Best Small Car 2021: Driving performance

There is a standout ‘driver’s car’ among the nine contenders for carsales’ Best Small Car 2021, and that’s the newest one – the Mk8 Volkswagen Golf.

Although Volkswagen dropped the ball with the dull Golf 4, the German car-maker has led the way in terms of driving performance with every Golf since, and the Mk8 builds on that tradition.

As Sam Charlwood explained: “This hatchback continues to set the benchmark for small car dynamics, ably juggling refinement and comfort with a weighty handful of cornering finesse.

“The Golf 8 remains composed and controlled on all matter of road surfaces. It feels stable on B-grade roads and processional highway driving alike, unperturbed by crosswinds and big hills.

“The 1.4-litre turbo is a known quantity in this respect, and it continues to deliver useable torque and strong real-world efficiency with the introduction of the new eight-speed auto.”

Sharing much of its chassis and powertrain with the Golf, it’s no great surprise the Skoda Scala Signature places a close second in the driving performance pecking order.

The Scala might not have the spoilers, alloy pedals and other sporty bling found in abundance among our best small cars on test, but that doesn’t stop it from being a fine car to drive.

Tim Britten, for example, was impressed with its strong performance, excellent economy, proficient handling and “nicely-quick” steering.

“On the open road, nailing the accelerator brings a strong, smooth, relatively quiet surge that minimises the time spent passing slower traffic,” he said.

“The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is clearly efficient too, the only rider being its reluctance to deliver at low speeds unless the accelerator pedal is used determinedly. The standard paddle shifters are always there to help.”

Alexandra Lawrence added that “the hatchback’s ride is firm, with a sporty suspension feel, meaning it’s great for tackling twisting mountain passes and roads that encourage more enthusiastic driving”.

“However, larger potholes and bumps send a jolt through the cabin and can unsettle the Scala ever so slightly – although smaller road imperfections are taken in its stride.”

Fuel economy is an important consideration for most buyers, and the Scala comes out on top among the Best Small Car contenders with an official combined-cycle fuel consumption figure of 5.5L/100km.

This compares with the band of 6.0-7.0L/100km across most other models on test, with the thirstiest being the Subaru Impreza 2.0i-S with 7.2L/100km.

The Mazda3 G25 Astina was rated third for outright driving performance, delivering plenty in the engine department (without the turbo assistance found in the Golf, Scala and others) and finding an excellent balance between ride and handling.

“The 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine pairs up very nicely to the six-speed automatic transmission,” said Feann Torr. “The auto gearbox is generally very smooth but can also be decisive.

“Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and a Sport mode add extra control – they’re welcome, because this Mazda3 can be a lot of fun on a challenging, snaking road.

“The Mazda3’s powertrain won’t leave you floundering when you need to overtake traffic on the freeway or on country roads. The suspension is nicely sorted and while it has an energetic personality, it’s still a comfortable cruiser.”

The Kia Cerato GT is the top-shelf grade that has clear sporting pretensions and an Aussie suspension tune. The net result isn’t a performance Armageddon, but an accomplished, sporty all-rounder.

As Charlwood described it: “The Cerato GT is not quite a hot hatch, but it is an engaging and enjoyable drive. Loads of front-end grip and sure-footed handling stem from a combination of the large 18-inch alloy wheels, sticky Michelin rubber and multi-link rear suspension.

“It takes a large pothole or road imperfection to really unsettle the Cerato GT and its fast steering makes it a confidence-inspiring machine to really throw around corners.

“The familiar turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic feels like a winning combination. Keeping the revs high and working it hard is where it feels best, with plenty of mid- to high-range power on offer.”

Fellow Korean, the Hyundai i30 N Line Premium, closely follows the Kia, with a similar sporting intent.

“On the road, there are no problems getting to speed with the N Line. It’s a user-friendly and, for the most part, comfortable daily driver, but it has a broader performance envelope than you might anticipate,” said Charlwood.

“The ride on 18-inch wheels errs on the firmer side of the ledger. Small-amplitude bumps tremor their way through the chassis – though never to the point of distraction – while larger obstacles are met with a firmness that does without crashing or jarring.”

