10 Car Hot Hatch Megatest

[Gruber]

Joe - give it a rest, chap. We don't care. It's a nice car - nobody doubts that. Just most of the rest of us wouldn't buy one.

Now... can we get back to talking about proper hot hatches?

I popped into West London Audi on Monday for a poke around the RS3 they've got in stock. It's a genuinely well-finished, good looking bit of kit. I think I might be starting to obsess a bit... about a bloody Audi. What's going on??

[rb5er]

JoeMarano said:

A basic chip on the Polo takes it to 230-240bhp no problems. Again more than the Mountune 215 kit

JoeMarano said:

Polo has its power all the time and not on over boost and I really can't see the chassis being that much better if I'm honest.

Does the basic chip on the Polo maintain 3 years manufacturers warranty?

How often do you hold full throttle for longer than 15 seconds? Top gear at vmax is probably the only time. Therefore that power is nearly always there.

Every review seems to think the ST's chassis is indeed much better whether you believe it or not.

You can try and justify it all you like and compare it to more fun/driver orientated cars but if you enjoy it and need something a bit softer than most then thats all that matters. Just please stop banging on about it in every thread. You even started going on about it in a what car thread about £2k clios etc. Totally irrelevant.

[JockySteer]

JoeMarano said:

How would it run rings around it with its less power and torque, thinner tyres and smaller brakes?

Are you being serious? Come on mate, this is troll material now.

The setup and chassis is in another league. You clearly love your Polo, which is fine, just please cut the crap

[JoeMarano]

Why is it? Because the majority of reviews say so? Even the Clio gets blasted compared to the Fiesta and that's a better car too!

[rb5er]

JoeMarano said:

Why is it? Because the majority of reviews say so? Even the Clio gets blasted compared to the Fiesta and that's a better car too!

Yes, thats usually how it works. Popular opinion from people that have driven all the cars is that the ST is the better car.

The Clio was panned by all so if you think its a better car then that says more about your ideals than anything else.

Its hardly Ford bias as Renaults are usually coverted by the motoring press.

Maybe you need to go and drive an ST to see what all the fuss is about but it seems you just have an irrational disliking for Ford even though they make some great cars.

[JockySteer]

rb5er said:

Maybe you need to go and drive an ST to see what all the fuss is about but it seems you just have an irrational disliking for Ford even though they make some great cars.

I don't think that would work judging by what he's written. Seems to be all about the stats and nothing else... the feel of a sweet chassis and connected drive would probably be overlooked because the Polo got the nod in one Australian review.

RS have redeemed themselves slightly it would seem with the new Clio 220, but the ST is still the champ of the segment. Would love to see a Fiesta RS further down the line.

[ZX10R NIN]

JockySteer said:

As you mention, I think the comparison needs ending there. The Megane is not a rival of the Polo GTi, the Clio is.

RE what I said about pricing, I meant comparing a 5 year old Polo to a 5 year old Megane, not a new one. Happy to be proved wrong though if Polo's aren't worth more.

2011 Polo GTI £8950 51k 61 Plate
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2011 Megane 250RS £9880 54k 60 Plate
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

The Polo is worth less.

[ZX10R NIN]

JoeMarano said:

You do realise it's been heavily updated with a new 1.8 turbo engine (basically a downsized Golf GTI/clubsport/R engine)etc

I only brought the car up as I did originally want a Megane and while browsing review videos I found that in a quarter mile the times weren't all that different which shocked me is all.

1/4 mile time for the Polo is 14.5 secs 0-60 6.7

1/4 mile time for the Megane is 13.87 secs 0-60mph 5.8

Are you sure you weren't looking at the Clio RS?

1/4 mile time for the RS200 Clio is 14.7 secs 0-60mph 6.7

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Thursday 5th May 01:37

[JoeMarano]

There was a link to both the quarter mile times I posted earlier it was 14.5 and 14.3 I believe although that was the 265 not the 275.

I wasn't debating that the megane is faster I was just shocked the times weren't that different and the original post was just convincing myself I had bought the right car as ihad originally always wanted a Megane 250!

