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Adam Davis6 Aug 2015
REVIEW

Ford Focus ST v Holden Astra VXR v MINI JCW 2015 Comparison

We thrash three of the latest turbocharged front-drive hot hatch terrors to pick one winner
Review Type
Comparison

The hot hatch formula is tried and proven; take a small-ish family hatchback and lift its dynamic performance, and throw in a good dose of extra grunt for good measure.

In the past, it was all about high-revving natural aspiration and short-shift manual gearboxes, but times have, of course, changed.

While the base 2015 hot hatch formula appears set – front-wheel drive, turbocharged 2.0-litre four-pot – the three interpretations we’ve assembled here arrive at the same end via otherwise different methods.

Of these, only one could really be called ‘new’: the third-generation MINI John Cooper Works. At present only available in six-speed automatic guise, the latest JCW builds on the Cooper S driveline to produce 170kW and 320Nm.

Priced from $49,950 plus on-road costs, it is slated at the premium end of the hot hatch market; for $50 less you can buy an all-wheel drive 170kW/370Nm Audi S1.

If the MINI is a new car, the 2015 Ford Focus ST is more of an update. There’s an aggressive new front-end treatment hiding the same 184kW/360Nm, six-speed manual combination, though Ford has thoroughly revised the suspension, safety and steering systems, as well as advancing infotainment. Given all the extra fruit, $38,900 plus on-roads (only $700 up on its predecessor) appears a bargain.

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Update, meanwhile, is something that could also describe the Holden Astra VXR… at a stretch. But beyond the badge swap from Opel to Holden, there appears little difference to the Astra OPC we saw back in 2012.

There is a price change, however: now available from $39,990 plus on-roads (a discount of $3000 over its Opel days) the mechanically well-specified (Brembo brakes, Drexler LSD, adjustable damping, six-speed manual gearbox) 206kW/400Nm Astra VXR punches harder than ever in value terms.


Premium value?

Looking at pricing once more, there’s a burning question: Are people still prepared to pay for the badge?

The MINI JCW is substantially more expensive than its on-test counterparts, despite lacking in size, power and torque.

Sure, you could wait for the six-speed manual to arrive late in 2015 (and save $2550 in the process), but the fact is, the MINI represents less overall value.

It’s not all bad news, however. The interior does feel a step-up from the others in fit, finish and design, including the tactile toggle switches and traditional, large central display. There’s a head-up display, 8.8-inch split-screen monitor with sat-nav and reversing camera, multiple drive modes, adaptive dampers, park assist with front and rear distance control and extended Bluetooth with streaming capability, enjoyed from cloth-trim sports seats with leather optionally available.

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Outside there are 18-inch alloys, Brembo-developed brakes, a specific bodykit and LED headlights. There’s also idle-stop tech to assist in producing a claimed fuel consumption figure of 5.8L/100km.

The MINI definitely feels the smallest inside, with a particularly little boot (at only 211L, up 30 per cent on the old car), though there are nice touches, such as the individual cup-holders for rear passengers and decent rear headroom, thanks to the lack of sloping rear styling. It is hard to climb into the rear, though, with the front-seat unable to slide right out of the way.

When contrasted against the MINI, the other three-door present, the Holden Astra VXR, certainly feels its age; one look at the confusing centre stack tells you all you need to know.

There’s kit here, including the nicely-focused, powered-and-heated leather front seats and sports drilled pedals, but trying to navigate the well-sized 7.0-inch multimedia screen via the ancient array of buttons and dials is confusing to say the least. While there’s also (clunky) sat-nav, there’s no reversing camera, and the front parking sensors are highly sensitive and default to on with every crank of the ignition.

Getting in and out isn’t the work of a moment, either, with those oversized and heavy doors. It’s a stretch to reach back for the front seat belts and rear passenger knee-room is compromised by the bulky race-style pews up-front. Rear headroom is OK and knee room acceptable, but it’s otherwise very plain ‘in the back’.

