Like or not, Volkswagen has now become a major competitor for the Bavarians. While BMW and Volkswagen have always sort of operated on different wavelengths, the two brands are not closer than ever before, thanks to BMW’s new front-wheel drive architecture. So this latest comparison test from Autocar, which pits the BMW M135i up against the Volkswagen T-Roc R, isn’t as unusual as it might seem at first.
In the past, if a BMW was ever compared to a Volkswagen, it seemed like a lopsided fight, with the BMW packing more power and a rear-drive chassis. Now, BMW’s new front-wheel drive cars are neck-and-neck on the spec sheet. So which is better?
As this test was conducted in the UK, the main VW rival to the BMW M135i — the Volkswagen Golf R — is no longer on sale. So the only other VW product that could take it on was the T-Roc R. However, the T-Roc R is more of an X2 M35i competitor, in that it’s a very small crossover. Still, they’re similar in power, performance and price (the VW is actually a bit pricier here), or at least similar enough to compete. So let’s check it out.
Both cars are front-wheel drive based but feature all-wheel drive systems. Being that both all-wheel drive setups are Haldex, they’re both predominantly front-wheel drive, with some rear-wheel assistance as-needed. They both also have 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines (302 hp for the M135i and 296 hp for the VW) and both hit 62 mph in 4.8 seconds.
Surprisingly, both are very fun to drive and there’s not that much in it, despite the Volkswagen T-Roc R being a crossover. Still, that extra height and weight of the T-Roc make it the less enjoyable car to truly push. Yes, its limits are higher than you might imagine and it’s a shockingly capable thing but the BMW M135i is just the more fun car to push hard. And when you’re buying a hot-hatch (or hot-ish-crossover), fun is the most important factor. So the BMW takes the victory here but not by much. And I’m not quite so sure it would have won if it were up against a Golf R.
[Source: Autocar]
Longtime BMW guy and i would not buy the 1-series and would go for people’s car. No reason to pay premium on bmw.
Until you sat in it and were horrified by all the hard plastic. Then, you’d run back to the BMW.
yep, quality became very poor at VW. The right price point in VAG is at Skoda/Seat now.
I sat in the newest 1 serie, it is on par with the 3er now, incredible.
It is true the previous 1er was shit inside.
Since any online review I’ve read disagrees, what do you base this on? BMW premium has always been about engineering, apparently still true + interior upgrades. Also welcome alternative to millions of lookalike Golfs already on the road.
Posting a pic or two of the T-Roc R would’ve been nice for comparison purposes.
Who had the idea to compare a crossover with a hatchback ??
Autocar. Ya know, the magazine that sort of invented the modern car test.
Well, remember reading articles about the Fiat Panda that would never be a success … :D so journalists are not always right …
No one said we are. But that doesn’t mean we’re automatically wrong, either :)
At least in Germany customers seem to avoid the new 1. The new model lags far behind the sales figures of the previous 3 years. It even dropped well below the 3 and in the past mass market entry level 1 was almost always outselling the middle class 3 – not anymore. It bareley reaches the sales of the 8year old A3. A-class sells more, even Mini sells more than 1. Seems like my hopes of a punishment for BMW came true.
That’s what you get from trying to rip off your customers, selling out the brand name and betraying brand values.
Customers seemed to accept the X1 quite readily. Explain that!
These are very often new customers without any attachment to the brand itself. A neighbour, and old lady, brought recently an X1. Before that she had a Renault Megane. These are not exactly the kind of customers BMW had and 10 years ago they even didn’t want these customers.
Good looking SUV and priced well.
So from the best hatchback on the market it became one trying to take on a VW ?
I know, right? This is so sad
As BMW have stated, 6 cyl. version of “best hatchback on the market” was single digit % of sales. If fwd. 135i was the benchmark, why did NO OTHER manufacture follow suit, when they ALL peddle 3 Series knock off wannabes?
When the new A class was introduced, it was already a big hit. It was early on the roads in Norway. But I have still not seen a single 1 series of the new gen yet. IMO the last gen looks so much better than this new one.