Hatchback Reviews

VALUEThe i30 Premium has a two-piece panoramic sun roof, the light from which adds a feeling of space inside the cabin. A spoiler is positioned where the roof meets the rear window. The Hyundai emblem houses a reversing camera which improves the limited rear view through a small back window.The usual connectivity is on hand with AUX, USB and iPod/iPhone input and Bluetooth with hands-free phone and audio streaming.TECHNOLOGYThe latest Hyundai i30 Elite and Premium models now has the SUNA Traffic Channel, a digital information service that broadcasts detailed information about traffic congestion and other road conditions.The handy traffic avoiding service is now available in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth and on the Gold Coast and will later expand to other areas.At motorway speeds our road test i30 CRDi had fuel consumption in the five to six litres per hundred kilometres range. This increased to eight to nine litres per hundred in hard stop-start traffic motoring.DESIGNWith room for five people, if they are not overly wide, the Premium i30’s cabin has a modern mix of quality hard and soft surfaces. The driver enjoys a 10-way power seat, plus heating.Instruments are made easy to read with sports-style layout and blue back lighting. The Hyundai engine fires up via a start/stop button, while an electronic park brake makes life simpler.Hyundai is running hot in the styling stakes at the moment and everyone who commented on the shape of the i30 turbo-diesel we have just tested loved its shape.SAFETYIt’s not just about looks, the Hyundai i30 has been recognised as ‘one of the safest in the small-car category’ by ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program), being awarded the maximum five-star safety rating.Seven airbags and rear parking sensors standard across the range, plus a full suite of standard active safety technology including ESC, TCS, ABS, EBD and BAS ensure the Hyundai i30 is on a par with many much more expensive passenger vehicles.DRIVINGThe suspension and steering have been especially tuned for Australian conditions, which only adds to the Hyundai i30’s appeal.The driver can dial up one of three steering modes with Flex Steer. In this interesting system ‘Normal’ provides a balance between steering input and feedback, making it ideal for the majority of roads; ‘Comfort’ reduces the weight of steering, allowing for effortless manoeuvring and more relaxed driving; ‘Sport’ increases steering weight and feedback for maximum driver involvement.Given the nature of a car like this we have decided to run one of the all-new Hyundai i30 CRDi models for an extended test, probably for about three months, and will report back on what it’s like to live with on an ongoing basis. Stay tuned.Hyundai i30 CRDi PremiumPrice: from $32,590Warranty: 5 yearsEngine: 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder diesel, 94kW/260NmTransmission: 6-speed sports automatic, FWD Thirst: 5.6L/100Km, 147g/km CO2

Holden Barinas come from a variety of backgrounds. From 1989 until April 1994, Barina was a Japanese Suzuki Swift with a different name, though it sold in fewer variants than did the Swift. From April 1994, Barina was built by German car maker Opel.Then from December 2005, Barina was produced by the South Korean company Daewoo. These days Daewoo, now GM-Korea, has quite a few Australian engineers and designers so there's plenty of local expertise in them.To further increase confusion, Opel Corsa entered the Australian market for the first time in September 2012 and is the ‘grandson’ of the Barina that used to be built for Holden by Opel.It’s still early days for the Corsa in Australia, but owners of the German Barinas are paying close attention to them. Not only do Corsas have sportier dynamics than the Korean Barinas, the importer is closely related to Holden in back-office operations.Holden Barina is a small car that’s generally tough in its build and put together to a good standard in any of the factories just mentioned. It has earned a good reputation for being simple to drive and park.However, some older models didn’t have power-assisted steering as standard so can be a handful at parking speeds. If you do come across one be sure to road test it at very low speeds to see what you think.The Barina is sold as a three-door or five-door hatchback, or a four-door sedan, the latter not offered at all times. Occupant space in the front seats is fine. Some drivers complain the pedals are too close together in the German versions, others don’t have a problem.Rear seat legroom is rather restricted unless the front occupants are prepared to give up some of their space. Hardly unusual in a car in this class. Boot space is marginal in the ‘Suzuki’ Barina, better in the ‘Opel’ and ‘Daewoo’ versions. Naturally the rear-seat backrest can be folded down to increase luggage room