Test Drive - Fiesta ST vs Polo GTI vs 'others'

Teki04 · 01-11-2006, 08:56 PM

OK, So my mate has a few new magazines with Polo GTI comparisons with 'other' hot hatches.

So, how did the Fiesta ST go?!

Well, Interesting that the Fiesta ST killed the Polo GTI!

A quote;

'Where VW appears to have stuck some wheels, nice seats and a GTI badge on the Polo and pushed it out of the door, Ford's engineers have rolled up their sleeves to make the most of the Fiesta, even with its 148bhp engine.'

So ranks are

6th - VW Polo GTI
5th - Seat Ibiza Cupra
4th - Skoda Fabia vRS
3rd - Ford Fiesta ST
2nd - Mini Cooper S
1st - ....

And if you don't believe the Polo could get worse, another review

1st - Mini Cooper S
2nd - ...
3rd - Seat Ibiza Cupra
4th - Polo GTI

photn · 01-11-2006, 09:01 PM

whats with the dots???

Teki04 · 01-11-2006, 09:08 PM

Well, if I post those cars I'll be flamed for speaking about another brand... :P

Piotr · 01-11-2006, 09:11 PM

-Withdrawn-

Teki04 · 01-11-2006, 09:19 PM

Hence why I haven't mentioned it.

Interesting what they say about the Fiesta. A few words;

'Sadly, the Fiesta's engine doesn't look too hot on paper. OK it's a 2.0-Litre, which should be more than big enough for a little car like this. But have a look at the spec table and you'll see that the engine only produces 148bhp, the same as the sluggish Polo. Even worse, the naturally aspirated Ford engine is 22lb ft of pulling power down on the VW engine, but at least the Fiesta weighs 146kg less than the Polo.'

'One of the ST's saving graces is that it feels more rapid on the road than the figures suggest. There's also a rough and gruff engine note to be enjoyed. On top of that, the five-speed gearbox is the best here. The change is so sweet and direct that you are happy to hunt up and down the gearbox to keep the ST on the boil. The brake pedal feels nicely weighted too.'

'It may not be as quick as we would like, but the ST is still a driver's car.'

'In some ways that lower powered engine works for the Fiesta, as it prevents the car tripping itself up with an excess of horsepower. Like all the cars here, the Fiesta is front-wheel drive, but whereas the Seat and the MINI can lose traction coming out of a hairpin, the Fiesta just gets on the with job, without excessive wheelspin'

'Technically, only the ******* (1st placed car) offers a better chassis. None of the others can quite match the accurate, precise, almost dainty handling of the Fiesta. Show it a twisty road and it is definitely up for it, just give the drag racing a miss'

Ok, enough typing for me... my hand is hurting!

fordel · 01-11-2006, 09:30 PM

Yes Teki

Enough with the flaming and constant smileys are replies, and enough of the other cars.

I have had a few complaints about you, so enough is enough and time to settle down

If you want to post stuff like that, take it http://www.eurofordclub.com/forum

Chris

zetec · 01-11-2006, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teki04

Ok, enough typing for me... my hand is hurting!

Why does that not surprise me...

Danny · 02-11-2006, 11:46 PM

^^^ Hahahahahaha

Whats with the Polo GTi Bashing Steve??
I'd probably go a ***ault Cl**oris or ST if they were to come out here..

Very difficult when choosing hot hatches.

Piotr · 02-11-2006, 11:54 PM

Do you have anymore info about the review? Just giving a blank 1st, 2nd, 3rd isn't too informative.

Id expect the Clio 197 to come out on top being a new chassis with the others being a few years old.

Steffo · 03-11-2006, 12:32 AM

You know what these cars all have in common? They're all the same car. Same chassis, suspension, etc. The Seat and VW share their 1.8T 20V petrol motor, with 110kW (147hp) in the VW and 132kW (177hp) in the Seat. The Skoda gets the Polo TDI/Golf TDI's 1.9 Diesel Turbo, up to 130hp (97kW) from 100hp (74kW) in the Polo TDI.

Which begs the question... how can virtually the same car be worse then itself?

Piotr · 03-11-2006, 01:28 AM

Are you sure suspension setting are exactly the same? Weight distribution will be different, different trims etc

Teki04 · 03-11-2006, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piotr

Do you have anymore info about the review? Just giving a blank 1st, 2nd, 3rd isn't too informative.

Id expect the Clio 197 to come out on top being a new chassis with the others being a few years old.

Fill the blanks in with the car you've mentioned.

And Steffo, I agree with Pie on this one

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piotr

Are you sure suspension setting are exactly the same? Weight distribution will be different, different trims etc

They are the same engine blocks... with different power. The Polo GTI has 148bhp, and the Ibiza Cupra has 177bhp, whilst also weighing 106kgs less... hence storming 0-60mph in a Polo GTI beating 7.3seconds.

