Steve Sutcliffe from Autocar has had the enviable task of comparing a trio of very different hot hatches. There’s the 265kW four-cylinder all-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG, the 250kW inline six-cylinder rear-wheel drive BMW M135i and the 169kW front-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf GTI.
They are three very different hot hatches. Indeed aside from country of origin and the fact all three are turbocharged they don’t really have a lot in common. Pricing, especially, is very different. And yet, if you had the chance to drive all three on the same roads on the same day you’d grab the opportunity with both hands.
So put aside the practical differences for a moment and enjoy the ride. Then, at the end, you can try and rationalise the outcome.
[Thanks to John for the tip]
5 replies on “VIDEO: Hot hatch mixed masters”
Based on local pricing it makes the GTI look like a real winner.
Would have looked at the GTI, but all the VW problems, plus hearing first hand account of the power down issue and rattles etc I will be steering clear and possibly getting the V40 R-design or BMW 135i.
Jerry, if you think that sort of thing doesn’t happen to other cars, you’re in for a surprise. The V40 is a nice car, but a lot of money for what it is, and no-one ever raves about it’s dynamic ability.
The 135i however, well we’d all like one of those!
I’d have the Merc, if I was a hatch kinda guy. Mind you I’d wait a few months to buy, so as to get some kind of discount off RRP.
i cant believe how much crap the 1 series still cops for its front end…. its no where near as bad as the merc’s.