Space and practicality
·
Ford 3/5
·
Nissan 3/5
·
Peugeot 2/5
·
Renault 4/5
The Clio is very accommodating in the
front, with the most head- and legroom, while the Juke provides slightly less
of both, but is still spacious enough to let the vast majority of drivers get
comfortable.
Even the Fiesta, which has quite a bit less
headroom, will make only the tallest of drivers feel cramped. However, our 208
came fitted with an optional panoramic glass roof, which robs the driver and
front passenger of headroom at the outer edges of the car. Stick with the
standard steel roof if you’re more than six feet tall.
The 208 also has the least front legroom,
but this is less of an issue – you’d have to be unusually tall to find it a
problem.
Move to the back seats, and the Clio has
the most headroom, which is a good thing because there isn’t a huge amount of
legroom. Taller passengers will need to sit reasonably upright to prevent their
knees from hitting the front seat backs.
The 208 and Fiesta are hampered by coming
with only three doors, although the Ford does at least cater for rear
passengers fairly well once they’re in the back, matching the Juke for both
head- and legroom.
The 208, though, is cramped in the back,
with the least head- and legroom. Small adults can still squeeze in, but they
won’t be comfortable on longer journeys.
Avoid the Juke if you need a big boot. It
might be easy to load (courtesy of a false floor that sits flush with the boot
lip) but it’s the narrowest, the shallowest and ultimately the smallest.
The other three cars have very
similar-sized boots. Officially, the Clio’s is biggest, but the Fiesta’s is
slightly more useable because you don’t have to negotiate such a big lip when
loading heavy items, and the floor of the boot is slightly wider at its
narrowest point.
The rear seats in all four cars can be
folded to create an even bigger load space. However, the Juke impresses most
when you do this, because its seats lie flat and you don’t have to faff around
with the parcel shelf – it lifts out of the way when you raise the tailgate.
Dropping the rear seats in the other three cars leaves an annoying step in the
boot floor.
Ford Fiesta ST
Boot capacity: 295-979 liters
Boot
Aperture Narrows Towards The Floor Of Load Bay
Nissan Juke Nismo
Boot capacity: 251-550* liters
False
boot floor means there's barely any load lip
Peugeot 208 GTi
Boot capacity: 285-979 liters
A
nice square shape, but the 208's boot is pretty small
Renault Clip 200 Cup
Boot capacity: 300-1146 liters
The
biggest load bay, once you've negotiated the big lip
Buying and owning
·
Ford: 5/5
·
Nissan: 4/5
·
Peugeot: 3/5
·
Renault: 3/5
The Juke looks expensive up against its
rivals, but you should be able to haggle more than $1,800 off. You’ll struggle
to get anything off the 208 and Clio. Only the Fiesta is notably cheaper after
discounts, at $3,000 less than the Juke.
Factor in resale values after three years,
and it’s the Clio that’s most expensive by some margin, costing around $16,500 in
depreciation. The 208 will cost around $14,700 over the same period, the Juke
just over $14,400 and the Fiesta around $12,750.
Only
the Fiesta is notably cheaper after discounts, at $3,000 less than the Juke.
Officially, all four cars can average more
than 40mpg. The Juke is least efficient, at 40.9mpg, while the 208 is the most
frugal, achieving 47.9mpg. However, your fuel consumption will be a lot higher
if you make the most of the performance these cars offer.
Insurance is likely to be the other major
expense for buyers of these hot hatches. Here it’s the Juke that will cost you
the least, because it attracts a group 22 rating, whereas the Clio is in group
29, while the Fiesta and 208 are in group 30.
Few people will choose or be offered – one
of these models as their company car, but the Fiesta’s low list price and
emissions make it the most affordable option for business users; it will cost a
40% taxpayer $2,031 a year. The 208 is only slightly more expensive, but the
Clio is $303 more and the Juke an extra $751.5.
The
208 is only slightly more expensive, but the Clio is $303 more and the Juke an
extra $750.
Our verdict
1.
Ford Fiesta - ST-2
·
For: Agile handling; precise steering; sweet
engine note; best driving position; low price
·
Against: Firm ride; fiddly infotainment system
·
Verdict: The most fun you can have for $27,760
2.
Renault Clio - Renault sport 200 Cup
·
For: Awesome traction; balance of ride and
handling; simple dash
·
Against: Awkward paddles; has to be driven hard;
high costs
·
Verdict: Well worth considering if you find the
Fiesta too firm
3.
Peugeot 208 - GTi
·
For: Comfortable ride; classy interior; good
standard kit
·
Against: Sloppy handling; poor ergonomics; tight
rear space
·
Verdict: Looks like a hot hatch, but doesn’t
drive like one
4.
Nissan Juke - Nismo
·
For: Supportive seats; good forward visibility;
big discounts
·
Against: Slow steering; awful body control;
patter ride
·
Verdict: Proof that an SUV is a bad starting
point for a hot hatch
Above all, a hot hatch has to be fun to
drive. It can be brilliant in all the other areas, but if it doesn’t get your
heart racing every time you find a good road, there’s simply no point. That’s
why the Fiesta ST wins here.
None of the other cars here steer with the
same precision or thrill as much at normal road speeds. In fact, there aren’t
many hot hatches that get even close to the Fiesta’s level of dynamic finesse,
and that includes some that are far pricier.
In
fact, there aren’t many hot hatches that get even close to the Fiesta’s level
of dynamic finesse, and that includes some that are far pricier.
True, you do pay for the Fiesta’s handling
with a firm ride. However, it’s no one-trick pony, because it offers a roomy
cabin and the best driving position.
If you fancy a more grown-up hot hatch
experience, then the Clio Cup is your best option. It’s a lot more comfortable
than the Fiesta, yet still handles brilliantly, thanks to its taut body control
and awesome traction out of corners. It’s just a pity it’s priced so much
higher and isn’t as fun unless you’re driving the wheels off it.
Next to the Fiesta and Clio, the 208 GTi is
a disappointment. It might offer strong performance and a forgiving ride, but
it doesn’t handle any better than regular 208s that cost thousands less. If
you’ve got your heart set on a fast 208, the 1.6 THP XY is a much better buy.
Sadly, the Juke Nismo is even harder to
recommend than the GTi. Its numb steering, awful body control and unsettled
ride make it a dynamic mess, plus it costs silly money. Most rivals are better.
