Two of the best hatchbacks you can get, both in their 1.6lt versions.
Both promise very good and sporty driving whenever you need to.
The Alfa goes more for design and styling while the Golf goes more for quality of materials and "solid" feel. They got both powerful engines.

Alfa Romeo 147:

1.6lt I-4
120 HP @ 6200 rpm
14.9 kgm @ 4200 rpm
FWD
Top speed 195 km/h
0-100 km/h: 10.6"
1200 kg
Strong points: design, engine, engine sound, feels sporty

Pics for the alfa:

http://www.kfztech.de/images/auto/alfa147.jpg
http://ma147.free.fr/img/les147/Alfa%20147.jpg
http://www.tombraiders.it/public/147zen2.jpg
http://doumenis.50megs.com/alfa147_files/interior.jpg
http://www.motosportcz.cz/img/Alfa_147.jpg
http://www.in.gr/auto/dokimes/pr_dokimes_in/AlfaRomeo_147_Selespeed/big/in_alfa_147_Selespeed_69.jpg

VW Golf:

1.6lt I-4, FSI (direct injection)
115 HP @ 6000 rpm
15.8 kgm @ 4000 rpm
FWD
Top speed 192 km/h
0-100 km/h: 10.8
1184 kg
Strong points: quality of materials, gearbox, feels solid, newer

Pics for the golf:

http://newsonline.svmedia.se/release/78/pics/jpeg1/Golf_V_snett_fran_hoger_BIG-a.jpg (HUGE pic)
http://www.rsportscars.ch/bilder/news/golf_5/golf_5_4.jpg
http://www.rsportscars.ch/bilder/news/golf_5/golf_5_2.jpg
http://www.lifecar.de/berichte/bilder/vw-golf-innen-02.jpg
http://irishcar.com/ICOimages/vwgolfwolfblid.jpg
http://www.1zu87.com/bilder/8484A.JPG

They both got almost the same price (~20k euro). Which one would you choose and why?

The Golf has a newer design and i like it very much.
I havnt been a fan of the 147 design since its arrival. If it was a 147 GTA, it might be a different answer.

I havnt driven either cars so i cant comment on the handling, performance...
based on looks alone. GOLF!!

Don't get the Alfa here :evil:
So the Golf.

You serious :?: , no 147s in Canada. Do you get the 156?

alfa romeo is better IMO
the new golf sucks

We don't get the any Alfa here.. shouldn't be too much of a suprise :P

Anyway, the Golf's design is much better, and I've lived with many Golf's in my life, so i do prefer them.

You serious :?: , no 147s in Canada. Do you get the 156?Nope.

Same as Dark_Hunter, can't get Alfa in the states, but I'd still take it if I could.

I added a poll, so please guys vote. :D

There is a little struggle going on inside me. Hart versus Mind. Mind says Golf, hart says 147. Wait a little while untill one of them wins :P (or maybe i can't, because my mind killed my hart... :roll:)

If the Alfa was available here, I’d still pick the Golf

Im allergic to VW's.

Alfa all the way, just gives off the misasma of a posher car

Ya' know, I gotta be serious for once, I can't stand "hot" hatches. Really, I'll own one and love it, but it's just an econobox that's professionally riced out. Sorry if I just ticked anyone off but I had to let it out in open. :?

Ok, now i am pissed. Lancia Delta Intergrale, Pug 205 GTi T16, Pug 306 GTi-6, Renault 5 Turbo Maxi and all the Cosworth Escorts. Case closed.

Yes, they're quick, but they're little tiny, sex-less styled boxes IMO, EMPHASIS ON MY OPINION. I'm not trying to say "you shouldn't like hot hatches because they suck" I'm saying I just don't really urge and yearn for one the way I do for a good RWD two door car. Be it the Mazda Miata, Pontiac Solstice, or all the way up to a Corvette.

If you were given the choice between a Pontiac Solstice, Mazdaspeed Miata, or any "hot hatch" in the near price range, I'm pretty sure you'd go for the rwd roadster.

