Volkswagen Golf 8.5 coming to South Africa initially in base spec

Volkswagen Group Africa has confirmed that the Golf 8.5 is heading to South Africa in the first quarter of 2025.

Decision reversal

In 2021, the eighth generation Golf, in GTI form, was introduced to the South African market, with the R derivative making landfall on our shores two years later.

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With the local market favouring the performance focused variants of the Wolfsburg-based brand’s mid-size hatchback, and with the T-Cross, T-Roc, Taigo and entry-level Tiguan filling in, the decision was made to only offer these two Golf derivatives.

What to expect

However, this is all about to change. Volkswagen Group Africa has confirmed that South Africa will soon receive its first non-sporting Golf variant.

The model penned in to arrive comes in the shape of the Golf 8.5 in 1.4 TSI guise, with both the GTI and R models to be confirmed.

Unlike in Europe, where the newer the 1.5 TSI Evo unit is utilised with or without hybridisation, the older 1.4 TSI, also used in the new Tiguan and T-Roc, has been opted for with outputs of 110kW/250Nm.

Expect this to be routed to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, an option not offered locally since the end of the Golf 7.5 that also served as the final generation to have a wide selection of models.

More soon

Expect clearer details about the Mk 8.5 to emerge closer to the end of the year.

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