By Chris Tropea
Jun 4, 2024
|
Volkswagen,
Track Test,
Golf GTI
Sure, the MK8 VW Golf GTI grabs some trick components from the Mk7 Golf R, but does that help make it the best version yet? And, perhaps more importantly, does it make it quicker than the new Honda Civic Si?
We take the latest GTI to the track to find out.
Presented by CRC Industries.
6/17/22 3:40 p.m.
Now I'm wondering how difficult it will be to adapt the suspension improvements onto my wife's 2021 when the time comes to replace her shocks. It'll be a while- we have 11k on the car at the moment.
Looking at the infotainment system- I hate it. The 2021 still has buttons and such for HVAC and the like, and I greatly prefer those.
7/11/22 9:34 a.m.
Still amazing how much faster the new car is. Yes, it felt faster–I only drove it on the street–but the data is impressive.
6/4/24 11:14 a.m.
Dunno why this popped up today, but I'll add this: tires.
I'll bet a two-year subscription that if you checked the tires on the last GTI provided by VW for you to test, that car had some really crappy (for high performance driving) all season tires on it. Many came shod with Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS.
Fast-forward to the press cars for the MK8, and many reviewers noted the high performance rubber that came from the factory, a few YouTubers (Savagegeese?) even called them "cheater tires."
As engineered, the MK8 is incrementally better in many areas, as is VW's norm with the GTI...horsepower, subframe, bushings, et al., all add up. But it would be interesting to see the true difference in a timed lap if each car had the same rubber touching the road.
I know, officially cars are tested as delivered.
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