The new Volkswagen Golf Mk8.5 has finally made its debut, featuring new hardware, software, and a refreshed design. Its latest version celebrates 50 years of the Volkswagen Golf with over 37 million units produced to date.
What’s new on the outside are the new sleeker headlights, new wheel designs, new bumpers, as well as some updated trims. The highlight of the exterior update of the Golf would be its new illuminated “VW” emblem at the front. The GTI variant of the Mk8.5 gets a new set of Alfa-like wheels and a relocated “GTI” badge on its sides.
Volkswagen has also updated the powertrain of the Golf offerings, now providing a new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drive system with an electric range of about 100 km. Interestingly, the PHEV Golf can also be charged with DC fast charging with speeds of up to 50 kW.
Besides the new PHEV system for the Golf, Volkswagen has also blessed the GTI variant with more power, with a new 265 hp (metric ) from the old 245 hp (metric). VW is promising a sportier drive for the brand’s hot hatch. The new Golf will be offered with 9 powertrain options, ranging from mild hybrid (eTSI) to plug-in hybrid (eHybrid and GTE), turbocharged petrol (TSI), and turbocharged diesel (TDI). One sad news is that the manual transmission has been dropped for the Golf entirely.
Inside, the Volkswagen Golf Mk8.5 now gets an updated steering wheel which sees the return of the physical buttons (Hooray!). The dashboard gets a larger head unit with a floating design while everything else remains a familiar look.
The most revolutionary addition to the Golf’s interior would be the new ChatGPT integrated IDA voice assistant. This is enabled with the new hardware and software in the Golf with a faster processor and a more intuitive operation.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars CEO, Thomas Schäfer said, “The Golf has been at the heart of the Volkswagen brand for half a century now, offering affordable mobility for all at the highest technical level. This is precisely what we are now building on with the new evolutionary stage – with even higher efficiency, comfort and quality and a new operating concept. The Golf does not get any better than this.”
GALLERY
Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk8.5
Volkswagen Golf GTE Mk8.5
Volkswagen Golf eHybrid
