It's fairly clear now as more VW ID cars come out that the best designers at VW weren't assigned to the MK8 Golf. The MK8 whether you like it or not is full of design cues, especially along the sides, that have been worked to death by other brands going back many years. While the ID cars look fresh and modern. I'm not buying the MK8 as I just purchased an MK7 but I'm worried that this could easily mark the beginning of the end of the Golf line as the ID cars look to become (are) the main focus of VW going forward. The lack of effort and risk shown in the design of the MK8 is only going to speed this transition unfortunately.
It's true that design changes from one Golf to the next have always been subtle but the new car always managed to look modern and fresh and the GTI version exciting. The MK8 GTI can't save the poor Golf design it is based on. I hope I'm wrong but this car is unlikely to sell well and can't possibly remain looking fresh if it has the typical 7 year life span typical of VW. The interior is also going to get dated quick. It's terribly easy for economy cars to slap on bigger and bigger flat panel displays over the next , and its not expensive at all create great graphics on these screens. So how do you differentiate a car with a flat panel interior? It is just software. Anyway I hope I am wrong and the GTI remains a big seller (with a 6 speed transmission) for many years. The MK8 Golf in the US is already gone, and it is only the GTI and Golf R left holding the flag. So they have to sell well.
It's true that design changes from one Golf to the next have always been subtle but the new car always managed to look modern and fresh and the GTI version exciting. The MK8 GTI can't save the poor Golf design it is based on. I hope I'm wrong but this car is unlikely to sell well and can't possibly remain looking fresh if it has the typical 7 year life span typical of VW. The interior is also going to get dated quick. It's terribly easy for economy cars to slap on bigger and bigger flat panel displays over the next , and its not expensive at all create great graphics on these screens. So how do you differentiate a car with a flat panel interior? It is just software. Anyway I hope I am wrong and the GTI remains a big seller (with a 6 speed transmission) for many years. The MK8 Golf in the US is already gone, and it is only the GTI and Golf R left holding the flag. So they have to sell well.