Nothing brings a smile to your face like big fun made
fun-sized, but they told me that I cannot make a video that is
just me showing you pictures of puppies on the internet.
So instead, we're comparing fun little cars.
First, though, look at this puppy.
Look at him.
Oh my god.
Puppies are so great, OK, back to cars.
Today, we have two zippy little hatchbacks-- a Volkswagen Golf
and a MINI Cooper S. We want to see
how these very different machines balance practicality
and excitement.
It's almost as fun as a pile of puppies.
I'm Elana.
And I'm Ryan, and we're from Edmunds.
Each year, we painstakingly test and review hundreds of cars
while CarMax buys, sells, and expertly appraises
thousands and thousands.
We're combining our car-testing knowledge
with their experience to help you make the right choice.
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One of the main reasons you might
be looking at a small hatchback is, well, they're very useful,
but also they're very fun.
Whether you're thinking of a Honda Civic,
Hyundai Veloster, Mazda 3, little cars are easy to drive,
and in many cases, there's a pumped up
performance version that can hold its own
with a big mean sports car.
Today, we've got two models on opposite ends of the spectrum--
one that is almost shockingly practical
and one that, let's say, struggles in that department
but makes up for it with style and personality.
And while both of these cars are automatics,
they're both available with a good old
fashioned manual transmission if you so choose.
And today, we're skipping right to the good part.
We set up an autocross course because, A, it really shows off
the hidden talents of these little cars and, B, super fun.
Ryan, how do you feel about fun?
Big fan.
Yeah, me too.
I like it.
First, we have a 2017 Volkswagen Golf.
Now VW made this generation from 2015 to the present day.
This is the mid-level SE model, so it
comes with a few extra goodies like 17 inch
wheels, heated front seats, and a premium stereo system.
It has 170 horsepower and 200-pound feet
of torque, which feels pretty peppy,
and it's matched to a six-speed automatic transmission.
CarMax sells this generation of the Gulf
SE for an average of $17,000 depending on model year,
mileage, taxes, and fees.
And this is a 2016 MINI Cooper S.
This 2016 model is part of the third generation
redesign that debuted in 2014 and is still sold new today.
The MINI comes in tons of flavors--
convertibles, two doors, four doors, high-performance,
you name it.
In the Cooper S, you get an upgraded engine
with 189 horsepower and 207-pound feet of torque,
so it has a leg up over the Golf.
It's paired with an optional six-speed automatic
transmission.
You can find MINI Cooper S models at CarMax
for an average of about $20,000, again,
depending on things like model year, mileage, taxes, and fees.
One of the reasons you might enjoy a small hatchback
is they feel great behind the wheel.
Even though there's not a lot of power on tap,
sharp steering and quick reflexes make them a gas,
and this course is designed to highlight those attributes.
Me first!
What?
Cheater.
Before we take off, remember to always drive defensively
on public roads and follow all traffic laws.
If you are going to race, only do so on closed courses
and wear proper protection, and make
sure your driving doesn't violate your warranty.
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Three, two, one, go.
Oh, there we go.
A little faster.
OK.
OK, here we go.
Got to beat Elana.
Step on it.
Let's go, little Golf, and brake.
Oh.
Woo.
Ryan, you got a 29.49.
Good job.
Well, that was just as much fun as we were hoping.
The first thing I noticed right off the line
is that the Golf has a punchy turbo-charged engine,
and you can really feel the power coming on even
at these low speeds.
Another thing is that in the Golf, smooth equals fast.
It doesn't really like jerky inputs on the wheel,
but if you can stay smooth, it will carry a lot of speed.
And then finally, there's a lot of stopping power
in these brakes.
There's really a lot of performance
as a whole in this little Golf.
And if you need more than that, there's always GTI.
Here we go.
Three, two, one, go.
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Oh, this thing is moving.
Hey, Elana, you got a 26.24.
Very good.
You beat Ryan.
The S is proper quick.
The power comes on just a smidge after you floor it,
and then it really kicks.
There are a couple of driving modes,
and the sports setting combined with the manual shifter
is perfect for an autocross course like this one.
The nice thing about this car is that it's
a perfectly comfortable street ride when you aren't
hauling butt around corners.
So the MINI wins here.
The Golf is lots of fun but not as quick, a little more
measured.
The MINI's steering feels thrilling and direct,
and the acceleration is really impressive.
