2022 Volkswagen Golf R vs. AMG A45 Hot Hatch Drag Race Is Surprisingly Close

It's taken down both the Audi S3 and the lesser-known rival from BMW, the M135i. How? Well, while Volkswagen claims the 2.0-liter turbo makes 320 PS or 316 hp, a recent dyno test showed it actually produces 340 PS or 335 hp. The number could go as high as 350 hp, and the grunt is available on a wider area of the rpm range.

The Germans have also done a pretty good job with the gearing of the DSG gearbox and the AWD system. It's not a cheap car, though, but its rival in this Carwow drag race video is even more expensive. We're talking about the Mercedes-AMG A45 S, the current most powerful and savage hot hatch you can buy. It makes the Civic Type R normal, and it's a shame we don't get in America.

Regardless, this too has a 2.0-liter turbo engine, but it's hand-built and produces 100 horsepower more, at least on paper. During the first race, the Golf R gets a better launch and wins, but the second heat proves the AMG really is faster, with a 1/4 time of 12.1 seconds versus 12.4s in the Vdub.

The rolling race shows a similar result, with the AMG pulling a visible lead. Weight doesn't seem to play a big part here, but it's worth noting just how heavy the two are for compact hatchbacks. Crossovers used to be lighter than this, making you wonder what manufacturers have been adding in the past year.

So is the AMG worth the extra money? Well, once you start asking that type of question, they both appear a little overpriced. The numbers mentioned in the video are for the UK market only (see the photo gallery), but know that an Audi S4 or a BMW M340i will cost comparable money. Yeah, you'd have to be crazy about small hatchbacks to buy either the Golf R or the AMG A45.