Wheels: Fiesta XR4, Colt Ralliart, Swift Sport & Polo GTI

[omicron]

What price performance? Well, as the Fiesta XR4, Colt Ralliart, Swift Sport and Polo GTI demonstrate, adrenalin activating excitement can be yours for under $30K.

Of course, this foursome represents the junior league. But make no mistake, they?re the real deal, with the stuff of feisty hot hatches coursing through their veins. Yes, there?ll always be times and places where size counts and dollars dictate in determining performance levels, but thankfully, automotive virility isn?t necessarily defined by cubic muscle, nor measured by its weight in megabucks. The fact is that keen drivers can still, or once again, have a hoot with less than 2.0litres under the bonnet and a relatively modest budget.

Between them, the Fiesta XR4, Colt Ralliart, Swift Sport and Polo GTI follow all the usual design conventions with transverse four-cylinder, five-speed manual FWD drivetrains, strut front suspension, torsion beam rear axles and discs at both ends. None offer an optional auto box. However, they?re split equally in their three-door or five-door body styles and in engine aspiration, since two are turbocharged and the others breathe naturally.

Happily for all, their presence coincides with economic, social and environmental market forces shouldering the pendulum back towards smaller cars. These four compact hotties support that movement to the hilt with tangible enthusiasm and varying degrees of multi-skilling.

Take performance as a prime example. Gutsier engines and quickened accelerative abilities separate them most distinctly from their standard siblings and one another.



In a sign of the times, each model has electronic traction control in concert with stability control. These can be left engaged to avoid drama (and full squirt) during aggressive launches on wet or dirty surfaces. Importantly, when time?s of the essence, the electronic minders can be buttoned-down to give the driver responsibility for treading the fine and variable line between greatest grip and wasteful wheelspin.

Giving these four the berries it quickly becomes clear that for sheer shove, there are the turbos ? and there are the rest. Although a pre-test briefing of the respective specifications reveals the Suzi marching to a different drummer, the XR4?s power, torque, kW/tonne and gearing numbers hint it might run with the Ralliart and GTI turbos.

But no, they simply huff, puff and blow the hard-charging Fiesta down while arguing over the pecking order between themselves. This ultimately resolves with the Polo GTI taking the standing-start honours, launching itself aggressively and most effectively, thanks in part to its clever locking diff.

With a chirpy tease of wheelspin the Volkswagen bites and bolts, immediately getting the jump on the Colt and holding that slight edge through to 120km/h-plus. Only above that mark does the Polo?s pace wilt a little compared to the Colt?s stronger top-end flourish. Even so, the Polo covers the 400m sprint fractionally quicker, albeit sharing the same terminal speed.

The rivals? accelerative kudos fluxes throughout their gear ranges. The standard 80-120km/h test sees the Colt pip the Polo in third gear, only to succumb in fourth gear by the same small (0.1sec) margin, before flaunting clear superiority in fifth. And that despite being a smidge heavier and considerably taller geared than the GTI.

The XR4 can?t match the turbos? punch away from the off, and is out-gunned at every increment by its fleeing opponents. But it fights the good fight and gives a solid account in spite of its 0-60 and 0-100km/h results, including up-shifts (like the Polo GTI) which the Mitsubishi advantageously postpones until after those marks.

However, even with the turbos in mind, don?t for a moment imagine the XR4 is a yawn. You risk going cross-eyed finding another non-turbo 2.0-litre front-driver that hauls to 100 kays in under nine seconds and gets down to 16sec for the 400m. The XR4 also produces a usefully spunky rolling response in third and fourth gears, without divulging quite the same alacrity in fifth.



There are two ways of looking at the Swift Sport?s performance. On one hand it?s emphatically creamed by all others in this group, their greater power and extra cost not withstanding. Alternately, in its own right as a 1.6-litre job, the Sport goes pretty well. Unfortunately ?pretty well? doesn?t allow the Sport to eclipse the same-price Citro?n C2 VTS and costlier Mini.

It?s also difficult to reconcile the Suzi?s willing but unremarkable performance with fairly indulgent consumption of the required 98 RON juice; a preference shared by the GTI.

Sure, the Sport?s 8.7L/100km average on test is the group?s second best result. That?s against a background of third best in the official ADR81 numbers where it rates 7.5L/100km to the Ralliart?s 6.7 and XR4?s 7.4, leaving the GTI trailing the others with 7.9L/100km.

