I didn't realise VW had become so expensive compared to equivalent German models. And in that colour the Golf looks like it's still waiting for its top coat.
go watch that 5th gear crap if you are interested in consumer friendly advice. Besides, considering the prices of these shitholes, one would have to be bonkers to buy them instead of a proper 2nd hand vehicle. The video of that title should be: "What to get if you want to spend too much money on too little of a car, but are too cocky to have a Dacia Sandero"
@@purwantiallan5089 well u can get a spare wheel in every car u just need to pay the extra € , its also not standard in a Golf u pay about 500€ …for it :)
What i love on my 1 Series is, that there's a dedicated place for the parcel shelf. Sounds like a minor point, but i wouldn't want to miss it anymore. Other than that, it suits my driving style and my requirements on a car perfeclty.
VW should not be in this discussion with other 3 competitors. It looks & feels so cheap and this will sound crazy the new car smell we all love is awful
Hi I bought the Audi A3 35 TFSi S Line 6 speed in May 2023. In my eyes it is just brilliant. It replaced my 66 plate Audi A1 1.4 TFSi a complete different world altogether. Love Audi because they just look great.
@@vytaute12345678910 I get 46-50 mpg average. '23 plate. Lovely car, I got the adaptive cruise and it just drives itself on the motorways, something the merc/bmw can't get.
We own a 1 series, without the M package the ride is great and there’s no tire noise, best car I’ve owned thus far! Purists will nag that it’s fwd, but for a daily driver it rides and steers great, comfort on long journeys is impressive and so is the economy.
@@Ana05702 the F20 was more fun in the snow, had more fun spec options and was available with a 6 cilinder.. but can’t compete with the f40 when it comes to comfort, quietness and efficiency. All important for a daily droger doing a lot of miles.
Got that 1.5tsi Dsg in my golf 7 and agree with all the comments. It can move briskly but there is a 1 second lag between pressing the throttle and acceleration. Seems by the others to be a common small turbo trait. And also the Dsg tends to pick high gears to boost economy. It's a very good everyday engine feeling brisk enough, fairly economical and quiet when you're not thrashing it. However it's not a fun engine. If you really push it gets loud as if it's saying please drive me normally! The 1.4 tsi was a little nicer in that regard and the 1.6 turbo in our other car, a 2012 mini cooper S manages to avoid the turbo lag and the harsh noise. It begs you to drive it quickly although again use the midrange grunt rather than rev it to the red line. Was probably much easier then with less emissions targets.
@@NQY-flyer yeah. The kickdown is ridiculous. It sends it to 5000rpm which makes a lot of noise and wastes 2 gear shifts meaning a second before the DSG clutch has engaged. If you only press to about 3/4 throttle it'll downshift one gear to about 3000rpm and it'll be smooth but just as fast with less delay. That kickdown is even worse on the 2.0tdi audi A4 I hired. Sends it to 4000rpm with no power left! 1.6 turbo in my cooper S sounds much nicer.
@@andersnielsen6044 that is the advantage of a naturally aspirated engine. Main downside is most of power is at the top end, lacks turbo mid range punch but if you enjoy driving and using the gears that could be an upside.
Matt I know that you have a thing about fake exhausts and I fully agree with you. I would like to point out that I have a 2014 CLS and can guarantee that both exhausts produce emission!
I think the fake exhausts are there so they are clean all the time. I have a w204 c63 and boy those quad exhausts are completely blacked out now and impossible to clean. Mercedes are smart there’s a reason they use fake exhaust tips now.
@@Leo-cp2fw do it! I recently traded w204 c63 for a w204 c63 edition 507. Been an owner of these legendary vehicles for almost a decade and I will never buy a new car. The sound on those machines are absolutely incredible. Not the fastest cars on the roads these days, but I’m more than satisfied.
I don’t quite understand how the Mercedes is still on top given the “facelift” which has made the car worse, and with the price being almost 5k more than the Audi and BMW.
And the bad quality inside lol. I was test driving 2 different models of CLA already and they both had the same wobbly AC controlls as shown in this video
@@TheFlash8889 fr I used to have an A Class and just got an A3 a couple of months ago. The quality in the A3 is so much better and the interior design is so much classier than the merc. They’re both great cars, but for the price there’s no way the A class is the best premium hatchback.
