Manual golf VS automatic mustang isn't exactly a fair fight

No one buys a Mustang for interior quality, space, or interior details. It is the engine. Still miss mine.

DSG makes a huge difference compared to the manual gearbox...

For the money the Mustang is hard to beat. The V8 sound is unmistakable

The mustang has 100hp more and a 10 spd auto transmission. Would have been better if the VW had a DSG trans.

The slow mo launch with the Mustang was just beautiful.

I didn't buy a mustang thinking someone was going to sit in the back ! Buy your own!

Auto against 6 speed, where is the DSG not a fair race.

$46k for a golf. Never thought i would see that.

What's really crazy is that $46K is now considered a "lower" cost car. Compare Consumer Price Inflation/Index before Jan 2020 to today. They are two different worlds. Maybe we should send another $100B to Ukraine and I say this as someone who happens to be 50% Ukranian. Great job guys...!

The DSG in the VW 'R' would have been a better choice.

The 24 mustang is sharp! Looks great and drives great 💪🏻

Everyone complaining about the comparison between two very different cars needs to understand a company life TFL does’t have a budget of Top Gear so they need to make content with what they have. I’m sure they’d love to have a DSG Golf but they might not have had the option. Great video as always guys I really enjoy your content. Cheers Pat🇦🇺

@5:30 It looks like FORD just glued a couple of tablets onto the Mustang dash😂

When I was younger, build quality was not a major concern or care of mine. As I get older, a balance of build quality and performance is something I consider more seriously.

Omg give the golf R a dsg and make it fair... The Dsg is amazing! Omg that guy can't drive a manual!

Man y'all making me want to buy another mustang 😅

Love the slo-mo at launch!

Nothing beats a V8 for the fun to drive.

The 5.0 with a six speed manual gear box is the way to go... fun to drive, fun to wake up the neighbors and reliable all day long... hell it even gets decent mileage.

16 SECOND QUARTER MILE IN A GOLF R U MUST BE JOKING, they normally run low 13 😳

My bone stock dsg Golf R ran 12.6 @ 108 down here in Phoenix which never gets good air and is at 1700’. How does it lose 4 freaking seconds going to Colorado?

Next race: Camaro ZL1 10 speed vs Mustang EcoBoost with a manual!

Wow you have to do a better comparison. First get a better driver for the Golf R if you are going to put a manual against the 10 speed auto Mustang. 16's is atrocious unless you are running in the stratosphere. That is just bad driving. Second comparing a 6 sp manual to 10 speed auto is too huge a difference for any kind of fair comparison. Compare auto to DSG and manual to manual and you will see much closer races.

Can we get a redo with the DSG Golf R? It would be good to see the difference. I know everyone else is complaining but it’s fair to say it’ll be a successful video after all 😂

Loved that Slow-mo at the beginning of the drag race😍

I don't care the performance, it can be the last car, but the sound of the Mustang gives goosebumps; that's enough for me to buy that car, although the interior is questionable. I don't like any electric cars, not even hybrid ones. Thanks for the video.

The backseat is actually fairly usable, my kids when they were young loved them. My opinion, it's clear Ford put an effort into making the rear seat usable. The Mustang is appointed with one of the better 2+2 rear seats that can be found. Say what you want about that VW, at a quick glance it could be one of 20 different cars. At a glance a Mustang is instantly recognized. There comes a time when you no longer want a 4 door car, buying a sports car makes a statement in your life. For those in that market; a Mustang is very hard to dismiss. It's hard to say that the shear competence of the Mustang hasn't forced BMW to significantly increase their game with the BMW M cars. Here's your decision maker when comparing a M2/3/4 vs. a Mustang, sure the BMW is a quicker, it's nicer on the inside, however you know with zero doubt, you're gonna be dumping money into that M car to keep it on the road and out of the shop. A Mustang on the other hand is built to drive to hell and back as if were any other day.

you lost me as soon as you guy showed the vw with the manual transmission (REALLY?) , with a DSG the vw should be able to at least make this video interesting to watch , race the two cars with the same transmission (auto or manual) , is that so difficult???

Any car buyers looking for a new car probably wont line up a VW Golf, a Benz and a Mustang as a choice. These cars are targeted at different markets. Gotta luv the v8 though. There is no replacement for displacement, no substitute for cubic inches. Sadly, Mustang is the last v8 left in the market now, its all there is, and its days are almost certainly numbered, for now at least. Mustang is a much simpler car technically, service and repair costs will be much higher with the German cars, they are technically more complicated.

Let’s remember commenters, the Mustang is on All Seasons and the Golf is on Pilot Sport tires. Get a driver with a redline clutch drop and it would have done better but would still lose in the end.

An automatic Golf R might have still lost, but the outcome would likely have been tighter. As for a manual Mustang versus a DSG Golf R, it's hard to determine which would come out on top. Perhaps that match-up might be for another day.

Worst launch I’ve ever seen on an AWD car

What amazes me is 46000 for a GOLF!!!

Pretty close, actually considering the power difference. Both great cars! Nice to still have some good IC performance car choices at the moment.

Doesn't the guy driving the Mercedes know how to brake boost?

