Big-hearted tykes

It’s a bit of a neglected market niche, the one for small hot hatches. Ford has chosen not to import the Fiesta ST; the Renault Clio RS is on its way out with no replacement announced; and both Opel and Peugeot are notable for the local absence of OPC and GTi badges. Yet, there are green shoots, too: the Volkswagen Polo GTI has gained a strong following and both Audi and Mini offer upmarket alternatives to those buyers who want their small hot hatch imbued with premium appeal (or who are looking to buy down from their speedy A3s, Golfs and so on).

Here we pit the brand-new A1 40 TFSI against the recently refreshed Cooper S 5-door to find out which vehicle strikes the best balance between driving thrills and that golden measure