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The Steering Wheel Thread

MKX

Passed Driver's Ed
I love the MK7 GTI. I think VW got a lot of things right, and I very well may buy one. But let's talk about the steering wheel. We all know and love the MK6 steering wheel:



It's a thing of beauty and I thought it would be hard to replace. Apparently it was too hard to replace and now this is what we're working with:



Gone is the perforated leather, deep sculpting, and organized/clean/geometric/symmetrical button layout from the MK6.

I will concede that the MK7 wheel looks alright from this angle:



It really shows how thick the rim is. Makes me think of the M3 wheel. The 3 aluminum spokes look great and the depth adds a cool dimension. But those buttons look so cheap and the whole thing doesn't look as special, nor aggressive as the last one did.

This MK7 GTI wheel is almost the same as what they put in the Beetle, but hell even that thing has the nice MK6 style buttons:



So here's to hoping they change it for the final production version or it looks a lot better in person and grows on us. How do you guys feel about it?
 
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TDR-380

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Germany
it lost the beefy feel - I love the VI R/GTI's steering wheel. And something about the way it's laid out doesn't do it for me.
 

Mark4323

GTI Blue Graphite | DSG |
Location
Sydney
Just please, please improve the indicator stalks. My 2001 Polo had better stalks than the 5/6 Golf GTI. It at least had pull/pull high beam.
 

Mk6Bender

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Doylestown, PA
Indicator stocks in the U.S. on the Mk6 are great in my mind.


The buttons on the wheel are atrocious in the 7 and the loss of the sculpting is a real shame.

The worst part is, in my opinion, that the 7 has the cruise control built into the wheel. This means a retrofit with an mk6 wheel will be impossible to do (without losing cruise control).
 

Belix

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
South Africa
Have already been contemplating what swapping a Mk6 gti wheel would mean, but different amount of buttons just for a start.
It's been mentioned that VW are looking to social media for the final GTi configuration, so if someone could find out where they have ears, we can pound it with disapproval for the wheel (as well as the side logos and red stripes in the lights). VW's german facebook site?
 

grambles423

Automotive Engineer
Location
Alabama
Car(s)
2008 GTI
Dont think a steering wheel should make or break the car. If its plush then yeah, there might be an issue. If it remains solid it shouldnt be a problem.
 

2PointSLO

Go Kart Champion
Location
FL
Car(s)
1998 Mk3, 2011 Mk6


So here's to hoping they change it for the final production version or it looks a lot better in person and grows on us. How do you guys feel about it?

not liking it as well, looks like it went on a hunger strike...
 

TAZZ1

Ready to race!
Location
Bey, LB
Yes the Mk7 wheel looks more golf than GTI...

also WHEN ARE WE GOING TO HAVE REAL PADDLE SHIFTERS FOR THE DSG????...I mean nothing too showy but c'mon not these?!?! They've really been lame so far...
 

AF-MKVI

Go Kart Champion
Dont think a steering wheel should make or break the car. If its plush then yeah, there might be an issue. If it remains solid it shouldnt be a problem.

I agree it won't make or break the car, but the MK6 wheel is one of the nicest helms in a car less than 50 grand.. Hell I think it's better than some cars costing way more than that. It puts a smile on my face whenever I slide behind it :). Not liking the new wheel at all!
 

grambles423

Automotive Engineer
Location
Alabama
Car(s)
2008 GTI
I agree it won't make or break the car, but the MK6 wheel is one of the nicest helms in a car less than 50 grand.. Hell I think it's better than some cars costing way more than that. It puts a smile on my face whenever I slide behind it :). Not liking the new wheel at all!

No doubt. And to some, it matters the most since its the most direct interaction with the vehicle. However, the car will still drive without it :)

I'm going to miss the grips from the MK6 :( They seem a lot more proud
 

grambles423

Automotive Engineer
Location
Alabama
Car(s)
2008 GTI
Simple, with not as many buttons
 

ElectricEye

Autocross Newbie
Location
Central NJ
Yeah, big step down with the MKVII steering wheel.
I can't believe they would actually ditch the current wheel in favor of the new one.
It even apeers to be thinner, and of a greater diameter - but I can't tell for sure

By itself, the MKVII wheel is nice enough - but by direct comparison to the MKKVI wheel - it suffers.

It's the only thing that puts me off in or outside of the whole car really.
 
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