brakes are slammed on, rather than the dodgy F1 radio instruction it may sound like.

The noteworthy engine in the normal range of Golfs is the EA211 petrol, a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo with Active Cylinder Management and 150hp. It features a variable turbine turbo and CO2 from 110g/km (so 57.6mpg). A Bluemotion is on the way as well, with 20 less horsepower but the promise of greater efficiency.

So it's evolution rather than anything more for this Golf refresh, but what did you realistically expect? Full UK prices and specifications are due soon; as for the R and future Clubsport GTIs, it looks like we'll be waiting until 2017 now.

[alorotom]

How exactly is it different... looks identical to the mk7 to me?!

[matpilch]

As ever, brilliant for people who just want a good car.
Although how anyone still 'trusts' VW enough to get one of their cars is beyond me

[HJMS123]

alorotom said:

How exactly is it different... looks identical to the mk7 to me?!

It's a facelift of the MK7 ... MK8 is due in 2018 as per the article

[anonymous-user]

alorotom said:

How exactly is it different... looks identical to the mk7 to me?!

It's supposed to look the same.

If it looked different it would be a new model. The mk8..which isn't ready to be released. It really isn't difficult...

[Torquey]

So what makes it a facelift then? Looks identical to the 2012-2016 Golf.

[SuperchargedVR6]

Golf 8 already. I'm sure it was 7 or 8 years between each update until the MK5? Actually no, the MK2 had the 'big bumper' facelift around 1990....etc.

Anyway, I reckon Golf 10 will be like Windows 10. The last ever 'Golf' version. You'll just get incremental updates of new bumpers and engine tweaks you have to apply yourself.

[Clivey]

Look, spotting the difference is easy:

Here we have the pre-faclift:



And the facelift with a fancy display:



Problem?

[Muddle238]

I'm not a VAG fan so I don't care much for this, basically it isn't a new Golf, it's just a facelifted Mk7. It won't stand out like the promo film suggests, it'll blend in and be ignored, like every version of Golf before it.

However because I'm a car guy I can appreciate some of the bits going into the facelift, such as the scrolling indicators (already seen in this segment), wireless charging (that's useful) and the nav display inbetween the dials, also I think I heard something about the front radar being integrated into the front badge, which is a neat idea. I like these technologies, whether they're new or are already available on other brands.

So plus points to VW for updating the car more than some manufacturers when they reveal a facelift, but for me it's still never going to be a car I'll have on the driveway.

[Blackpuddin]

As a long-time Golf owner (for my sins) I can't help but look at that rolltop bin cover between the seats and think 'that will be a nightmare for someone'. They ALWAYS break.

[SuperchargedVR6]

Blackpuddin said:

As a long-time Golf owner (for my sins) I can't help but look at that rolltop bin cover between the seats and think 'that will be a nightmare for someone'. They ALWAYS break.

Only if some fat lump of a kid shoves his foot through it. Never had one of those break on me!

[PixelpeepS3]

had a mark 7 R for two years - great all round car. nothing broke and that roller bin thing was actually really good.. you could lay your phone on it and then pull it back until it was the same size as the phone - it would hold it perfectly in place.

[LuS1fer]

I was behind a red GTI the other day, on my motorbike.
After a mile or so of no particular interest, I spotted the GTI badge, having processed it as an Audi hatch.
Very dull to look at, however good it may be.

[SuperchargedVR6]

Muddle238 said:

However because I'm a car guy I can appreciate some of the bits going into the facelift, such as the scrolling indicators (already seen in this segment), wireless charging (that's useful) and the nav display inbetween the dials, also I think I heard something about the front radar being integrated into the front badge, which is a neat idea. I like these technologies, whether they're new or are already available on other brands.

Nice to haves, sure, but the Achilles heel of nearly every modern car = the electronics.

I've never understood how solid state electric bits suddenly stop working after a couple of years, or go haywire, but vehicle manufacturers and phone manufacturers seem to have mastered it. Funny that, when they want to sell you a new one every 2-3 years.

These things are supposed to have been tested in Dubai and Alaska, so covering a wide range of conditions....and yet.....one day, you'll plug your phone in and the car just throws a tantrum.

[spookly]

LuS1fer said:

I was behind a red GTI the other day, on my motorbike.
After a mile or so of no particular interest, I spotted the GTI badge, having processed it as an Audi hatch.
Very dull to look at, however good it may be.

You're missing the point, the dullness is kinda a good thing.

Not everyone wants to drive around in a showy car all the time. If you do then they also make an Audi which is worse to drive but comes with more of an in your face image.

I have a Golf R Estate at the moment. I very much like that it doesn't stand out too much. I'd even rather they removed the 4 exhaust pipes and had 1 or 2.
I'd also happily lose the boot spoiler, R badges and the silver mirrors.

I'm not looking to have a car to rub in other peoples faces or be noticed. I just want a practical and fast-ish wagon to hoon about in.

[Blackpuddin]

PixelpeepS3 said:

had a mark 7 R for two years - great all round car. nothing broke and that roller bin thing was actually really good.. you could lay your phone on it and then pull it back until it was the same size as the phone - it would hold it perfectly in place.

I think you guys operate at a cleaner end of the market than me!

[Muddle238]

spookly said:

You're missing the point, the dullness is kinda a good thing.

But what about when it's parked on your own driveway and you're the only one who can see it. Don't you wish that it looked a little more interesting? That it ticked the aesthetics box?

[Nickbrapp]

The golf has never ever been a stand out car, why does it need to be? It's just the best hatch back money can buy.

[ambuletz]

Seriously though, what is the exterior difference? At first I thought perhaps the corners of the bumpers were slightly different but no.

Look at these photos sidebyside.

above photo of golf gti


Photo from a 2013 golf gti



The only thing I see is that the facelift has some black c-shaped things on the edge of the bumpers that has DRLs. THis is not present on the current outgoing golf gti, but that's it.

Unless there is something else I'm missing? (not counting the lights)

[aka_kerrly]

Nickbrapp said:

The golf has never ever been a stand out car, why does it need to be? It's just the best hatch back money can buy.

It's just typical PH rubbish and you're right the Golf GTI has NEVER been about having the brashest exterior or having to be in lime green or banana yellow like RS stuff from Ford or Renault just to get noticed.

Any VW related topic seems to attract those who act like they know all about cars then deny they can tell the difference between these two.


and

[Digitalize]

ambuletz said:

Seriously though, what is the exterior difference? At first I thought perhaps the corners of the bumpers were slightly different but no.

Look at these photos sidebyside.

above photo of golf gti


Photo from a 2013 golf gti



The only thing I see is that the facelift has some black c-shaped things on the edge of the bumpers that has DRLs. THis is not present on the current outgoing golf gti, but that's it.

Unless there is something else I'm missing? (not counting the lights)

You need your eyes checked! The bumper has a similar design language but there's very little that's actually the same, the size grilles are different completely, the bottom of the bumper is different, the middle grille is different.