- 44 minutes ago
BMW M135 vs Volkswagen Golf GTI is a sharp hot hatch comparison that digs into design, boot space, rear seats, cockpit tech, performance, ride and handling. The new BMW M135 xDrive goes up against the refreshed Mk 8.5 Golf GTI, with both cars tested as automatic performance hatchbacks for drivers who want speed without the manual hassle.
The comparison covers the BMW’s 2.0-litre turbo four with 300 hp and the Golf GTI’s 265 hp setup, plus real-world impressions from launch control runs, steering feel, suspension tuning and braking. It also looks at practical details like trunk capacity, rear-seat room, infotainment, ambient lighting, towing limits and the price difference between these two compact sports cars.
If you are shopping for a premium hot hatch, a daily driver with performance, or a back-to-back BMW 1 Series and Volkswagen Golf GTI review, this is a useful match-up. It also works well for viewers searching for hot hatch comparison, compact car review, BMW M135 review, Golf GTI review, performance hatchback test and real-world driving impressions.
The comparison covers the BMW’s 2.0-litre turbo four with 300 hp and the Golf GTI’s 265 hp setup, plus real-world impressions from launch control runs, steering feel, suspension tuning and braking. It also looks at practical details like trunk capacity, rear-seat room, infotainment, ambient lighting, towing limits and the price difference between these two compact sports cars.
If you are shopping for a premium hot hatch, a daily driver with performance, or a back-to-back BMW 1 Series and Volkswagen Golf GTI review, this is a useful match-up. It also works well for viewers searching for hot hatch comparison, compact car review, BMW M135 review, Golf GTI review, performance hatchback test and real-world driving impressions.
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MotorTranscript
00:00this is the new bmw m135 no longer with an eye and this is the refreshed mark 8 volkswagen
00:06golf gti and now you can scream at the monitor and type furiously that i should have brought
00:12a golf r to this comparison because bmw has no compact front wheel drive car with comparable
00:17power however i think an all-wheel drive hot hatch is a bit too serious it's enough they are both
00:23automatic because you are too lazy to shift gears yourselves sure drop me a comment why i'm wrong
00:30while i roll the intro you'll find reviews of both of these cars on my channel links in the video
00:51description if you're here for the first time if you're new here click subscribe press the bell icon
00:57and do all the other stuff to get notifications about new reviews and comparisons i post
01:01channel members get early ads free access to new videos so consider becoming a channel member
01:09it's not expensive in this video i'll compare design boot space rear seats cockpit powertrain
01:17right and handling so let's get on with it shall we before i get to design let's look under the
01:24bonus of both cars bmw m135 x drive is powered by a two liter four banger producing 300 horsepower
01:30because of emissions bmw had to cut six horsepower from the european cars however in some markets you
01:37also get a 317 horsepower version bmw scores points for an engine cover with some fake carbon and an m
01:45badge
01:45i know bmw top brass doesn't believe in opening the bonnet because that's a job for authorized dealer
01:49who can charge a premium price for it but i suspect people who buy hot hatches sometimes meet other
01:56like-minded hot hatch owners and they like to show off the hearts of their pride and joy
02:15sorry
02:22volkswagen fails miserably
02:26it may have a front end lit up like a christmas tree but under the bonnet is a generic vw
02:32group
02:32engine cover from any four-cylinder engine you're going to be the laughing stock at gti treffen
02:39but at least the power is up from 245 to 265 horsepower so you can tell pre-facelift owners all
02:49about it
02:51yours is 245 horsepower i see yeah mine has 265 so
03:05design hmm i picked the world's two most boring cars from the front the new bmw one series now looks
03:12like a ford focus and the refreshed golf looks like whatever if it weren't for the front illumination i
03:20don't know if bmw is slowly moving away from illuminated radiator grills or is it something
03:25that's about to become an option in its accessory catalog in any case the volkswagen screams from a
03:32distance that here comes the v-dub
03:36i really like the fog lights on the golf gti too bad they are not daytime running lights because i'd
03:42keep
03:43these on all the time on the side not much is happening bmw now has a badge on the c
