Opinion: Can the Hyundai i20 N overcome the emotional advantage of the Fiesta ST? Car News

You and I know that cars are not “just” transportation. They are not even “fair” art or “fair” engineering. In fact, what we car enthusiasts know to be the most crucial and shining aspect of cars is how they affect us humans. Inanimate masses of metal and wire, they can be, but one particular model of car can bring people together and even come to represent a whole era and a social ecosystem. On top of that, we have an undeniable emotional connection with them.

I lingered on this as I rummaged through the slightly intimidating control bridge of the customizable settings of the Hyundai i20 N, fresh out of a Ford Fiesta ST Edition. Deciding which of the two is better for the next twins test in the July 14 issue was never going to be easy.

After all, I know how awesome the i30 N is, and I have never doubted that the i20 N could exude a similar “my first rally car” feel. That’s exactly what he does, with delightful recklessness. The difficult part is that deciding if something can make the Fiesta ST better forces me to put aside that inconstant, limp, emotional human part, because it’s absolutely one of those cars that is such an integral part of our culture and life. our lives. So much so that I felt like I was cheating someone (or something, I guess) to even consider that the i20 N could be better than the Fiesta ST. The final decision won’t be revealed yet, but simply dissecting the merits of the Fiesta ST in order to pass judgment is like taking the family’s loyal dog to the placement center, just in case a cuter dog is available. .

This connection to Ford is inevitable, really. After all, like most people, I grew up with it. I learned to drive in a, ‘angry eye’ from a friend, Zetec S was the first car I drove with intention after passing my test, and I seriously considered buying various Fiesta over the years.

While I now apologize for opening the ‘spoiled automotive journalist’ dossier, a 2005 Fiesta ST was also one of the first press cars given to me for work experience for that very title. . Memorably I also drove a Fiesta XR2 through picturesque corners of North Wales for a Ford star in 2012 and to top it off I drove Jari-Matti Latvala’s actual WRC Fiesta in a common Midlands supermarket parking lot.

Of course, the XR2 is hardly an afterthought in the wake of the Peugeot 205 GTi, and the original 2005 Ford Fiesta ST was a bit heavy and, well, not as good as a Renaultsport Clio (sorry, Ford).

Hell, the Mk2 Fiesta ST was a game-changer. The first Fiesta to beat the Renaultsport Clio at its game, and “as competent, flexible and capable as it gets”, according to the Autocar test drive. Since that model, and with the introduction of the more grown-up but equally fun and accessible Mk3 Fiesta ST we enjoy today, it has been Autocar’s favorite junior hot hatch (and mine). It has set a surprisingly high benchmark, not only for how much fun and finesse can be extracted from an affordable city car, but, with the current generation in particular, how it can offer a wide range of talent. From everyday efficient superminis to weekend thrills on the track, it has a seemingly limitless comfort zone.

So that’s where I ended up: spinning the digital options of the i20 N and admiring the sheer cheekiness of the thing, all the while making the effort to put my emotional, gnarled attachment to a vehicle I didn’t have. never even owned.