I think this is a great comparison! Because I have shopped these two vehicles like you have them! The mustang with the automatic so it could be more controllable for my wife and the comparison of the all-wheel drive with the manual to add a little bit more stability while having a little bit more fun with the manual transmission!

I would be happy having any of these cars cuz they are all a bit of fun and also functional

Everyone complaining about manual vs automatic. When the turbo and awd also play a hige factor, especially at that elevation.

Bruh yall tripping down here, the comparison is just for fun. Out of curiosity, yall getting ur feelings hurt

As someone who owns a 24 Mustang GT premium 6MT IF you can only afford/have 1 vehicle Golf R is easily the better choice. However if you have a daily and a second "fun/weekend" car Mustang with a Manual in my opinion is by far the better option....and yes the 10speed is faster but the 6MT again in my opinion is "funner" to drive.

Tfl how about adding salom course to these reviews to test handling . Or put them on a track and with the stig . Speaking of which we haven't seen the stig for a while??

The slow motion of the Mustang off the line was incredible!

I’m surprised the VW is only 350# lighter than the Mustang.

these newer mustangs really do surprise, all and all neat race, Ty for sharing.

We need the 7-speed DSG dual clutch Golf R.

Does the GT Premium have a better interior?

My take, the Mustang for weekend fun,and the VW for the daily driver family car. The Mercedes while it has a Pretty interior, for some reason doesn't appeal to me enough to spend that much on.

More random car races like this. Different than other channels. I dig it.

Base GT. Get in a GT Premium if you want the premium comfort features. That’s why different models exist. Don’t think it’s fair to criticize the quality of an interior base model of any car. It’s a base model for a reason lol.

Coming from the Elantra N, I can't help but love my new s650 Mustang GT. Coming from that Hyundai Ecobox, the interior of my base GT is still a pretty decent upgrade. (far less creaky plastic)

I would be okay with comparison of mustang v8 manual vs Accord 2T auto (tunned if you can)

Carwow ran the new Golf R at 12.8 in the 1/4 on an un-prepped surface. Fastest I've seen the new Mustang do was 12.9 and that was with street drags in the rear and at an actual drag strip. Granted the VW was the DSG model. Thus it will beat the Mustang.

The Golf R DSG shifts so fast that in my experience you will pull away from any automatic slushbox. it would be a totally different story if both cars were autos. In my country Australia, you can't buy a Golf R Manual anymore. They are ALL DSG's. Plus there is no launch control feature on the manual. This is just an unfair comparison.

Mustang 💪

They always get the manual Golf R... The DSG is so much faster for these kinds of races.

Great shot, on launch, in slow motion, showing the rear suspension load up

There's just something about the sound and feel of a good old-fashioned American V8

I think the “dual screen” interior of the mustang looks better than the one large premium screen

Good comparison among two poplar choices, although not equally matched, but that is fine... you are showing them for what they are and what the possibilities may be for daily real world use...The track bragging rights stuff is chest pounding cool, but getting up at 7 am driving to work and those daily navigations make much more sense. I still think both are amazing, but the Mustang could really be better for that if they would simply remove the back seat and create a quality space back there for general/practical storage for the day-to-day. At $46k they may be affordable muscle type vehicles, but for a daily driver, that price is just not going to work for me. Comfort and fuel mileage are my premium choice.

They kept on talking “usability”, what they should be comparing is “functionality”. Sure you can “use” a bucket to bail out your flooded boat, but a pump is far more functional.

Guy sucks at manual first of all, way different hearing between dsg and 6 speed. Golf r will smoke the mustang in almost all daily activities. A simple tune (vw are known for) will make this beat the mustang in its straight line also. 🙏

Not only it wasn't a fair comparison, the guy in the Golf and C43 didn't know how to launch the cars properly.

DSG golf r vs the mustang would tell a much different story. Owning the Golf is also a much better decision unless you are going to dump a lot of money into the mustang.

This test isn't fair if you put at manual Golf R vs an Automatic Mustang. The DSG makes a huge difference in the performance of that vehicle. Please redo this test with a DSG Golf R.

You pick the fastest version of the mustang with the 10 speed auto against the golf r in its slowest version in a manual. Line the stang up beside a golf r with a dsg and launch control and see what the outcome is.

I love the mustang gt I really do, I now have a golf R manual and will go back to a mustang at a later time bought it because it was the last of the manuals. The golf R traction control is very restrictive and combine that with slow shift I understand why they did a 16sec 1/4 mile. There is no way with the traction control off and in special mode that you would have done a 16s 1/4 even at that elevation hell a regular civic can do that. You need to launch that thing at 5k and shift it like you mean it. They will do low 13 high 12 the golf R engine is underrated will put about 30x hp at the wheels while the mustang will be around 390 just an fyi. Also the mustang traction control is way way less restrictive will still spin the tires under full acceleration.

As others have said, you should've raced the Mustang against the DSG Golf R.

If your driver is running a 16 sec 1/4 time in a brand new golf R, you need a new driver. Not to mention, no testing is ever done on only one run. Not saying the mustang wouldn't still take it from a dig, but with a 12.6 @ 110mph being the official release numbers, try a new driver.

