‘Trying It On the MK8:’ VW Golf Driver Figures Out What Seat Hooks Are For. It’s Not What You Think

Getting to know your new vehicle rarely happens overnight, no matter how thorough the salesperson is.  Like any relationship, it takes time: from learning how to put the back seats down, to popping the hood, to the finer points like distinguishing between headlights and high beams.

For fast learning, social media often beats bulky cross-referenced glovebox manuals—not least because the images are clearer and the language more plainspoken. Case in point, UK-based Mirrorless Detailing (@mirrorless_detailing) recently posted a helpful video explaining what the small hooks on the inner edges of the rear seat door casing in Volkswagen’s Golf MK7 are for.

Volkswagen Golf MK7: Popular and Surprisingly Practical 

The Golf MK7 is one of the most popular cars in the VW fleet, balancing between family and flash, according to the British site EVO. While Top Gear says, “The Golf is the lingua franca of the hatch world, universally known and understood. Although it’s always bang up-to-date, each generation is an evolution, springing a few surprises.” 

So, it stands to reason that even small things would be engineered for ease and practicality, even if they seem a bit random at first. In his TikTok, Andy the auto detailer zooms in close on the back of the front seat. An onscreen caption reads, “Who knew the hooks behind the seats on the Golf was for this?”

As the video pans around, viewers can see that the felted rear deck cover is flipped up and suspended by built-in strings looped over the two small hooks on the rear door casing. It’s a simple but effective design, giving an added layer of cargo protection. Whether your cargo is a pile of questionable vintage finds or Abigail, your beloved Great Dane.  

And though it makes sense, not everyone agrees. 

Gallery: Golf Mk7 Facelift Leaked

Not Everyone Agrees On What the Hooks in the Golf MK7 Are For

Not everyone agrees with the hook theory. The comments section kicks off with a disagreement, “it’s definitely not for that, hahahah,” writes @pablo.

“It is,” corrected @Ewan Wilson, citing design to bolster his position, “fold the back seats down and the cover is contoured/cut to fit the back of the front seats and the headrests of the back.”

More “supporting evidence” was presented by @Michael, who posts an image of the interior of his vehicle with the caption, “So ya, it works on my MK6, 9 years of ownership and I never knew this.”

However, @Bananas stepped in with some sartorial conjecture: “You obviously don’t own any suits or shirts on hangars,” he wrote, implying that the hooks are for hanging neatly pressed clothing while traveling (like after picking up dry cleaning).

Andy (@mirrorless_detailing) shot back, “Looking at that profile pic I would say you don’t either.”

Other folks were quick to split the difference: “Well it’s not for this, but it's [a] creative way and will accept it,” said @ThodRoy.

Whatever the hooks in the MK7 actually are for, whether  “for takeaways or goldfish in bags,” as @johnsonholder speculated; more handles, anchor points, and clever touches are always helpful. Heck, you could even hang a half-eaten bag of car snacks from the hooks and still call them useful. 

Motor1 reached out to Volkswagen via email to find out what the hooks are really for, and  @mirrorless_detailing for a few more details.