Vik is the Co-Founder and former Editor at MotorAuthority, a leading U.S. website covering performance and luxury cars. Since 2025, he has contributed to CarBuzz, blending his engineering background ...

When it comes to affordable compact sports cars, the VW group has always had several compelling entries to choose from in the VW Golf GTI, VW Golf R, and the Audi S3. Based on monikers alone, most ...

CONS ›› Looks a little basic, very expensive, cabin isn’t special In a market crowded with hyper hatches like the Audi RS3 and Mercedes-AMG A 45 S, it might seem like there’s little room or need for a ...

The Audi S3 and Volkswagen Golf GTI occupy similar territory on paper: compact, sporty hatchbacks that deliver engaging performance and everyday usability. But when you start comparing price tags, the ...

The Volkswagen Golf R stands above all other Golf variants in terms of performance and prestige. First introduced as the Golf R32 with a 3.2-liter narrow-angle VR6 engine and standard all-wheel drive, ...

There have always been different degrees of fast. Mercedes-AMG and BMW’s M division offer less potent models that slot between the mainstream ranges and the fire-breathing “full fat” versions—cars ...

The S3 is the middle-of-the-road model in the A3 range, slotted between the A3 and RS 3. Essentially a VW Golf R in a nice suit, the compact-sized model has plenty of things going for it, including ...