Top Gear Hot-Hatch Shootout

[Silent Shark]

I've got the latest edition of the mag, and in the long-term test section there are some more details about the hillclimb test.

They say the Stig thinks the difference between the Boc and the Polo GTi was down to the tyres. The Boc was on bedded-in Michelins, and the Polo was on brand new Dunlops.

My Boc is on Pirelli's .

They go on to moan once again about the noise enhancer being too boomy and generally about the DSG. They think the Polo has updated DSG software as it seemed slightly sharper.

 

[jc_boc]

So I wonder if it would be possible to get the "updated" software loaded in the boc then? Me thinks a call to VW is oin order on Monday hehehehehhehehehehe

 

[nightflight]

They think the Polo has updated DSG software as it seemed slightly sharper.

Read: We can't bring ourselves to like the Boc so we'll bring give a subjective opinion in favour of the VW we prefer with no evidence whatsoever?

 

[mardon]

This^^

You should see the whatcar shoot out between the mini, polo, cupra, clio.

The praise the engine and box in the polo along with the handling. The cupra which is the same other than interior and panels got slated. Whatcar hates the cupra it gave the boc a bad review too. Its nuts!

 

[jc_boc]

What a joke! just goes to show you that a well established "badge" will always gain favour...... pathetic!!!!

 

[Silent Shark]

To be fair, they aren't overstruck on the Polo GTi either. They say that by trying to be like the Golf, it ruins it. It doesn't feel special enough.

 

[jamoy]

Hasn't it always been that the SEAT has always been a little bit firmer, sportier than the equivalent VW? After all, of all the VAG brands, SEAT is meant to be the feisty, sporty one... could explain differences on track.

 

[Jonezyfr]

evo mag and what car did the same when the new leon cupra came out, they compared it to the gti ed30, focus st, ctr and the other usual suspects.

they slated the leon gearbox and the wheelspin i think, the golf would have been exactly the same and they loved it.

wierd that isnt it

 

[The Pielander]

I remember reading a few years back that Clarkson won't review SEAT's as he hates the marque. The last SEAT I saw being reviewed on Top Gear (the programme) was a yellow Mk3 Cupra I think, and I believe he liked that particular model (what year would that have been?). I'm sure I read in his Sunday Times column that he will never drive one of the more recent models.

Car magazines are so subjective they have become irrelevant for me now. My favorite was a magazine that compared the Mk4 Cupra TDI vs a Renaultsport Clio 182 and even though the scores in the the various categories and the total were higher for the Cupra they preferred the Clio! Utter tosh!

How will the new Fabia vRS fare I wonder?

 

[joonash]

they slated the leon gearbox and the wheelspin i think, the golf would have been exactly the same and they loved it.

wierd that isnt it

Might be a request of VAG. VW is in head of VAG and of course they want to keep VW in the front and not let the rest of the brands of VAG let get past it. These mags are always keen for money. And if VW favours the German brands of VAG the taxes from their profits of sold cars will end up in Germany as well. Just speculation, but keeping in mind that these mags are buyable, it might be slightly possible.

 

[Spurt]

could be right there

 

[Jonezyfr]

can see that now you ,mention it., sounds about right

 

[tkmking]

I just read this article and thought to myself "you can't compare an impress cosworth with an Ibiza!" they should have split it in two, the superminis and the hatchbacks. I did notice that the Ibiza came second out of the superminis, losing only to the Clio, with 20hp more, gaining less than half a second in time!

 

[mardon]

As i've mentioned before What Car is very bad for this. IN the boc, clio mini shoot out the Boc had more starts TOTAL yet came in third place...? Not sure if the same happend in their more recent shoot out with the Polo, Cupra, Mini & Clio shoot out. Couldn't bring myself to read the whole article coz it wound me up last time. I even wrote a letter to them. (Sad I know although it was a sarcastic one ).

 

[mardon]

Haha found the email I wrote: (I was wrong, it was Rockingham not silverstone that the test was conducted).

I have just read your head to head of the new Bocanegra with the Clio 200 and Mini Cooper S. Overall it was a good read and I agree with most of what you said.
It’s the final result I don’t quite get. I’m not sure if BMW/Mini has slipped you a little cash or something but how did it come second? I added up the scores at the end and the results were as follows:
MINI = 33,
Bocanegra = 34
Clio = 31

Now there is no denying the Clio is the hard core hot hatch of choice and rightly deserved first place. But.. How did the mini come second? And how did the Ibiza have a lower final score when it had a higher cumulative score?

Another mistake was the performance stats for the Ibiza 8.2 0-60 and top speed of 125mph?? Did you get my mother to do the test drive? Try 7.2 0-60 and 140mph to speed. The in gear times were crazy too since the Boc has the fastest gear change there with the DSG box! Did you leave it in DRIVE rather than SPORT? I know people on the Cupra forums are claiming to have hit 0-60 in less than 7 seconds at Bruntingthorpe proving ground.

I also read another review of both the Clio and the Cupra from another magazine online (www.carmagazine.co.uk) and they had a video of both cars driving round Silverstone (same drive with good driving conditions). The fastest lap results were as follows: Clio - 1.44.29 Cupra - 1.44.69.So clearly the Clio is faster than the Cupra but by only 0.00.40 of a second!
I totally agree the Ibiza is more refined and not quite as exciting but its still a perfectly competent hot hatch with great mpg too boot. I just don’t think you scored it fairly so the Cooper S would come out looking better.

Regards,

 

[jc_boc]

Nice one Mardon. Not surprised they have not responded tbh. They probs don't know what to say to that.

 

[Deleted member 49882]

This will be interesting if they reply! I can tell you from experience of owning 2 generations of clio sports...they actually corner like on rails! They punch well above their weight! However...the Ibiza is a very capable car that could keep pace with the clio no problem. I dare say it will leave a few unsuspecting people quite shocked.

 

[mardon]

I sent that ages ago on the first test drive so there will be no response unfortunately.

I've actually had a blast with a clio 200 on a private road. There was very little in it (pre remap) if anything I was ever so slightly faster. There were no corners on the private road regrettably so I couldn't test out my up rated brakes and suspension Now though the 200 would be a fair bit slower. A clio 172 Cup has a higher power to wait ratio and I easily despatched one of those

 

[Deleted member 49882]

This^^

You should see the whatcar shoot out between the mini, polo, cupra, clio.

The praise the engine and box in the polo along with the handling. The cupra which is the same other than interior and panels got slated. Whatcar hates the cupra it gave the boc a bad review too. Its nuts!

Jeez..just read that whatcar review...they do not like the cupra / Boc at all. I have read a lot of different reviews and they all seem to say something different. Each to their own I suppose, but I personally like the cupra / Boc...they are a quick car and good fun.

 

[seat_rich]

Jeez..just read that whatcar review...they do not like the cupra / Boc at all. I have read a lot of different reviews and they all seem to say something different. Each to their own I suppose, but I personally like the cupra / Boc...they are a quick car and good fun.

Isn't the problem with some classes of car nowadays that they're all 'good enough', and the only way reviewers can really separate cars is with highly subjective criteria?

So you always end up with different results from different mags/websites etc.