when required.In their Suzuki and Daewoo formats the Barina is mainly aimed at suburban running. The German Opel Barina isn't out of place on country roads provided they are not too rough; corrugated roads can knock them around. They are designed to cruise at 140 to 160 km/h in their home country so dawdling along at 110 km/h in Australia sees them barely raising a sweat.The current GM-Korea Barina isn’t too bad on the rough stuff, but is still better left to the suburban areas. Handling in the European-sourced Barinas is enjoyable and will appeal to the enthusiast. The Suzuki and Korean models can be on the soft side, though a decent set of tyres can make them reasonably pleasant to drive.All Barinas have four-cylinder engines. The Suzuki engine is a 1.3-litre unit (three-cylinder engines used in some Suzuki Swifts but were never installed in Barinas). Though the engine is small, performance is reasonably good because of the light weight of the car.The European-built Opel Barina comes with several different engine sizes. The 1.2-litre engine was sluggish and a poor seller, it was discontinued midway through 1997; the 1.4-litre is the most common engine and provides on-road performance that’s fine for most people.There's also a hot GSi motor in the Opel versions of the Barina. It had 1.6 litres until the 2001 model, then 1.8 litres (re-tagged as the Barina SRi) made it a genuine hot hatch at a pretty modest price.Engines in the current Barina, the South Korean one, have a capacity of 1.2 litres in the low-cost Spark model and 1.6 litres in the others. The 1.2 is on the dead side but the 1.6 provides reasonably peppy performance. These days there’s no high-performance option on Barina, but the Opel Corsa OPC, launched early in 2013 is a great little hot hatch.Five-speed manual gearboxes are probably the best bet unless you are going to be doing a lot of heavy-duty commuting. The automatic in the ‘Suzuki’ Barina is a three-speed unit, that in the German Opel and Korean models a four-speed. The automatic option isn’t offered in all versions of the Opel-based Barina.From November 1997 until late 2000 some three-door hatches were converted into two-door cabriolets by HSV in Melbourne. They are great fun to cruise in when the weather’s right, but their extra weight makes them sluggish in acceleration and handling suffered because of the removal of the roof.The cabriolet is even smaller in the back seat than the others, so is really a two-plus-two not a four-seater. Spare parts prices are generally favourable and there are Holden dealers in virtually all areas of Australia. Those in remote country areas are unlikely to stock every Barina part, so you may have to wait for parts to be shipped from a major city.Barinas are reasonably easy for the amateur mechanic to service and repair, though the underbonnet area is on the crowded side and work can be frustrating at times. Having a workshop manual on hand before you lift the bonnet makes a lot of sense. Insurance charges are generally reasonable, some companies will ask extra for the higher-performance Barina GSi and SRi.WHAT TO LOOK FORThe engine should start reasonably quickly and idle without too much movement. Listen for a rattle when it first kicks over, even if the rattle dies away after a couple of seconds it probably means the engine is badly worn.After the engine has been idling for a minute or so, hit the accelerator pedal and look for a puff of smoke from the exhaust. This could indicate serious engine wear.Make some fast gearchanges and listen and feel for a manual gearbox that baulks or crashes. The problem usually shows up in the critical third-to-second downchange before any others.Automatics that are rough in their changes or which change too frequently, may be due for an overhaul.Check that the brakes don't pull to one side under hard application. If ABS is fitted, feel for a pulsing through the pedal when you push it very hard.Look for front tyres that are worn unevenly. This could be caused by something as simple as poor wheel alignment, but it could also mean the body has been twisted in a prang.Rust is not normally a problem in Suzuki-built Barinas, but if it does get a hold it can make a real mess of the body in a relatively short time. Be wary of this because rust repairs can cost big bucks.Opel cars are significantly better for rust protection and the only problems we have seen are in cars poorly repaired after a crash. Korean cars look to be well rust proofed and are standing up well.To be on the safe side, check for rust in all lower areas of the body, doors and hatchback, as well as the surrounds of the front and rear windows and the petrol filler flap.CAR BUYING TIPSmall cars with low kilometres on the clock have probably spent most of their lives in heavy-duty traffic with their engines cold. This is not good for longevity of mechanical components.

