Volkswagen Digital Cockpit

Anyone here experienced the new "digital cockpit" (i.e. LCD screen in lieu of analog gauges) in the '18 Golf R (or similar)?  It's supposed to be similar to the Audi version (seems to get good reviews) but w/ a lower res and a few less features.  It certainly looks cool but I'm concerned the cool will wear off and leave me wishing it had analog gauges.  I'm also not sure how it looks at night, but I despise bright screens staring back at me when I'm driving in the dark.

I'm in the final stages of getting my hands on an '18 R, manual, blue, but due to the scarcity of cars I haven't driven the latest version.  The dealer had a '15 w/ DSG and a stage 1 tune (it gave me the "fizz") and a GTI S w/ the manual (w/ only 30 mi on the clock I couldn't lay into it, thus no "fizz").  Both have the "old" analog gauges, I didn't think about it which is about my highest rating for a device meant to give me info. 

Alternate idea is to find a used '17, but they hold their value a little too well and the new '18s include that wonderful 6 year, 72k mi warranty, LED headlights, and no question on how it was previously driven.  This would be my first new car purchase (35th bday present, feels like it might be time).

Digital screen or digitally controlled needle, at some point, whats the difference?  My daily doesn't have a speedometer, just the screen, but does still have a tach and some others gauges. It dims nicely for night time driving.

I just had a Tiguan rental car in Switzerland that had the digital cockpit. Worked fine driving at night and TBH other than it being rather two dimensional, it wasn't really that obvious that it was a single screen. Wouldn't stop me from buying a VW with it over analog gauges.

RossD said:

Digital screen or digitally controlled needle, at some point, whats the difference?  My daily doesn't have a speedometer, just the screen, but does still have a tach and some others gauges. It dims nicely for night time driving.

Good point.  I guess the difference is the dial itself is still physical.  It's not a concern about the electronics as much as a functional aesthetics concern. 

BoxheadTim said:

I just had a Tiguan rental car in Switzerland that had the digital cockpit. Worked fine driving at night and TBH other than it being rather two dimensional, it wasn't really that obvious that it was a single screen. Wouldn't stop me from buying a VW with it over analog gauges.

The online reviews (there aren't a ton) seem to have a pretty similar viewpoint.  They don't dedicate much space to the new dash, which is probably a signal that it works just fine. 

Thanks for the feedback, just down to final options and price, hopefully a new R will be in the driveway by the end of the week.

I love that the read out of the front and center focal point of the digital screen doesn’t have anything to do with driving. (Music choices) 

“man, I’m so glad I know what song this is. I’ve not heard every band from the 80’s. Well, I guess I can go back to playing on my phone.”

If it's like the Dodge Ram display, that's the user-programmable area. On those, you can use it for engine hours, temperatures, tire pressures, etc, etc. It's also where warnings are displayed. And yes, it can show the status of the entertainment system.

Go back 20 years and it was used for idiot lights, while you needed to look over at the center stack to tune the radio. I personally would not recognize that particular song from the 80s, but that's because I listened to too much blues and jazz in high school.