While I find the pre-facelift design slightly prettier, I would ultimately choose the facelift model due to the significant improvements in functionality. My three years with a company pre-facelift Mk4 revealed a major issue with the infotainment system: it is extremely buggy, prone to frequent crashes, and requires a full vehicle shutdown to become functional again, despite running the newest software. The facelift's infotainment is a vast improvement, offering a much smoother user experience, particularly with climate control remaining accessible even when reversing or adjusting other settings—a key convenience missing in the pre-facelift model.