IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT 2020 is a year Marty McFly would never input into a time machine. Right now, the world is in desperate need of a bit of fun and if any new car segment is ripe for the challenge, it’s the diminutive hot hatch class. Its remit is to excite and delight in all facets, whether you’re grimly hanging on at ten-tenths or hanging on grimly to the last bottle of hand sanitiser on your way home from Coles. This trio, then, could be the perfect antidote to the doom and gloom.
If you’re going to be so fashionably late that you almost miss the entire party, then you had better bring the goods. Luckily for Ford Australia, the $32,290 Fiesta ST does just that and more. Wheels first drove this second-generation car on European roads two years ago, so the waiting game has been a long one for Aussies. But at least it has all the ingredients for success; a thrummy three-cylinder turbo with 147kW/290Nm, a trick mechanical limited-slip differential and a six-speed manual.
We’re pitting it against the ‘honey I shrunk the Golf’ Mk6 Polo GTI. Now flush with MQB underpinnings, the $32,490 Volkswagen is the most expensive of this trio by a few hundred dollars, but factor in the $7300 worth of options fitted to our test car and that number blows out significantly. Still, it feels premium thanks to a beautifully appointed and tech-rich cabin, and its proven EA888 2.0-litre boasts the highest outputs at 147kW/320Nm. A six-speed dual-clutch is the only gearbox available Down Under.
This story is from the July 2020 edition of Wheels Australia Magazine.
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This story is from the July 2020 edition of Wheels Australia Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
ROUGH DIAMONDS
GO OUT AND SEE AUSTRALIA. BUY ONE OF THESE AND YOU'LL MAKE IT HOME TOO
WORK IN PROGRESS
WHEN YOUR LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON IT, DON'T TAKE ANY CHANCES
RABID RESPONSE
EVEN IF YOU'RE PULLING IN THE FINANCIAL HORNS, YOU WON'T NEED TO COMPROMISE ON FUN
PREMIUM BLEND
HERE'S HOW TO ENJOY CHAMPAGNE ON A VAGUELY BEERY BUDGET
GO LARGE, SAVE BIG
WE BRING YOU A SELECTION OF LARGE FAMILY SUVS THAT ARE UNLIKELY TO BREAK THE BANK
MIDDLE CLASS
THE AUSSIE FAMILY DREAM USED TO BE A QUARTER ACRE AND A PICKET FENCE. NOW IT'S A LITTLE MORE MODEST
SHORTY AWARDS
VALUE FOR MONEY CAN BE A RARE COMMODITY AMONG SMALL SUVS. HERE ARE THREE THAT ANSWER THE CALL
MID SIZE MAX VALUE
THE MEDIUM RANGE SECTOR IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF GETTING ALOT OF CAR FOR YOUR DOLLAR
HATCH MATCH
WANT A HATCH THAT'LL PUT A SMILE ON YOUR DIAL SECOND TIME ROUND? TRY THESE...
MODE ΤΟ ΤΟΥ
PORSCHE'S LATEST HOT 911 IS THE NEW FRONTIER FOR ON-THEFLY CHASSIS ADJUSTABILITY, OFFERING THE DRIVER A WORLD OF CONFIGURATION - BUT IS IT WORTH THE HASSLE?
