Our spy photographers have snapped the 2024 Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI facelift on the Nurburgring alongside the current shape GTI. Let’s play spot the difference!

Picture credit:S. Baldauf/SB-Medien. We have paid for these photos and at the photographer’s request, have watermarked them.

We’re counting down the days until the reveal of the Golf 8 GTI facelift from Volkswagen as it’s expected to make its public debut in early 2024. Numerous spy shots have appeared prior, but this is the first time we’re seeing both the current car and the new model side by side, giving us some idea of the changes.

Visually, there are not many to speak of, with the smallest changes on the front and rear bumpers, and we spotted a slightly different sized exhaust pipe.

The key changes will be in the cabin and under the skin, with revisions to the infotainment system and car’s computing systems, both of which struggled with bugs and glitches. There will be a repositioning of the infotainment screen which will also grow in size, reportedly up to 12.9-inches and similar to that of the brand-new Tiguan.

The Tiguan’s cabin might be used for the facelifted Golf 8

It appears the touch-sensitive steering wheel buttons have been replaced by more natural physical buttons.

There will be some trim and quality updates, as well as ergonomic tweaks like illumination for the climate control and volume controls too.

We’re not expecting major changes to the 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine found in the GTI. As a reminder, there’s 180 kW and 370 Nm on offer. The vehicle is front-wheel driven and features a 7-speed quick-shifting dual-clutch gearbox. It appears the standard Golf derivatives (which aren’t offered in SA) will gain some new hybrid engines.

We expect the facelifted Golf GTI to reach South Africa during the course of 2024.

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