A250e vs Golf 8 GTE - Page 1 - Car Buying

Original Poster

6,781 posts

206 months

Wednesday

Has anyone got experience of driving both a Golf GTE (Mk8 2020-24sh) and a Mercedes A250e, please?

I'm shopping for ideas to replace my daily driver. It doesn't need to be amazing but a bit of joy would be helpful.

I was looking at Polo GTIs when I've noticed I can get a newer Golf Mk8 GTE for the same money (18-20k). I don't drive many miles but winter early starts are frequent so a preconditioned cabin would be a nice eay to start the working day. A round trip to work is pretty much 20 miles.

I need to do the occasional longer trip which would make a BMW i3 impractical. Other electric cars at that budget aren't inspiring me.
(Any options need to have rear doors but don't need to be very big.)

I'm expecting the GTE to be nicer than the Merc. I'm realistic that it won't be like a Golf GTI though a bit of fun would be nice. I'm anticipating that a complex PHEV drivetrain will go wrong a bit more often than a petrol one but I hope the fuel savings will mitigate that.

I'm coming from a 2013 petrol Octavia vRS estate if that helps people. Life is very different from when I bought it 10 years ago and I don't need the cargo space nor size any more.

Thanks for any help which you're able to offer.

Original Poster

6,781 posts

206 months

Friday

Bump?

30,345 posts

152 months

Friday

They're both decent daily's if you go for the A Class then look for Premium Plus spec ones:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202606293...

C200h:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202604011...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202603140...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202601038...

Original Poster

6,781 posts

206 months

06:40

Thanks.
I'm interested to know which might be a bit more fun for a daily.

I mean, I know neither will be a Fiesta ST in terms of giggles but not completely giving up on some fun would be nice if I can.

Belle427

11,644 posts

260 months

07:01

Any reason you wont consider a MK 7.5 Golf GTI, with your mileage it wont be that expensive to run?

30,345 posts

152 months

08:10

blearyeyedboy said:

Original Poster

6,781 posts

206 months

09:14

Fair question.

My use has changed and I see my current car only getting warmed up a good chunk into the journey. I still do a few (200 mile) longer trips which would make an EV a pain. My wife is keen on a car with a lower carbon footprint, which sways things a bit too.

And I like the idea of a preconditioned cabin and bot having to spend the first bit of a January commute scraping ice off. hehe

If an i3S were slightly bigger with a slightly longer range, it'd be a good shout.

I'm a contrary sod though, and I keep looking at Polo GTIs... rotate

Original Poster

6,781 posts

206 months

09:24

You are tempting me with full fat options though! biggrin

Rear doors essential. I'm not keen on the MB 2 litre; I've read a lot of horror stories.

Belle427

11,644 posts

260 months

09:44

Not sure if any of the hot hatch manufacturers use heated screens but they can be a game changer in bad winters, cabins do warm up pretty quickly on petrol engines though to be fair.
Not helping much am I!

30,345 posts

152 months

09:47

Have to say from personal experience the MB 2.0t is no better or worse than any other out there, out of all the engines in the A Class line up the 2.0t is the only one I'd buy.

The A250 is the middle ground but they're more rare & I don't think there're are any advantages compared to buying an A35:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202605012...

The hot hatches make a lot of sense vs a mild hybrid, also you do know that you can precondition the cabin on the A35 wink

georgeyboy12345

4,528 posts

62 months

10:38

If going for a mk8 GTE (or mk8 any Golf model for that matter), go for a late 2023 or later as these had the better infotainment systems that were less prone to freezing.

As an alternative strategy, get the best condition, lowest mileage mk7.5 Golf GTE you can. The only drawback with these was that they didn’t have heated steering wheels.

Also, consider offerings from Audi, Seat, Cupra and even Skoda as they are many that share the same platform as the Golf GTE.

I can’t comment on the A250e, but would be interested to hear if anyone has experience of them. I have heard the hybrid system isn’t as nice as the VW group offering as it doesn’t have the glide feature.

Original Poster

6,781 posts

206 months

11:00

^ Thanks all, that's helpful.

I love the idea of driving an A35 but I'd be constantly afraid of a cylinder head failure:
https://www.aclassclub.co.uk/threads/amg-a35-new-c...

I'll have a think, thanks all.

30,345 posts

152 months

11:35

blearyeyedboy said:

The MK8 also come with preconditioning but it has to be spec'd.

Go to a dealer & test drive the GTE/GTI back to back, I think that will give you the answers you're looking for.

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Sunday 5th July 11:37

T1547

1,227 posts

161 months

16:22

I have a 2024 GLA 250e as a company car. Fun is definitely not the word I would use to describe it, particularly the engine. The handling of the car is actually surprisingly better than the engine but definitely still not fun. It is a tool for transporting me and wife and son and looks quite smart. Wouldn’t recommend it for any other reason.

maz8062

3,844 posts

242 months