With regards to the Cupra,

'Seat's gearchange is also slightly slicker... brakes feel marginally stronger too'

Danny · 04-11-2006, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steffo

Which begs the question... how can virtually the same car be worse then itself?

For the same reasons that an Audi Sportback FSi is worse than a Golf Gti.

Same reason a Mazda 3 sedan is seen to be better than a Focus sedan.

Same reason a Fiesta is seen as better than Its Mazda 2 brother.

Different packaging
Different Settings, Aerodynamics, Interiors, weights, widths, and tracks.

Theres more to most cars than simply the engines and drivetrain packages.

Steffo · 05-11-2006, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teki04

And Steffo, I agree with Pie on this one

They are the same engine blocks... with different power. The Polo GTI has 148bhp, and the Ibiza Cupra has 177bhp, whilst also weighing 106kgs less... hence storming 0-60mph in a Polo GTI beating 7.3seconds.

They are also the same chassis and same suspension hardware.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny

For the same reasons that an Audi Sportback FSi is worse than a Golf Gti.

Same reason a Mazda 3 sedan is seen to be better than a Focus sedan.

Same reason a Fiesta is seen as better than Its Mazda 2 brother.

Different packaging
Different Settings, Aerodynamics, Interiors, weights, widths, and tracks.

Theres more to most cars than simply the engines and drivetrain packages.

Yep, cars are more then just engine and drivetrain packages. That's why I pointed out in my first post that they also share their chassis and suspension. Which is alot more important then the body panels on the outside.

The A3 Sportback FSI is worse then the Golf GTI because its deliberately setup as a more luxurious car. It's also bigger, longer body on the same wheelbase, which hurts its cornering performance.

Mazda 3 Sedan being better then Focus Sedan is very debateable, but alot of it can be attributed to the way its engine brings in the power (peak torque at 2500rpm vs 4000rpm) which would give it alot more punch and make it feel better to drive.

Mazda 2 vs Fiesta... well for one thing the engine and gearbox are totally different, the 2's little 1.5 being inferior to the 1.6 Duratec in almost every way. Then you have the van-like body it has, which is obviously not the case with these three.

I personally see this as more of a value for money thing (the proper, VW badged product being, I assume, more expensive then VW's Spanish and Czeck subsidaries) then anything else.

Sonia · 11-11-2006, 04:07 PM

My previous car was a Seat Ibiza..... pointless information... but sharing is caring.

Steffo · 11-11-2006, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrsfantz

My previous car was a Seat Ibiza..... pointless information... but sharing is caring.

Which model? GTI? (85kW SOHC 2.0 4cyl), Cupra Sport (110kW 2.0 4cyl) or the normal TBI 1.4 with a earth-shattring 44kW? (I've been wanting to drive the 1.4 model for a while, just for the novelty of driving such an obscure engined car).

Piotr · 12-11-2006, 02:15 AM

Whats wrong with low powered cars? I learnt on a car with 26hp.

Ives · 12-11-2006, 06:39 AM

lol and what car was that?

Sonia · 12-11-2006, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steffo

Which model? GTI? (85kW SOHC 2.0 4cyl), Cupra Sport (110kW 2.0 4cyl) or the normal TBI 1.4 with a earth-shattring 44kW? (I've been wanting to drive the 1.4 model for a while, just for the novelty of driving such an obscure engined car).

Yes the standard CLX model with the killer 44kw that really pushes your back into your seat ;)
It was a fun little car to drive.... great for cornering like the fiesta. Too bad that they did not import replacement clutches to oz...

Danny · 12-11-2006, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piotr

Whats wrong with low powered cars? I learnt on a car with 26hp.

What was it? A ride on Lawnmower?

Steffo · 12-11-2006, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piotr

Whats wrong with low powered cars? I learnt on a car with 26hp.

Nothing. I learnt to drive in a 59kW van and manual in a 1.3 Ka. I just think the design of that 1.4 is funny. It's SOHC with TBI. Throttle Body Injection... funny obscure stuff you don't see on many modern cars... my mate's Seat Cordoba GLX had a TBI 1.8... 66kW.

Piotr · 12-11-2006, 09:37 PM

It was a Polski Fiat 126 and yes you could get drift action on ice.

photn · 13-11-2006, 08:50 AM

lol...i reckon you can get drift action on ice with anything...lol....like a portaloo hehehe

Danny · 13-11-2006, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photn

lol...i reckon you can get drift action on ice with anything...lol....like a portaloo hehehe

Maybe, If the Portaloo had an Engine...

photn · 13-11-2006, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny

Maybe, If the Portaloo had an Engine...

lol i was watching a doco in discovery and there was huricane winds on the salt lakes...and there was a guy in the portaloo cruzing down the race lane lol......

mitch_lx · 13-11-2006, 11:19 AM

^^^^^^^^^^

LMFAO !!!!!!!!!!!

Find it on youtube for us ! thats hilarious