@@neb4587 A3 interior more classier than A class? What is so nice about a3 trying to copy Lambo Urus air vents and have a finger print magnet!!! Too bland and nothing exciting in my opinion for the A3. The A class interior is the best in its class easily and just nice to look at. I agree with you in respect to price but for interiors, Audi is light years behind Merc for styling interiors
@@oskarskalski2982 the golf is a premium hatchback for its MK8 versions now. The price is in the same range as the other three now, compared to before where it used to be one of the cheapest out of the four and some models being a completely lower price bracket
@@pavanjawanda3335 Yes I agree that regarding price it's closer to Audi or BMW but when you spec Audi or BMW (not to mention Mercedes) to Golf's level they are still more pricey. Nevertheless if you look at VW's interior, quality of materials (horrible hard plastic in the back), it is nowhere near premium brands. For the lower price Octavia has the same build quality, more space etc. Or look at seat, they are not far off (if at all) from VW Golf. And that is what I was saying, I know it's price tag may try to position it among the premium brands but the quality doesn't.
Personally I like this configuration of the 1-series very much! It is better with this black grille. But the overall exterior of the A class (except for the exhaust pipe)
I don’t understand why people hate fake exhaust. I absolutely love it. I don’t have to clean the pipe tip frequently anymore. I used to clean it once a month on my last A4 B8
0:13 "Vorsprung durch Technik" Wow Mat, I'm impressed! Just the Technik was a little bit odd and slightly misemphasized. But your German gets better and better!
Great video matt! I just bought myself an A250e and would love to see it being compared to its competitors. So far im absolutely in love with it & amazed by the comfort. Again amazing video!
I have a Golf GTE Advance and it has been just about the perfect car. The adaptive cruise is amazing. It’s fast when I want and economical when I need. 55MPG on a run. I have seen over 700miles on a tank of fuel with regular charging. I’m interested in the A Class but adaptive cruise is now a must for me. Does it come with that?
Interesting conclusion - sounded like there were more negatives about the Merc other than the rear seat practicality.. yet it wins the test. Matt a bit too focused on baby seats these days? 😂
I seem to recall Mercedes winning for ..... 1. Best interior 2. Best looking from the front 3. Best and most intuitive infotainment system. Did you fall asleep during half the vid mate
I thought it quite funny how much bass thump was happening while the BMW was being driven. Sometimes I forget my subwoofer is on the floor and then I get the wind on my shins. Quite noticeable during that driving portion. Very nice!
@@IvanNikitin1 How you can compare video or sound out of your laptop whcih could or could not have been refine, edited etc to someone who actually sat and drove the car lol
Amazing video as always matt, i just would've loved if you just threw the mazda 3 in there as well, think it can definitely compete with all 4 of those cars in not only luxury but other areas as well.
I'm totally happy with my merc, my main buying points were the exterieur looks, which I liked the most (especially the rear imo) and the infotainment which just works so damn awesome. The voice control is really helpful for quickly controlling things while driving, you can easily set multiple stop navigations, look for nearest gas station, turn stuff on and off, let it tell you about the weather, tell you a joke or solve a fkn math equation for you (wanted to calculate my fuel consumption while driving). And I love the touch panel in the middle section, never touched my touch screen once. Why would you? It would just get all greasy with fingerprints and I can let my arm rest comfortably on the middle section while easily controlling everything. One of mercedes best implementations, a shame they got rid of it. On top you get the mercedes app, that let's you check your cars current status, control your car locks, lights and windows by your smartphone, get your cars current position and plan routes via smartphone and send it to the car prior to the next trip. Yes if you really press hard on stuff it is kind of wobbly (middle console and roof console). But it's durable, does the job and it's not an issue besides car reviewers ridiculously pressing and hitting every spot in the car. On the other hand the material choice is really good in my opinion, even tho parts on the door panels or on the dashboard are plastic, they give a high quality impression and don't look cheap. Some downsides I noticed the most are - door panels start to vibrate to low speaker frequencies which leads to the bass sound not beeing that crisp and satisfying. I guess they got rid of more heavy door fillings for weight reasons... You will have to let your door panels get treated, if you are more into car audio. - when your fuel tank is full to the max, you can hear the fuel splashing around when braking. It's not a big deal, just like wtf, why would you not fix that? Never had a car that does that.
