I'm 63, and have owned and driven nothing but GTI's all of my life! My Mk1 and Mk2 GTI's were the most fun, and my current GTI, a 2003 GTI VR6, has been my daily driver for almost 22 years now (all of them manual transmissions). The VR6 has been the most reliable, and it still puts a smile on my face when driving it. I would love to own the latest GTI, but can't afford it due to massive medical debt. So i'll just keep my VR6 'panzer tank' until it dies, or I do!

Just hit 55k on my 22. Absolutely love it. Kinda hate myself for putting that many miles in a little over a year

30k mile mk8 owner here. Haptic controls on the steering wheel are 1 of my favorite features on the car.

I'm glad someone else is having the issue with the car constantly screaming "TRAVEL ASSIST IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE" every five minutes. This started happening to me after about 34,000 miles.

I have owned my MK8 40th AE 6 speed manual for over a year now - I’m 67 years old - best, most fun car I’ve ever driven, and I don’t mind the infotainment system one bit. Not one single issue and more smiles per mile than I ever imagined. Love this beautiful car and believe I made a wise purchase!

I have a 2022 GTI SE with 6 speed manual. It's been great. The only issue I've had was the steering wheel triggering erroneous safety warnings on the dash. It was changed under warranty, and the car has been rock-solid ever since. I've owned three GTIs previously - a 2017, a 2015, and a 2010. I love the GTI format, and I'm glad to be driving the latest version of this fantastic driver's car.

i own a 2005 GTI 1.8T. Never been fixed or timing belt still there never changed. I only have 130000 miles on it because I am a truck driver. This car truely is work of art.

I bought am MK6 brand new! 2 door manual transmission tornado red! Never had any problems with the GTI, except the water pump and the manifold intake, and those were replaced under warranty! 82000 and still going strong! 💪 ❤😊

Thanks for doing work like this and the value you bring to this otherwise cosmetic and 4K fancy auto review game.

I’m at 58,800 mi on ‘22 on my GTI S dsg. I simply love this car and the design. For the life of me I simply don’t understand what the issue is with the haptic controls and the touch controls. I love how simple it is. I’ve had to cut back on driving this car so much because I’m racking up miles like crazy.

I had to have a new infotainment unit as mine was constantly calling service by itself. Once fixed it’s been amazing. I got the S 380 with the summer tires, bigger wheels, manual box and adaptive suspension. It’s absolutely fantastic. It’s perfect for the road. A LOT of fun and incredible around corners. And bear in mind my weekend car is a manual Cayman. So that’s my comparison. I WOULD recommend the summers though. I got Bridgestone Potenza 235, 35’s and the grip is superb. No traction loss on acceleration, unlike my winter tires. They transform the car so I’d recommend it. As for all the haptic stuff. It works absolutely fine. All these journals just jump on the same bandwagon. I’d prefer buttons, yes. But it all works find. As for the ECO minder, just turn it off.

I have 11K miles my new MK8 GTI 380 edition with the base infotainment system like their test car. I don't understand the fuss about the steering wheel controls or the on screen climate controls. I'm 47 years old and while I'd prefer traditional buttons on the steering wheel and physical knobs for the climate control, I don't find these things annoying ever. The only buttons I use on the steering wheel regularly are volume and track skipping. You simply get used to it if you drive the car.

love all the honest reviews👍👍👍👍

Yay Carlos is back. The current GTI was on my shop list

Great review-and corresponds to my experience. My 2020 (7.5) GTI S solves most of your main frustrations (better dash controls, better steering wheel) and I honestly don't understand why anyone wants a larger screen on the dash. With a Class 1 hitch, I occasionally tow a trailer full of lumber. For someone who has to live with one car at a time, the GTI is a solid contender for best all-around daily driver.

As an owner of a 2023 GTI SE, I don't have a problem with the controls, except with gloves on. As being retired I don't put many miles on my car (3600 in 11 months) but the miles I have put on it have been very enjoyable.

Perfect summation of the car.

This is a very good “real world” review put together for this car.