03:49pillar which
03:49says one at the rear both cars make it clear that they are dinosaurs as they not only have visible
03:57but
03:57also real exhaust tips the bmw even has double exhaust tips the golf r would also be double barrel but
04:05this is only a humble gti in my opinion the bmw has a more interesting diffuser as standard and there
04:12are m performance accessories if you want your one series to look like a tuned up golf dimensions the bmw
04:20is 436 centimeters long the volkswagen 429 centimeters the width is 180 and 179 centimeters respectively
04:31the height is 146 and 147 centimeters and the wheelbase is 267 and 263 centimeters but the dimensions
04:42don't tell you the truth about the interior space
04:47the bmw one series has a boot capacity of 380 liters in five seat configuration
04:56and with the seats in the second row down it's 1200 the 120 and 120d variants are mild hybrids and
05:04have smaller boots 300 and 1135 liters as the extra mh ev stuff takes up space under the boot floor
05:11the rear seat splits 40 20 40 which by the way is still an option in bmw's premium fashion
05:21the boot is identical to the previous generation it also features a folding floor which stays open but
05:28it can also be removed to carry something larger however then it's best to leave it at home i would
05:34have preferred a drop down floor on the plus side the partial shelf fits perfectly under the floor
05:41in addition there are two afterthought shopping bag hooks a niche on the right side and that would be it
05:48dimensions the width is 101 centimeters the length to the seats is 74 centimeters and after folding the
05:55backrest in the second row the length to the passenger seat pushed all the way forward
05:59is 166 centimeters the height from the top floor to the partial shelf is 41 centimeters and when the
06:07floor is folded away from the bottom of the boot to the partial shelf it's 59 centimeters the tailgate
06:12is electrically operated there are buttons for closing it and a separate one to close it and at the same
06:18time lock the car to the best of my knowledge electrically operated tailgate in the golf is an option and
06:26it's only available in the station wagon variant which is called the variant i don't know if an executive
06:33decision was made to lighten the gti and therefore weaker gust struts were used or is it just a stupid
06:42cost-saving measure but uh this is not what i expect from the golf
07:04the boot is simple and functional as one would expect from a golf there are two shopping bag hooks
07:09a 12 volt outlet a drop down floor and a mini spare underneath the partial shelf fits under the floor
07:17sort of but it's not as easy as in the bmw if you know how to do it without worrying
07:23about breaking
07:23it let me know in the comment section below the boot volume is 374 liters in the five seat configuration
07:30and 1230 liters with the second row seats folded the rear seat split 60 40 but there is a ski
07:38hatch
07:39the width is 106 centimeters the length to the seats is 74 centimeters and with the second row backrest
07:47folded there is 166 centimeters to the passenger seat pushed all the way forward just like in the bmw
07:55height to the partial shelf in the upper floor setting is 42 centimeters and 52 when the floor is lowered
08:07as i mentioned earlier the bmw may be bigger from the outside but that doesn't translate into
08:15a bigger interior the width of the rear seat is 133 centimeters and at elbow level it's about 140
08:22centimeters i have 12 centimeters leg room 8 centimeters headroom and i'm 175 centimeters tall
08:32there are large door pockets cup holders in the armrest usb-c ports air conditioning vents and a large tunnel
08:42the front seat backs are lined with hard plastic which probably makes them easier to keep clean if
08:48you're hauling small children who rest their feet against them as fix anchor points are on the rear
08:54seats as well as on the front passenger seat assuming you like the two-tone upholstery and silver inserts on
09:01the doors the rear isn't boring but it's tighter than in the gulf
09:11because here while the seat width is only 127 centimeters there is 146 centimeters at elbow level
09:19i'm still 175 centimeters tall and behind the driver's seat set to my driving position i have 16 centimeters of
09:26leg room the headroom is about 10 centimeters in general despite the fact that the series 1 f70 is
09:32two and a half centimeters taller than the f40 the golf is more comfortable to get in and out of
09:40compared to the bmw the golf's rear seats are much more subtle in the gti there's at least the checkered
