The Golf GTI has always had rivals like the Megane RS or Focus ST which were more fun, powerful, and sometimes cheaper. But it could always hide behind the facade of being a well-made German car. Not anymore, as the BMW 128ti is the surprising new segment debut with a great badge and excellent features.
It's not unusual to see the Golf GTI being criticized in a review. It always bounces back because enthusiasts still find something to like. But they changed so many things with the Mk8 generation, and not for the better.
We can live with the exterior styling, but not cheap plastics and an all-digital dashboard. Configuring the computer to do a launch is about as complicated as doing an Instagram post, and it really should be. The 128ti isn't perfect either, but it somehow feels more like a GTI than the actual GTI.
Just looking at the interior, we feel like a Mk7 GTI owner would feel right at home in the 128ti. It's got buttons for the radio and air conditioning brushed metal finishes and soft-touch materials. Meanwhile, the 2022 Golf GTI, which is the brand new Mk8 model, gets some serious criticism from Carwow in this comparison review.
This still wouldn't be fine if the BMW was a few grand more expensive, but it's actually the Golf GTI that costs more money here. And did we mention it's down on power? Both cars have a 2.0-liter turbo engine under the hood, but the one 128ti makes 261 hp (265 PS) compared with 242 hp (245 PS) for the GTI.
It's not a major difference, but why would you want less power? Again, in the past, the answer was "because the GTI has a nicer interior" but that's not the case here. Using a measuring V-box, Carwow times the two and finds the 128ti is indeed quicker to 62 mph (100 km/h).
We'd also like to point our finger at the gearbox, crucial in a hot hatch. DSG has a decent reputation, but people are still worried that the Mechatronic unit might give out, resulting in an expensive fix. But BMW uses an 8-speed auto, which in theory could be more reliable.
Sadly, the BMW hot hatch won't be offered in America, and it arrives at a pretty bad time. We predict most hot hatchbacks will be discontinued in a few years, and that explains why Volkswagen is more preoccupied with hot EVs under the GTX brand.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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