Ford Fiesta ST v Hyundai Accent SR v i30 SR v 208 GT-Line v Swift Sport v Polo GTI 2016 Comparison

Ford Fiesta ST v Hyundai Accent SR v Hyundai i30 SR v Peugeot 208 GT-Line v Suzuki Swift Sport v Volkswagen Polo GTI Comparison Test

Growling, asphalt-tearing, gas-guzzling performance cars are all well and good, but high horsepower usually equals a high price tag. And who says fun can’t be had lower in the pecking order? In fact, we reckon you can still have a fair dose of motoring excitement for less than $28K and, as we see it, the six cars tested here fit the ‘cheap thrills’ tenet brilliantly. We spent a day at the track to find out exactly which one offers you real bang for your buck.

Performance car comparisons are the stuff dreams are made of. Driving big-money, big-horsepower cars on comparison tests like our annual Australia’s Best Driver’s Car comparo gives you a slap-in-the-face reality check of how mind-bendingly brilliant modern sports cars really are.

But suppose you don’t have the coin to plonk yourself in the hot seat of a new Ford Mustang GT or BMW M2. What then? And what if you can’t even stretch to current budget masterpieces like the Mazda MX-5 or Toyota 86 you’re stuffed, right?

Wrong.

Fact is there are at least 10 cars priced under $28,000 that are well worth your hard-earned. And while we couldn’t assemble every car on that list in the same place at the same time – due solely to availability issues – we reckon this half dozen is representative of the best available today.

None of the cars you see here should be discounted from your shopping list; and although not all are direct rivals per se, we reckon this e collected assortment demonstrates the very best of the current crop of budget warm and hot hatches money can buy.

Ford Fiesta ST EcoBoost – $25,990
What can we say about the Ford Fiesta ST EcoBoost that hasn’t already been said? Plainly, this is one of the best hot hatches on the market, regardless of price.

Ranking fifth outright at Australia’s Best Driver’s Car 2015, the Fiesta ST combines zesty performance with tenacious handling, offering a grin-inspiring ride in all conditions and on all kinds of roads. Yep, it’s a tractable, communicative three-door pocket rocket with an attitude that should worry hot hatches twice the price.

Manual only, the slick-shifting six-speed ST drives its front wheels and is steered by an electrically-assisted system that earns praise for its sharp, accurate response. The brakes are all disc and the suspension a familiar (in this company) strut front, torsion beam rear arrangement.

The Fiesta ST draws motivation from a direct-injected, turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder that Ford says makes 134kW at 5700rpm and 240Nm over 1600-5000rpm – and with 147kW and 290Nm available in overboost for up to 10 seconds! 0-100km/h acceleration is claimed at 6.9sec and RedBook says the German-built hatch offers a power-to-weight ratio of 114.3W/kg, the best on test.

Hyundai Accent SR – $18,990
One of two entrants from Korean giant Hyundai is the lesser-known Accent SR. The cheapest car on test inspires with a small but mighty direct-injected 1.6-litre four-cylinder good for 103kW at 6300rpm and 167Nm at 4700rpm. Hyundai claims the Accent SR will hit triple digits in 8.2sec.

RedBook says the feisty five-door delivers a power-to-weight ratio of just 88.0W/kg and when mated to the six-speed automatic on test it feels just a little lacklustre, so it was a huge shame we couldn’t sample the manual version, Hyundai!

For the price, however, the Accent SR really is pretty hard to beat, and makes good use of its locally-tuned strut front, torsion beam rear suspension and machine-faced 16-inch alloys to deliver confident, if somewhat stiff cornering. Braking is supplied by discs at each corner and the electric steering is a decent rack for the price and one that offers honest enough feedback to the driver.

As an entry point to sports hatch motoring the Accent SR shouldn’t be discounted. It offers awesome after-sales support, is cheap to insure and cheap to run – it even sips regular 91 RON unleaded! A wolf in sheep’s clothing, for sure.

Hyundai i30 SR Series II – $26,550
Hyundai’s second entrant in our little tête-à-tête is the Corolla-sized i30 SR Series II. Recently updated, the model rivals Ford’s Fiesta ST on price, yet is roomier, and dare we say it's a little less ‘boy racer’.

Like its smaller sibling, the i30 SR’s strut front, torsion beam rear suspension is also locally tuned and paired to four-wheel disc brakes and acceptably accurate electric steering to provide secure road-holding and enjoyable cornering.

The i30 SR is motivated by a direct-injected 2.0-litre four-cylinder Hyundai rates at 124kW (at 6500rpm) and 201Nm (at 4700rpm). It’s good for a 0-100km/h time of 7.7sec. The car on test is matched to a silky smooth six-speed manual transmission and, like all cars on test here, drives the front wheels.

RedBook says the i30 SR offers a power-to-weight ratio of 93.1W/kg, sips 91 RON unleaded fuel and is backed by one of the best after-sales deals in the business; and we reckon it feels like a rounded performer, too.

Peugeot 208 GT-Line – $27,490
Just scraping in beneath our $28K cut-off is our current long-term tester, the Peugeot 208 GT-Line. Taking some of the performance – and most of the attitude -- of the 208 GTi, the 208 GT-Line compares favourably with the Renault Clio GT, one of four models unavailable for this comparison.

More ‘luxurious and spirited’ than it is ‘hard and fast’, the 208 GT-Line nonetheless delivers agreeable performance and dependable handling.

