2024 VW Golf GTI Mk8.5 could bring more power, better interior and controls

We don't get the Volkswagen Golf anymore, but the GTI and the Golf R still carry passports for our market. Earlier this year, VW brand boss Thomas Schaefer revealed a refreshed Golf is on the way in 2024, a half-step beyond the Mk8 model on the market now that will transition into the battery-electric next-gen Mk9 Golf toward the end of the decade. Spy shots show traditional buttons on the steering wheel, a much larger infotainment touchscreen, sliders below the screen that will get backlighting, a small toggle for a shifter and a cellphone cubby next to it. Sharper looks and improved materials are rumored to make appearances, and according to Autocar, the turbocharged 2.0-liter is due for a boost in potency.

The mag suspects roughly 20 more horses and 27 more pound-feet of torque are possible. These sound close to the numbers produced in upper trims of the new Passat and Tiguan, 264 hp and 295 lb-ft. VW doesn't list 0-60 times on its U.S. site, but the German site claims the current hatch with 242 hp/273 lb-ft gets from a standstill to 62 miles per hour in as little as 6.2 seconds. Figure an even 6.0 to 60 miles per hour. Bumping output to 264 hp and 295 lb-ft should make a noticeable difference in the seat of one's pants, although not enough to best the Honda Civic Type R and its 300 hp and 315 lb-ft.

No matter — the gap will close, and the GTI has always prioritized handling over engine stats. The updated model is predicted to stay on brand with updates to the MQB Evo platform like a more refined adaptive suspension called DCC Pro and a stiffened rear axle carrier.

And let's be honest, buyers will want a better user experience just as much as more boost. On top of the interior revisions noted above, menus are said to be easier to navigate and response times are said to be snappier. Don't expect any kind of manual transmission, the stick-shift taking its last bow in the GTI 380. It'll be seven-speed DCT only. 

We might get one more ICE-powered Golf special before the handover to battery-electric: 2026 marks the GTI's 50th anniversary, it makes sense to expect a whiz-bang collector's edition that both celebrates a very important birthday and represents the end of internal combustion Fahrvergnugen noises. The electric GTI swooping in after that is based on the upcoming ID. 2, and in concept form as the ID. GTI, looks pretty slick.

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