The current eighth-generation VW Golf has been available since late 2019, but it took almost two additional years for the Mk8 to make its way to the U.S., exclusively in GTI and R variants. Given this timeline, it’s now due for a mid-cycle facelift. For the first time, we’ve managed to capture spy shots of the refreshed Variant model (VW’s term for wagons) undergoing testing out in the open.
This is not our first sighting of a refreshed Golf. Over the past couple of months, our spy photographers spotted the hatchback testing in both GTI and R guises. This latest facelift Golf 8 prototype looks to be a base Variant and as such, lacks the frills of the GTI and R but does have some new components.
Visible at the front is a new bumper similar in shape to that of the new VW Passat. While this prototype is free of camouflage, there is some black and white tape across the bumper to hide some of the more intricate design details. The headlights and DRLs are identical to the current model but it’s possible the production-spec model’s lights will be tweaked.
Read: 2025 VW Golf R Ditches Disguise, Shows All On The Nurburgring
The rest of the Golf Variant’s exterior looks very familiar and there are few discernible differences between it and the current model. This prototype does appear to have a new set of taillights that are expected to incorporate updated LED graphics, although this design has been hidden by some stickers.
While the exterior of the new model won’t look much different, the interior will stand out from the outgoing Golf R. A prototype we snapped testing in September last year was seen with a massive central touchscreen in the center of the dashboard. This new screen looked similar to the display of the brand’s electric ID models but was perhaps even larger with slightly thinner bezels. While it seems customers want ever bigger screens, they aren’t as visually appealing as smaller screens more neatly incorporated into a car’s dashboard, at least in this writer’s eyes.
While we currently lack detailed information about the technical updates, it is likely that improvements will be made to the existing range of mild-hybrid engines, which includes the 1.0 eTSI and 1.5 eTSI gasoline engines, as well as the 2.0-liter diesel options.
Volkswagen is expected to introduce the facelifted Golf Variant later next year.