The French-built five-door is powered by a direct-injected and turbocharged three-cylinder engine making 81kW at 5500rpm and 205Nm at 1500rpm. Those figures might bestow the little Pug with the lowest power-to-weight ratio on test (76.2W/kg, says RedBook) and the slowest 0-100kmh time (10.9sec), but with a peppy six-speed automatic and sporty paddle shifters, the 208 GT-Line feels faster than it really is.

As the second lightest car on test (1070kg, behind the Suzuki Swift Sport at 1060kg) the 208 GT-Line is also the most economical, but does require premium 95 RON premium unleaded to perform at its very best. We love the warbly engine and exhaust tone, the classy interior and the Peugeot’s fit and finish. It might be relatively expensive, but the 208 GT-Line is a class act.

Suzuki Swift Sport – $24,490
The Japanese-built Swift Sport might have lost some of the sizzle of its forebears and may feel a little outdated alongside some of its competitors here, but considering its bulletproof reputation, dependable dynamics and upbeat engine, it's still a sporty hatch worthy of its moniker.

Power comes from a multipoint-injected 1.6-litre four-cylinder developing 100kW at 6900rpm and 160Nm at 4400rpm – the lowest torque value on test. It manages the dash to 100km/h in 8.7sec and according to RedBook offers a power-to-weight figure of 94.8W/kg. The Swift Sport also needs to drink regular 91 RON unleaded. Not bad.

As the lightest car on test (1060kg), our six-speed manual front-drive Swift Sport is stopped by four-wheel discs, uses electrically-assisted steering and rides on strut front, torsion beam rear suspension.

The model’s six-month service intervals (all others are 12-month) may dissuade some, and the boot is the smallest on test at 210 litres, but as a trustworthy and involving drive it's still a sports hatch we have no trouble recommending.

Volkswagen Polo GTI – $27,490
VW’s Spanish-sourced Polo GTI closely rivals Ford’s Fiesta ST in almost every measurable manner… except price, door count and the availability of an automatic... Well, OK, it’s almost the same.

Starting $1500 dearer than the Ford, the Polo GTI offers a multipoint and direct-injected 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine, making a best-on-test combo of 141kW (over 4300-6200rpm) and 320Nm (over 1450-4200rpm).

The VW matches the Ford’s power-to-weight ratio of 114.3W/kg, says RedBook, and in this instance is likewise matched to a six-speed manual transmission – which makes its return in the latest generation Polo GTI – driving the front wheels. 0-100km/h is listed at 6.7sec.

The Polo GTI is arrested by disc brakes all-round and suspended by lowered strut front, torsion beam rear suspension. Like all on test the Volksie’s steering is electrically assisted. It steers with eagerness on winding roads and is unflustered by mid-corner lumps and bumps – and on track proved pretty hard to top.

On the fuel front the Polo GTI is beaten only by the Peugeot 208 GT-Line in this company, and like that model requires 95 RON premium unleaded to operate at its optimum.

What's missing and why?
As they also fit the required bill here, we’d liked to have included the newly-released Abarth 595 (from $28,000), Holden Barina RS ($23,590), Nissan Pulsar SSS ($26,990) and aforementioned Renault Clio GT ($26,500) in this comparison.

Unfortunately, as stated at the top of this comparo, none of the vehicles were available from their manufacturers at the time of testing.

As you might've noticed in the video reviews above, each car here has its own personality and character, which is important.

On track the slower 208 GT-Line (1:13.17) and Accent SR (1:12.97) performed expectedly with lap times that trailed the ‘hotter’ entrants tested here. And while each delivered accurate and confident handling, the Hyundai was a victim of a poorly calibrated automatic that did its best to inhibit power delivery and the Peugeot was let down mostly by its softer suspension tune and lacklustre auto.

The middle rung was a close call between the i30 SR (1:11.85) and Swift Sport (1:10.75) where lap times were concerned. However, the pair could not have been more different dynamically, the i30 SR feeling heavy and dull where the Swift Sport was nimble and responsive.

Conversely, the Suzuki lacked torque and was slow to respond to throttle inputs, while the Hyundai’s engine was more rewarding higher in the rev range with useable amounts of horsepower.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, on top of the podium it was the Polo GTI (1:08.37) and Fiesta ST (1:08.06) that were harder to split. Similar lap times prove the pair is close in terms of power and speed; but it was the dynamic ability of each that impressed most, with the communication and response of the chassis and steering on our tight track enabling the duo to set a blisteringly quick time with complete confidence.

Depending on your lifestyle Polo GTI is obviously a more practical choice. Five doors and the option of a dual-clutch transmission offer very clear benefits, as do superior ergonomics (the Fiesta ST a victim of Ford’s penchant for a high-set driver’s seat).

But as enthusiast cars with a clear understanding of the brief – and a price tag that’s very hard to beat – we reckon you’d be very happy with either.

2016 Ford Fiesta ST EcoBoost pricing and specifications:
Price: $25,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 134kW/240Nm (147kW/290Nm overboost)
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 6.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 145g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP
Lap time: 1:08.06

2016 Hyundai Accent SR pricing and specifications:
Price: $18,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 103kW/167Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 158g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP
Lap time: 1:12.97

2016 Hyundai i30 SR Series II pricing and specifications:
Price: $26,550 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 124kW/201Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 7.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 170g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP
Lap time: 1:11.85

2016 Peugeot 208 GT-Line pricing and specifications:
Price: $27,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 81kW/205Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 4.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 104g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP
Lap time: 1:13.17

2016 Suzuki Swift Sport pricing and specifications:
Price: $24,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 100kW/160Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 6.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 153g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP
Lap time: 1:10.75

2016 Volkswagen Polo GTI pricing and specifications:
Price: $27,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 141kW/320Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 6.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 142g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP
Lap time: 1:08.37