One common frustration for 8th generation Golf owners involves the touch-capacitive steering wheel controls, which are easy to inadvertently activate during spirited driving. They’ll be eliminated for the 2025 model in favor of more driver-friendly buttons, although touch-sensitive slider controls for audio volume and cabin temperature remain at the bottom of the 15-inch main touchscreen. Since VW is dropping the six-speed manual transmission as an option on the Golf GTI after the current model year, the 2025 model will only be available with VW’s seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
Photos from the CES presentation show a customizable digital instrument panel, front seats with substantial side bolsters, and controls to configure a heads-up display on the main touchscreen. The model on display also has a large glass sunroof and Akrapovic twin exhausts. The seats are finished in grey with red stitching, and there are ample door pockets, armrests, and cupholders throughout the cabin.
The touchscreen provides much more than a way to adjust climate control and audio settings. A walkthrough video from the German YouTube channel The Car Crash Review shows a menu with settings for steering and drivetrain adjustments, along with the ability to adjust the ambient audio inside and outside the vehicle. These audio settings indicate that future versions of the Golf GTI could be Electric Vehicles; this isn’t entirely surprising given VW’s recent shift in focus toward EV development and production.
