- Messages
- 393
- Likes
- 2
- City
- Houston
This time last year driving enthusiasts with less than $30,000 to spend on a new hot-hatch had a single option: the Volkswagen Polo GTI.
Okay, technically they could also pick its near-twin, the Skoda Fabia RS, but the sales charts show they didn?t. Meanwhile the Suzuki Swift Sport simply isn?t high enough on the Peri-Peri heat scale to compete.
This year, however, there?s been a small explosion of hatchbacks that require a cold bottle of water kept close to replenish the glands after tasting them. The Ford Fiesta ST, Peugeot 208 GTi and Renault Sport Clio 200 are all properly hot hatchbacks.
We?ve seen a hot Fiesta before, in the form of the 2007-10 XR4, then badged so, and like the Focus XR5 Turbo, to align with the company?s Oz-only Falcon XR6 Turbo.
But with the broad-shouldered local sedan on the way out, the new hot Fiesta, like the new fast Focus, takes on the ?ST? nameplate it has long worn in its native Europe.
Available in three-door guise only, the Fiesta ST costs $25,990 ? just $1000 more than the old XR4 that used a 2.0-litre non-turbo four-cylinder versus the new car?s more potent 1.6-litre turbo.
Read more on CarAdvice.com.au
