Comparison review: Kia Cerato GT vs Hyundai i30 N-Line vs Ford Focus ST-Line vs Mazda 3 G25 Evolve

Sporty comes at a price and in the case of these four hatches they cost a tad more than the everyday varieties in the range below them.

The list price of the Focus ST-Line is $28,990, which is $3000 more than the Trend grade under it. The Hyundai i30 N Line lists for $29,490 ($1300 more than the Elite grade). The Mazda3 G25 Evolve is $30,490 ($1500 more than the G20 Touring) while the Cerato GT lists for $32,990 (about $4000 more than the Sport+).

So, on the face of it, the Cerato GT looks the priciest, but it’s a different story when you look at the driveaway prices. The Cerato GT is $31,990 driveaway, the Focus ST-Line is $32,790, the i30 N Line’s driveaway price is $33,250.30 and the Mazda3 G25 Evolve is $34,286.

On paper, the Cerato GT looks the priciest out of the group.

Have a look at the table below for the standard-features checklist, but I can tell you right now that the Cerato GT is the best-equipped car here and the Focus ST-Line is the least so. A big shout out has to go to the Mazda for being the only hatch here that comes with a head-up display, too.

The Mazda3 was also the only car with standard paint, which surprised all of us on this test because the Snowflake White Pearl Mica looks like a premium hue. The Horizon Blue of the Cerato GT is a $520 option, while the Ruby Red of the Focus ST-Line will cost you $650 and the i30 N Line’s Fiery Red is $495.

The Focus also had the $2000 Panoramic roof package fitted, while the Mazda’s floor mats were optional, at $194.58. Let's take a look at their list prices, and their driveaway prices.

And now the standard features.

Ready for the scores? Here they are.

The four cars in this comparison were tested by myself, CarsGuide’s editor Mal Flynn, deputy editor James Cleary and senior editor Matt Campbell. The 20.2km test loop on mainly course-chip bitumen bushland roads, with its uphill and steep descent section, along with hairpin corners, proved ideal for testing and comparing not only the hatches’ dynamic capabilities but also ride comfort.

We conducted a four-up test in each car – with all of us onboard. Then each tester cycled individually through the hatches and compared notes.

Mal, James and Matt joined Richard for two days of testing to find out, which hatch offered the sportiest driving dynamics.

So, these four hatches look sporty (to varying degrees), but are they at all athletic?

The answer is absolutely yes in the case of the Cerato GT and to a slightly lesser degree, the i30 N Line. Both have multi-link rear suspension and MacPherson struts up front, which have been locally tuned and set up for sporty driving. Handling ability in both on the tight and twisty roads we tested on was well above what is normally offered by most small cars at this price point.

The Cerato GT was outstanding among these four hatches in its agility, flat cornering, great grip and its accurate steering, with good feedback and feel. Praise goes to that four cylinder, which feels strong, responsive and works superbly with the seven-speed dual clutch. Yes, the growly induction noise is fake and produced electronically, but Kia isn’t the only brand doing this, and besides, it sounds great.

What you should know is that while the Cerato GT feels rigid and handles impressively for this class, the flipside is a ride that was firmer than the rest and less comfortable over potholes and speed bumps. With four riders on board, those in the backseat felt that, while they were supported by the centre armrest and contoured seatbacks, the ride was the harshest of the lot.

If a more comfortable ride is high on your priorities list, then the i30 N Line could be the perfect compromise, with a softer suspension set-up but the same engine as the Cerato GT. Yes, there was more roll in the corners, but the N Line still handled well, although its steering was lighter and offered less feedback than the Kia.

The two testers in the back did mention they had less room, but were much happier with the level of comfort in terms of ride. Cleary even remarked that you could tell that the i30 N Line has been refined over this generation. I couldn’t agree more with that, and up front the ride was excellent.

The Focus ST-Line looks the part, with the tough body kit, and its three-cylinder engine was peppy and willing to please with its off-the line punch and burbly sound, but the steering and transmission let the driving experience down.

All four testers on this comparison felt the steering in the Focus ST-Line lacked feedback and was too light, leaving the driver feeling disconnected. We also all felt the transmission was too keen to shift up and resisted attempts or downright vetoed the driver’s gear selections at times.

Complaints came loud and clear from the two testers riding in the back of the Focus ST-Line on our loop, too. The lack of a centre armrest and unsupportive seats with a thin cushion in the base not only meant they were uncomfortable, but saw them moving around more than in any other hatch.

Finally, the Mazda3 G25 Evolve. You may be wondering why we’ve included it here? Well first Mazda sees all of its cars as being sporty – you know the whole ‘Zoom Zoom’ thing. Next, it’s the sportiest Mazda3 you can currently buy, with its 2.5-litre engine sitting above the 2.0-litre below it in the range.

The four testers put the Mazda3 G25 Evolve through the same regime as the rest of the cars here and, while it was no surprise to find it the least sporty in its handling, the level of ride comfort and insulation from road and wind noise was outstanding. The backseat riders had never been happier. However, from a sporty-driving perspective, the Mazda3 G25 Evolve struggled. Soft suspension meant the ride was floaty and the engine offered lacklustre performance, unless you really put the boot in. Maximum torque is at 4000rpm or, as my notes put it; “engine is meh”.

Ready for the scores? Here they are.

Hatches have long been admired for handling the double duties of being sporty and practical. So, which of the four here was the most versatile when it came to room for people, cargo space and amenities like USB ports? Let’s see.

First the boot sizes. The i30 N Line’s boot capacity to the cargo cover is 395L and the Mazda3’s is 295L. Kia only measures the Cerato GT’s 428L cargo capacity to the roof (which is silly because unless you have the boot caged off you shouldn’t pack that high). The Focus throws another curve ball because while its 421L is measured to the cargo cover, it’s not measured in VDA litres but in accordance with ISO 3832, which Ford says is very close to being the same as VDA.

The best way to discern space, then, was using suitcases, and the Cerato GT provided the most cargo space, and also had handy storage under the boot floor.

The Cerato GT also provided the most room for people, with the best rear legroom of the four hatches. I’m 191cm tall and could sit behind my driving position in the Cerato GT with about 30mm of space between my knees and the seat back.

Not the case with the i30 N-Line, which offered the least amount of legroom of the four, and had my knees hard up against the driver’s seat in my position.

The Focus ST-Line gave me about 10mm of knee space, thanks to the way the seatback is scooped out, while the Mazda gave me less room, with my knees just kissing the back of the seat in front.

Rear headroom was adequate in all hatches, even for me.

Space up front in all cars was excellent, with plenty of head and elbow room. Not once did I feel cramped while driving in any of these hatches, and I have a wingspan of almost 2m.

While we’re talking cabin comfort, you should know that only the Focus ST-Line doesn’t have directional vents for the back-seat passengers. Parents will know the value of these vents. The Focus was also the only one without cupholders in the second row, nor a centre armrest back there. The rest all have four cupholders – two in the front and two in the back.

The Mazda3 was the only hatch tested here not to have wireless charging for phones. Here's a breakdown of the storage for each hatch.

*Measured to roof, while all other boot volumes are measured to cargo cover.

Ready for the scores? Here they are.

You’ve just forked out about $30K for the car, now how much is it going to cost you over the time of ownership? Fortunately, all four cars here are covered by long warranties and the servicing costs for routine maintenance are transparent and, in most cases, they’re not capped, or at least there’s a price guide.

A quick glance at the table shows that the Cerato can’t be beaten with its warranty, capped-price servicing and roadside assistance, which all last seven years. If you were to sell the car after four years, the new owner would see the value in having three years’ left of coverage.

Ready for the scores? Here they are.