The CT4-V Blackwing would have been a better competitor. 472HP/445LB FT, 3900LBS. These videos never include this highly underrated car. I strongly feel it would take the Mustang. I have the CT4 but have not had a chance to dangle my blackwing badge in from of one.

That AWD "launch" was something to behold...not in a good way either 😂 16 seconds is absolutely pathetic in a MK8 R

The M240i XDrive would be the perfect competition. It’s a 2 door coupe.

What happened to all the old timers saying stick shift is better,automatics are so much more advanced now

That C43 with the 4 banger should not have an "AMG" badge. Mercedes has diluted the AMG name by putting it on everything. Can't even make it sound like an AMG anymore.

The golf r stock is decent but you gotta tune and wake it up to truly get it to where it should be,these things can reach 400-600hp

Coyote + TT = Supa quick. The current king of proven street legal cars is Brett Lasalas 6.26 @ 227mph oe cast Coyote Mustang. Boom

For the money these things cost, I'd still rather get a used 08 C6 Z06, then take what cash is left to fix the heads for a solid 500+whp American Sports Car.

Type R vs mustang V8. Then the Corolla GR vs mustang V8. And now the Golf R vs mustang V8.... What's the point here? Miles per gallon vs miles per smiles!?! Ecoboost mustang would have made way more sense.

I really want to see the Golf R with the DSG race the Mustang PLEASE redo this test with the DSG Golf R!

$46k for Telsa Model 3 Performance. 0-60 2.9 1/4 mile 11.5 sec and usable back seats. Not too hard pressed to find a better performance car. This coming from a die hard Mustang fan.

If you are going to do a roll race. Do not cheat and handicap the mustang. The proper thing to do was to do a 30 roll and then a 60 roll. The AMG had a huge advantage because it was closer to its power band due to the turbos being able spool up in the lower RPM band and at a lower speed and it had and electric motor. There was enough time to do a 60 roll just for fun and to be fair by not handicapping the stang. Turbo car at a low speed vs and NA car is unfair lol. The turbo will dart out and the NA needs to build power up and catch up initially. The stang live in the high RPM band and does not have low end power like that. It eats up top just like the turbos eat down low and in the mid RPM band

I love a Mustang with a Coyote and 6-speed manual, but the Golf R with 6-speed manual is more my style.

that golf is 12.5 seconds 1/4 miles. You managed 16 seconds, good test :D

Mustangs with the track options are good for drag racing and taking corners.

A manual golf R in the USA of all places. Must have really gone out of their way to get a manual golf R for the comparison. Their are no mk 8 Golf R manuals for sale in the UK where most people drive manuals.

Mustang for me, but I don't live in the US, here in rural France, the back roads are narrow so it's the VW or a small Ford!

I don't believe anyone is cross shopping these cars with a C43... to be honest I don't think anyone is shopping for a C43

I'm surprised the mustang ran that quick at altitude. Your partner needs to go drag racing school. The golf r with 97 mph trap speed and all wheel drive should run low 14's. Thanks for the video.

I can't believe you're actually running a comparison between a glorified 2.0L turbo'd engine against the venerable Mustang 5.0L. I don't know many Mustang owners who don't immediately add power adders, aftermarket or performance parts etc.. It's so easy to add an additional 200 - 300+ hp to the Mustang and that's why people buy them. Heck even my pristine 18 yr old Kenne Bell 2006 Mustang GT would destroy a stock 2024 Mustang in a straight line or a road course with all the mods I've added to mine. I've even embarrassed Ferraris, Maserati's, C7 Corvettes, Scat Pack Chargers and even a few EV's and Tesla's in my old $9500 jalopy. I get that you're comparing stock vs stock at the same price range, but this really is an apples to oranges comparison. But what I'm saying is, the aftermarket is so huge for Mustangs that you would be hard pressed to even find a stock Mustang on the roads these days.

Rigged, they know of the Dsg, these are American muscle fan boys. I like both but this is an unfair fight. On the move, yeah 400+hp V8 all day

Great video!!

Doing the math and everything relatively running perfectly with each car , the Mustang was gonna beat the VW.

Golf has 320 hp and manual gearbox and mustang has 480 hp and autobox. Golf is fast for what it is.

Where is the dsg gearbox to keep things fairer And maybe a driver swap haha ! Bit of a wasted exercise otherwise without a fair match up

I would definitely rather the golf R , it's way more value for money and it beats the mustang in a lot of other areas for sure.

TFL needs a road course with actual curves. Drag racing is fun, but there is a lot more to being a great sports car than going fast in a straight line. On the cars, give me a manual any day in a sports car. Automatics just take the fun and skill out of driving.

My favorite part half the comparison races are against mustangs. I guess mustangs are the standard. If you can beat it, you're considered fast

What about the R vs the AMG? They seem like they'd be a good match due to power/weight ratios.

The mustang just makes the most sense. That golf is the size of a mini cooper with a 4cyl engine, compared to a v8 heavier car for same price???? The mercedes is complex but still not worth $72,000. More like $5ok

Really need to do this again with a dsg golf r