The A200 ticks all the boxes in the prestige small hatch class by not having as many boxes to tick. This isn’t a battle about the quickest car - that’s the domain of the A250/A45 AMG duo. It is a battle about price and features, to the point where potential top-end Golf owners will cross-shop with the baby Benz.And as the newest car on the lot, Mercedes has the edge, especially when it also channels the tactile feedback of a BMW 1 Series with the build quality and interior refinement of Audi’s A3. Add to that the badge snobbery of owning a three-pointed star and getting stock may be the biggest problem Mercedes Benz has.VALUEThe A200 is predicted to be the volume seller at a starting price of $40,900. The car is fitted with a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine that hits 100km/h 8.3 seconds after stomping the accelerator and comes with Bluetooth streaming, a reversing camera, self-parking software, cruise control, auto lights and wipers and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.Audi’s A3 1.4TFSI is slightly dearer at $41,200; Beemer’s 116i is slightly cheaper at $39,690. Neither of these is as quick or fitted with as much standard gear.TECHNOLOGYThe engine is good without being sensational. It uses 5.8L/100km to put it on a par with the Audi and BMW powerplants and the dual-clutch auto rolls through the gears with silicon smoothness. It is inside where Mercedes takes the lead.Self-parking software is standard as is a reversing camera and front/rear parking sensors. There are a range of “packs”, the dearest being a Command set-up that adds a bigger touchscreen with satnav, voice control and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and digital radio.DESIGNChasing younger buyers needs a fresh approach and Mercedes has gone to town on the design of the A-Class.  It’s a stylish car that will earn looks in traffic, especially for the early adopters.The high sill line means young kids won’t get to see much in the back and the C-pillars are chunky enough to warrant a second glance in the mirrors before changing lanes. The interior channels SLS aspirations with the circular air vents and carbon-fibre weave across the dash and the switchgear is typically top end.SAFETYANCAP has yet to officially rate the A-class but the family oriented B-Class is based on the same platform and is the safety car the crash-test body has reviewed. Nine airbags are standard, along with a rear-end crash avoidance system, drowsiness detection software and the Pre-Safe setup that primes the car if it determines an accident is about to happen.DRIVINGTaut suspension gives the A200 a firmer ride than the Audi and big potholes will be felt in the cabin. That’s the trade-off for having feedback and roadholding to match the rear-drive BMW.  A full road test will be needed to see whether the compromise works in daily urban driving but given it’s aimed at younger buyers, I can’t see it being a deal-breaker.The seven-speed auto takes a second to fire up from standstill. Get going and it shifts gears with the speed of a Tour de France frontrunner, while the turbo engine provides the steroids to keep its nose in front of the competition.It’s no rocket but a low eight-second sprint time ensures it won’t disgrace itself against bigger capacity opponents. The 341-litre boot is good without being class-leading and will easily cope with a couple of bags or the weekly shopping.VERDICTThe new A-Class puts Mercedes-Benz on the front foot in the prestige compact hatch class. The firm ride suits the sporty look and the standard gear makes the Mercedes best in show for value.Mercedes-Benz A200Price: from $40,900Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmResale: N/AService interval: 12 months/25,000kmCrash rating: Not tested (five-star EuroNCAP)Safety: 9 airbags, ABS with EBD, TC, ESC, collision prevention assistEngine: 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder, 115kW/250NmTransmission: 7-speed auto, FWDDimensions: 4.29m (L), 1.78m (W), 1.43m (H)Weight: 1395kgThirst: 6.1L/100km (95RON), 141g/km CO2

