Hot hatch fans love a snappy manual gearbox, an eager engine and a car light enough to chuck into corners. But there’s an increasing influx of electric hatches that are coming out now that are quicker on paper, but extra weight and the loss of that mechanical interaction can make them a harder sell.
The Ford Fiesta ST is one of the most appreciated subcompact hot hatches mainly thanks to its legendary handling. It’s the car the two hosts of this Driven+ video wanted to win the four-way track battle that they set up, pitching electric against combustion.
In the lineup, the Cupra Born VZ had the obvious acceleration advantage. Its single rear motor produces 322 hp and 402 lb-ft of torque, giving it a 5.7-second sprint to 62 mph, though it is also the heaviest in the test at 4,407 lbs (1,999 kg), with a larger footprint and a 79-kWh battery.
The Renault 5-based Alpine A290 GTS counters with 217 hp, 221 lb-ft, a 52-kWh battery, and front-wheel drive. It reaches 62 mph in 6.4 seconds and, at the video’s quoted 1,555 kg, weighs considerably less. Both EVs use single-speed reduction gear transmissions, so there’s nothing to shift; not even fake gears like in some other sporty EVs.
0-liter four-cylinder with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, producing 204 hp and 236 lb-ft. 5-liter three-pot sends 197 hp and 214 lb-ft through a six-speed manual to the front wheels. 5 seconds to 62 mph.
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