Polo AW Facelift Spy shots

[Simonz]

And here is the German website Autobild's take on the facelift:

https://www.autobild.de/artikel/vw-polo ... 38345.html

Not sure im sold on this:
"an LED strip connects the daytime running lights of the headlights"

The mk8 Golf (or at least some models of the mk8 Golf) has a full width LED strip that runs across the top of the grille between the headlamps. I personally think it looks tacky and gimmicky. I can remember seeing a particular make / model of car in the 1980’s and 1990’s in the USA with full width illumination between the headlamps (sorry, can’t remember which car it was) and also thought it very tacky and gimmicky at the time.

Hopefully there’s an option to turn it off, or at least get it coded out.

I've seen a few cars recently with full width rear tail lighting, possibly a Porsche and Audi. They do seem a bit tacky and shouts desperation in trying to come up with a new trend to make the car look different.

[SRGTD]

And here is the German website Autobild's take on the facelift:

https://www.autobild.de/artikel/vw-polo ... 38345.html

Not sure im sold on this:
"an LED strip connects the daytime running lights of the headlights"

The mk8 Golf (or at least some models of the mk8 Golf) has a full width LED strip that runs across the top of the grille between the headlamps. I personally think it looks tacky and gimmicky. I can remember seeing a particular make / model of car in the 1980’s and 1990’s in the USA with full width illumination between the headlamps (sorry, can’t remember which car it was) and also thought it very tacky and gimmicky at the time.

Hopefully there’s an option to turn it off, or at least get it coded out.

I've seen a few cars recently with full width rear tail lighting, possibly a Porsche and Audi. They do seem a bit tacky and shouts desperation in trying to come up with a new trend to make the car look different.

Seat also have the full width LED light strip on the rear of some models of the new Leon - Seat have called it ‘coast to coast’ lighting, and it goes through an animated display on cars with the ‘leaving home’ lighting function when the car’s unlocked. You can see it in action at the beginning of the YouTube video at the link below;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=remJJ1DWnFM

[Andy Beats]

I was behind a car with full width lighting at the back the other night.
Just stupidly bright, there's really no need for it and it's time the authorities put a limit to it.

[Simonz]

I was behind a car with full width lighting at the back the other night.
Just stupidly bright, there's really no need for it and it's time the authorities put a limit to it.

Imagine being stuck behind them in a traffic queue with their foot on the brake pedal

[Simonz]

The mk8 Golf (or at least some models of the mk8 Golf) has a full width LED strip that runs across the top of the grille between the headlamps. I personally think it looks tacky and gimmicky. I can remember seeing a particular make / model of car in the 1980’s and 1990’s in the USA with full width illumination between the headlamps (sorry, can’t remember which car it was) and also thought it very tacky and gimmicky at the time.

Hopefully there’s an option to turn it off, or at least get it coded out.

I've seen a few cars recently with full width rear tail lighting, possibly a Porsche and Audi. They do seem a bit tacky and shouts desperation in trying to come up with a new trend to make the car look different.

Seat also have the full width LED light strip on the rear of some models of the new Leon - Seat have called it ‘coast to coast’ lighting, and it goes through an animated display on cars with the ‘leaving home’ lighting function when the car’s unlocked. You can see it in action at the beginning of the YouTube video at the link below;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=remJJ1DWnFM

Only one step away from Max Power tacky mods.

[Andy Beats]

It'll be the ultimate w**ker item next, sweeping indicators.....
I'm not anti Audi at all, but no car of mine would make it out of the dealer with those still activated.

[SRGTD]

It'll be the ultimate w**ker item next, sweeping indicators.....
I'm not anti Audi at all, but no car of mine would make it out of the dealer with those still activated.

I’m with you on disliking sweeping indicators - an unnecessary fashion statement IMO. Traditional blinking / flashing indicators work fine. I don’t think it’s possible to deactivate them though if a car’s fitted with them from the factory. A retrofit of replacement light clusters with traditional indicators might be possible, but only if there’s an alternative aftermarket set of light clusters, and doing a retrofit would probably be expensive.

I’m surprised you’ve seen sweeping indicators functioning on an Audi. I thought indicators were an extra cost option on most Audis (and BMWs) that owners of those cars don’t usually bother having - well at least not in my part of the world, judging by how infrequently they’re used .

VW also fitted rear light clusters with sweeping indicators on performance models of the mk7.5 Golf, and they’re on the mk8 Golf too (not sure which models).

[Andy Beats]

I’m with you on disliking sweeping indicators - an unnecessary fashion statement IMO. Traditional blinking / flashing indicators work fine. I don’t think it’s possible to deactivate them though if a car’s fitted with them from the factory. A retrofit of replacement light clusters with traditional indicators might be possible, but only if there’s an alternative aftermarket set of light clusters, and doing a retrofit would probably be expensive.

