Things you don't like about your MK7

[pepito]

That sounds like a fairly major issue; I'd get the car to a dealer. There's no way the EPC should be on, especially permanently. Chances are there are faulty parts that should be replaced under warranty - the sooner the better.

Took the car in this week but they couldn't see any errors logged after they "scanned" the car. So the stop/start error will remain a mystery for now.

They did load the electronic handbrake update so hopefully that banishes the e-brake/auto-hold error.

[pepito]

So after nearly 4 months and over 4000km trouble free after the electronic handbrake software update was installed by the dealer in December last year, I got the dreaded ""fault: electric parking brake" today.

It cleared itself quickly so didn't have time to take a pic of the error on the phone.

[agentthumb]

Not sure about this, but the sun visor is too short!

I'm 170cm, and have the seat positioned as such that when I have my shoulders against the seat back, the steering wheel is just under my wrist. My head is just in front of the B pillar.

When the sun is coming in from the 3 o'clock position, the sun visor (flipped out to cover the driver side window) provides no shade at all! I'd have to lean forward to get some coverage. It baffles me why the visor doesn't slide out on the joint (towards the driver) like many other cars.

[aj555]

The noisy door seals whenever I travel across anything put smooth road, along with the creaking plastic trim surrounding the instrument binnacle. Off to the dealer yet again for the intermittent Geiger counter noise that comes and goes and the cold start rattle at idle.

[LMF]

The only thing ignore me is the noise from subframe. Have the subframe bolts tighten by VW the noise disappear for about two months then the noise come back. Take the car back to the dealer and this time they told me the front shocks need to be changed (i still think it is the subframe bolts), will have the car back to the dealer next Friday and see how it goes

[soogs]

Had my 103 for 3 months now and it's a brilliant car. Also bought a 90 for my daughter and can say that not much difference in oomph and driveability around town.

However things I don't like

1. Brake dust! In this day an age, surely this problem can be fixed by better composite materials? I have and other cars with little dust problems inc another German make.

2. No illumination for ignition slot. I mean they have lights everywhere on the doors in the foot well (WTF?) but none where u might need it.

3. Internal handle for hatch should be on the bottom of the door instead of inside to facilitate closing especially for the weaker sex.

4. Increase and reduce button function for cruise control should be tap to inc/red by 1kmh and tap and hold for 10kmh not other way around.

5. Gloss plastic B frame covers on doors are easily scratchable. Have to be very careful when washing.

6. The tiny triangle A window must be impossible to clean unless you have a tiny hand.

7. The 380 litre boot must have been measured by a pygmy. It doesn't take much to fill it up.

Things I would prefer VW would re-design.

1. The set and resume button for CC to be swapped. It would make more sense, turn it on and move to the left to set instead of diagonally across.

2. Gear and outside temp icon in centre binnacle to be swapped making more grouping sense. ie temp is grouped together with clock, and gear icon would then sit under digital speedo.

3. To be able to reset fuel consumption from start feature, anytime you want.

[Eaglehawk]

7. The 380 litre boot must have been measured by a pygmy. It doesn't take much to fill it up.

You've got the boot floor on the lower setting right?

Everything else I agree with, but I don't really care about the CC being the wrong way around. Still better than what it use to be.

[Ralfi]

Just one thing - I want CarPlay. Discovery Media GPS has its good points, but is sluggish compared to Google Maps, & predicted travel times are always longer than Googles.

Music player controls off the smartphone are better too. I want those on the in dash screen.

Waiting to hear from VW re: if CarPlay is a software or hardware upgrade for MY15 GTI's.

[The Bone Ranger]

4. Increase and reduce button function for cruise control should be tap to inc/red by 1kmh and tap and hold for 10kmh not other way around.

When cruise is engaged, you can use the "res" button to increase the speed by 1km/h increments, and "set" for the opposite. Or perhaps it's the other way around, but that is the best way to get 1km/h increments...

Andrew

[soogs]

When cruise is engaged, you can use the "res" button to increase the speed by 1km/h increments, and "set" for the opposite. Or perhaps it's the other way around, but that is the best way to get 1km/h increments...

Andrew

Thanx didn't know that. Should have thot abt it, as other cars use those buttons. Will give it a try.

[Arnold]

The shorter, less accommodating boot.

In a first for VW, the Golf7 boot is shorter and less accommodating than the previous 3 Marks. Yes, the Mark IV as well, I have read on this forum (a golf buggy that fitted in the Mark IV would not fit in a Golf7, or not as easily anyway).

I tested the Golf7 boot with two large suitcases that sit flat and snugly side-by-side in our Mark V. While I have to release the rear seats to get them in and then close them on the suitcases, not even this technique allows the Golf7 boot to go close to accommodating the suitcases, simply because the distance between the boot lip and the back of the rear seats is shorter and so the boot is now too short.

Given the squeeze packing everything into the Mark V is for vacations, it is worrying to think that packing the car would be an even more challenging exercise with the newer, more costly Golf7.

It is that change in boot size alone that changes the decision to upgrade to a Golf7 from a "no-brainer" to having me consider "what else is out there"?.

And before anyone says the Golf is not targeted at families, it is used by a lot of families in Europe and many parts of Australia where sensible people know that 95% of the time you don't need the interior space of an SUV plus extra space can be added, on demand, with a roof pod.

Apologists for the Golf7 chief designer's decison to sign off on a retrograde boot design should remember the car has increased in every other dimension and it is not unreasonable to expect a larger, later generation Golf to be able to hold luggage that could fit in an earlier, smaller predecessor, as has been the case until the Golf 7.

Bear in mind that the functionality of a boot is related to its size and storage capacity. Reducing the size should never have been an acceptable design outcome. Analogous would be decreasing fuel efficiency, reducing handling, reducing acceleration of performacne variants, increasing weight disproportionately, reducing seat comfort or safety, etc etc.

The point is, I very much would like a Golf 7 hatch - not a wagon or any other markedly longer car - and this unnecessary and retrograde design outcome, from a company that has a reputation for building cars with disproportionately large boots (think Jetta), is extremely disappointing. Quite bewildering.

With any luck the Golf 8 will mark a return to form in this regard and with only 66000 on my manual's clock, I can wait if need be.

[soogs]

I agree, it looks small, smaller practically than other hatches I have owned over time, Laser 80s, Astra 00s. However the blurb says it has increased from 340 to 380L. Go figure. Having said that, a fantastic car, only if they would have redesign a few things.

[Eaglehawk]

Just wondering, you did test it with the floor of the boot in the lowest setting right?

[Mountainman]

We always use ours with the floor lowered and I reckon its got slightly more room like that than our friend's Mk5 when looking into them parked side by side.

I guess the practical use of putting the same luggage in each might tell a different story though. The Mk7 does claim 380L while the Mk5 claim is 349L though.

Anyway go and see what you can fit in the hatch of the current model Suzuki Swift and you'll feel much better......

[Mountainman]

3. To be able to reset fuel consumption from start feature, anytime you want.

You can - easy.

Go to touch screen. When set on car or driving display press Set-up in bottom right hand corner - scroll to Multifunction display and press, then scroll to Reset "Since Start" driving data and press. Can be done any time and the same for "Long term" too. Then just use your back arrow at the top to get back to the car screen.