Just bought my MK8 had it for two months now Its super fun that’s coming from a stage 2 B9 A4 super fun daily supper fun to drive and all around a great car

Recently picked up a lightly used '22 S model (in Oryx White, the fastest color). I don't miss the upgrades in the upper models, particularly, and once I got all the nanny software dialed in as much as VW would allow, am delighted with it. Honest fun, practical sensibility, and amply fits large land mammals like me. I'm not all that bothered by the infotainment system (somewhere, a VW engineer is silently breathing "thank you" for a lone vote of mild positivity) and appreciate some of the thoughtful details that differentiate the GTI from the rest of the fanboi hot hatches. Plan on having this one for a long, long time.

Really appreciate these long term reviews Carlos, you guys do fantastic work! I had a '20 Veloster N which did have more power, but was nowhere near as economical as this. It looks to be a sweet spot of efficiency and performance. I'm curious to know what the passive suspension is tuned to on this compared to the adjustable dampers on the higher trims. Probably somewhere in the middle?

Great review! The only issues I've faced with the MK8 R so far has been the creaking sounds from the pillars and the hatch plastic! No other issues with infotainment or haptic switches

2018 GTI Autobahn DSG, BEST VW I have owned (4 now). Quality, reliable and FUNNNN.

Had mine two months. Thought lack of controls would bother me, but seems very natural. Such a fun yet comfortable vehicle . 2024 380s

My 2017 MK7 Tornado Red Golf R DSG is fantastic.

Just read the print article today. Nice job.

I used to have a 2022 SE trim, and it was nice while it lasted. I loved the car but there was just too many issues with the electronics. I was able to get the new steering wheel but there was just other issues like with the infotainment system taking a hot minute to start up, or even times where my speakers didn't work at all. The drivetrain was perfect, it was just all the "new" tech that just wasn't ready for its primetime. I'm faithful to VW (as I currently drive a '23 RAV4 Hybrid lol) but I'm excited to see what VW does for the next generation of the GTI.

Enough about the steering wheel controls. That’s all I read about and then I actually drove one and it was fine. Now 2 months into ownership, I actually prefer them. Unlike regular buttons, you can press them *and* also swipe. Sliding the volume up and down with ease is a game changer. The infotainment system is not great, but it’s not a deal breaker. Great car!

my 2022 arteon also needed a new steering wheel because the same error message was coming up.

2023 GTI 40th Anniversary Edition owner (basically the S trim, but with DCC adaptive dampers and a few other goodies) and I love the car. It's the perfect size, fun to drive, and pretty inexpensive to maintain so far. Similar to what other owners have said in the comments, the steering wheel controls are not nearly as bad as reviews make them out to be - I actually quite like them (swiping to change volume is pretty handy.) The infotainment is pretty good; it's a little cumbersome to modify climate settings, but honestly it is better than my mk6 GTI where the air direction knob had icons that you couldn't even see as a driver.

I’ve got a 22 GTI SE and the only problem I’ve had was the issue with the steering wheel that was causing errors with the safety features. Got that replaced and it’s been perfect as a daily. People definitely make way too big of a deal with the haptic controls, I have zero issue with them.

Note: there have been a number of studies suggesting that 10,000 miles between oil changes is not a good idea, the sweet spot seems to be around 6000 miles if you want to keep your car past warranty.

There's a difference between something being minimalist and feeling cheap. That's the best way I can describe how I felt the first time I sat in a mk8. It just felt rental. I felt the same way moreso in the corolla gr. My mk7 currently has 78k miles on it and still runs fine. It's fully modded and is coming due for some regular maintenance. (Still on the original waterpump/tstat on a 17) I have managed to keep everything in very good condition as I'm the only one in it, and I don't have kids. It's just a fun daily driver. It's been paid off for a while now, and the cost of cars today versus when I bought the GTI seems to take the notion of value out of all of it. For most people, the elantra n is the better car for same or less money. I've never driven one, but I don't think I even need to. I have driven both gen ctrs tuned and untuned with the fl5 being a solid favorite just based on the interior and suspension alone. The new wrx, although an acquired taste, could be a good option for the price point depending on location. If I were actively shopping today.....I'd be looking at the new '24 elantra n's.

