I've just bought my HR, coming from a 2010 Octavia vRS petrol DSG. I sold my Octy to my brother and knew I wanted to get a zed. I then test drove a 55 plate zed and was gutted. It just didn't feel quick like I though it was going to. To give the zed another chance, me and our kid then went to view 54 plate, and on the test drive he followed me in the Octavia. Second gear coming off a roundabout around 30mph, foot to the floor and the Octavia was right there up to 100mph (didn't go any faster), There was nothing in it. These two experiences put me off the zed until I decided to stop being an idiot and take the zed for what it is. It may not be be able to outrun modern hot hatches in a straight line, but that's not what the car is about. They drive brilliantly, handle well, put a smile on your face, and at the end of he day they are still fairly fast. I went for the HR for that bit of extra power and just take the car for what it is, and love it.
On the subject of giant killers, I've beaten plenty of 'fast' cars around the Nurburgring in a Suzuki Swift Sport, including Ferraris and Porsches. Now THAT would be embarrassing