What's the reliability of the A-Class like . I really wanted one but read that it spends most of the time in the garage getting fixed than it is on the road
@@DonisGP personally I would rather have a golf or cupra, the A3 or 1 series would be my first choice. The A Class quality is really poor and the driving experience isn’t refined at all,moors of vibrations and sluggish, i believe some are using Renault engines also. My views extend to all Mercedes models though, I think Audi and BMW have better interior quality
@@DonisGP they use a lot of artificial leather and cheap plastics all over. Even the previous gen s class was horrible compared to the competition, artico everywhere and nasty scratchy plastics. I’m not a fan personally. A4/A5 quality is very strong currently and so is the 5 series so personally I would choose out of those for the other class of vehicles, the new gen Audi wouod probably give the crown to bmw for every model near enough though due to cost cutting since 2015
Loved this video. I was already set to get the Merc so thrilled you picked it. I like BMWs but drove a black compact for 18 years. I would definitely have got another another if they had continued them. Not a fan of anything under the 3 series, just don’t like the shapes. Love my current white A class,, had it for 5 years, ready to upgrade so thank you Matt. Love your wit, really make me laugh.
shapes mean shit. Mercedes i no close to driving style of BMW and neither best looking. My car is Volvo XC90 2005. I drove SUVs and I rent BMW 218i then decided to rent 118i too because it was awesome to drive. No other car is close. I'm renting BMW 118i again. By choossing A-Class you are losing and making dumb choice. Only BMW evewn gives independent suspension system in every model (not just expensive sport models). They are 1 to go and you fucked up lol.
The shape of an f87 M2 is stylistically the best car of anything in this video past or present. It's also close to some of the alltime classic larger beemers
Matt, why haven't you told us exactly what engines they have, Including horsepower, torque etc. It would take seconds to do, and we'd be properly informed. Don't get too carried away with presentation and forget about important details!!
Just finished a rental of the BMW 1 series and it was disappointing. The acceleration was very sluggish, the suspension felt too stiff for everyday driving, the version I was given had no reversing camera (only a reversing radar image); cruise control was not adaptive so I found myself creeping up behind other vehicles on the motorway. I am sure these features are available at a price with different specification, but I was surprised to find them absent on any BMW model.
Appreciate it's all very subjective but I wouldn't swap my 1 series for any of them even after watching this video ... not sure how you landed on the Merc either given it's got the cheapest interior (in a posh hatchback test) & the smallest boot
Yeah was surprised as well. Also had the worst economy. Going for a 1 series as well as my last petrol car, but don’t really understand what is not to like about it. Nicest interior and most dynamic driving if you’re into that. How do you perceive the cabin noise btw?
VW Golf is a luxury car? I thought the Golf competes against the likes of Vauxhall Astra, Peogeot 308, Seat Leon, Skoda Octavia, Renault Mégane, Hyundai i30, etc.
I have one of the new a class and where he was wobbling all the buttons saying it’s loose and moves about , mine dosent do that at all it’s fixed perfectly in place , sometimes some are put together better than others
I do kind of agree. These Germans have been matched. I don't think the quality advantage that they used to have (premium feel rather than assembly quality) is there now. Some (golf/audi) have dropped over the previous models. Mercedes has good and bad bits and appears to have used one screw to attach each component, and BMW, well. Can't really fault that but Honda looks more interesting inside.
PS, I think BMW have a gap in their 1-series line-up. There's either the 138BHP 1.5 3-cylinder, (which is slightly underpowered and a little thirsty in the real world (I have the same engine in my Mini)) or next up the 265BHP 2.0 128ti. Whereas Mini Clubman (which I think has the same underpinnings as the 1 series) also has the option of the 178BHP 2-litre Cooper S. If they could slot that engine into the 1 series and call it a 120i I think that might hit the sweet spot for many.
The 120i is no longer available to order in the UK. (As per visit to BMW dealer last week and current website configurator). The only 120 available now is the diesel. So the petrol line-up jumps from 118i to 128ti.