6:50 You can do it while moving, just press the modes button to switch between sport and comfort to feel the difference in steering feel. You just can't change your custom setting while moving

Had mine for 2 years now. As a car it is wonderful. Powerful enough, sporty enough, comfortable enough, and convenient with ADAS enough. The electronics are hot garbage and at least once a month just stop working (e.g. backup locks up, infotainment does nothing, audio system stops, Android auto disconnects in middle of navigation).

2019 se stage1 great falls green runs great water pump replaced other wise no issues

Had 2 GTI’s and a Mk7 Golf Sportwagen TDI over the past 15 years, and cumulatively only went back to the dealership once for warranty stuff. We also had a 2007 Passat wagon and would buy an updated version tomorrow.

Love em', but somehow never had one. I have had 12 other VAG models though lol.

Great review! NO HAND BRAKE!!!! That would be the deal breaker for me.

6k miles in on my mk8 GTI, the only gripe is I just wished that there's physical knobs for the climate control, other than that the capacitive touch buttons on the wheel and infotainment a none issue for me, just a quick getting used to and done. And the quick swipe down from the screen for shortcuts helps a lot, i.e. switching off auto start stop. Not sure why but I can change driving modes while driving, I'll usually change to 'eco' when I'm stuck in slow traffic. And I'm getting ~330 miles per tank.

I drove my '85 GTI for 16 years. Had the coldest air conditioner I've ever seen which was nice in Texas. Donated it to the National Kidney Foundation when it was worn out. Speaking of air conditoning my previous car was a '74 Opel Manta Rally with NO air conditioning.

I stopped half way thru - you confirmed my DISPLEASURE with VW's nonsense "controls" on the steering wheel and display - this is not a new complaint, can't believe they still do this ! TKS

You can still change your drive settings from sport to comfort as you drive, just not custom settings

I wanted the GTI, but i ended up with a GLI 40th instead due to the price difference. That said, i am very much enjoying the car and its the most fun car i have owned to date. My first VW and probably not my last.

Owned one for a year same trim level. Had absolutely zero issues with the haptics or infotainment, in fact actually prefer the look and feel. Journalists either lie to fit in or compare to ancient things that don’t get made. Loved this car though.

I thank goodness all the time I've got a 2018 without all the extra junk and the old infotainment dash, phew. Love it

Dcc is a must have

22 SE DSG owner here at currently 42,000 miles. Been loving the car ever since I got it with 7 miles on the odometer. The only issues I’ve had throughout it’s time so far was the steering wheel which is now replaced (red stitching now if y’all were curious, it was black for 22’s.), door speakers (all four I think) and one of the Goodyear Eagle Sports got a split or puncture so I threw on Cooper ProControls and called it a day. As far as fuel economy goes I’ve been getting around 32-37 MPG. Beings in Michigan there is winter so obviously 32 is about only the worst I’ve gotten. As far as winter goes the car does really well in snow. Couldn’t really say what was better between the Goodyear’s and the Cooper’s but they were both good in the snow. Sometimes you can really feel the Limited Slip Diff working though. Maintenance wise I go every 5,000 miles. DSG fluid I go 40,000 miles. No leaks from either. As far as haptic buttons go and how it is setup on the GTI I have zero complaints. I’m a set and forget it type of person so I set the climate control automatically to 72 degrees Fahrenheit and it does the rest. Maybe only hit the heated steering wheel button one time but that’s about it (for those who don’t know you can hold the button to turn off the heated steering wheel). Zero check engine lights too. Oil and filter are Genuine VW and Audi. 0W-20. And always put Shell 87 octane in it. Overall I love my purchase and do not regret it one bit. If you are unsure drive one if you can. Get a feel for it. Here’s to many more miles in my GTI!

