Volkswagen has announced the U.S. versions for the refreshed 2018 Golf lineup already unveiled for Europe. The new line includes GTI and R performance models and the SportWagen and Alltrack wagons.
Exterior
It’s an understatement to say that the exterior changes are subtle. The bumpers are slightly reshaped and are a little crisper. There now is a dash of chrome in the grill, some new wheel designs and some new paint colors. LED taillights and daytime running lights now are standard on all models; full LED headlights replace the bi-xenon units as the upgrade option.
Interior
More is changed inside where, in additional to some materials upgrades, there is a revised dashboard to accommodate a new media system with bigger screens — a 6.5-inch display on base models and an 8-inch touchscreen for SE and above models.
The top-of the line Golf R performance version is the only U.S. Golf that will have the new configurable digital instrument cluster available on more models in Europe. LED adaptive headlights also will be standard on the 2018 R model.
Under the Hood
Powertrains carry over from 2017, but the GTI gets a 10-horsepower boost to 220 hp. The GTI also gets upgraded brakes and an electronic limited-slip differential standard.
Safety
Driver safety and assistance technology, including a front collision system with automatic braking that now includes pedestrian detection, will be more widely available on most models with the second-level SE trim and above.
