The Mk8 VW GTI isn't as good as its predecessor. | Revelations with Jason Cammisa | Ep. 11

Jason Cammisa reviews the Volkswagen Mk8 GTI, criticizing its transition from physical buttons to frustrating capacitive touch controls.

This is an in-depth review of the 2022 Volkswagen GTI, delivered by a VW Fan with a closeup perspective on the previous Mk7 Golf. The Mk7 GTI might have no bigger fan than Jason Cammisa — and in this episode of Revelations, he explains why he thinks it's a better overall car than the new Mk8. This, after comically admitting that his house looks like a Volkswagen shrine. Being a fanboy cuts both ways — it can mean blind adoration for a new car based on the previous version, or it can result in unrealistic expectations. Perhaps both are true this time around. The Mk8 is quicker than the Mk7 (we include testing results) but the problems start with cost-cutting and questionable decisions that seem to prioritize gimmicks over substance. Things like the overwrought exterior styling, GPS-blocking cell-phone holder, or worse — the fact that the interior accent lighting is infinitely color-adjustable, but there's no illumination at all for the volume temperature controls; the two most-used secondary controls in any car. At the end of the day, it's the Mk8's UX (User Interface) that lets the car down, not its inherent greatness. The GTI greatness — speed, capability, everyday usability, packaging, efficiency — is all there. It's just covered in a layer of frustrating software and difficult-to-use capacitive buttons. === Subscribe to our YouTube channel for new videos every day! bit.ly/HagertyYouTube Visit our website for daily automotive news, cars stories, reviews, and opinion: hagerty.com/media Stay up to date by signing up for our email newsletters here: hagerty.com/media/newsletter/ Follow us on social media: Facebook | facebook.com/Hagerty Instagram | instagram.com/Hagerty Twitter | twitter.com/Hagerty If you love cars, you belong with us. Hagerty Drivers Club is the world’s largest community for automotive enthusiasts. Members enjoy valuable automotive discounts, exclusive events and experiences, roadside service created specifically for collector vehicles, and a subscription to the bimonthly Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Join Hagerty Drivers Club here: hagerty.com/drivers-club Like what you see? Watch our other series including: Redline Rebuild | Engine Time-lapse videos from start to finish bit.ly/RedlineRebuild Barn Find Hunter | Tom Cotter searches the country for abandoned cars bit.ly/BarnFIndHunter Chip Foose Draws a Car | Reimagining popular cars with new designs bit.ly/HagertyChipFoose Contact us: Suggest and feedback - tips@hagerty.com Press inquiries - press@hagerty.com Partnership requests - partnerships@hagerty.com