– By Henry Bailey –
The new Golf 8 is a perfect example of why test driving a vehicle is better than downloading a brochure from the internet when looking for a new novated lease car. We read the press release and visited the Volkswagen website when the model was launched. But we didn’t get the sense that the interior styling would be so impressive that it would steal our hearts.
And trust me when I say the earth moved with the Golf 8. I’m lucky enough to drive lots of very good cars that are packed with new technology and innovative design. Somehow, Volkswagen have made the driver controls and multimedia experience more functional, and more intuitive, with less buttons. It has been voted the “Best Interior of 2022” by the FAN team – in March!
We got a sample of the new design and touch controls when we drove the new Caddy 5 last year but we obviously weren’t ready to accept the future. We were even critical at first because the buttons were hyper sensitive. Looking back at the photos I can see it was the same as the Golf I’m now reviewing. Amazing! I must have had my van goggles on and couldn’t see the beauty in the simplicity.
Volkswagen provided me with the Golf Life in Pomelo Yellow Premium Metallic with the optional Sound & Vision and Comfort and Style packages which made it $44,320 driveway if you bought it in Sydney during March 2022. Not a cheap and cheerful entry level hatch at this price though all new car prices have increased since COVID changed the world.
The optional extras did make a difference. The seats were very comfortable and the heads-up display worked well when combined with the Digital Cockpit which can be customised more than any other display I’ve seen to date. You can even sway the debate on circles or squares (watch our YouTube review to see what we mean).
The new Golf 8 did find a neutral ground in the He/She car wars. It was loved by both partners equally and even made it onto Mrs Bailey’s new car shopping list.
It comes with the 1.4 litre turbocharged TSI petrol engine that delivers 110kW and a high torque output of up to 250Nm. More than drivable around town solo or fully loaded. I didn’t notice any performance difference when loaded with four adults.
Unfortunately the adults in the rear seats noticed the lack of space compared to an SUV. If you need the space, maybe look at a base model Tiguan Life which we priced during March at $46,174 driveway in Sydney. It may not have the same options and features available in the Golf Life, though it will have more room.
Now I’ll get back to the interior. The best feature for me was the centralised stop/start button, handbrake and gear selector. It’s all in one spot and can be done with one hand. While the gear selector provides a tactile connection to the motion of changing gears like the old days.
Some manufacturers make starting the car an agility test by using a left and right hand combination of start button, gear selection and handbrake. You can get used to anything, but after the Golf, I now know how simple life can be.
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