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Boot space is, however, a very impressive 380L. Like the MINI, the Holden has idle-stop, but consumes much more fuel at a claimed 8.0L/100km.

Despite the aged interior, the Opel design remains current when the exterior is considered, with its swooping bodykit and 20-inch alloys filling the guards.

In continuing with the five-door body, Ford has immediately benefitted those who buy a hot hatch for its practical, as well as performance, attributes. It’s far easier to enter the rear of the Focus and it retains a well-sized and shaped boot that contributes to 316L luggage capacity. Once in the back, however, the Focus has only acceptable head and legroom.

A weakness of the Ford’s predecessor was the heavy-button appearance of its centre console. Thankfully, Ford listened and has vastly simplified the latest Focus ST’s infotainment and climate controls, making them far more intuitive. There’s also an 8.0-inch touch-screen with included sat-nav and reversing camera, SYNC2 connectivity and those supportive Recaro seats. The adoption of idle-stop helps the Focus to a claimed consumption figure of 7.3L/100km, about midway between the others.

Talking shop
Ford’s aftersales program is expansive and covers the Focus ST. Service intervals are set at 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, and the first service costs $330. The capped price model covers 34 years or 510,000km. Additionally there’s the offer of a free loan car for each service and seven years of auto club membership and included roadside assist. Warranty remains at the industry-standard three years or 100,000km.

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In contrast, Holden covers the Astra with a lifetime servicing program, with intervals set at nine months or 15,000km with the first service is capped at $229. There’s also the standard three-year or 100,000km warranty and purchaser’s gain one year of complimentary roadside assist.

Finally, MINI offers its own version of parent BMW’s aftersales program. The JCW shares the same warranty timeframe as its opponents (three years), but has no kilometre cap. There’s a conditional service arrangement, which involves the vehicle’s monitoring systems letting you know when attention is required. Additionally a service inclusive package is available, where you can pay up-front before work is done to effectively ‘cap’ your servicing spend, and there’s three years of free roadside assist and accident management assist.

Heating up
As ever, the most important aspect of hot hatch ownership is the driving experience.
With its incredibly direct steering, the Focus runs out of lock very quickly, making slow-speed manoeuvring a hassle. Once pointing the right way, however, it offers immediacy and driver involvement that the others can’t match.

Even though the Focus’s spring rates have been refined, the ST still rides firmly, but interestingly there’s still evident lateral roll. Enter a braking zone – the stoppers work well initially, but quickly fade with repeated hard use – and the tail remains as lively as the previous model, offering skilled drivers a chance at adjustability into the corner; the rest of us might see it as nervous.

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Under power once more, the Focus can momentarily ignite the inside front tyre before the tricky electronics cut power to return traction to the 235/40/18 Goodyear Eagle F1s. Smooth the throttle, however, and the reward is instant punch.

There’s no need to rev the Focus ST -- in fact it feels restrained at the top-end – so you lug higher gears and dig into that seam of swelling low- and mid-range torque. It sounds good doing so, with a resonant (symposed) intake noise and growling exhaust note.

The new flat-bottomed wheel, grippy Recaro seats and decent gear shift all combine to make the Focus formidable fun, if you can forgive its front-end seeking out cambers, particularly on bumpy straight road sections.

Stepping into the VXR, one anticipates and even more frenetic driving experience, given its on-paper supremacy. But the reality is, the Astra never feels its full power figure. And in the age of torque-enriched turbo delivery, the VXR feels decidedly old-school in its throttle response. You also need about 3000rpm on board before the thing surges toward the horizon. Below that, a well-driven Barina would give the Astra fits.

Above it, the Astra sounds similar to a Renault Sport Megane, all turbo whoosh from the inside, though outwardly it produces a nice exhaust resonance.

The VXR drive mode sharpens the dampers as well as altering throttle and steering sensitivity, and you can feel a level of refinement within. The Astra rides firmly but acceptably, given the 20-inch rims it wears. It also contains body movements well and that -- combined with the impressive feel, retardation and consistency of the Brembo brakes -- makes the Astra a solid ground coverer.