There's a war brewing in the hot hatch segment dominated for years by VW's Golf Gti. Already, Ford has chimed into the action with a hotrod Focus ST at a very sharp price, Opel has its Astra OPC waiting in the wings and as of early March, Mercedes-Benz will be targeting the Golf with its own version of a hot hatch called the A250 Sport.And what a car it is thanks in no small part to input from performance outfit AMG which had a big hand in A250 Sport development. Better than the current Golf?Probably though we would have to drive each back to back to really find out suffice to say the Benz is better equipped in “standard” trim and has a lot more torque rated at 350Nm from a low 1200rpm.The Benz also out powers Golf Gti by 10kW on overboost which achieves some 165kW over 4000rpm. A new generation Golf Gti is seven months away.EVIDENCEIf you need any more evidence Benz has Golf Gti firmly in its sights, look no further than A250 Sport pricing which starts at $49,900 - line ball with Golf Gti spec' adjusted.Benz offers four accessory packages with the A250 Sport that can add up to 10 grand to the price if you tick all the boxes. But you don't need to be given the level of kit provided from the ‘base’ car.KITIt includes 18-inch alloys. A seven speed dual clutch manumatic, reverse camera, auto head lights, active park assist, sports seats, high end audio with extensive media interfaces, nine air bags, an electric parking brake, Pre-safe crash preparation, attention assist among an extensive list. The Sport has requisite “sporty” kit inside including red rimmed vents, a carbon fibre-look dash, sport AMG wheel and sports pedals.THE LOOKIt's easy to pick on the outside because of the diamond-like grille that is a defining feature of the car and the face of the stunning concept on which the new A-Class was based. There's the usual front and rear air diffusers, body aero aids and a selection of attractive colours.ENGINEThat new generation engine is a 2.0-litre and will form the basis of the forthcoming AMG45 super hatches powertrain.In the Sport, it has a single turbo, direct injection and variable valve timing on the inlet and exhaust side boosting output.The turbo is conventional not twin scroll nor variable geometry. Given this fact, the level of available performance and flexible delivery is quite surprising.PERFORMANCEIt pushes the Sport from 0-100kmh in 6.6 seconds and will consume as little as 6.6-litres/100km of premium. Drive is to the front wheels modulated by electronics to eliminate any torque steer effect under full throttle something that can cause problems with high performance front wheel drive cars.The underpinnings feature liberal use of aluminium and some clever technology designed to deliver a high level of sporty handling and responses coupled with a satisfying drive feel. AMG spent a lot of time at Germany's Nurburgring race track refining the A250 Sport's dynamics and it shows, right down to the throttle blip on down changes.They added stiffer roll bars to the car and dialled in more toe-in than usual to achieve what is quite stunning handling characteristics for a front drive five door hatchback. The rorty sounding exhaust is AMG tweaked, steering ratio is more direct, brake cooling is enhanced and sports stability control added to the package.ON THE ROADWe took the car on a searching drive near Melbourne and loved it. The firm suspension might not appeal to everyone but those who buy this car for drive feel will love it. The steering through corners is impressive, body control is flat and the engine has plenty of kick to pull the car hard out of tight corners. Big brakes make light work of repeated hard stops.The paddle shift is quick and the three mode drive select system offers Manual, Eco and Sport covering most applications.VERDICTBlink, love it.Mercedes-Benz A-Class A250 SportPrice: from $49,900Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder, 165kW/350NmTransmission: 7-speed dual clutch manumatic, FWDThirst: 6.6L/100Km, 152g/km CO2

People have the wrong idea about this car. It's not a direct competitor for the Renault Megane RS250, Astra OPC nor the VW Scirocco.It's close but not as hard edged. Think the previous Focus XR5 and you're close to the money though the new ST is a sportier drive and has more sting in the tail. Golf GTi springs to mind but the Ford has a lot more grunt.It also has torque steer (momentary loss of directional control in the steering) when you boot the throttle that causes the ST to wriggle around like a worm on a hook.There's no clever "RevoKnuckle" independent steering axis system on the ST instead, straight line control is down to a torque vectoring electronic system.It's partially successful and we have to admit, once you get the hang of it, the problem isn't as pronounced. In fact, you can use it to advantage cornering by letting the car pull you through. Takes a bit of getting used to though.Where the Focus ST has an advantage is in the price at $38,290 - about five grand under the others and those extra doors come in handy-up. To get the ST Ford essentially did a hot-up job on Focus - pinched the EcoBoost engine out of Mondeo and Falcon, enhanced it, lowered the car, fitted lower and firmer suspension with bigger wheels, bigger brakes, body kit.It's all text book stuff. There's more kit too, including satnav, premium audio, Bluetooth phone and audio, LED