Hot Hatches More Than Just Hot Air

With leg three of the national drag races taking place on Saturday, 2 August, attention turns to the turbo hatch brigade to ooohh and ahhh.

While the VW clan is sure to fill up the starting blocks, are you better off going German or should you be looking elsewhere?

Spec wise, all three share some common features. Dual-zone climate control, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, steering wheels that adjust for height and reach, daytime running lights, auto headlights, electric heated side mirrors and rear parking sensors are all standard.

Bluetooth connectivity is common too, though only the Ford offers voice-activated commands. Satellite navigation is shared by both newer Ford and Volkswagen offerings with rear-view camera and auto dimming rear vision mirrors as additions while the RS265 misses out on these features.

The Frenchy fights back with front Brembo brakes. Extra points go to the GTI for its phenomenal DSG box and changeable suspension.

Let’s not sugar coat and fluff the next section. The RS265 corners the pants off both the GTI and ST all thanks to a mechanical limited-slip differential. Both the ST and GTI employ an electronic interpretation of an LSD via their stability control systems, but neither can match the cornering traction of the Megane. Around corners, power on, both the ST and GTI scramble to get power to the front wheels while the Renault exhibits no slippage.

The RS265 also leans the least with the Focus having the most body roll of the lot; not enough to upset its balance, it must be added. While the ST has the worst turning circle of the three, its steering is direct with quick directional changes. Its hefty weight (41kg heavier than the Renault and nearly 100kg heavier than the GTI) also means it needs to be manhandled through the corners.

The Focus ST torque steers far more noticeably than its rivals, with the steering wheel momentarily freezing with some lock applied as the driver tells the engine via the throttle pedal to force more power through the same wheels trying to turn out of the corner.

The driver’s hands are further kept busy by pronounced tramlining on patchy roads, as the wheels try to follow grooves in the tar rather than where you’re actually trying to point them. It never feels unnerving, however, and the torque steer is tame compared with some other hot-hatches we could mention – such as the Mazda 3 MPS.

There’s also a satisfyingly meaty feel to all the ST’s key controls: pedals, wheel and gearlever. Volkswagen’s GTI is less dramatic – and that will have more or less appeal depending on the buyer. Its steering seems bland and its suspension uneventful.

A major upgrade to the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder brings a 7kW increase in power to the GTI and a 25% jump in torque to 350Nm. That’s still 10nm less than the ST and RS, though the GTI produces maximum torque at 1500rpm; 500 less than the ST and a whopping 1500 ahead of the RS.

The GTI motor offers the same flexibility of the Mk5 and Mk6, but the boost is more noticeable in the new 2.0 turbo motor; less linear, if you will. The GTI sprints 0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds to match the Focus ST, though the Renault remains the pack leader with a six-second dead.

For daily use, the RS is a poor choice. With its sloping roofline and small back window that create poor rear vision.

Rear passengers don’t get their own doors with the French hatch, of course, and they’ll then find less head and legroom than in its German-built rivals.

There are some ergonomic issues as well – strange positioning of some buttons, and others (such as audio buttons) that could be more logical and less fiddly. The Renault’s narrow, monochromatic display is also too small by today’s standards.

The driving position is pretty much perfection (as it is in the GTI and ST), and there’s a discernible quality to the way the Megane’s cabin is put together. Red stitching on the seats, gearshift lever and steering wheel, plus a carbon fibre dash inlay with red stripe add the sporty touch.

GTI Mark 7’s interior feels instantly familiar to the cabins of the previous two models, though interior quality – both tangibly and perceptively – has been lifted yet again. With its beautifully designed and tactile steering wheel buttons, smart mix of chrome and gloss black plastic, and a large colour touchscreen (in not perfect resolution), the Golf GTI’s cabin has a slickness and sophistication its rivals can’t match – especially the Focus.

There’s more of a plasticky, built-to-a-budget look and feel to the ST in comparison. There’s plenty of digital information available to the driver via the instrument cluster trip computer display and high-level infotainment display, though colours are limited and the latter is tiny compared with the VW’s screen. The array of buttons on the main centre stack section is also daunting visually, while the buttons are small and fiddly.

The Renault remains the most hardcore hot-hatch here in terms of outright pace and cornering thrills; for all out fun, it’s unbeatable even though it’s getting on in years.

The ST impresses with its cool factor, absurdly awesome exhaust tone and gorgeous styling, but is outdone in the handling department. The Golf GTI has been beefed up since it last hit the showroom floor. It grips better and goes faster, yet has become even more refined and classy. It’s this mix of practicality, flexibility and refinement that makes the Volkswagen Golf GTI the best all-round hot-hatch you can buy.