The Hyundai’s driving performance is only marred by one thing, observed Charlwood:  “Road noise is an ever-present feature, especially on coarse-chip sections.”

Next in the pecking order is the Ford Focus ST-Line, which, as Bruce Newton discovered, is a mixed bag.

“The engine is easy to like. It’s got as burbling rasp typical of a three-cylinder, but is still darn smooth. Turbocharging ensures you’re not lacking for response, especially with peak torque kicking on from as low as 1600rpm.

“Light steering – it heavies marginally in Sport mode – provides a reassuringly positive turning experience. You can feel what’s going on out there. Combine that with a tight body attitude and flowing the Focus through a series of bends is a really enjoyable experience – as long as those bends are smooth.”

Newton noted another not-quite-so-charming Focus attribute – its gear selector.

“The big issue is a lag built into the system. Select reverse, back out into a gap in the traffic stream, rotate to drive and press the throttle and wait and wait. It’s the same going from D to R,” he said.

“It’s annoying anytime and disconcerting if you’re trying to make a manoeuvre in a tight timeframe.”

The Honda Civic RS is not nearly as fiery as the Civic Type R, but as Ken Gratton observed, it still offers a good driving experience.

“The Civic RS’s handling was very tidy on the Michelins. Plenty of grip, the steering was precise and braking power and stability good,” he said. “Ride comfort was also acceptable, given the Civic’s overall balance of handling and road-holding.

“The turbo engine in the Civic RS is a little growly around 4000rpm and has a slightly sporty demeanour so feels demonstrably perky.

“The engine’s mid-range torque complements the calibration of the continuously variable transmission. That said, this car would be better with a dual-clutch transmission.”

The Toyota Corolla ZR is up next, providing reassuring handling and performance.

“The handling/roadholding is polished and confidence-inspiring, leaning more towards sporty,” noted Britten.

“The result is that, while the ZR-spec Corolla shows an extra touch of liveliness, there’s an accompanying rise in suspension noise and ride harshness that are gratifyingly more subdued in lesser variants like the SX.

“The ZR’s new 125kW/200Nm 2.0-litre petrol engine is crisp, sharp and satisfyingly responsive.”

But there are strings attached to the pleasing engine, namely the CVT auto.

“With just a sign of the efficient, audibly-pleasing rasp that characterises a new generation of normally-aspirated four-cylinder engines, it delivers handy acceleration that is sadly compromised by the worst of typically-raucous CVT behaviour,” Britten said.

We hadn’t anticipated the Subaru Impreza 2.0i-S would be in last position in the driving performance department, but its fuel consumption counts against it and please remember that this already a short-listed bunch of the best small cars in class.

Of course, the Impreza is the only model here offered with the security of all-wheel drive traction.

While that will definitely appeal to those who regularly encounter snow and mud, it wasn’t enough to bounce the Subaru further up the table.

Luke Youlden delivered the verdict, plain and simple.

“Like most cars these days, the Impreza is very capable but it’s hardly riveting to drive,” he said.

“The 115kW engine could do well with a turbocharger bolted to the side of it. For now, in combination with the continuously variable transmission, it makes more noise than actual pulling power.

“Its AWD platform is a strong point of difference over its rivals, but the performance of the engine and gearbox combination leaves it wanting.”

The Bathurst 1000 champion also noted an Impreza design trait that can lead to misconception of its performance capability.

“The Subaru has a very aggressive throttle rate. Meaning a small percentage of throttle movement is quite a large percentage at the engine so when you drive it, particularly for the first time, it gives a super-responsive impression,” he said.

“Push through that and once full throttle is achieved it showcases its true form – a bit ho-hum.”

Best Small Car 2021 contenders:
Ford Focus ST-Line
Honda Civic RS
Hyundai i30 N Line Premium
Kia Cerato GT
Mazda3 G25 Astina
Skoda Scala Signature
Subaru Impreza 2.0i-S
Toyota Corolla ZR
Volkswagen Golf R-Line