This time, the team at Carwow brought three diesel hatches and estates to race each other. The competitors were the Volkswagen Golf GTD, the Skoda Octavia vRS, and the BMW 120d. Heading into the race, the Golf GTD held the advantage over the others with strong specs and the lightest weight. But, will it be the same on the drag strip?

The Golf GTD Has The Best Power-To-Weight Ratio

The Golf GTD and the Skoda Octavia are powered by the same 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that puts out 200 horses and 295 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Both of them also come with launch control. However, the Octavia is 139 pounds heavier than the 3,229-pound VW Golf GTD.

The BMW 120d is pretty much the same in terms of specs. It also features a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that churns out 295 pound-feet of torque, but 10 horses fewer than the Volkswagen cousins. Unlike the dual-clutch automatics of the Golf and the Octavia, the 120d features a torque converter. It doesn’t come with launch control. It is just 22 pounds heavier than the Golf GTD.

The BMW 120d Doesn’t Hold A Candle Against The Golf And The Octavia

The three cars faced each other in a couple of drag races, rolling races, and a brake test. The Golf GTD beat its rivals convincingly in both the drag races. Considering it had the best power-to-weight ratio, the result was expected. But, what’s more surprising is how the BMW lagged behind. Yes, it doesn’t have launch control and the shifts aren’t as lightning quick as the dual-clutch automatics of the other two, but that was quite slow at the end.

The rolling races were a little better for the Bavarian, but it couldn’t garner a single win. Started from 50 mph in different drive modes, the 120d started well but couldn’t hold on. In the end, it was VW vs Skoda, and the former won both times. The final test was to which car would stop at the shortest distance from 70 mph, and the Golf GTD won this too, followed by the 120d and the Octavia. All-in-all, the Golf GTD won 5-0 against the two.

If you had to pick one of these cars as your daily driver, which one would it be? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.