When it comes to pleasing the driver, neither the Astra nor the Golf can hold a candle to the MINI 5-Door. Although it has the fewest ponies, the MINI’s responsive powertrain and well-tuned suspension give it the zippiest performance and greatest agility.
We also love the car’s cockpit, which has cool toggle switches and funky lights. But as fun as the 5-Door is, it’s hard to look past its smaller backseat and lower boot capacity. Had the 5-Door’s space and practicality been closer to those of its rivals’, it would have outshone them in this story.
The Volkswagen Golf has no issues with regard to roominess and boot volume. It is also the most driver-friendly of the bunch, with intuitive controls and the best all-round visibility, too.
But although its performance figures are on a par with the MINI 5-Door’s, they don’t reflect the Golf’s sluggishness off the line, which we suspect is caused by its oversized 19-inch wheels.
Running neck and neck with the Golf is the Opel Astra. Its cabin is the most spacious one here, and its performance, while slightly behind its rivals’, remains respectable.
It’s the Astra’s pricing, though, which could ultimately sway buyers. At press time, it is $12.5k and $16.4k cheaper than the VW Golf and MINI 5-Door. Now, that sounds reasonable for a spirited five-door hatchback.
MINI Cooper 5-Door 1.5 (A)
DRIVETRAIN
Type Inline-3, 12-valves, turbocharged
Capacity 1499cc
Bore x stroke 82mm x 94.6mm
Compression Ratio 11:1
Max power 136bhp at 4500-6000rpm
Max torque 220Nm at 1250-4000rpm
Power to weight 115.7bhp per tonne
Gearbox 6-speed automatic with manual select
Driven wheels Front
PERFORMANCE
0-100km/h 8.1 seconds
Top speed 207km/h (governed)
Consumption 20km/L (combined)
CO2 emission 116g/km
SUSPENSION
Front MacPherson struts, coil springs
Rear Multi-link, coil springs
BRAKES
Front / Rear Ventilated discs / Discs
TYRES
Type Pirelli Cinturato P1
Size 195/65 R16
SAFETY
Airbags 6
Traction aids ABS, DSC
MEASUREMENTS
Length 3982mm
Width 1727mm
Height 1425mm
Wheelbase 2567mm
Kerb weight 1175kg
Turning circle 11m
BUYING IT
Price incl. COE $141,300 (after $10k CEVS rebate)
Warranty 3 years/200,000km
+ Most fun to drive, quickest performance, snazzy design
– Priciest, smallest boot, most compact backseat
BEST IN DRIVING THRILLS
Opel Astra 1.4 (A)
DRIVETRAIN
Type Inline-4, 16-valves, turbocharged
Capacity 1399cc
Bore x stroke 74mm x 81.3mm
Compression Ratio 10:1
Max power 150bhp at 5000-5600rpm
Max torque 245Nm at 2000-4000rpm
Power to weight 121.7bhp per tonne
Gearbox 6-speed automatic with manual select
Driven wheels Front
PERFORMANCE
0-100km/h 9 seconds
Top speed 210km/h
Consumption 18.2km/L (combined)
CO2 emission 127g/km
SUSPENSION
Front MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Rear Multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
Front / Rear Ventilated discs / Discs
TYRES
Type Michelin Primacy 3
Size 225/45 R17
SAFETY
Airbags 6
Traction aids ABS, ESC
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4370mm
Width 1809mm
Height 1485mm
Wheelbase 2662mm
Kerb weight 1233kg
Turning circle 11.4m
BUYING IT
Price incl. COE $124,888 (after $5k CEVS rebate)
Warranty 5 years/100,000km
+ Lowest asking price, comfiest cabin, smoothest gearbox
– Least practical backseat, least flexible boot, slowest performance
BEST IN REFINEMENT
Volkswagen Golf R-Line 1.4 (A)
DRIVETRAIN
Type Inline-4, 16-valves, turbocharged
Capacity 1395cc
Bore x stroke 74.5mm x 80mm
Compression Ratio 10.5:1
Max power 150bhp at 5000-6000rpm
Max torque 250Nm at 1500-3500rpm
Power to weight 123.5bhp per tonne
Gearbox 7-speed dual-clutch with manual select
Driven wheels Front
PERFORMANCE
0-100km/h 8.2 seconds
Top speed 216km/h
Consumption 19.6km/L (combined)
CO2 emission 118g/km
SUSPENSION
Front MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Rear Multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
Front / Rear Ventilated discs / Discs
TYRES
Type Bridgestone Potenza S001
Size 225/35 R19
SAFETY
Airbags 7
Traction aids ABS, ESP
MEASUREMENTS
Length 4255mm
Width 1799mm
Height 1452mm
Wheelbase 2637mm
Kerb weight 1215kg
Turning circle 10.9m
BUYING IT
Price incl. COE $137,400 (after $10k CEVS rebate)
Warranty 3 years/100,000km
+ Most driver-friendly, most practical interior, most efficient powertrain
– Backseat has the least foot space, feels slowest off the line, relatively steep pricing
BEST IN PRACTICALITY
