MINI JCW vs Vauxhall Corsa VXR & Ford Fiesta ST - pictures

The MINI JCW is the fastest MINI ever, and it arrives on the hot hatch scene to take on the likes of the new Vauxhall Corsa VXR and Ford Fiesta ST. 

The MINI JCW costs £24,380 with an auto gearbox, as tested here. Our car had a few extras, though, taking the price up to £27,600. 

It's powered by a 2.0-litre 4cyl petrol engine, producing 228bhp. 

Inside, the circular display and toggle switches give the JCW a nostalgic feel. Head-up display fitted to our car is a £450 extra, while sat-nav is an optional extra that features a BMW iDrive-style dial. 

While the current MINI has grown in size, it's still not what you'd call spacious. The back seats have limited legroom, especially if there's a tall driver up front. 

Boot space is on the small side, too, at 211 litres. 

The six-speed auto box in this car also fetures launch control, with paddles on the steering wheel. 

Looks-wise, the JCW has extra air vents under the grille, beefy wheelarches and a red roof to set it apart from the standard Cooper S. 

A big rear spoiler and optional 18-inch rims (£740) add to the car's look. 

The car's excellent grip means it can handle high-speed corners easily. 

All of the hot hatches in this test have badges with racing and performance pedigree. 

The Corsa VXR tested here costs £20,395 with the optional Performance Pack. It's powered by a 197bhp, 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine. 

The Corsa VXR attracts plenty of attention with its big twin exhausts, chunky side skirts, deep front bumper and large spoiler. 

Inside, there aren't many clues as to the car's sporting pretentions, but the flat-bottomed steering wheel and heavily-bolstered leather sports seats help. The speedo and rev counter are bespoke VXR touches, too. 

Access to the rear seats is a little awkward, but once you're past the bulky Recaro front seats, you'll find more head and legroom than in the MINI. 

The boot is well shaped and offers 285 litres of space and can be extended to 1,090 litres with the rear seats folded. 

The Performance Pack model tested here also benefits from eye-catching 18-inch alloys. 

The VXR is sure to attract attention, especially in our car's bright green paintwork. 

The VXR delivers on its looks with a sharp turn of pace, although the gearbox holds it back, and the car lacks composure. 

While the Fiesta and Corsa have muscular makeovers thanks to racy bodykits, MINI lives up to its reputation as a car with great personalisation options with different coloured roof options, body decals and several alloy wheel options.&

The Fiesta ST in this test is the 212bhp Mountune version, which is a factory-approved engine upgrade for the top-spec ST-3. 

Not only does the Fiesta ST look every inch the hot hatch hero, it also boasts one of the best front-wheel drive chassis ever. 

The Fiesta's robust cabin comes with plenty of standard equipment, such as Recaro seats and sat-nav. However, the screen is small and too far back in the dashboard. 

The Fiesta ST is available as a three-door only, but access to the roomy back seats isn't as tricky as it seems thanks to wide-opening doors. 

The boot is a practical size at 290 litres, but this drops to 276 litres if you opt for a space-saver spare wheel. 

"The Mountune upgrade is well worth the £599 price tag. It slashes over a second off the standard car's 0-60mph time and two seconds from the sixth-gear 50-70mph sprint - turning the ST into a giant-slayer." - Sean Carson, senior road

ST Style pack (£275) adds dark-grey alloys, red brake calipers and illuminated ST sill plates. The large rear boot spoiler, deep rear bumper and twin exhaust tailpipes complete the racy makeover. 

The Fiesta handles well and relays the perfect amount of feedback to the driver.