The pint-sized hot hatch market is shrinking, but there are still a number of worthy contenders. Here’s how the new kid on the block, the Hyundai i20 N, compares to the Ford Fiesta ST.
Overview
Pint-sized hot hatches are slowly disappearing from showroom line-ups, but the good news is a number of excellent options remain.
While French car brands – the pioneers of the concept – have bowed out of the category, a handful of others carry the flame.
For this contest we’ve gathered the new kid on the block, the Hyundai i20 N, with one of the stalwarts of the category, the Ford Fiesta ST. Both are available in one guise only: five-door hatchbacks with a six-speed manual transmission.
Their power-to-weight ratios – and their prices – are line-ball: $32,290 plus on-road costs for the Ford Fiesta ST and $32,990 plus on-road costs for the Hyundai i20 N.
The Volkswagen Polo GTI is not in this contest, as it’s now an automatic-only proposition and priced significantly higher than this pair ($38,750 plus on-road costs).
Although we have a soft spot for the Suzuki Swift Sport – and it’s available with manual or automatic transmission – we didn’t include it in this contest because it’s smaller and cheaper than this pair (starting from $27,990 plus on-road costs).
Side note: if your budget is closer to $30,000, the Suzuki Swift Sport is a hoot.
A recently facelifted Ford Fiesta ST is just around the corner. However, the first 73 cars that roll up to Australian dealerships are missing some equipment after a mix-up on the production line in Europe; another batch is on the way.
But we couldn’t wait to compare one of the icons of the category with the newest entrant in the city-car hot hatch class, so here we are.
We borrowed the keys to a pre-facelift Ford Fiesta ST owned by Drive’s Alex Misoyannis, and put it up against a brand-new Hyundai i20 N that we ran-in from new and even helped peel back its protective wrap (more instalments on that car are due to follow).
The spec on the updated Ford Fiesta ST changes a little (in some cases for the worse, as Ford removed some items due to semiconductor shortages), but the core ingredients of these tiny-tot performance cars will still have relevance when the facelifted Ford arrives.
Besides, we don’t need an excuse to get behind the wheel of cars like these.
Amid the push for hybrid and electric vehicles, these could be among the last ‘analogue’ hot hatches in this class.
Introduction
Ford Fiesta ST
Ford has a rich history in hot hatches that dates back several decades, though this is only the second-generation turbo Fiesta ST to be sold in Australia.
The previous model introduced in mid-2013 was powered by a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine (134kW/240Nm) and available only as a three-door locally (though a five-door was also offered in Europe and the US).
When the latest model arrived in Europe in 2018 (and in Australia in 2019) with a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine (147kW/290Nm), there were frowns from concerned Ford fans wondering how a highly strung three-cylinder would perform.
While power got a bump in the transition from the four-cylinder to the three-cylinder, the weight of the car also increased slightly from generation to generation.
The upshot? The latest Ford Fiesta ST can do 0–100km/h sprint in 6.9 seconds if you really wring its neck (down from a real-world 7.1-second time for its predecessor, but still shy of the 6.5-second claim by Ford of Europe).
By comparison, the first 0–100km/h time we recorded for the Hyundai i20 N was a disappointing 7.1 seconds. Then, a few weeks later, we eventually clawed the time down to 6.7 seconds on familiar territory.
Of course, these cars are not only about straight-line speed, but also how they hug corners. Nevertheless, it’s an important performance measure.
It’s also worth noting both the Ford and the Hyundai need to shift into third gear before they can eclipse 100km/h, which costs them valuable fractions of a second in a 0–100km/h dash – and explains why they feel quicker than the times suggest, once on the move.
Hyundai i20 N
The Hyundai i20 N is the little brother to the Hyundai i30 N.
As with the Ford Fiesta ST, Australia only gets the hot hatch variant of this city car.
Although it starts life as a basic city runabout overseas, the Hyundai i20 N has been to the same gym as the Hyundai i30 N.
It gets uprated body stiffness – in the form of extra welds and braces – and suspension that’s been fine-tuned on Germany’s Nurburgring, as well as uprated brakes, sticky tyres, and a heart transplant.
In this case, it’s a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol (150kW/275Nm in standard guise, or 150kW/304Nm on overboost).
Interestingly, the performance numbers and vital statistics for the Ford and Hyundai city-sized hot hatch are so close they’re barely distinguishable.