@@leewilcox4044 ah right ok I didn't realise it had been removed from the lineup. Tbf the diesel is likely to be the most popular anyway most of the older ones are diesels too. I actually learn in a 2016 116d it's decent tbh
They are base model hatches. These woould be considered cars for the average worker. Hot hatches would be like AMG A45 Audi RS3 Megane RS golf R line and Msport
@@robb5828 the Golf premium? Hah good joke! The other 3 are premium, the Golf is as mainstream as it gets. The Focus has soft touch materials near the rear windows and the Golf doesn't, let that sink in for a moment. The Golf has no business in this comparison.
If I could only choose from these 4, I would definitely go with the Audi - cabin space is a deal breaker for me but I cannot abide the infotainment system in the golf. However, if I were looking for a reliable, practical, and budget-friendly car, I would consider a lesser-known brand. While the cars mentioned are tempting, there are plenty of other options that offer just as much comfort and just as enjoyable a driving experience. The Honda Civic is certainly a stand-out for me but the Peugeot 308 and Ford Focus are other capable options with starting prices that won't break the bank. Hell, Hyundai even offer a 5-year warranty on their i30! They boast the same spacious interiors, low maintenance costs, and other features making them perfect for everyday driving. And if you're like me, the best thing is these cars won't draw too much attention, while offering plenty of style, comfort, and performance. So, not only will you love your new ride, but your wallet will too!
As a German from Stuttgart who really loves his (past and current) BMW and Porsches: None of these cars is worth it! Please don’t buy an entry “German premium car”. You pay a hefty premium on something that’s comparable to Korean or Japanese cars. The only exception WAS the BMW 1er (RWD+I6). Not anymore - they are all generic and I don’t get why reviewers hype some more screens inside with mediocre software on ALL of them. Save yourself a lot of money and get a mazda3, Hyundai i30 or whatever with much better equipment, if you want a front-driven compact car. Just my 2 cents. If you want to spend premium money on a mediocre interior (e.g., esp. backseats are horrible and cheap), hilarious drivetrain with Renault (!) engine, a colorful infotainment system (which I personally think is rubbish), and crazy price list for every single “extra”, just to have a star on the hood: well, buy an A-Class.
I have the 2022 Golf R Line in same color but changed it to sporty black rims and added some subtle red pinstripes and looks fantastic. As is it even looks better than the GTI and certainly the R. Drives super nice but the new single clutch transmission isn’t as good as the previous dual.
The Golf R-line without a doubt knocks the ball out of the park for a small family hatch. Most comfortable car I've ever been I and lots of lovely touches such as the interior lighting and when you open the doors in the dark, a pool of light appears at the doors so you dont end up stepping into a puddle😂
I just finished my 4 day rental of a Mercedes A180 and I was impressed with the way it drives, the comfort for a driver and the space for rear passengers. Also it consumed 14 l of petrol for a little more than 200 km, so I think it is decent for people who can afford for themselves to buy a Mercedes. Before the Mercedes I rented a Lexus is250h, which was also good, but the engine is so weak on a highway, that I just hated it when I just wanted to keep a high speed pace and during going up the hills in comparison to the Mercedes
@@jdmguy44 That's because you're clueless about cars. A Corolla has more noise in the cabin at 80 km/h than a A class at 180. And it feels like a tin can from the moment you close the door. A class (or any European hatchback) feels like it's 2 classes above a Corolla, it's like comparing a A class and a E class.
@@derbigpr500 Sounds like you've clearly never been near a new Corolla never mind driven one to make such non sensical remarks. The A Class is a pretend premium/quality car with a chintzy plasticky interior and Renault engine. It's aimed at young drivers that use PCP and lease deals (like you I'm guessing!) that are desperate to try and impress everyone. They sure don't impress me! I've owned/driven more cars than you'll have had hot dinners. You'll grow up and learn soon kid!
Imo each have a main selling factor, you buy the a class for the style, the 1 series for the drive, the a3 for the refinement and the golf for the understatement. Also i see a lot of comments saying the golf isnt a premium brand and i mostly agree, its more of a halfway point between ford and vauxhall and the big german brands, nothing against the vw though after all I have one and love it
Mat is completely off the rails in this review. The Golf isn't even a 'luxury small car' to begin with, it's a mainstream one. Sponsored by VW seemslike.