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It’s especially convincing when you make full use of the mechanical limited-slip differential by timing your throttle application correctly to arrive at corner-exit on boost, the 245/35-series Michelin Pilot Super Sports biting the tarmac nearly free of torque-steer, thanks to the Astra’s HiPerStrut front suspension design. If there’s any room for improvement it’s in the slightly vague gear-shift and aloof steering response.

Premium in fit and finish, the MINI JCW’s diminutive 205/40-section 18-inch Pirelli Cinturato run-flats hint at a slightly different intent to the others.

Thankfully, the automatic gearbox has provision for full manual shifting, and shows off an ability to change as convincingly as a dual-clutch transmission, without the low-speed delays; there’s even a fluff on upshifts.

On regular roads the MINI’s ‘Mid’ driving mode is most suitable, backing-off the false heft of the steering and allowing the chassis to breathe a little with the road.

Even in this setting, however, our testers never felt at ease with the steering feedback and were never quite sure the front-end would bite. It is this, combined with the electronic aids which trim any excesses (albeit quite smoothly), that contribute to the MINI feeling the most artificial car here.

Where the JCW claws back votes is in its engine delivery, which is strong throughout the range, and in its Brembo-assisted braking ability. It also sounds engaging on the run and uses by far the least amount of fuel on-test, returning 8.5L/100km. For the record, the Astra VXR was next on 12.5L/100km with the Focus well back on 14.7L/100km. Same road loop, same photography stops, same mix of drivers.

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The hottest blend
For its combined performance, practicality, price and interactivity, the updated Ford Focus is the most complete hot hatch here.

Ford has addressed the primary areas of concern by enhancing infotainment and improved the dynamic package to make the most of its engaging engine/gearbox combination.

Although questions still remain on the car’s real-world economy and its braking consistency when pushed, the Focus is nevertheless the most engaging of the assembled cars, and the most complete.

The remaining machines satisfy for different, narrower reasons.

If you like your hatch to offer a mechanical feel similar to its ancestors, the Astra VXR’s dynamics and old-school engine delivery should appeal. But it doesn’t feel as strong as it should; its infotainment is ancient and its amenity lacking.

The MINI JCW trumps Astra on those fronts, and its engine is engaging in a more modern (and far more efficient) way. But it’s in the chassis response that the JCW loses ground, and arguably this is the primary factor in delivering hot hatch fun.

It looks the goods, inside and out, but ultimately falls short of the others, especially when pricing and practicality factors are considered.

2015 Ford Focus ST pricing and specifications:
Price: $38,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 184kW/360Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 7.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 166g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP)


What we liked:

>> Exciting mid-range
>> Practicality and improved interior
>> Chassis interactivity

Not so much:

>> Initial braking strength fades
>> Front-end still chases cambers
>> Frustratingly massive turning circle


2015 Holden Astra VXR pricing and specifications:

Price: $39,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 206kW/400Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 8.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 193g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (EuroNCAP)

What we liked:

>> Serious mechanical equipment
>> Strong brakes
>> Exterior design remains modern

Not so much:
>> Interior feels ancient
>> On-road grunt fails to match on-paper promise
>> Impractically large doors

2015 MINI JCW pricing and specifications:
Price: $49,950 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 170kW/320Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 134g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Four-star (ANCAP)

What we liked:
>> Premium interior
>> Impressive drivetrain
>> Strong economy


Not so much:

>> Four-star safety
>> Narrow run-flat tyres
>> Price premium

Performance:

Ford Focus ST Holden Astra VXR MINI JCW
0-60km/h 3.8sec 4.0sec 3.4sec
0-100km/h 7.3sec 7.1sec 6.5sec
50-70km/h 1.7sec 1.9sec 1.4sec
80-100km/h 1.9sec 1.6sec 1.7sec
60-0km/h 14.46m 14.49m 14.57m
Fuel consumption 14.7L/100km 12.5L/100km 8.5L/100km
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Written byAdam Davis
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