15/02/2026

Contributing Editor Keshy Dhillon / keshy@piston.my Editorial

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SUNDAY | FEB 15, 2026

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EVERYONE’S quintessential hot hatch made quite the fumble during the transition from the dizzy heights of its predecessor into the current model. Somehow, the people at Wolfsburg decided that the new Volkswagen Golf GTI needed to fix something that was not broken in the outgoing Golf GTI Mk7, less digitisation and screens. Needless to say, the Golf GTI Mk8 was not loved and now they have made a commendable attempt at rectifying that with the Golf GTI Mk8.5. When much of the attention surrounding a new hot hatch is unfortunately centred around navigating the clumsy infotain ment interface, you know you have messed up bad. If you have ever tried to poke, stroke, tap or slide your way through the GTI Mk8’s interface, you’ll know how immensely frus trating it can be. Further on from that though, the crux of the irritation perhaps pointed back to everyone’s favourite hot hatch losing a little of the aggression in its personal ity. The hot hatch was always meant to be a dual-purpose every day fun little car to drive. It had to juggle school runs and supermar ket trips with spirited driving and accomplishing all that to the tenths. The Golf GTI was the textbook definition of that, always deliver ing on both fronts, especially the Mk7 that brought back some of that raw aggressiveness. There was no doubting about the Mk8’s outright power nor its ability to just cover huge lengths with immense speed, always a prerequisite for the hot hatch, but it just did not feel as fun to do so in anymore. Volkswagen is trying to address that with the Mk8.5 and it only has one last shot for a perfect send off. You see, after this the Golf GTI supposedly goes electric, so this will be one last petrol hurrah.

Last petrol hurrah Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk8.5 – The duality of man is never a perfect split BY DINESH APPAVU

A lightbar at the front connects both headlights.

SUBTLE COSMETIC ENHANCEMENTS

is fantastic. The bucket seats are incredibly supportive and offer a wide scope of powered adjustabil ity with lumbar support. You sit a little behind, your shoulders almost aligned with the B-pillar for perfect hand reach to the steering. Even with the rear ward seating position, rear legroom is never an issue, keeping the practicality scale well into the positive still. One of the most welcome upgrades, apart from the extra 20PS, is the return to physical but tons on the steering wheel, replac ing the annoying haptics. That said, you will need some time to

are still present, a larger 12.9-inch touchscreen with a bank of haptic controls beneath that are touch sliders for the volume and climate control temperature. Finally though, the sliders are illuminated to give us mortals a fighting chance against the cold and deafening noise when the sun sets. However, some key functions still require one too many touches on the screen to access, for instance, to adjust the climate control fan speed. It might seem menial but over our time with the car, it led to some vexation. That said, the driving position

logo, perhaps a little busy in some one’s rear-view mirror. At the rear, the LED taillights get a new 3D signature but weirdly, the Malaysian model keeps the previous 18-inch Richmond alloy wheels while the rest of the world gets new tele phone-dial inspired 19-inch roll ers. FEELS LIKE HOME? The cabin is a pleasant place to be in, regardless of if you are send ing the kids to school or barrelling down your favourite B-road towards the next corner. Remnants of the digitisation

Visually, there is not much to talk about. The Matrix LED head lights have been reshaped slightly to appear sleeker on the Mk8.5. Below them, the large grille retains the honeycomb pattern and the five-point LED fog lights that integrates into the grille’s openings. Completing the front changes are visual “fangs” that lend it a more square-jawed façade. Everything appears sharp until you switch on the lights, and notice the headlights are linked by a lightbar that also illuminated the

Low profile Bridgestone tyres.

Harman Kardon sound system is a joy.

Only the driver gets electronic seats.