Volkswagen Golf 8 – What We Know So Far
公開日：2019.11.16
The Golf I Loved
Until this spring, we had a Volkswagen Golf 7 with a 1.2L engine and 7-speed DCT at our home. We owned it for about three years, and it truly was an incredibly well-made car. It had a solid, sturdy feel with no corners cut anywhere. The driving was very stable, the brake pedal had excellent control and sufficient stopping power. It had torque from low revs and was easy to drive, with a powerful feel that you wouldn’t expect from a 1200cc engine.
My husband and I still often say, “The Golf was really great, wasn’t it?” It’s easy to understand why “since the first Golf launched in 1974, a total of 35 million units have been produced over 45 years.”
The reason we parted with our beloved Golf, which we both liked so much, was that around this spring I said, “I want to drive a manual car.” Even after three and a half years since removing my automatic-only license restriction, I was frustrated that I couldn’t fully handle the Boxster GTS (MT), so I decided to buy a manual car myself. My husband said,
If that’s the case, swapping for a Golf is realistic, but since the Golf’s inspection isn’t due yet, let’s take our time looking.
But just then, we came across a used BMW 320i, and unexpectedly ended up saying goodbye to the Golf sooner than planned.
Actually, before that, we visited a Volkswagen dealer, but they said, “The only manual model currently available is the UP.” They also recommended the Golf 7.5, but my husband said, “Well, the Golf 8 is coming out soon, so buying a 7.5 now feels a bit off…” and that was where our connection with the Golf ended.
Golf 8 Debuts
Then, the other day while reading a web magazine at the hair salon, I found a feature on the Golf 8 in the December 2019 issue of Le Volant.
Oh right, the Golf 8 was announced in late October!
Just at a glance, you can see it keeps the classic Golf character but with a sportier, more refined design. The article said Volkswagen’s design is sporty yet pursues beauty without sacrificing utility. The headlights are now LED matrix units, and the rear lamps have been redesigned for a sharper look.
Somehow, it even feels a bit like an electric car.
By the way, this is the previous generation Golf 7.
The door mirrors have also been redesigned to be more compact overall, and the rear logo now places the car name below the new Volkswagen brand emblem.
For comparison, the previous Golf had the GOLF lettering on the left side of the rear.
The body size is 4284mm long, 1789mm wide, and 1456mm tall. The previous model measured 4258mm long, 1790mm wide, and 1492mm tall, so the new one is slightly longer and lower overall.
Available powertrains include gasoline, diesel, CNG, mild hybrid, and plug-in hybrid, with power ranging from 90PS to 300PS, totaling 11 variants. The transmission options include the DCT TSG and a newly developed, highly efficient 6-speed manual.
Wow, I really want to try the Golf 8 manual!
But VW Group Japan, you probably won’t bring the regular manual model to Japan, right… (tears)
The shift lever looks cool, like the new 911 (992)!
Also, the Golf 8 features a voice control system common in recent cars. The activation phrase is “Hello, Volkswagen.”
Hmm… that’s a bit long, haha.
I wish it were as short as “Hey, Siri.” (By the way, Mercedes-Benz uses “Hi, Mercedes,” and BMW uses “OK, BMW.”) I wonder if you can change the activation phrase.
Driver assist systems like lane keep assist and front assist with city emergency braking come standard, while ACC (adaptive cruise control) is optional.
My Husband’s Thoughts on the Golf 8
When I asked my husband about the newly announced Golf 8, he said,
We don’t know the specs for Japan yet, but personally, I’d like to try the ‘eTSI’ mild hybrid with a 48V battery. I basically prefer gasoline engines, so this system that assists the gasoline engine with a high-voltage battery interests me more than diesel or full hybrids.
Also, when the Golf 7 came out, ACC was new and impressive. It was advanced for its time, and I think the Golf 7 was the first imported car to popularize ACC. So, I’m curious how the ACC and driver assistance systems have been refined this time.
Anyway, the previous Golf 7 was an incredibly well-made car, and I can’t imagine how they could improve on it, but I’m sure the Golf 8 will manage to do just that.
I definitely want to test drive it when it becomes available.
*Image source: carview “Golf 8 World Premiere: Advancing Digitalization While Some Cost-Cutting Is Noticeable“
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