New Ford Fiesta ST vs Rivals - Joy Division (Part 1)

7/28/2013 11:43:26 AM

What we’re looking for: Fun. If any of these souped-up specials can’t put a smile on our face on twisty roads we don’t want to know

Performance

· Ford: 4/5

· Nissan: 3/5

· Peugeot: 4/5

· Renault: 4/5

The Clio is not only the fastest car in this test, but it’s also one of the easiest to drive quickly. Its turbocharged 1.6-liter engine is mated to a quick-shifting twin-clutch automatic gearbox, so all you have to do to send the car hurtling down the road is mash the accelerator pedal deep into the floor mat.

New Ford Fiesta ST vs Rivals - Joy Division

New Ford Fiesta ST vs Rivals - Joy Division

Sadly, you can end up looking more like an amateur than a hero when you drive the Clio in its manual mode. For starters, the shift paddles are mounted on the steering column rather than the wheel, which makes them hard to reach when it’s turned. Then there are the big gaps between the second, third and fourth-gear ratios, which means that there are times when no gear feels right.

The Juke uses the same engine as the Clio, but it’s in a different state of tune and linked to a six-speed manual gearbox instead of an automatic. In the Juke, the engine feels flatter at low revs, before a torrent of torque arrives at around 1600rpm. This gives it a dramatic turn of speed, but often has the front tires scrabbling for traction.

The 208 has a similarly boost delivery. Its gutsy 1.6-liter turbocharged engine makes it the fastest manual car here, but most of that potency is bundled into the mid-range. At least it’s happier to pull low revs than the Juke, and its gears are better spaced.

Only the Fiesta makes the 208 feel a little inflexible. The Ford might be the least powerful car on test and the slowest of all from 30-70mph, but it has the most progressive delivery and loves to rev. Whether you’re setting lap times, enjoying a spirited drive home or just trying to get from A to B, it’s easy to maximize performance.

Ford Fiesta ST

Fiesta's 1.6 liter engine has least muscle, but it is easy to get the best from it

Test figures

§ Weather conditions: Dry

Acceleration

ü 30–70mph through the gears: 6.4sec

ü 30–50mph in 3rd/4th/5th/6th: 3-3.1sec; 4-4.5sec; 5-6.5sec; 6-9.2sec

ü 50–70mph in 3rd/4th/5th/6th: 3-3.4sec; 4-4.3sec; 5-5.6sec; 6-7.5sec

Braking:

ü 30–0mph: 9.0m

ü 70–0mph: 45.1m

0-60 mph: 7.0sec

§ Top speed: 133 mph

Nissan Juke Nismo

The Torque takes a while to arrive, but when it does the Juke is very fast

The Torque takes a while to arrive, but when it does the Juke is very fast

Test figures

§ Weather conditions: Dry

§ Acceleration

ü 30–70mph through the gears: 5.8sec

ü 30–50mph in 3rd/4th/5th/6th: 3-3.1sec; 4-4.4sec; 5-6.5sec; 6-na

ü 50–70mph in 3rd/4th/5th/6th: 3-3.3sec; 4-4.9sec; 5-6.8sec; 6-8.9sec

§ Braking:

ü 30–0mph: 8.6m

ü 70–0mph: 43.5m

§ 0-60 mph: 6.4sec

§ Top speed: 134 mph

Peugeot 208 GTi

The 208's turbocharged 1.6 liter engine delivers strong mid-range power

The 208's turbocharged 1.6 liter engine delivers strong mid-range power

Test figures

§ Weather conditions: Dry

§ Acceleration:

ü 30–70mph through the gears: 6.1sec

ü 30–50mph in 3rd/4th/5th/6th: 3-3.4sec; 4-4.5sec; 5-6.1sec; 6-8.8sec

ü 50–70mph in 3rd/4th/5th/6th: 3-3.5sec; 4-4.5sec; 5-6.3sec; 6-7.6sec

§ Braking:

ü 30–0mph: 9.2m

ü 70–0mph: 45.8m

§ 0-60 mph: 6.5sec

§ Top speed: 140 mph

Renault Clio 200 Cup

Clio might accelerate even faster if second, third and fourth were closer

Test figures

§ Weather conditions: Dry

§ Acceleration:

ü 30–70mph through the gears: 5.8sec

ü 30–50mph in 3rd/4th/5th/6th: 3-3.1sec; 4-4.4sec; 5-6.1sec; 6-na

ü 50–70mph in 3rd/4th/5th/6th: 3-3.3sec; 4-4.9sec; 5-6.8sec; 6-8.9sec

§ Braking:

ü 30–0mph: 8.6m

ü 70–0mph: 44.5m

§ 0-60 mph: 6.4sec

§ Top speed: 134 mph

Ride And Handling

· Ford: 5/5

· Nissan: 1/5

· Peugeot: 3/5

· Renault: 4/5

All of these hot hatches are lower and stiffer than the standard cars they’re based on, but the Fiesta is the most focused. Its suspension is distinctly firm, though, so if you don’t want to put up with a car that thinks over scruffy urban roads and bounces its occupants around on the motorway, look elsewhere.

If, however, your priority is driver reward, it should be at the top of your shortlist. Its super-accurate steering makes it a joy to drive at any speed. There’s loads of grip, and it combines tight body control with a neutral, adjustable cornering balance.

The old Clio 200 was similarly uncompromising, but the new model is easier to live with. Our car had the optional Cup chassis ($975) that brings 18-inch wheels, quicker steering, stiffer suspension and a 3mm drop in ride height over the standard Clio 200, but even with this the ride is supple.

The front wheels can be tugged around by strong cambers, and the steering isn’t as precise as the Fiesta’s, but the Clio hangs on even better in corners. What’s more, you can get back on the power long before the exit because the Clio’s electronic torque-vectoring system helps tuck the nose in and then fires the car out onto the next straight with nonchalant ease.

If there’s a criticism, it’s that the Clio needs to be driven hard before it comes alive, whereas the Fiesta always makes the driver feel integral to the car’s behavior.

The 208 delivers an even smoother ride than the Clio. Sadly, the pay-off is nose-dive under braking and fairly loose body control, which makes for less stable cornering and causes the car to lose traction earlier than either the Clio or Fiesta.

Then there’s the steering. It weights up to provide some reassurance on turn-in, but that weight drops away unnervingly when you start to wind off lock. In addition, there’s an overly strong self-centering action.

The Juke, meanwhile, fails to sparkle on any level. Its ride is patter in most situations, and the steering is slow and too light at speed. What’s more, it’s the first to run out of grip, and the body is so poorly controlled it can unsettle the car in bends.

Ford Fiesta ST

Ford Fiesta ST