"Aggressive" and VW? Are you sure you didn't mean to type "Staid".
I've never thought "aggressive" about any recent VW....and I suspect it will be the case for me and this new GTI. But who knows...maybe this one might change my tune.
OK, I'll clarify that aggressive here is a relative term.
This is key and at the same time, quite excellent.
I would buy the new MK8 GTI without hesitation because I do believe you can get used to interior controls. I know the improvements in overall performance has been substantial, with increases in driving feel, improvements in ride, and considerably quicker in a straight line.
That's very much my impressions so far. Really does feel like a good evolution in the driving experience. As for the rest, like I said above, once you're past a certain learning curve (and with the new North American software) a lot of the frustrations are far overshadowed by the driving experience.
But this is the part that saddens me, because of this "learning curve" and some of the design choices, feedback like in this video is also to be expected. It will invariably scare some people off. Which is a shame, because it's a really great car. But to each their own, no judgment here!
For the folks with a Mk7.5 GTI, I can completely understand why they'd want to hold on. The new car has elements they might not like, and the performance isn't THAT much greater in any one area.
But, I think the R will be a different story. The power gap from old to new is greater, with the Mk8 running low twelves out of the box... it's a monster. Pair that with the chassis improvements and, crucially, the trick rear differential? It brings a whole new experience.
@Patrick_D1. The GTi infotainment I guess is much the same on the BTi and the R. I have seen many Youtubes on the R and it looks manageable to me.
My complaint is really simple ( for GTI and R) Who at VW hates Tornado Red? and please can they be fired!
Identical interiors in both cars save for the seats (R gets Nappa leather vs. regular grain leather in GTI) and some graphics (R gets a bespoke gauge layout in R mode).
Hear you on the Tornado Red - the new King's Red is nice (twin-stage metallic), but Tornado never goes out of style.