I wasn't trying to say it wasn't a better car LOL

[Mr2Mike]

JoeMarano said:

There was a link to both the quarter mile times I posted earlier it was 14.5 and 14.3 I believe although that was the 265 not the 275.

I wasn't debating that the megane is faster I was just shocked the times weren't that different and the original post was just convincing myself I had bought the right car as ihad originally always wanted a Megane 250!

You should have bought a Megane, if only so you didn't feel the need to convince everyone else the Polo was the better choice.

[ZX10R NIN]

In a straight line your 1.8 Polo is quicker than the Mk6 Golf GTI 14.5 over a 1/4 mile with the current GTI doing it in 14.1.

[ZX10R NIN]

JoeMarano said:

There was a link to both the quarter mile times I posted earlier it was 14.5 and 14.3 I believe although that was the 265 not the 275.

I wasn't debating that the megane is faster I was just shocked the times weren't that different and the original post was just convincing myself I had bought the right car as ihad originally always wanted a Megane 250!

I wasn't trying to say it wasn't a better car LOL

Oh but you were saying that (Read your statement below) your car was as good as the Megane & would live with a Megane RS down an A road etc which implies it's chassis is as good.

No doubt. My car (1.8 POLO GTI) will live 99.9% on stty country roads and not a track so it's a happy trade off :smile:

Manual has 70nm more torque and identical performance figures although in gear times are obviously quicker.

(6.7 0-60 147mph)


Joe you bought the car that suited you & you're happy (the world would be a boring place if we all liked the same thing) with it but trying to imply it's as good as class leading car in the next segment above is a stretch especially when it doesn't even get close to the best in it's own class is the reason you're getting a bit of stick.

[JoeMarano]

Did I say that? I came off a night shift and had no sleep at all yesterday. Nvm.

[ZX10R NIN]

JoeMarano said:

No doubt. My car will live 99.9% on stty country roads and not a track so it's a happy trade off

Manual has 70nm more torque and identical performance figures although in gear times are obviously quicker.

(6.7 0-60 147mph)

Yes you did say that.

as I said it would be boring if we all liked the same thing.

[JockySteer]

JoeMarano said:

Did I say that? I came off a night shift and had no sleep at all yesterday. Nvm.

I read it as your car will be on the road 99% of the time as opposed to track driving, not that it will live with a Megane/Fiesta 99% of the time in a B road blast.

[JoeMarano]

That's actually precisely what I meant by that.

Ain't sleep deposit a bh. I'm just reading this thread thinking wtf

[Blanchimont]

ZX10R NIN said:

2011 Polo GTI £8950 51k 61 Plate
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2011 Megane 250RS £9880 54k 60 Plate
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

The Polo is worth less.

That Megane isn't even the Cup, which commands a small premium too.

[chrisb92]

JoeMarano said:

You do realise it's been heavily updated with a new 1.8 turbo engine (basically a downsized Golf GTI/clubsport/R engine)etc

I only brought the car up as I did originally want a Megane and while browsing review videos I found that in a quarter mile the times weren't all that different which shocked me is all.

I like the way you think you drive a slightly detuned Golf R

You say it's faster than a MK6 GTi, but I'd happily race you anywhere any time, any condition and put that to the test.

[BertyFish]

chrisb92 said:

I like the way you think you drive a slightly detuned Golf R

You say it's faster than a MK6 GTi, but I'd happily race you anywhere any time, any condition and put that to the test.

Agree, I'd rather have a mk6 gti over the polo, miss mine and that was after a quite heavily modified s3.

[chrisb92]

BertyFish said:

Agree, I'd rather have a mk6 gti over the polo, miss mine and that was after a quite heavily modified s3.

There's also only about 40kg difference in weight. The MK6 GTi feels very light when driving! Even when the Polo nips off the line a bit quicker, I'll be sat there in a much nicer cabin. The difference of interior quality between the two cars is like night and day.

Did you map/modify the MK6?