But, as we would discover, they are very different to drive.
| Key details | Ford Fiesta ST | Hyundai i20 N |
| Price (RRP) | $32,290 plus on-road costs | $32,990 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | Performance Blue | Sleek Silver |
| Options | Metallic paint – $650 | Metallic paint – $495 |
Inside
Ford Fiesta ST This pre-facelift Ford Fiesta ST comes with Recaro sports seats (the facelifted model due imminently gets generic but body-hugging sports seats) and a small-ish infotainment screen and an analogue instrument cluster with a small digital display.The facelifted version gets a digital widescreen instrument cluster and a larger infotainment screen.
Some of the plastics below the ‘waistline’ of the interior feel cheap, but this is par for the course in this class as it is based on Ford’s budget-priced car for Europe.
However, carbon-fibre trim highlights, leather-wrapped sports steering wheel, alloy pedal covers, and soft-chrome gear knob, set it apart from the commuter models.
The door pockets are generously sized, and there’s good oddment storage near the wireless charge pad below the air-conditioning controls in front of the gear lever. There is also a handy ticket slot for parking station tickets near the twin cupholders, though the centre console is small even by city-car standards.
There is a 12V socket and a USB port up front, but no power socket or air vents for back seat passengers. And single-zone air-conditioning is the order of the day.
Helpfully, all four side windows have ‘express’ one-touch up or down functionality (only the driver gets this luxury in the Hyundai i20 N).
Back seat space is tight (even by city-car standards), and it was a slightly tighter squeeze than the Hyundai i20 N.
The boot space of both cars is line-ball, and the seat backs on both models split-fold 60:40, have two ISOFIX child seat attachment points and three top-tether mounts (so an old-school kid seat can fit in the middle seating position).
The Hyundai’s leather-wrapped steering wheel also has a bright red rev-matching button and two sky-blue tabs that activate a number of driving modes.
The sports seats are created in-house by Hyundai, but they are significantly more comfortable and more supportive than the Recaros in the Ford.
A technical grain disguises the cheap plastic on the top of the dash, though Hyundai probably could have done more to improve the large sections of smooth grey plastic that dominate the rest of the instrument panel and door trims.
The Hyundai i20 N has two USB ports up front as well as one 12V socket – plus a USB port for back seat passengers.
A charging pad is located below the air-conditioning controls. But as with the Ford Fiesta ST, the Hyundai i20 N’s charging pad is a touch too small for a large smartphone in a bulky case.
The door pockets are also generous in size but, as with the Ford, the Hyundai’s centre console is small and narrow. At least it has a tiny pocket for oddment storage for back seat passengers.
The seats lack the street cred of a ‘Recaro’ badge, but the fabric feels hard-wearing and the seats are comfortable.
Indeed, the judges found the Hyundai i20 N front seats to be more comfortable than the too-tight Recaros in the Ford. Perhaps that’s why Ford has made a change with the imminent facelift.
| Ford Fiesta ST | Hyundai i20 N | |
| Seats | Five | Five |
| Boot volume | 311L seats up | 310L seats up |
| Length | 4068mm | 4075mm |
| Width | 1735mm | 1775mm |
| Height | 1469mm | 1440mm |
| Wheelbase | 2493mm | 2580mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
Ford Fiesta ST The tablet-style infotainment system in the pre-facelift Ford Fiesta ST served its purpose and was well regarded at launch a few years ago, but the game has moved on.Widescreen displays are now a given in premium vehicles such as this. Ford has addressed this with the update that’s just around the corner, by installing a widescreen digital instrument cluster as well as a widescreen infotainment display.
While the Hyundai i20 N has Bose audio, the Ford Fiesta ST comes with Bang & Olufsen. Well, all except the first 73 examples of the updated Ford Fiesta ST, that is.
A mix-up at the factory saw the first shipment of facelifted Ford Fiesta ST hot hatches turn up without the B&O audio. So if you spot one of these, haggle on the price – or wait for the full spec to arrive.
Both hot hatches have subwoofers in the boot, showing they are starting to know their market at least.
That said, the premium audio system is only really loud enough to annoy the neighbours when you get home – rather than shake the rear-view mirror with ear-splitting bass.
In Europe, AM radio has been abandoned on the updated Ford Fiesta ST.
But Ford Australia should be commended for making sure local examples of the Ford Fiesta ST are equipped with AM radio functionality (as well as FM, digital radio, Apple Car Play and Android Auto), as it is essential for emergency warnings for floods and bushfires in remote areas where phone signals and internet don’t reach.
