Napoleon Complex

THEY’RE THE PINT-SIZE PERFORMERS WITH BIG POINTS TO PROVE. HYUNDAI i20 N IS OUT TO BUMP FORD’S FIESTA ST OFF POLE POSITION IN THE LIGHT HOT-HATCH SEGMENT

- SCOTT NEWMAN

NAPOLEON COMPLEX, small-dog syndrome – whatever you want to call it – it all means the same thing. Let’s just go with the dictionary definition: “A domineering or aggressive attitude perceived as a form of overcompensation for being physically small or short.” Examples? How about the Ford Fiesta ST and Hyundai i20 N? No matter what you’re driving or how much power you have, on a tight, twisty road you can guarantee these little terriers will be sniffing your rear end inappropriately with headlights ablaze. But which is best?

The Fiesta ST has had a stranglehold on this segment for almost a decade. The previous generation WZ defined cheap and cheerful, effortlessly batting away challenges from the likes of the VW Polo GTI, Renault Sport Clio RS and Peugeot 208 GTi, but the current WG is even better. Quicker, more comfortable, better equipped, yet without sacrificing any of the on-limit playfulness that made its predecessor so entertaining. As a result it’s basically had the segment to itself. Until now.

Hyundai’s N Division has quickly established itself as a purveyor of fine performance cars. The original i30 N was Wheels’ favourite hot hatch and, like the Fiesta ST, its facelifted successor is an improvement in virtually every respect. Its smaller sibling, the i20, has been missing from Aussie shores for a while now, but the basic econobox we were once offered is a million miles away from this latest N version, which has its sights set firmly on stealing the Fiesta’s thunder.