The new Mercedes-AMG A35 represents a very welcome expansion for the AMG brand but the new player from Stuttgart enters a segment with very strong rivals. And none of them is stronger than the VW Golf R.

Pistonheads is bringing the two hot hatches together in order to find out if the new Mercedes-AMG A35 is the one that will finally beat the VW Golf R.

For the past half of a decade the VW Golf R has been the undisputed king of the everyday hot hatches, the ones that won’t break your spine if you choose to daily them but still offer supercar-humbling performance on a twisty road with a dedicated driver behind the wheel.

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The fastest Golf available from the factory displays a very wide range of abilities, being effortless in daily commutes and pretty unstoppable on a b-road no matter the weather. The all-wheel drive makes sure that every last one of its 296hp will hit the tarmac, the steering is accurate and the chassis shows a talent that simply makes the driver smile every time.

The most powerful A-Class this side of an A45 comes with a very similar powertrain, offering more or less the same power figures with the Golf. Compared to its rival, the A35 comes with a more characterful engine but the differences are smaller than you might think.

However, the Mercedes does need the optional adaptive suspension in order to offer the same composure with the Golf R on a badly surfaced b-road. Still though, the two rivals are quite closely matched, according to Dan Prosser.

So, which one of the two takes the cake? Let’s watch the video and find out.