Hyundai i20 N Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are AM/FM and digital radio.The sound from the Bose audio is good and, if forced to choose between the two systems, I reckon the Hyundai i20 N has the edge.
Helpfully, both the Ford Fiesta ST and Hyundai i20 N have volume and tuning dials, which means you’re not forced to navigate every control from a touchscreen or a tab on the steering wheel.
Setting favourite radio stations is intuitive in both cars, but the Hyundai has a more helpful ‘star’ symbol when locking in frequencies.
Safety and Technology
Ford Fiesta ST The Ford Fiesta ST is “unrated” on the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) safety body.However, the current-generation Ford Fiesta was awarded a five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP in 2017 – which applied to “all Fiestas”, said the crash-test body.
The Euro NCAP report noted: “The passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal offset test. Dummy readings indicated good protection of the knees and femurs of the driver and passenger”.
Important to note: while the pre-facelift Ford Fiesta ST comes with blind-zone warning and rear cross-traffic alert – two handy and effective advanced safety devices – the facelift due in showrooms shortly does not (due to the semiconductor shortage).
Ford Australia says it hopes to reinstate this tech as soon as it becomes available.
Meantime, other safety highlights include speed-sign recognition, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, tyre pressure monitoring, a rear-view camera and rear parking sensors.
But radar cruise control and front parking sensors are not available. And the low and high beams on the pre-facelift Ford Fiesta ST are left wanting in the bi-LED age. Fortunately, Ford will address this shortcoming with the updated model.
The most recent score for a Hyundai i20 N was issued by Euro NCAP in 2015 for the previous model, which only earned a four-star rating.
Therefore, it is difficult to ascertain whether the new Hyundai i20 – or Hyundai i20 N – would earn a four- or five-star rating, or lower.
Hyundai has previously – and recently – demonstrated it is comfortable releasing new models with four-star scores, even though most manufacturers strive for five-star ratings.
Standard safety equipment includes speed-sign recognition, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, tyre pressure monitoring, a rear-view camera and rear parking sensors.
Unlike the Ford Fiesta ST, the Hyundai i20 N gains front parking sensors – but as with the Ford, the Hyundai lacks radar cruise control.
Once the updated Ford Fiesta ST turns up, the Hyundai i20 N will have a greater safety spec advantage, because it retains blind-zone warning and rear cross-traffic alert.
And in case you’re as obsessed about headlights as I am, the low and high beams on the Hyundai i20 N are okay rather than brilliant.
| At a glance | Ford Fiesta ST | Hyundai i20 N |
| ANCAP rating & year tested | Unrated | Unrated |
Value for Money
Ford Fiesta ST As this article was published, the Ford Fiesta ST was listed at $32,290 plus on-road costs ($700 cheaper than the list price for the Hyundai i20 N). Add $650 for metallic paint.The Ford Fiesta ST is also cheaper to service and has longer service intervals (12 months or 15,000km versus 12 months or 10,000km for the Hyundai i20 N).
According to the Ford website, the first four routine maintenance checks are $299 and the fifth year is $360, for a five-year total of $1556 (a few bucks dearer than the Hyundai over the same period).
However, the Ford Fiesta ST insists on the more expensive 95- or 98-octane premium unleaded, whereas the Hyundai i20 N can run on 91-octane regular unleaded.
The warranty on both vehicles is the same: five years/unlimited kilometres.
As mentioned earlier, the service intervals on the Hyundai i20 N are shorter than they are on the Ford Fiesta ST.
The Hyundai i20 N requires some TLC every 12 months or 10,000km (rather than 15,000km which is the national average distance travelled).
So, the five-year capped-price servicing total seems competitive at $1545; however, that’s based on 10,000km intervals. If you were to clock up 15,000km per year, the Hyundai’s servicing costs would be at least another $600 more over a five-year period.
| At a glance | Ford Fiesta ST | Hyundai i20 N |
| Warranty | Five years, unlimited km | Five years, unlimited km |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km | 12 months or 10,000km |
| Servicing costs | $1556 (5 years) | $1545 (5 years) |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 6.3L/100km | 6.9L/100km |
| Fuel type | 91-octane regular unleaded | 95 to 98-octane premium unleaded |
| Fuel tank size | 45L | 40L |
Driving
Ford Fiesta ST Both of these cars are relatively subtle – for a hot hatch – in how they go about their business. Their exhaust notes and engine sounds are not as raucous as some buyers might prefer.But over time, you can train your ears to appreciate the discreet whoosh of their turbos spooling up – or the therapeutic rumble of the three-cylinder engine in the Ford and the muted crackle from the exhaust of the Hyundai.