I know I would, but that's just ME. So I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear. 8)

The only two reasons ppl (including me) look at hatchbacks are the following:

1. They can't afford a good 'RWD 2-door' (coupe). Hatches are always cheaper.
2. Sparse parking places --> you need small sized cars.

The 1st reason being the most important.

My next car will be a hatchback of this category, and it will probably me within the next year or so, that's why I'm making comparo topics like this one.

alfa romeo have serious reliability problems....the 147 is the worst in its segment for reliability and when i read a group test recently, they didnt even bother testing the alfa because apparently it was sooo much worse the 1 series/ golf/ focus...
im allergic to VW, especially the golf tho so ur brain would probably shoose the VW but the alfa looks nicer IMO
dnt rule out other hatches tho, megane, 307, the astra looks like a good car

You realllly need to shake off this 'alfa = unreliable' thing. That was true in the '70s and the '80s but not now, really. Friends have alfas for many years and they haven't faced a single problem. And btw, the 147 and 156 are some of the best driving and sportiest cars in their classes.

And I'll die before I get a french car. (no offence to anyone)

you'll die beofe you get a french car? u need to shake off the whole anti- french thing clearly. yeh i said what i sadi before wrongly, great cars in terms of driving and stlye, look at the GT for example but they often come near the bottom in reliability surveys...

Foresterfan, you're saying that an Alfa is unreliable and you suggest a French car. Here in the Netherlands French cars are well known for their unreliability, while Alfa has a better name now when it comes to reliability.
Here are the results from a survey from the Dutch Autoweek:

The top:
1 Lexus IS
2 Subaru Impreza
3 Honda Accord

The two Alfa's(the GT wasnt included yet)
26 Alfa Romeo 147
36 Alfa Romeo 156

The bottom of the list:
70 Opel Astra
71 Peugeot 307
72 Renault Megane
73 Seat Cordoba
74 Volkswagen Polo
75 Peugeot 206
76 Renault Laguna
77 Peugeot 306

Hot hatches are waaaaay cool. Even my lil 2.0 Focus is a great drive. So much feedback and even (am i really gona say this........................???) poise, makes you feel great, you can corner 10mph----20mph faster than people think while looking at the price and the FWD thingy. In psycho mode i can eat some 1.8T A4s and stuff on B roads. All for a great price.

Back on topic. Alfa for me, the sloopy roofline is great on that one. Also i don't know why even their 4 cyls sound so sweet.

mmyeh i never knew how unreliable renault were so i take them back but in my survey, vauxhall are in the top 10, and alfa are 5th bottom.

homepage of reliability website
http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk

Worst 10
http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/top10_worst.html?apc=31255524365024524

Best 10
http://www.reliabilityindex.co.uk/top10.html?apc=31255524365024524

getting off topic neway

What:eek: Audi is amongst the worst performers. That's BS

And may i ask how old that is. It doesn't even have an Alfa 147, or a Alfa 166:confused:

the reason audi is low is because the cost of serviicing is so high, it lowers their rank, im gessing but that is odd i agree
i think the survey is from early this year :O

the reason audi is low is because the cost of serviicing is so high, it lowers their rank, im gessing but that is odd i agree
i think the survey is from early this year :O


Also the troublesome 1.8T engine counts, thousands of VAG cars had to be recalled for that.

Now they have 2.0T, they need to do something about that old 1.9i TDi unit as well.

Now they have 2.0T, they need to do something about that old 1.9i TDi unit as well.
There already is a 2.0 TDi

My heart says Alfa Romeo 147 because I like the design more but the Golf works beater where I live. Italian car don’t work so good in the artic winter :)

I like better german styling. It's more simple and clean. You can difine the Golf's shape with just a couple of lines on a piece of paper. It looks elegant, agresive, and you can tell it's a german car. The 147 looks too overdone to me.
And I don't think that the 147 is as reliable as the Golf.