Tires....I appreciate your review on this subject but in almost all practical use cases, I can't see those tires being a problem. They are quiet and provide for a comfortable ride. In Canada, we almost to a person have two sets of tires...Summer and Winter. In fact, it is illegal to drive without Winter tires during that season in some provinces. I usually just use up my All Season's that came with the car and then purchase a set of Summers. I am not sure that I see a difference in daily driving so a moot point. If I was doing Solo II or other DE events, I would get DOT Race Rubber and use that for those events.

That interior and the software issues make me glad I went with an Elantra N instead. Its a real shame because this is an excellent powertrain and more efficient than the N.

Very good review including it's obvious drawbacks

4:40 How is it surprising that there was enough space in the car for the two-night hospital stay of a single person? In Europe Golfs are often used as family cars, including for holidays, loaded with luggage for 2 parents and 2 kids!

I got used to the controls after a couple months, I would prefer physical climate, but it’s not that big of a deal.

Keyless Entry = With key in your pocket...Put your hand “into” either front door handle (or grab it) and it will unlock. Without opening the door, Pull your hand out quickly and put back “in” again and it will unlock all the doors.

Buy a CPO 2018 - 2021. I test drove a 2022 when it first came out. The infotainment system was horrible and lots of cheap plastics. I love my 2019 GTI Autobahn. Got it for 27K with a 4yr CPO warranty. Has been 100% reliable and so much fun to drive.

For me, excellent upgrade from MK7 to 8. Very engaging, less body roll, etc, etc. Haptic controls work great. Short learning curve. Gives the car a modern edge. Don’t be dissuaded by the haptic haters. I’m glad I wasn’t. Different, yes; functional yes; it works. About the only thing I preferred in the 7 over the 8 was the Fender system. The Harmon Kardon is ok but a notch below the Fender in overall fidelity. And it runs fine on the recommended regular octane!

Does anyone know if the newer model s trims have passive entry without having to use the key to unlock??

It sucks that there's still a wait for steering wheels. I was able to get mine installed within a week, but I did notice that the texture of the leather seems different than the previous one I had

A Majority of these small issues can be common on a brand new model.. Within 2 years they’ll have a lot of these issues ironed out

I've owned two GTIs in my life: an '01 6MT which I sold after 3 years and a '13 Autobahn 6MT which was great and which I also sold after 3 years. When I started shopping for a new MT vehicle this year, I looked at but did not even consider the GTI. That horrible dashboard with no real buttons and the haptic controls on the steering wheel completely turned me off of this car. Plus, now with all cars having so many more electronic "minders" and with VW's (and German cars in general) electronic "issues", there's no way I was going to take a chance. I ended up shopping the three remaining hatchback 6MT vehicles: a Mazda 3 Premium, a Honda Civic Sport Touring and an Acura Integra ASpec Tech. Ended up with the Integra in April. Very happy with my choice.

Owned 5 GTI’s but skipped this gen. Don’t like the very minimal infotainment and lack of buttons. I’m a hot hatch person and looking forward to the next gen with more substantial infotainment and some physical buttons on the steering wheel.

I actually like the haptic controls on the wheel. Took about a week to get used to but thats it. Just don't hammer fist it .

I have a 2024 GTI and I was fully expecting to hate the haptic steering wheel controls. So far, after a few months, it hasn't been bad at all. They work fine. I guess time will tell how they hold up. I don't like the same control on the sunroof though, not as easy to use when you just want to tilt, or you want it to open. The climate controls are a pain though. The simple, easy to use dials and buttons from the mk7 were infinitely better. Other than that though, the car is a blast to drive and is truly better than the previous gen in that respect.

I have a 2005 GTX (yes, rare one) I have 110k km on it now. Problems are mainly electric gremlins… constant electric gremlins. 😢 But overall nice car to drive

Main reasons to upgrade to Mk8 over Mk7: Bigger turbo with more overhead for tuning. Higher capacity fuel pumps for tuning overhead. Makes rated power at 87 octane vs 91, again more aftermarket potential. Better suspension tuning and handling.