09:47upholstery in the non-sporty variants it's much more dull there are large door pockets and cup holders in
09:53the armrest there are usb-c ports air conditioning vents and a high tunnel running through the center
10:00as well there are many pockets in the front seat backs so passengers have somewhere to put away
10:07not only a book but also a phone isofix anchor points are on the rear seats as well as on
10:14the front
10:15passenger seat bmw's cockpit is now fully integrated for the new infotainment system two-thirds of the
10:21dashboard width is taken by a dual display i've got used to it okay i still think though uh bmw
10:32should
10:32let its users display an imitation of the classic analog gauges heck they could even
10:37sell them in an app store rather than trying selling you optional heated seats
10:45it's a free idea you can do whatever you want with it i'll pay for those funky skins
10:53ambient lighting reacts for example when you change the temperature however the side part of the ambient
10:59lighting is reflected in the wing mirrors at night how late in the design process did the car leave a
11:05video couldn't this be changed before going into production as for bmw os9 there is very little
11:12physical switchgear only a lights menu button on the indicator stock several buttons on the steering wheel
11:19and buttons for window defroster parking assist and drive modes around the gear selector however
11:25they are flush so finding the right one requires taking your eyes off the road even the steering wheel
11:31heater has to be turned on with several clicks on the screen sure the seat and steering wheel heaters
11:36turn on automatically when i set the cabin heating to a higher temperature but i don't need a sauna
11:41i just want to warm my hands and my butt and the shifter paddles by the steering wheel feel really
11:47cheap
11:48other than that there are large door pockets decent cup holders two trays one of them featuring a
11:55wireless charger and a small storage compartment under the armrest the glove box is small as well
12:01the seats are very comfortable which is not obvious for units with integrated headrests
12:06the seats are electrically controlled and have setting memory as this is only the facelift of the
12:13golf the cockpit is still a bit of a transition from the days when base spec cars could still be
12:18designed
12:19with analog gauges in mind if memory serves me right the production model was digital dash
12:25only though anyway the driver's screen can imitate and imitate is the key word here
12:31analog gauges there's a separate large infotainment system display in the middle of dashboard
12:37it is larger than in the pre-facelift model and the software works a lot better than it did at
12:42the
12:42beginning customer feedback was that in 2020 volkswagen launched the software equivalent of cow manure
12:48i don't mean to say that mi b4 that's what the current system version is called is a leading solution
12:54bmw certainly has a better infotainment system and i detest os9 with all my heart what volkswagen is
13:01offering is simply less bad than anything currently available in the stellantis car like products
13:07great job for giving us back physical buttons on the steering wheel including the steering wheel
13:11heater button i'm less partial to the touch sensitive buttons for lights windows heating and drive modes
13:18although it's good to have them as a backup to the settings buried in the infotainment system menu
13:24the door pockets are generous the cup holders actually one and a half cup holder are unfortunately
13:29an example of how volkswagen went astray a few years ago for some reason the wireless charger won't
13:35charge phones in protective cases it works in the bmw but not here there are usbc ports the storage
13:42compartment under the armrest is small it's nice that the armrest is two-way adjustable but sliding it out
13:48limits access to the cup holder the glove box is average size the seats are manual in my opinion
13:55they are not as comfortable as those in the bmw i can feel it in my spine now i could
14:01be the only
14:01person who finds these seats problematic but i suggest you demand a longer test drive just in case
14:26i'll start with the performance the new m135 is not only heavier and less powerful than its predecessor
14:33but it's also a tenth of a second slower from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour
14:43i checked and instead of claimed 4.9 seconds in sport mode with launch control i achieved 4.8 seconds
14:50in normal mode i was a second slower now some 10 years ago bmw went through a phase of cars
14:57with no