running lights, Recaro seats with partial leather upholstery, a super steering wheel with multi controls and a reverse camera among the generous feature list.The engine is a 2.0-litre four pot with direct injection, turbo charging and variable cam timing on the inlet and exhaust sides. No wonder it achieves a handy 184kW/360Nm output and can even drink lower octane 91RON fuel though premium fully unleashes the beasts.That's enough to propel the small/medium size hatch from 0-100kmh in a sharpish 6.5 seconds while sipping fuel at an average of 7.4-litres/100km. But the turning circle is atrocious often requiring four point turns in relatively wide streets.The drive experience is excellent with plenty of grip from the big Goodyears and strong stopping power from the large diameter discs. It sits flat through corners and has an overtly sporty feel - just what you want from a hot hatch.The exhaust note is strident aided by possibly the best designed dual tailpipe around short of a Boxster. We found the car easy to live with especially with folding rear seats, a decent boot and easy rear seat access.The seats hold you tight in corners and offer plenty of adjustment for the long haul. We would suggest it's a four seater and not five. The two mode stability control offers normal and sport which is all you need.Some neat touches include the capless fuel filler hidden on near the right tail light, the xenon headlights and auto wipers and lights. Not bad sound either from the Sony system.

You don’t buy a Mazda 3 to stand out. They crowd most Aussie parking lots and dominate city traffic. The Mazda 3 has been Australia’s top-selling car for two years running.

Combing the small car market for the ‘perfect’ car can be a daunting task, especially with a seeming bazillion to choose from - the top-selling Mazda3, VW Golf, Toyota Corolla, Holden Cruze, Hyundai i30 and Ford Focus (to name just a few).Sent from Thailand, the ninth-generation Civic sedan tested here joins this teeming mass, as Honda aims to strengthen their credentials down under and regain ground lost after the 2011 Thailand floods. But does this little sedan have what it takes to stand out in this crowd?If you’re tossing up between the Civic sedan and hatch, here are some things to consider. Starting from $20,490 the base model VTi sedan is similarly priced to the base model hatch at $20,650 (with $2000 recently chopped off its price).And the mid spec VTi-L sedan is priced at $23,990, $1500 less than the mid spec hatch. Until this year Bluetooth connectivity wasn’t available in the base model hatch, so if you’re looking at 2012 models this is something to consider. Annoyingly the sedan model doesn’t have a hill holder like the hatch variants.The Civic sedan gets a three year 100,000km warranty and is kitted with 12V auxiliary sockets, four speaker audio system, MP3/WMA compatible CD player, USB connectivity, steering wheel mounted controls, cruise control, coloured multi function screen and trip computer, keyless entry, chrome grille surround and remote boot release.The mid spec VTi-L gets 16 inch alloy wheels compared to the VTi’s 15 inch steel wheels and also receives on/off headlights, a chrome gear shifter and a temporary spare.Both variants have a smooth 1.8 litre four cylinder engine with 104kW of power and 174Nm of torque. We drove both the five speed sports auto and five speed manual driving through the front wheels.It comes with an eco button to reduce fuel consumption but you’ll want to switch that off to get the car really going. The combined fuel economy is 6.8L/100Km and the urban is 8.9L/100km. We only drove the Civic in the city, an appropriate environment for a small sedan and gained 9.4L/100km.We prefer the exterior looks of the Civic hatch, as it comes with attractive daytime running lights that give the small car a more aggressive look. But the sedan option is cheaper and has attractive sweeping lines, a chrome grille and the VTi-L's 16 inch alloy wheels are impressive.On the inside the light grey seat upholstery, thought by our passengers as “styled by grandma” is outdated and doesn’t suit the modern dashboard with up-to-date features like push start button and speed dependent display. But on a positive note everything is laid out well on the dashboard and the equipment is simple to use.The interior space is appropriate for a small family but long-legged teenagers probably won’t appreciate the back seat space. The sedan gets 40 extra litres of boot space compared to the hatch’s 400 litre capacity.It comes with dual driver and passenger airbags, brake assist, electronic brake force distribution, electronic stability control with passive steer assist, traction control and engine immobiliser.The Civic