I own a MK8 with 11k mi, so obvs biased... Really surprised ya'll didn't get used to the infotainment after 40K mi.... Even considering multiple drivers. It felt intuitive to me after maybe 150 mi and watching the ShopDAP guy's 10 min video explaining it. I don't even think about it anymore, even switching between my MK8 and my other car from the 90s with analog controls. Pretty easy. I nearly avoided buying a MK8 based on how big of a deal journalists made about the capacitive buttons, and in hindsight, I'm sooo glad I didn't listen to the reviews. My sense is the car's so good for what it is that the infotainment is the only thing on the table to complain about so every reviewer bags on it? Good summary otherwise.

Its criminal that we're not getting that most interesting version, the Club Sport.

I'm at about 65k miles on my 22 SE manual, and the quality control is my biggest beef. Little things like the tail light seals failed so it filled with water and broke. Overall I'd say it's not worth it unless you're going to mod for speed. Just an ethanol tune and intake and I'm at ~400hp. Can't beat that for the price.

I have a 2024 mk8 GTI S DSG, and I drive it every single chance I get. It’s such a fun, practical little beast. Additionally, I agree with others in the comments. The haptic touch controls are not at all bothersome to live with. After a while, you get used to them and actually come to kinda enjoy them. I personally think the current mk8 is more of an enticing deal than the new mk8.5 facelift. If you’re in the market, jump on one. You won’t regret it. You might regret the giant iPad screen in the mk8.5 though.

I just checked one out at a dealership. The infotainment system was a total turn off. And the glossy black and shiny red trim on the interior made me feel like the car was intended for much younger audience.

I bought the polo gti ( has the same engine slightly detuned ) great little hatch. And $10k cheaper than the golf gti abd I can mod the engine soon and get the same power as the golf r with two mods . And some better tires haha

Traded my 40th AE gti for an Elantra N. Gti was cool but the amount of features in the N is awesome. The infotainment is night and day

This GTI makes me regret not having picked up the previous gen when it was still in production; I prefer that gen in pretty much everything, especially the exterior/interior design.

Did you use 87 or 91? Did you notice any difference using either or? Thanks!

I've been following prices on used 2021-2023 GTI's with navigation for some time and NEVER see them with that many miles. I frequently see models about 2 years old with less than 10K miles on them. I have a feeling some of those issues mentioned are responsible for those sellers bailing on the GTI. I've had a used 2018 Elantra GT Sport for 4 years now, thinking about upgrading... but I haven't had any of those issues mentioned in my car, which just hit 65K. I'd like the power and precision of the GTI, and the MPG would be even better than the 29-30mpg I get, but for $10K more? I'll wait.

All the mk 7 and 7.5 change there tune when our mk8 cs gaps them with bolt ons 😂

Great video! Glad I still have my MK7 and dont see much reason to get a MK8

If it were your $$, Jetta GLI or the GTI? I'm liking the 40th anniversary 6 speed manual GLI. Costs less than the GTI too but I've always liked/respected the GTI.

I've driven 69,000 in 12 years in my Honda Civic, mostly local driving. Driving 20,000 miles a year seems extreme to me.

Such an easy car to fix for the enthusiast market - no touch buttons and an ever so slightly better manual transmission. That's it. Nothing else needs to be changed. Engine is good, chassis is good, looks are good. And yet, 2025 GTI retains touch and has removed the manual. But, as they say, the "market" knows best.

Decent long term review, the parts delay is not acceptable, i guess vw is trying to undo a lot of that headlong dive into bev’s…

I was waiting to hear the steering wheel issue- it's surprisingly widespread and I'm hearing of people going through multiple steering wheels, each time waiting a while before the part is even available. Yikes.

Wow USA prices so much lower than the UK: $30K, is that an 'on the road price' of £24K in sterling. A VW GTI in UK would start at £39K in sterling. A great car, just can't justify the price in the UK😢

I own a 2001 Audi TT Quattro 6-speed with a ABT stage 2 modification. It drives faster and handles way better than my previous GTI and although less practical for $6000 I am selling it for is much more of a bargain.

i have a 2022 gti dsg and oh boy... its been interesting. brake line failure premature rotor wear engine mounts prematurley wore out causing the belt to rub the hose spraying coolant everywhere and the steering wheel problem a bad gps antena and a faulty park neutral switch. i like the car a lot still after all that its put me through, but damn this thing is giving me grey hairs

Almost everything is automatic so infotainment is not a big issue. Also you get used to the haptic buttons after a couple of hours.

