Poll: What year of MK 7–7.5 is your favorite, and why?

[GoatAutomotive]

Confession time:

I bought my Mk7 at the end of 2017. The facelifted MK 7.5 had just come out, and I absolutely hated it’s appearance.

Granted, I never got to check out the interior, but I thought the stock wheels looked atrocious, and I could endorse that front end.

Fast forward five years, and every time I watch a YouTube video by Jewel city, I cannot help but drool over his squeaky-clean off-white 7.5, dropped 1 inch with lightweight Enkei 18s.

Some of the features that became available on the 2019‘s were especially tempting.

So I’m throwing this out there: what year 2015–2020 is your favorite, and why?

Also, here is a great article C&D did on the 2019.

They did get the transmission wrong however… It is a 7-speed DSG .
https://www.caranddriver.com/volkswagen/golf-gti-2019

 

[GoatAutomotive]

7-spd vs 6-spd DSG reviews

I found this to be an interesting and enlightening conversation about the 7- speed DSG, which sounds like it might be a step up over the tried and true workhorse, the outgoing 6- speed.

7.5 GTI and R owners, chime in freely…

Putting this here since it might be one of the selling points towards the 7.5 models.

 

[YamR1rider]

I have a 2017 gti sport and think it's the ideal configuration. Keyless ingniton, nice lighting pack, homelink mirror, classic tartan seats and no leaky sunroof to contend with. I think the 7.5 face-lift looks a bit better externally but they also cheapened them up in some areas with penny pinching removing of liners and what have you. I'm not a huge infotainment person, so long as it is 2016 and newer for Android auto it's fine by me not bothered about bigger fancier screen than the one I have.

Another reason for preferring a slightly older car for me is the good old readily available and cheaper 502 spec oil not that there new-fangled 508 .

 

[mrmatto]

2015-2017 because 2-door

 

[Superfreak]

I really like my analog gauges in my ‘15. I’d probably want the 7-speed DSG more than the 6-speed, but I’ve never experienced the 7-speed so I don’t know what I’m missing and don’t care all that much TBH. I could care less about infotainment as I bought my car to drive it on short, fun, mountain drives.

 

[R0dzilla7]

I have a 2017 gti sport and think it's the ideal configuration. Keyless ingniton, nice lighting pack, homelink mirror, classic tartan seats and no leaky sunroof to contend with. I think the 7.5 face-lift looks a bit better externally but they also cheapened them up in some areas with penny pinching removing of liners and what have you. I'm not a huge infotainment person, so long as it is 2016 and newer for Android auto it's fine by me not bothered about bigger fancier screen than the one I have.

Another reason for preferring a slightly older car for me is the good old readily available and cheaper 502 spec oil not that there new-fangled 508 .

It’s widely known that you can safely run 5W40 oil in any mk7. The platform supports a wide range of oil viscosity and many run variations. Not sure about the MK8 though. I believe the 7.5 SE trim provides the perfect balance for a budget sport hatch. When my sunroof starts leaking I’ll be singing a different tune lol.

 

[anotero]

Where is the S in the poll options?

 

[KevinC]

2019, because it was the last year of the 6/72 warranty.

 

[dtfd]

19 rabbit because CFB.

Otherwise any 7.5 S.

 

[nomunic]

‘17 mk7 is the best because

 

[swcrow]

2019, because it was the last year of the 6/72 warranty.

2018 because this

 

[Subliminal]

‘17 mk7 is the best because

 

[Autobahn]

I wasn’t too big on the MK7 until the 7.5 came out and I saw the refreshed bumpers on the R. I was instantly sold back in May of 2018 when inventory was starting to get extremely low locally so I snatched one up.

 

[Acadia18]

19 rabbit because CFB.

Otherwise any 7.5 S.

2021 SE/Autobahn because it doesn't have peasant features like the Rabbit, and gets CFB.

 

[OLD MEN RULE]

Base GTI S as no f'ing sun roof. Just wish VW still offered the 2 door.