Some buyers are attracted to the Fiesta ST because of its three-cylinder engine; some rule it out due to their outdated perceptions. However, it truly is an engineering marvel that Ford can extract so much oomph from such a small heart.
After spending time switching between these two cars and driving them back-to-back, it’s quickly apparent the Ford Fiesta ST has a more polished and more pampered approach on the road.
The suspension is more controlled – not too firm and not too soft – and everything just gels really well. It feels taut and terrific.
The gearshift is a light and easy action, the steering feels light but not vague, and the brakes feel responsive.
When pushed, however, the Michelins on the Ford don’t have quite the same grip as the Pirellis on the Hyundai, and the brakes quickly fade when pushed on a race track.
Ford Australia should be congratulated for equipping the Ford Fiesta ST models sold in Australia with mechanical limited-slip differentials, though we reckon it needs better tyres (there are Michelins, and then there are really good Michelins) to properly exploit the benefits of this hardware.
There is a noticeable difference in braking performance when these cars are pushed to the limit.
The stats tell the story. Both of these cars are only a few kilograms apart (1218kg for the Ford and 1210kg to 1235kg for the Hyundai), and yet one has much bigger brakes than the other.
The Ford Fiesta ST has 278mm discs up front and 253mm discs at the rear, whereas the Hyundai i20 N has 320mm discs up front and 262mm at the rear. (Both cars use ‘floating’ brake calipers rather than twin-piston set-ups.)
To be clear, around town the Ford Fiesta ST braking package is more than sufficient. However, if you were inclined to do a track day or two, the Hyundai i20 N is better equipped to handle the punishment.
There is one other important difference between this pair. For all its merit, the Ford Fiesta ST is a touch slower than the Hyundai in the 0–100km/h dash using our satellite-based timing equipment.
After an average of four runs (two in each direction), the Ford Fiesta ST stopped the clocks in 6.9 seconds, whereas the Hyundai i20 N completed the same task in 6.7 seconds. It’s worth noting both cars needed a shift into third gear to eclipse 100km/h.
This might seem like we’re splitting hairs, but this is how the numbers came out. You could get lucky and squeeze another tenth or two out of these times, but you would need to be brutal – and lucky.
Hyundai i20 N
Despite having almost identical dimensions, weights and performance outputs to the Ford Fiesta ST, the Hyundai i20 N is a surprisingly different car to drive.The turbo 1.6-litre four-cylinder has incredible elasticity, with plenty of torque from low revs and plenty of power at the top end.
On a racetrack, the Hyundai i20 N has a surprisingly high threshold. The grip and braking performance are profound for a car of this size and price range. You can feel every corner of the car at every turn. It’s as if you’re wearing it.
The mechanical limited-slip differential – combined with the grip of the Pirelli tyres – help it claw out of corners with an ease that’s quite remarkable.
The broad power band means fewer gear changes are required on some circuits, because you can utilise the reserves of torque.
Various driving modes enable you to dabble with throttle response, stability control settings, rev-matching, and how loud you want the exhaust to be – or not to be. That said, even in loud mode, the Hyundai i20 N exhaust could do with a bit more bark as it’s still a bit muted in commuter driving.
Fortunately, the exhaust sounds epic on a racetrack.
In this environment, the Hyundai i20 N feels like it has no peer at this price point.
However, this high level of driving enjoyment, when pushed to the limit, doesn’t quite extend to the daily grind.
The clutch can be a bit grumpy when engaging first in bump-and-grind traffic; first-time drivers often stall it. And the tyre roar is too loud on certain surfaces. This is presumably the price you pay for grip.
The engine has ‘rev hang’ (the term used to describe when engine revs take longer than usual to settle down after a gear change), and the suspension could do with another going over at some point.
Whereas the Ford Fiesta ST suspension has a nice blend of responsiveness and comfort, the Hyundai i20 N runs out of suspension travel too often (even for a hot hatch) and it feels like the shocks are too soft and the springs are too hard.
In other performance cars (across various price ranges), the opposite approach tends to work better: make the shocks do most of the work and let the springs balance out the ride.
That assessment could be a load of bollocks, but that’s the conclusion I reached after clocking up decent mileage in the Hyundai i20 N – after wishing the suspension were more sorted. After all, suspension tune is a key factor in any performance car.
If Hyundai could put a spanner on the suspension – and get it to work better with all the other ingredients the engineers got so right – the i20 N would be unbeatable in this segment in this price range.
