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VW's in its groove with the Golf 8.5

The Citizen

|

September 10, 2025

WHAT'S NEW: MORE INTUITIVE OPERATING CONCEPT

- Mark Jones

VW's in its groove with the Golf 8.5

In a segment that has almost been completely wiped out by SUVs, VW's Golf 8.5 is a perfect reminder of what a high-quality, smooth driving hatchback should be. What you see in front of you is our Citizen Motoring long-term 1.4 TSI Life Plus. Nothing too flashy. Just solid German engineering.

A quick history lesson before we get into what solid German engineering means and costs locally in 2025. Even VWSA themselves weren't exactly sure how to play this. We only got the Golf 8 GTI and R starting in 2021 and none of the other models available in Europe.

Then in April 2025 VWSA announced we were only getting the Golf 8.5, 1.4 TSI and not the GTI and R. But since then, after local fuel quality testing, the 8.5 GTI has been confirmed but not the R yet.

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