sedan has excellent sound insulation, as hardly any road noise enters the cabin. The suspension is also worth a mention, as it glides well over bumpy roads.Both the auto and manual only come with five gears that don’t handle speeds over 80km/h well, so a sixth gear would come in handy on highways. And the auto often doesn’t shift gears well, resulting in reduced power. We recommend the manual, as you’ll have a more enjoyable drive. The manual gear box is precise with easy to find gears that change smoothly.The sedan is a good contender in the small car market, trampling its sibling the Honda City sedan in drive train and exterior looks. While there is room for improvement, especially in regards to interior styling, the Civic sedan makes up for it in price, comfort and drivetrain.

Pragmatic buyers are opting to down-size but still want all the accoutrements from a larger luxury car.

They said it wouldn't last; that the VW New Beetle, launched in 1998, would be a flash in the automotive pan. Pundits predicted the revived Beetle would drag in a few lovers of the old air-cooled VW from the 1960s and ‘70s then quietly fade away.Twelve years, yes 12, it was finally discontinued to be replaced by this new New Beetle, although this time around Volkswagen has ditched the ‘New’ and it’s simply the Beetle, presumably flagging the fact that the model will be in the lineup indefinitely.VALUEIt’s priced from $29,990 and gets a large speedo in front of the driver in a separate binnacle. It’s easy to read at a slightest glance and revives memories of the old air-cooled cars.The new Beetle feature we like most of all is the painted dashboard and door tops, harking back to the mid years of the 1900s when this was the norm. The new Fiat 500 has the same interior idea and it’s worked brilliantly on that car for many years.DESIGN(Warning! politically incorrect remarks ahead!) While there’s no doubting the intention of the stylists to retain the shape that has been familiar since 1936, this new Beetle is less feminine than before. Whereas girls (of all ages) were the biggest buyers of the new Beetle, the 2013 version has plenty of masculinity in its beetle-like shape.Indeed, the head of the design team, Frank J Bruese who flew to Australia for the launch of his new baby, explained that there were elements of the American hotrod culture in the lines of the car. If you squint sideways and use a bit of imagination this may well be the case.The most telling feature of all is the large aero spoiler that sits at the bottom edge of the rear windscreen. I like it, then again I liked the shape of what was to become the New Beetle from the first time I saw it in concept form at various international motor shows during the mid ‘90s. Just as I loved the style of the three beetles I owned over seven years during the heyday of the original.The biggest and best changes in this third generation Volkswagen Beetle are in the interior. There’s no longer the feeling you’re sitting in the back of the car and peering over a vast expanse of dashtop through a small windscreen. While the driving position is still less than conventional that may well be a good thing because the semi-upright windscreen gives you better visibility than in many modern hatches and sedans.TECHNOLOGYAt this stage the only powerplant in the front of the Beetle is the familiar Volkswagen 1.4-litre Twincharger. This engine uses a supercharger and turbocharger to provide strong torque through a big slab of the rev range. With 240 Nm of torque all the way from 1500 to 450 revs we found the engine strong and willing at all times in day-to-day driving.DRIVINGYou wouldn't say the Beetle has the characteristic engine note of the old models, but there’s a modern note that does provide a bit of personality. The double-clutch automated manual gearbox (DSG in VW terms) we tested proved better than average for its type, with no fussiness at very low speeds.Hopefully the engineers have finally come to grips with this otherwise excellent type of automatic. Ride comfort is good on most surfaces and the slightly firm suspension provides the sort of handling that keen drivers will love. A sports coupe it’s not, but the 2013 Beetle will be given the nod by all but full-on revheads.Revheads will need to hold off for turbocharged all-wheel-drive models that surely can’t be too far down the track. Build quality is good, this VW Beetle is built in Mexico but it’s obvious the German head office is keeping a close eye on the output from that large plant that has been screwing together Volkswagens for many years now.VERDICTThere’s no doubting that the car is lower, heavier in the rear, more aggressive in the window cutouts and has a stronger stance on the road.

