2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, part of the W213 generation, debuted in 2017 with a design shift from the sharper angles of the W212 to the fluid, curvier forms seen in the S-Class and C-Class. Mercedes' chief designer Gorden Wagener described this theme as "sensual purity." The 2021 model introduced a slightly edgier front with squinted headlights and an inverted trapezoid grille, while the rear resembled the W212 with horizontal taillights cutting into the trunk lid. New bumpers, exhaust tips, and wheels were the major changes, maintaining the E-Class's elegant and handsome appearance across its sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible variants.

The standing hood ornament on the sedans and wagons was discontinued, a classic Mercedes look that was replaced by a giant star emblem in the grille, especially popular among buyers. The AMG models featured vertical grille slats, making the big star emblem appropriate for their performance. The E-Class's interior was a luxurious space with rich woods, aluminum, carbon fiber, and intricate details like metal speaker grilles and elaborate stitching. The 2021 model introduced two 12-inch screens with a standard digital display, new steering wheels, and an unmatched interior for its price.

The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI, a hot hatch icon since its 1983 debut as the "Volkswagen Rabbit GTI," continued to define the genre with its seventh generation ending in 2021. The GTI shared the basics with the regular Golf but featured subtle enhancements like red GTI badges, a red horizontal strip on the grille, painted brake calipers, and standard 18-inch alloy wheels. LED fog lamps, gloss black side mirrors, and a small gloss black lip spoiler completed the look. The GTI was lowered by 0.6 inches compared to the regular Golf, with subtle side skirts and stainless-steel exhaust tips.

Inside, the GTI built on the Golf's already good foundation with sporty touches like red ambient lighting, a black headliner, and a race-inspired flat-bottomed steering wheel with red stitching. The instrument cluster was unique to the GTI, and the foot pedals had a shiny aluminum-look surface. Heated front sport seats were standard, with Clark plaid cloth in the S trim and leather in the SE and Autobahn trims. The GTI's interior materials and surfaces were high-quality and well-installed, maintaining a quality feel inside and out.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class saw a significant change with the switch from conventional V6 engines to electrified inline-six powertrains for the E450 model, making it a hybrid. The E450's 3.0-liter I6 engine, with a single turbo and a 48-volt electrical system, produced 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, with an additional 21 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque available from the electric starter-generator. The base E350's 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, without hybrid assist, produced 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, but was underwhelming for a luxury car.

The AMG E53 model added a second turbo, powered by the 48-volt battery, to the E450's engine, producing 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque. The AMG E63 S, with a hand-built 4.0-liter V8 engine, produced 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, making it a high-performance variant with features like a variable-rate air suspension and rear-biased all-wheel drive. Fuel economy for the E-Class varied, with the E450 4Matic and E350 4Matic sedans returning 26 and 25 mpg combined, respectively, while the AMG models had lower fuel economy.

The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI, known for its performance, featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The GTI's handling was a highlight, with four-wheel independent suspension, variable-ratio steering, and Golf R front brakes. The Autobahn model came with DCC adaptive damping, enhancing its performance on the right road or track. However, the performance-oriented handling setup resulted in a rough ride on ordinary roads.

The GTI's engine was paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, with the latter being an $800 option. The GTI's fuel economy was 23 mpg city/30 mpg highway/26 mpg combined with the manual transmission and 24 mpg city/32 mpg highway/27 mpg combined with the dual-clutch transmission. The GTI required regular unleaded fuel but achieved its best performance with premium unleaded.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured a redesigned infotainment system with a touchscreen, making everyday tasks easier. The cabin was spacious for four adults, with ample headroom and legroom, supportive cushions, and knee cutouts on the seatbacks. The sedan offered 13 cubic feet of trunk space, while the coupe and convertible had 10 cubic feet or less with the roof down. The wagon variant provided 35 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 64 cubic feet with the seats folded. The E450 All-Terrain wagon added ground clearance and plastic body cladding for a more rugged look.

The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI, with its hatchback form, was incredibly useful for carrying passengers and cargo. It had a 103.6-inch wheelbase, 60.6-inch front track, 59.7-inch rear track, and measured 168.0 inches long, 70.8 inches wide, and 57.8 inches tall. The GTI offered 17.4 cubic feet of luggage space behind the rear seats, expandable to 24.8 cubic feet with the seats folded. The front row was comfortable for taller drivers, while the second row was adequate for two average-sized adults or three juveniles. The GTI's compact dimensions and sharp steering made it easy to maneuver in tight spaces.

Inside, the GTI featured clever storage options, including large front door pockets, center console cupholders, and a mechanical handbrake. The handbrake, while a bit of a throwback, added to the GTI's sporty feel. The cabin's simple yet functional design made it a practical choice for everyday use.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class introduced the MBUX infotainment system with a touchscreen interface, better-organized menus, and natural voice processing. The system included features like live camera feeds with overlay arrows, massaging seats, and seat kinetics. While Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, they were not wireless. Optional driving assists allowed for limited autonomous driving, and the instrument cluster offered customizable displays.

The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI featured the VW MIB touchscreen infotainment system, with the S trim using the MIB2 system with a 6.5-inch screen and the SE and Autobahn trims using the MIB3 system with an 8-inch screen and navigation. The MIB touchscreens supported tablet-like gesture controls and capacitive-touch sensors. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorLink were standard, along with Bluetooth hands-free and streaming audio. The SE trim included a three-month trial to SiriusXM with 360L. Volkswagen Car-Net offered remote access, safe and secure features, and hotspot portals, with Amazon Alexa integration.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and was rated a "Top Safety Pick+" by the IIHS. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking, a driver-attention monitor, and blind-spot monitoring. Optional features included rear side airbags and advanced driver-assist systems.

The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI also received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and top "Good" scores from the IIHS, except for an "Acceptable" score in the small overlap front passenger side test and a "Poor" rating for the base Halogen headlights. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Autobahn trim added adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and park assist.