On test the GTI?s consumption maintained consistency by placing fourth (9.4L/100km), just a slurp or so behind the XR4 (9.3), both of which unwittingly highlight the Ralliart?s impressive engine efficiency (8.5). Besides wringing such spirited performance from its 1.5-litre capacity and 95 RON, the Mitsu?s comparatively thrifty economy is a bonus.

Part of the Colt?s secret may be that in terms of km/h per 1000rpm, its first and second ratios are a bit lower than the Polo?s, but the remainder are increasingly tallest of all. In fact, Colt?s fourth gear tops the Fiesta?s fifth. And the Colt?s comparatively long-legged fifth gear makes for less frenetic cruising.

While the Polo?s fifth also allows fairly rapid transits without the buzzing annoyance of high revs, the XR4?s incessant busyness during prolonged brisk cruising can have you wishing or reaching for sixth gear relief. Such occurrences are sharply magnified in the Swift Sport, for although the engine spins uncomplainingly, every long straight tests one?s aural nerve and masochistic tolerance.

Credit goes to all contenders for their nicely progressive, positive clutch actions and unanimously light, precise gearshifts. Our only negative comments concerning transmission issues are to do with the ill tempered gear whine in the Suzuki, and the Volkswagen gear lever?s occasional rubbery disorientation when hurriedly returned to neutral from reverse?s strongly spring-loaded, stepped-down access slot.



Although these hot models carry over the basic suspension designs from their garden variety siblings, upgrades include larger alloy wheels with lower, wider tyres, reduced ride height, firmer springs, re-rated dampers and stiffer bushings.

Given smooth roads, and with some experience you won?t volunteer for any other kind, the XR4?s lickety-split cornering agilities alone are almost worth the price of admission. You can?t get this much fun at Luna Park.

Once you?re familiar with each machine?s handling characteristics with and without stability control, it?s easy to bring out the terrier in them when you rush up to corners, brake deep and whistle at them with the wheel and throttle. At that the little buggers go after their lines like they?re chasing a stuffed bunny around a greyhound track.

Quickly establishing their safe, mildly understeery attitudes ? and secure, yet responsive, sense of balance ? the juniors settle expectantly, point excitedly to the apex and exit. All while holding their line and carrying enough speed to preclude another breath until you?ve fired away from the turn to go looking for more.
Try very hard and the XR4 cocks the inside rear wheel, as though giving the others a spray perhaps, without affecting its poise and pace. Such show-boating isn?t for the Volkswagen and Swift which simply do their thing with entertaining exuberance while keeping all four paws firmly planted.

The Colt is no cornering party pooper either. It changes direction every bit as forcefully as its peers, revealing a touch more nose-in when you back-off the throttle in mid corner. This focuses your attention the first time it happens, but in practiced hands it nicely embellishes the Ralliart?s deftness through any series of wiggly bends.



Although the four chassis are similarly talented in cornering, the XR4 has no equal for the extraordinary integrity of, and feeling of connection to, its rudder. It immediately makes you feel like an extension of the steering system, and indeed a part of the car. The first step toward rebirth as a Transformer? Our only gripe is the larger-than-a-Falcon turning circle.

After the XR4, the other models? steering systems are ordinary, with slight numbness either side of centre and no man-machine involvement, let alone real feel for the road.

So blanched are their senses of connection that the GTI?s light torque steer under full-throttle is almost as welcome a sign of life as belated first nibbles at your fishing hook.

Since these models can deliver seriously quick speeds and enough cornering g to distend your squishy bits, it?s only proper that they have arrestingly larger (than standard) four-wheel discs, complemented with ABS, electronic brake force distribution and also brake-assist for high pressure situations.

Ironically the only test subject that makes a visual feature of its (red) calipers, the Polo GTI, was also the only one to experience softening pedal travel down several long, steep winding descents; perhaps through newness rather than deficiency.

As a group, the ride quality is acutely surface-dependent. On good-to-average roads these four have reasonably taut ride properties, with minor variations on what?s expected of small, light sporty cars; a well-disciplined tied-down feel that registers bumps and such without becoming discomfortingly restless. In that respect, the GTI?s ride is discernibly more amenable than the others.



Tackle bumpy, patchy and other gnarly surfaces that seemingly abound in NSW, and these junior jocks are quickly jarred from their cool swaggers. Bump absorbency becomes just a fond memory when the sporty ride stiffens and turns abusively turbulent amid short, sharp heaves, pitches and punches to the body; sometimes yours as much as the car?s.

