Volkswagen Golf - Interior, design and technology

The overall profile of the car is still unmistakably a Volkswagen Golf, with the thinner front grille and narrow headlights the parts most radically refreshed. Overall, the Mk8.5 has left the exterior appearance alone, and the sharp lines help make more of a visual impact than the previous Mk7 model. 

Inside, Volkswagen has adopted more touchscreen tech, with the Digital Cockpit Pro set-up as standard and gesture control for the infotainment system, which now comes with a 13-inch screen as standard. It all looks rather smart and chic, but still retains the functional feel of the brand - you know you’re sitting in a Golf.

Entry-level cars benefit from 16-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, and LED headlights. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity are standard.

Stepping up to Style trim brings some chrome exterior trim and a funky LED light strip running across the top of the radiator grille. The R-Line versions receive a sporty styling pack and rear privacy glass, while the GTD, GTE and GTI cars include bigger wheels, keyless entry, and model-specific interior and exterior trim. Black Editions of R-Line and the Golf R delete the exterior chrome and add gloss-black highlights inside and out.

What is the Volkswagen Golf like inside?

It was the cabin that came under fire most strongly when the Mk8 arrived, and it’s here where Volkswagen has tried to do what it can to improve things for the Mk8.5. The touch-sensitive controls proved to be fiddly, which has seen some ditched altogether for the refresh. For example, the steering wheel has reverted back to physical buttons on its spokes, and they’re far more intuitive to use than the previous touch-sensitive set-up. 

Some haven’t disappeared, however. The main volume control is still an awkward slider below the touchscreen, although at least it’s backlit now so it can be used in the dark. It’s a little more responsive than before, and now that the driver has access to proper volume-control buttons on the steering wheel, it’s less of a negative than it was previously. However, this slider, along with the ones on either side for temperature control, are still positioned where you are likely to rest your hand when using the main touchscreen.

What is the interior quality like? 

Perhaps more surprising than the functionality of the Golf Mk8’s cabin somewhat letting the side down was that its interior didn’t feel quite as posh as we’ve come to expect from the famous name plate. 

Not too much has changed on that front with the Mk8.5, so while it all feels fairly well put together, rivals such as the Peugeot 308 and even the Skoda Octavia feel more expensive inside.

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Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment 

All Mk8.5 Golfs have a 13-inch Discover touchscreen system, and while it doesn’t quite sit as neatly on the dash as the Mk8’s smaller screen, it’s a welcome improvement compared with the system it replaces.

The latest screen has faster loading times, an easier to navigate menu layout, and its additional size means that the climate controls are now on permanent display at the bottom of the screen. While we’d rather have physical controls to make quick adjustments to the temperature, the revised set-up is much better than before.

Many of the Golf’s driver-assistance systems have been tweaked. These include the Park Assist function, which can now detect if a space is large enough for the car as it drives beside it. If it is, the VW can drive itself into the bay by adjusting the drive and steering. A 360-degree camera system is available as a £600 option on entry-level Life trim if you’d rather do it yourself but need a better view of your surroundings.