Alchemists used to try and transmute gold from base metals. Ford has been somewhat more successful in transforming a fairly basic three-door Fiesta into a low-cost enthusiasts’ car. It’s a mildly warm hatch but at just $22,990 the Metal truly is precious — which explains why there’s only a handful of the 250-vehicle allocation still for sale.VALUEThe Metal’s natural rivals are the Suzuki Swift Sport and Hyundai Veloster at $23,990. Both have sporty pretentions and more power/torque than the Fiesta can muster. With six-speed manual gearboxes, they are also quicker in a straight line and easier to hold in the peak rev range. The Swift in particular is a force to consider.The chassis is as composed and the suspension keeps the wheels planted with an agility you can feel from the first turn but it doesn’t look as dramatic as the all-black Metal. No-cost gear on the Ford includes cruise control, reverse parking sensors, decent aircon and auto-folding side mirrors.TECHNOLOGYThe Ford formula follows the successful Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ approach. Build a decent, well-suspended vehicle with enough power to give the car some zip without being an absolute handful and enough steering feedback to know where the front wheels are pointing in either case.The 1.6-litre engine needs to be wound up tight between 4000-6000rpm to entertain the senses and overcome the gap between ratios in the five-speed manual gearbox.  Uphill hauls can still catch it out but, like the Toyobaru twins, speed isn’t the ultimate thrill here. It’s the way it rides — and occasionally bangs — over ruts in the road; flawed but fundamentally fun.DESIGNThe shame is the Fiesta Metal is only a three-door. A five-door model would have sat under the Fiesta ST and still given family buyers a sporty car to aspire to without being too edgy for everyday driving. Being the Euro-sourced WS platform, rather than the Thai-built WT version, it has softer plastics on the dash and the bits where elbows contact doors and a tilt and reach adjustable steering wheel.The hatch is deep but not wide — good enough for a couple of small suitcases. Like most three-doors, the reach to the seatbelts is a stretch, but the front seats tilt and slid forwards to give the back-seat passengers a semblance of a dignified entrance/exit.SAFETYThe Fiesta feels solid enough to merit its five-star rating. A driver’s knee airbag lifts the number of balloons to seven and there are the usual safety systems along with seatbelt reminders for both front pews.DRIVINGYou get what you pay for and it is the price that gives the Fiesta Metal such prowess. In absolute terms, it doesn’t rate. The suspension can clatter over undulations, the steering kicks over mid-corner bumps and there’s an occasional hole in the power delivery. Cop all three in a row and owners will still be grinning at the car’s overall roadholding and capacity to be pushed around turns. In more mundane driving it is easy to manoeuvre, the accelerator isn’t hair-trigger sensitive and it doesn’t have the fuel consumption thirst of a hotter hatch.VERDICTFun without being too frantic, the Fiesta Metal rewards driving inputs. It has already won fans as a new car and that reputation will only grow when it starts being resold as a used vehicle.Ford Fiesta MetalPrice: from $22,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmService interval: 12 months/15,000kmCrash rating: 5 starsSafety: 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, TC, ESCEngine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder, 98kW/160NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel driveDimensions: 3958mm (L) 1709mm (w) 1481mm (h) Spare: Space-saverThirst: 6.0L/100km, 140g/km CO2