Volkswagen have announced that they will release the new Golf 7.5 in March next year. This week, the Volks Affair team look at what has changed from the last model and what Australian drivers can expect from the 2018 Volkswagen Golf.
2018 Golf 7.5
Regular readers of the blog will know why the Volkswagen Golf is so named. The suffix “7” is because it’s the seventh generation (or mark) of the model. The “.5” comes from the fact that this is model is a mid-cycle upgrade — the model is not so different from a 7 that it requires a whole new number but nor is it so similar that it could still be classified a 7.
In fact, the 7.5 already exists. It was released in November 2016 for the 2017 Golf 7.5. This, then is the 2018 Volkswagen Golf 7.5, different from the 2017 7.5 and from the 7 but similar enough not to be given a whole new name.
But enough about the name, what about the features!
Oh boy, does the Golf 7.5 range (GTI, S and R) have some impressive features! We’ve divided them into “safety”, “infotainment” and “technology”.
The 2018 VW Golf 7.5 is loaded with impressive features
Safety
The safety features of the 2018 Golf 7.5 are, like the ID Buzz, so futuristic. Starting with the easiest to believe and working our way up, the 2018 Golf 7.5 comes with 7 airbags, a rearview camera and its side mirrors contain blind spot monitor icons to alert drivers when there is something they can’t see.
The 2018 Golf 7.5 comes with Lane Assist to help keep you in line.
Adaptive Cruise Control lets you set how close you want to be to the car in front and how fast you want to go.
The car monitors your driving habits, such as steering, and sounds an alarm if you are showing signs of driver fatigue.
Automatic Braking
Park assist helps you park and maneouvre braking is activated when travelling under 30km/h to stop you before you hit anything while parking.
Front Assist with City Emergency Braking also stops you from hitting things while driving. It warns you when you are too close to the car in front and the car can slow itself down if you don’t.
Infotainment
It’s hard not to get excited about the Golf’s infotainment features. The most gimmicky is a gesture control — the driver and passengers are able to air swipe through the infotainment menus. But if swiping in the air isn’t their thing, your passengers can download the free app, which will allow them to control the infotainment from anywhere in the car. This isn’t just for radio, of course, it controls all music and even navigation.
And speaking of navigation…
The dash panel is now digitised. A 12.3” high-definition panel sits behind the steering wheel, showing the driver anything they want — speed and vehicle performance, of course, but also driver assistance features, infotainment and navigation controls. No longer will drivers have to balance their phones or GPS in their laps or buy equipment to mount their devices on the dashboard. Now, the map will always be safely and squarely in front of them.
Technology
The braking technology of the 2018 VW Golf 7.5 is really something. Brake energy recharges your car battery using the energy created when braking or coasting, but that’s not all. The handbrake is now just a button and a fairly autonomous one at that. Once your car has come to a complete stop, Volkswagen purport that autohold will allow you to take your foot off the brake pedal — the handbrake will have been automatically applied. This is like the Golf’s start/stop function, which stops the engine running when the car is still.
Want more?
Volks Affair are Melbourne’s leading Volkswagen dealership alternative. We are experts in all things Volkswagen. Book your Volkswagen in with us for a quote, repair, or for its next annual service. And while you’re here, why not read some of our other blog posts, on Audi’s electric car, Mercedes-Benz’s 2018 ute or BMW’s electric car?