Ford Fiesta ST vs VW Polo GTI: The numbers

Two circa-200 hp, front-wheel drive "junior" hot hatches, both new, both promising mega fun for affordable money. Which one wins the numbers game?

By: Victoria Parrott

Jan 18, 2018 at 5:21am ET

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It seems like a hollow victory to say that the new Volkswagen Polo GTI is the best of the small hatchbacks given that the new Ford Fiesta ST hasn't arrived yet. Here, we'll have a game of hot hatch Top Trumps to find out which one's best on numbers alone.

Update:

Ford Says New Fiesta ST Will Be Loaded With World Firsts

The cars

The last generation of the Fiesta ST was an instant milestone in the hot hatch landscape. A modern-day Peugeot 205 GTi, if you will. Even the $35,700 (approximately), limited editionToyota Yaris GRMN doesn't match the old Fiesta ST for sheer thrills. It was just that epic. And, of course, it leaves a giant reputation for the new car to live up to. A new car that's taken the controversial route of using a three-cylinder turbocharged engine, complete with cylinder deactivation and coasting mode to improve efficiency. There will also be selectable drive modes including Normal, Sport and Track.

The VW Polo, by contrast, has a reputation for being the grown up one of its peers. The fast, refined, easy-living one that's at home in the company car park and outside a posh hotel, just as it is doing ill-advised handbrake turns in a supermarket car park by cover of darkness.

What do you think?

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Check out how they fare when you compare the numbers, and have a look a the galleries below.

	2018 Ford Fiesta ST	2018 Volkswagen Polo GTI
Price	not available in the U.S. / £19,000 est. in UK	not available in the U.S. / £21,140 in UK
Engine	1.5-liter, 3-cylinder, turbocharged, gasoline	2.0-liter, 4-cylinder, turbocharged, gasoline
Transmission	Six-speed manual	Six-speed dual-clutch automatic
Drivetrain	Front-wheel drive	Front-wheel drive
Power	197 hp	197 hp
Torque	214 lb-ft	236 lb-ft
0-62mph	6.7 seconds	6.7 seconds
Top speed	145 mph (233 kph) (est.)	147 mph (237 kph)
Fuel economy	52 mpg (est.)	47.9 mpg
CO2 emissions	114 g/km	134 g/km
Seats	5	5
Boot capacity	292 liters	355 liters
Length	4,065 mm	4053mm
Width	1,735 mm	1751mm
Height	1,460 mm (est.)	1461mm
Wheelbase	2,493 mm	2548mm
Weight	2,535 lbs (1,150 kg) (est.)	2,601 lbs (1,180 kg) (est.)
Fuel tank capacity	42 liters	40 liters

Which one wins?

Given that we won't have a U.S. version of the Fiesta ST and Polo GTI, it's all speculation at this point. On numbers alone, given that the Fiesta manages the same 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) sprint with a manual gearbox that the Polo manages with a dual-clutch automatic, and given the lower emissions and lower (predicted) price, we'd be more tempted by the Ford. Mind you, the Polo has a far superior interior and better practicality... Paper, scissors, stone you for it?