@@xIcarus227 not really sponsored, i think this is the a combination. The white interior looks the best in the golf. The dark options, not so much. Also when you have to live with it things change, quick. Infotainment crashes, rear cam not working car play disconnects, not illuminated temp/volume sliders, the touch MFL buttons suck, and the lags in the infotainment are just unacceptable. Sorry for the rant but i am just done with the golf 8. Everyday ther is another software issue where you have to tell the customer that its normal and they have to live with it. And i hate that.
@@michihoffi69 it's not just the interior combination, he said the infotainment system is ok when literally every other reviewer out there completely trashed it as being the worst out of all current cars for sale. Like it's objectively bad at this point. I totally get your rant, I'd go absolutely insane if I owned a Golf 8. VW currently seems more interested in recouping money from the dieselgate fine rather than making quality cars. It's gonna cost them their reputation.
I manage a Mercedes dealership in Atlanta /USA. We have 24 certified technicians in the service department. Only one drives a BMW. The rest drive Toyotas, Lexuses and Hondas! Take that…😅
If we exclude the Golf which is a real car in terms of space, the other 3 are a disappointment as if they were made exclusively for medium height. It is tragic that the driver has for company the middle pillar so close to his shoulder and in larger statures, certainly further in front of him.
Last year we went shopping for a Golf, or Outback, but ended up with a used 3-series. I hope that the BMW wins. *The black bmw looks OK, but they should really all be purple now.
I was originally a bmw fan, my first car was a 330ci and I loved it. I still like some of their new cars, but I’m not a fan of all of them. The same can be said for Audi, however in this case I would take the A3.
@@tr4nnel752for me the design of lack of design of the Golf is a big no for me. That design is already almost the same as the Golf 5 from almost 20years ago.
Engine-wise the Mazda is by far the weakest. It may be a 2.0L but it's unbearably sluggish, I'd take a turbo 1.5 any day of the week. It's quite efficient though, for sure. The interior is absolutely incredible though. I'm shocked it's not brought up in these comparisons more often, speaks volumes about the so-called 'reviewers' we're watching.
@@xIcarus227 You've obviously never driven the X version of the 2 litre Mazda 3. It actually has a small supercharger and has a very good turn of kick. Very smooth power delivery matched to a superb manual gearbox. Plus it will outlast those Euro cars in the long run with their undersized over stressed little turbo engines.
Climate controls in luxury cars and higher trim levels of less expensive cars almost always have an auto setting where you just pick a temperature once and it will heat or cool to maintain that temperature without ever changing anything .
Mine has auto climate control, but I still manually adjust the temp up and down a couple of degrees depending on the following factors: - The weather - sunlight and humdity affect the comfortable temperature. - How I'm feeling. - What I'm wearing. - If I'm very cold or hot before getting into the car. - Whether there's a passenger who likes a different temp. Some climate control systems on the real luxury cars (like the S Class) take account of things like the brightness of the sun, but most don't.
LUXURY? There is NO luxury small car! Barely even premium, cause for whatever reason all of the premium brands actually cut down everything compared to their bigger cars. If you want a small car with material quality and sound insulation of an S class, you're out of luck, regardless how much money you have. There is no such thing. Not to mention the real luxury level.
@@djstuc if objective facts make me a troll, then I'm the biggest one out there. Sounds to me like I perturbed you from lying to yourself that VW is a luxury brand. Time to face reality champ.
Yes I agree. The Civic is superb and should be in this test if quality is the qualifying factor. It drives and handles beautifully, the build is superior to all except perhaps the BMW, it's quick and yet also more economical (by a considerable margin) than all the cars in this test. I would have very likely gone for a Civic this time had it not been for their 10 month (at least) lead time! It means if you order one, they can pretty much pick a number from the sky with your part-exchange value. Shame, because the car is excellent. But due to lead time, I went for the BMW 1 series instead.
@@joebloggs4191 yeah better then ford Toyota Citreon Opel Nissan Fiat But I'd definitely rate a Peugeot 308 hatch up there especially the GT and Renault Megane etc
@@godlyname8544 golf is more like The top of the line Toyota Corolla of the European market same with Skoda. And polo is the base Toyota of euro market. We all thought golf or polo were poverty cars like opels and cheap Peugeot 5 door hatches. And some Citreon hatches and like fiat.