Big hits bring front-end crash-through to the Colt and Swift. Although the Fiesta escapes that clash it can be so intensely jiggly that you?ll know how the olive in James Bond?s martini feels ? shaken, not stirred. In such trying conditions the Polo?s ride cops plenty of flak too, but overall retains a touch more decorum than the others.

Not surprisingly, the ride quality noticeably improves with two or three passengers aboard, especially on daggy roads. Incidentally, the Colt Ralliart sensibly designates its split/sliding rear bench for two occupants, not three like its so-squeezy rivals. Although not the most comfortable bench here, the Ralliart?s stadium-style elevated height assures rear passengers of a better outlook than in the others.

The Colt?s downside is extra noise, hear! It isn?t as though the others are particularly quiet. They?re not, for each generates intrusively loud tyre/road noise on coarse-chip surfaces, laced with windrush at speed and the aural machinations of revvy drivetrains.

The XR4 exhaust sounds appetisingly meaty from outside, but is flatly anonymous within. Very little of interest emits from the Sport and Ralliart engines either, whereas the GTI raises discreetly encouraging tones of turbo whistle and pop.

The Colt is altogether noisier however, for collective road rumble, windrush and exhaust blah permeate the cabin from the cover-less luggage boot. The general hubbub is also punctuated by squeaks and creaks from around the cabin?s trim and windows.

Noting that this Ralliart?s odo shows over 10,000km, accumulated from press-test duties, may be a big part of why it sounds looser than its three much younger peers. Except that the Suzuki?s door seals get even more noticeably excited by door/body palpitations across uneven surfaces.

Inside, the Ralliart reflects its tall-boy origins with the group?s highest seating position and emphasises its sporty bent with the most uncompromising front seats here; very snug and deeply bucketed Recaros with under-thigh and lateral support in spades, although rather skimpy on under-bum cushioning.



For that reason the GTI?s front seats (also deeply sculpted, but more generously upholstered) get the guernsey in the long run. And it must be admitted that the GTI is even more welcoming, in days of single digit temperatures, with the optional leather package?s accompanying front seat warming and other detail upgrades.

Although the Sport and XR4 front seats have less pronounced side bolsters, they?re amply retentive in hard cornering and reasonably comfortable too.
Pushed for a tie-breaker on comfort, from a big blokes? perspective, the ?zuki gets the nod because its backrest?s bottom frame is better padded than the Ford?s. The Sport and XR4 drivers get seat height adjustment, which the Colt lacks, and the Polo brings that convenience to both front seats.

So, having covered all the main bases, which junior hot hatch is on track to serve a winning blend of performance, practicality and sheer driver appeal?

Not the Swift Sport, sad to say. The Suzuki has undoubted attractions in its excellent fit, finish, spec level and overall sporty driveability. But those aspects and the lowest-in-class price can?t compensate for the Sport?s so-what performance, its questionably rich fuel consumption and the wincingly rude ride quality on lumpy roads.

Not the Colt Ralliart either. Yes, the farther and harder we drove the Mitsu, the more we enjoyed its gung-ho performance, engine efficiency, dexterous handling and the individuality of its stare-at-me looks.

But for the highest price the Ralliart brings fewest airbags, least equipment, most noise and a bitsa interior with hardcore (or just hard) front seats that find as many dissidents as advocates.

An honest performer, the Fiesta XR4 can?t answer the raw punch of the two turbos, but no car here has more highly polished chassis dynamics or is a more sporting drive; on good roads, at least. Other surfaces demand you grin (or grimace) and bear the tautly choppy ride. You also must forgive its detail foibles such as the lardy turning circle.
Call ?em character-builders or whatever, but they pale to obscurity when the Fiesta?s strong engine, responsive chassis and outstanding steering do the talking.

However, the bottom line is that the Polo GTI comes home as the pick of the bunch. Sure, the VW is hounded by the Ralliart for outright performance, works up a bit of a thirst along the way, and hasn?t quite the crispness of the XR4 in its driving dynamics.

But as a car, a vigorously sporty one at that, the GTI is also the group?s most convincing package all round. Its shortcomings are few, its strengths many, not least in the appreciably greater depths of body, chassis and drivetrain refinement. In all, then, a little ripper.

http://www.wheelsmag.com.au/wheels/site/articleIDs/66E96902E758CF0CCA2573B5001C2248

[Raza]

Garsh, I'd love a Polo GTI.

[Raghavan]

I like the Fiesta XR4 the most.