Watching this from the UK, $30k is incredible cheap.

I love mine. No issues with it so far, but the shift knob was one of the first things I replaced, haha.

Hmmmmm VW saying the traction control is off…when it really isn’t? Reminds me of a tiny issue with the diesel “reported” numbers vs. reality. Why can’t VW just be honest? I love the GTI….but the corporate decisions make me wonder if the car is hiding something…even when it might be fine.

I'll take 20 fewer HP and the center stack on my 2019 GTI every day of the week. VW really missed it with the new layout...why fix what isn't broken? Besides, if I want more power, I can get a Stage 1 tune and a new clutch and I can be in close-to-R-territory.

I love my Mk7 Alltrack S 6MT and have had a couple friends with Mk7 GTIs they've also loved; I definitely respect the Mk8 is a further step forward in drivetrain and chassis, I have mixed feelings on the styling tweaks (front end is a nice update IMO; rear end looks cheaper and lamer) but that interior is such a deal breaker; the haptic UI is terrible, and the materials are just way less pleasant to touch and look at. It's such a mostly-great car it's a darn shame that they ruined it.

I have an ID.4 with the "awful" CARIAD system. Personally I love it. The steering wheel controls in my car aren't haptic I think which helps. But even the screen is fine. I think journos have lower infotainment standards because they are constantly switching cars. But I live with it every day and you get used to it.

Why don’t ppl buy these anymore? I remember they used to be so popular and I wanted one myself. But I totally forgot it even existed. I just checked the US sales figures and Golf sales dropped from a hi of 69k in 2017 to 6.5k-11k in the last several years. I guess a horrible infotainment could drastically zap interest.

This gen must not be super popular. It’s been out for how long now? I’ve literally never seen one in person. Ive seen plenty of WRXs and Elantra N’s though

I’ve owned my mk8 GTi S trim with the DSG for about 25,000 miles. I’ve nearly modified everything I can on the platform and the only problems I’ve had are the stock brakes getting way to hot at fast speeds or long spirited drives and the infotainment screen bugging out and not working till the car dries fully after giving the car a wash while it’s on the stage 2 tune. Other than that and smaller issues it’s been a great car to track and daily.

I am admittedly biased about the screens/haptics as I work at a VW dealer, but they're genuinely not that bad. Every once in awhile something may not take your input immediately, but overall it's a great system thats fairly intuitive.

I just traded my 19 Rabbit Edition for a 24 380 S. I've had zero issues issues with the infotainment. Bought a AA wireless dongle and it all works great. Within 24 hours I swapped out the shift knob. Agree that not having keyless entry, but having keyless start was idiotic. Other than that, it's just a better car than the mk7 and I owned the best mk7 trim.

What sucks is that there’s no more manual available. On a GTI! Which is a more stupid decision that the route they’ve taken with the infotainment UX

Looks like you got rid of it before all of the reliability issues start to pop up

I think the C&D reviewer is being hyperbolic about the whole infotainment/haptic button layout. It seems to be mostly reviewers and people who dont own the car but mimic what reviewers say who really dislike this setup. If you go to the owners forum/groups most dont mind it or like it. Especially the haptic buttons are generally really liked. I own this mk8 gti and have never had an issue with the haptics, they work flawlessly. The climate thing isnt a big deal either. Its a one touch shortcut button, you click up down. Its not any more distracting then dials. Yes they did screw up on those sliders under the screen that dont light up at night though. With the 2025 gti/r, they've resorted back to physical buttons on the steering wheel. To me this is a downgrade. I wonder if they did this because owners complained or because they heard reviewers didnt like them during their 1 week review of the car.