For now, though, it’s a bit of a flawed genius.
| Key details | Ford Fiesta ST | Hyundai i20 N |
| Engine | 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol | 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol |
| Power | 147kW @ 6000rpm | 150kW @ 5500 to 6000rpm |
| Torque | 320Nm @ 4000rpm | 275Nm @ 1750 to 4500rpm 304Nm @ 2000 to 4000rpm (overboost) |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual | Six-speed manual |
| Power to weight ratio | 121.5kW/t | 121.5 to 124.0 kW/t |
| Weight | 1218kg | 1210 to 1235kg |
| Turning circle | 11.0m | 10.6m |
Conclusion
If social media is any indication, we’re not the only ones wrestling with the Ford Fiesta ST versus Hyundai i20 N dilemma. Chances are, at least half of you reading this will disagree with us.
And that’s okay, because these are both epic cars in their own ways – and, to be frank, we’re lucky to have them at all.
In the global push for more hybrids and electric cars, these could truly be the last ‘analogue’ pint-sized hot hatches from each manufacturer. Whichever one of these cars you choose, please cherish every moment.
In summary, though, we reckon it’s as simple as this. The Ford Fiesta ST is a more polished all-rounder and – tight seats aside – is the better daily driver, and easier and more comfortable to live with.
If you want to do regular track days, however, buy the Hyundai i20 N. Ford Fiesta ST drivers won’t see which way you went. Just be warned about the rev-hang and under-damped suspension in the daily grind.
– Joshua Dowling
Second opinion
Having tested these two cars back-to-back – after owning my Ford Fiesta ST for more than a year – it is easy to see why this is such a close call. I’m not certain which way I’d lean if I had to make the same choice today.
That we’re able to enjoy two tiny performance hatchbacks for a little over $35,000 on the road should not be taken for granted. Their days are numbered and, as Josh says, these cars are likely the last of their type from each manufacturer.
It is also remarkable how two cars with such similar mechanical packages – circa-150kW turbo engines, six-speed manuals, circa-1200kg masses, and near-identical dimensions – manage to complete the same tasks so differently.
If you’re looking for the car that will spend most of its time in daily driving – city streets, suburban roads, and stretches of highway – it’s the Ford.
The Recaro seats are admittedly tight for larger frames – and, based on a quick sample of a showroom display car, the new Ford-designed seats in the 2022 model are still a touch too tight.
There’s less space in the back seat than the Hyundai, but the Ford feels more compliant over bumps, and – to me at least – the steering wheel and shifter have a more premium feel.
The Ford’s three-cylinder engine delivers a more characterful exhaust note to my ears than the Hyundai’s – though both cars could be louder in their sportiest modes – and you come to appreciate neat touches in the Fiesta ST such as the pop-out door-edge guards and parking ticket holder.
But in harder driving on a track, the Hyundai would be the better pick – the benefit of stiffer suspension, larger brakes, and grippier tyres. The Hyundai also holds the edge for me in technology, with the larger centre screen and digital instrument cluster – though the facelifted Fiesta’s digital dash will close the gap to the latter.
While there’s some rev-hang between gears, the Hyundai’s electronic rev-matching system is a fantastic asset whether on a winding road or around town – and once you’ve experienced it, you’ll really wish the Fiesta ST had it.
But there’s another conspicuous omission (or two) on the updated Fiesta ST: blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.
While not all advanced safety features work well or all the time, these two systems happen to be two of the most useful and reliable from the suite of advanced safety tech offered today. It’s disappointing to see them disappear from a car that already had them – here’s hoping they can return as soon as possible.
Personally, I’d be willing to wait a few extra months and pay a little extra for Ford to source the necessary semiconductors to reintroduce these features, though not everyone might be as patient.
In the end, if you spend little time on the racetrack – and just want a fun manual car to drive daily, as per my specific needs – the Ford Fiesta ST would still be my pick, as it was when I took delivery 18 months ago. However, the absence of blind-spot and rear cross-traffic safety tech in the updated Fiesta would make me take one more look at the Hyundai.
The Hyundai i20 N is a worthy adversary that will be a better fit for enthusiasts keen on spending more time on a racetrack.
Either way, we’re spoiled for choice. After all, competition is a good thing for buyers in this increasingly endangered segment.
– Alex Misoyannis
The post 2022 Hyundai i20 N v Ford Fiesta ST comparison appeared first on Drive.