You could get even more power in a John Cooper Works version,
but the S deserves its sporty designation.
Now let's break down the Golf from the interior.
You may have noticed that the Golf is quite
a bit larger than that MINI.
If they were coins, the Golf would be quarter-sized,
and the MINI would be more dime-sized. (HIGH VOICE)
I'm a MINI.
I'm so tiny.
(SPEAKING) That leaves a lot more room in here
to move around and get comfortable.
Now this is still an affordable car,
so you can expect to find some harder plastics
throughout the interior.
But where it counts, the Golf is much more comfortable,
like these soft door panels or the leather steering wheel.
I also like how the overall design lends the Golf
a certain sporty European charm to it,
and I especially love how these controls are
super easy to reach and use.
This Golf has a 6.5 inch touch screen, which has aged OK.
More importantly, you get standard Apple CarPlay
and Android Auto, features that we love.
All this technology really rounds out
the sophisticated cabin.
Oh my gosh.
Everything is adorable in here.
I can't wait to show you all my favorite bits,
but first, we should address the elephant in the room
or, more realistically, the elephant outside the car
because there's no way an elephant would fit in here
because it is very small.
I fit fine in here obviously, and I did have Ryan sit here.
So I can tell you that both tall and short people
are OK in the front seat, not so much in the back seat.
Why are we doing this again?
And the cargo area, like, cannot compete with the Golf.
With that out of the way, I pretty much
love everything else about the MINI interior.
MINI is just so distinctive.
You always know that it's a MINI if you see one going by.
You can tell from the outside, and it's
the same on the inside.
It has this, like, classic, round shape in the center
stack instead of having the more traditional stacked stuff here,
and that shape is just repeated all the way
through the interior.
And it just gives it--
I don't know.
It just looks really well-designed,
and it's fun to use.
This screen is just six and a half inches,
and it's not a touch screen.
It's controlled with this knob down here.
It works fine.
Although, it feels a little old fashioned if you're already
used to a touch screen.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available until 2019,
so think about that if you're shopping.
And this car does not have a backup camera
it does have a bright red glowing Start/Stop
button though, and so I will forgive it for everything else.
I hate to admit it, but the MINI wins again.
The Golf is refined for its price,
but it's also far more reserved.
The MINI just has so much personality.
It's got excellent materials, but it doesn't take itself
too seriously.
It's a genuinely fun experience every time
you climb inside, unless you're six foot tall and trying
to get in the back.
OK, spoiler alert, let's see where the Golf can actually
come out on top.
Sure, these are tiny cars, but take a look
at the different ways they approach storage.
The Golf has an easy liftgate and really good vertical space.
Plus, when you fold down the rear seats,
it creates a lot of depth and impressive cargo capacity.
Here's what a six foot surfboard looks like inside.
Hatch closes nice and easy.
What have you got, Elana?
Pop the hatch on the MINI, and it is pretty obvious
that, especially in the two door,
you are not going to fit a surfboard in there.
Maybe a boogie board.
It's not all bad news though.
Look at all of this room.
This is one of the great things about hatchbacks in general.
You got a lot of space to pile stuff up.
So if you had to carry, say, 50 pies somewhere, no problem.
If I were a pie delivery person who worked in a pie store,
I could carry a lot of pie in this car.
Oh, I wish I had some pie.
OK, so the Golf definitely wins the round.
The MINI is pretty usable, but it just
can't compete with the little Golf's big interior.
One of the main reasons the Golf has
been among our highest-rated vehicles
for years, clever packaging pays off
when you have occasional moving or hauling needs.
The Golf is the best combination of fun, space, and price
you'll find.
They may be small, but hatchbacks,
like the Volkswagen Golf and the MINI Cooper,
pack a lot of style and practicality
into their fun-sized packages.
Whether you want a two door, four door, convertible,
or coupe, a coupe cruiser, or hair-raising performance,
we are certain that there is a hatchback out there that's
perfect for you.
For the ultimate in hatchback practicality,
check out the Volkswagen Golf, and for style and personality
to spare, you won't want to miss the MINI Cooper.
Which is your choice, and which one
would you pick up that we didn't include here today?
Let us know in the comments below.
If you liked this video, click like, and subscribe for more.
Let us know in the comments what your favorite small car is
and what your favorite flavor of pie is.
This one survived.
I think it's lemon meringue.
If you want an in-depth article about both the cars
in this video and their competitors,
click the link below.
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