14:58feedback the m135 is unfortunately like those cars it's a tool for driving fast without thinking you
15:05get in put the car in d press the gas and the m135 flies through gears until you lose your
15:10license
15:15the steering is precise but it lacks feel the suspension is so good that the car sticks to the road
15:20but i can't feel when it may lose grip i don't know where this car's limits are well i guess
15:27they're well beyond my capabilities and that could end badly these types of hot hatches often end up in
15:34the hands of drivers with egos that exceed their skills let's hope they have good reflexes and use the
15:41brakes which by the way are excellent
15:47in addition to average soundproofing there's artificial sound pumped through the speakers the
15:52m135 doesn't sound good at all maybe bmw will sell you a better optional exhaust because this thing
16:00sounds like a strained four banger
16:12the m135 isn't easy to live with daily after a few hours i got a feel for how to add
16:17throttle to
16:18make better use of the turbo easy to squeeze into a gap easy to maneuver quickly realistic fuel
16:24consumption if use the car as intended is about 10 liters per 100 kilometers combined the fuel tank
16:29capacity is 50 liters the m135 can tow up to 750 kilograms
16:50the 265 horsepower golf gti because there's also a 300 horsepower club sport version should accelerate
16:57from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 5.9 seconds i checked and surprise surprise i reached 5.8
17:04seconds
17:04in sport mode with launch control but 5.7 seconds in normal mode to be confirmed in the summer on
17:12dry
17:12road and summer tires because the sport setting of traction control which has to be activated for
17:17the launch control to work allows too much slip
17:24the golf gti likes to rev the exhaust and the engine can be heard not only inside but also
17:30outside the cabin now when driving fast i can feel the car communicating with me the steering tells me
17:35when the road surface changes and when the electronic diff is at its limit also the suspension allows the
17:42car to the car to dance a bit so i know when i can push harder or when i need
17:47to back off speaking of suspension
17:49the dynamic chassis control or dcc has been magically reworked fixed in the golf gti so it doesn't thump on
17:59every bump like in just about any other vw product for as long as i can remember
18:08speaking of suspension check out the personal mode where you can configure for example sport settings
18:14for the steering and powertrain but leave the suspension in comfort mode visibility is good
18:20brakes are effective the driver assist features are like in recent vw products so for example the front
18:25collision warning is over zealous which is especially annoying in a hot hatch as in the bmw driving as
18:32intended will cost you at least 10 liters per 100 kilometers combined the golf gti seems to have a wider
18:38fuel consumption range than the bmw especially when it comes to the upper extreme the fuel turn capacity
18:45is also 50 liters the golf even the gti can tow up to 1600 kilograms the roof and the hitch
18:52load is 80 kilograms
18:55here a brief comparison of the headlights in both vehicles it's the same road more or less the same time
19:01about an hour till dawn i did sink the starting point but the driving speed may be different so i
19:07will
19:07show you a couple of screenshots you can see here that bmw's headlights do a better job at illuminating
19:14sides of the road also bmw's headlights are more fluid at avoiding vehicles approaching from the opposite
19:21direction it's not necessarily more effective but more fluid which in my opinion is less tiring for the driver
19:29price of the bmw m135 started 56 200 euro this test car with options cost 67 820 euro prices of
19:40the
19:40volkswagen golf gti started 45 655 euro with options this test car costs 57 150 euro
19:52price aside the bmw m135 is an easy choice for someone who simply wants to drive a hot hatch and
19:59not to think about it the volkswagen gti is in my opinion a car for someone who actually likes feedback
20:06while driving and that's something cars are often missing these days and which one of these two hot
20:12hatches suits you better let me know in the comment section below if you like my sarcastic down to
20:21earth and possibly mildly amusing car reviews join me every friday at 3 pm central european time and
20:29don't forget to subscribe and like this video as it helps me with the youtube algorithm thanks for
20:34watching and i will see you in the next one
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