I’m surprised you’ve seen sweeping indicators functioning on an Audi. I thought indicators were an extra cost option on most Audis (and BMWs) that owners of those cars don’t usually bother having - well at least not in my part of the world, judging by how infrequently they’re used .

VW also fitted rear light clusters with sweeping indicators on performance models of the mk7.5 Golf, and they’re on the mk8 Golf too (not sure which models).

Think you're right, it's not something that can be coded via VAGCOM (or whatever it's called now).
Think it involved a retro fit of older lights.
It'd be a deal breaker for me.

[OomStu_ZA]

The image of the rear seen here with camo over the boot lid arear :

VW-PoloSpy-2.jpg (67.67 KiB) Viewed 1099 times

Means it could be hiding soemthing that looks like this:

623057525_1.jpg (119.41 KiB) Viewed 1099 times

[POLO Clive]

Full review (if believe it and if you can do it in 1:21) > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAA8VDX9mE0

[S_94]

Found this interesting regarding the touch controls in the Golf GTI. From AutoTrader on YouTube - https://youtu.be/VIWCAsM4Drc?t=154

This morning I was driving to location and it was pitch black and inside the car even though the lights were on I couldn't see where the temperature controls are or where the volume controls are. None of it is illuminated so you have to guess what's going on.

Seems like a big oversight on VW's part? Okay you could probably get used to it and learn where the touch buttons are but seems like a bad design flaw.

[SRGTD]

Found this interesting regarding the touch controls in the Golf GTI. From AutoTrader on YouTube - https://youtu.be/VIWCAsM4Drc?t=154

This morning I was driving to location and it was pitch black and inside the car even though the lights were on I couldn't see where the temperate controls are or where the volume controls are. None of it is illuminated so you have to guess what's going on.

Seems like a big oversight on VW's part? Okay you could probably get used to it and learn where the touch buttons are but seems like a bad design flaw.

There’s been quite a bit of discussion on various VAG forums about a) removal of conventional heating and ventilation controls and b) the touchpad below the infotainment screen not being illuminated. It’s not just the mk8 Golf that this affects - the new Seat Leon model range and VW’s all electric VW’s ID3 also has the same set up. Removing physical controls to achieve a ‘clean’, uncluttered look at the expense of ease of use is one thing, but to not include some form of backlighting for heating and ventilation controls in a new car launched in 2020 is unacceptable IMO. The Golf’s other ‘siblings’ - Skoda’s Octavia and Audi’s A3 - look to have a different set up, so it may not be an issue in those cars.

I’ve seen it suggested that you can adjust the car’s heating and ventilation controls by using voice control. However, voice control can be very hit and miss, especially if you happen to have a strong regional accent and the car doesn’t understand you! I agree, non illuminated controls in this day and age is a bad design flaw on VW’s (or VAG’s) part and a potential safety issue when using them after dark if it means the driver’s attention is diverted away from focusing on driving. How these controls can get through pre-production testing and signed off for use in production vehicles in 2020/2021 is really surprising. The last car I had with heating controls that weren’t illuminated was in the early 1980’s. However, they were conventional controls, so it was much easier to use them by touch when it was dark.

IMO, non-illuminated volume controls in that panel below the infotainment screen isn’t such an issue as I dare say most people will use the buttons on the steering wheel to make volume adjustments.

What would it have cost VW to have backlit that panel with a couple of LED’s? Probably no more than a couple of pounds. It’ll be interesting to see if backlit heating, ventilation and volume controls are changes that VW introduce as part of model year changes next year or soon after.

It’ll also be interesting to see if facelift Polo gains these ‘upgraded’ non illuminated controls ...........

[S_94]

It’s a really strange one. Like you said how did that get past development/testing? The cynic in me wants to say it’s a cost cutting move considering they already removed the physical buttons.

The exterior of the MK8 Golf GTI has grown on me slightly. The club sport edition looks a lot better, however I can’t forgive the terrible interior.

[vc-10]

Re changing the taillights- the facelifted Mk.4 Polo had a subtly different shape to the tailgate glass, whilst leaving the rest of the back of the car unchanged apart from the light clusters, which remained the same shape just different units.

I quite like the thin 'lightbar' designs like the new Leon, but some can be a bit much.

Apparently the ID.3, which has 'dynamic' indicators if you have the higher spec cars with the Matrix lights, can disable them through the infotainment system.

[Andy Beats]

You'd think VW voice control was beyond struggling with accents these days.
I use Siri and Alexa a lot, loads of stuff in the house is Alexa controlled, neither struggle with my strong regional accent or that of my wife/kids.
As for backlighting, some manufacturers make really odd decisions.
Steering wheels controls weren't illuminated on the wife's Renault Captur, meaning use of the cruise control at night was a test of memory.