The Best Hot Hatches of All Time
We have picked the greatest hot hatches of all time. Check our list of the best hot hatchbacks.
There's something appealing about sporty small cars. Since the inception of hatchbacks in the 1970s, these small family friendly cars always had our attention.
The term "hot hatch" refers the sporty version of a hatchback car, which in turn, is a car body configuration with a rear door that provides access to the interior of the car as a cargo area.
The concept of a hot hatch is based on the upgrading of the powertrain and drivetrain of an existing practical and compact car sold by the manufacturer. Thus keeping it cheap and easy to maintain.
One of the best qualities of the hot hatches is their versatility, as they combine sports cars performance with day-to-day driving. They also have a high fun-to-price ratio, allowing drivers to have a good time without spending too much.
Nowadays, many old hot hatches are collector items, with their prices beating some of today's equivalents.
It is hard to identify the best hot hatch, as there are so many different cars to choose from. Therefore, on this list we have picked the greatest hot hatches with no particular order.
Here are the best hot hatches of all time.
Citroën Saxo VTS - 118hp, 910kg
The Citroën Saxo VTS has a 1.6I 16-valve engine with a top speed of 205 km/h (127 mph), and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 8.7 seconds.
Peugeot 106 GTI - 118hp, 925kg
The Peugeot 106 GTI is the most powerful 106, it has a 1.6 DOHC inline-4 engine, with a max output of 118HP/6600 rpm, and a max torque of 104.8 lb-ft//5200 rpm.
Alfa Romeo 147 GTA - 247hp, 1435kg
The Alfa Romeo 147 GTA is equipped with the 247bhp 3.2-litre Busso V6. It can reach a top speed of 246 km/h (153 mph) and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 6.3 seconds.
Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk1) - 109hp, 810kg
The Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk1) brought sports driving to the masses. This 1.6l model pioneered the emerging genre of hot hatches.
Honda Civic Type R EP3 - 197hp, 1204kg
The Honda Civic Type R EP3 has a 2.0-liter DOHC inline-4 with i-VTEC. The "i" in "i-VTEC" stands for "intelligent", meaning it actuated different cam lobes at different speeds, enabling the engine to be highly efficient.
Ford Fiesta ST (Mk7) - 180hp, 1163kg
The Ford Fiesta ST (Mk7) has a turbocharged 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine. It can reach a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph).
Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6 - 104hp, 850kg
The Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6 has a top speed of 190 km/h (118 mph), and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 9.5 seconds.
Renault Clio 182 Trophy - 180hp, 1090kg
The Renault Clio 182 Trophy has a 0 to 100 km/h time of 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 222 km/h (138 mph).
The Mini Cooper S has a supercharged 1.6-litre engine. It has a top speed of 222 km/h (138 mph).
Ford Focus RS (Mk1) - 212hp, 1355kg
The Ford Focus RS (Mk1) has Sachs dampers, a Quaife limited-slip differential and Brembo brakes. The purpose of this car was to give its drivers a feeling of Colin McRae’s Focus WRC car.
Renault 5 GT Turbo - 118hp, 830kg
The Renault 5 GT Turbo 1.4-litre engine allowed it to make 0 to 100 km/h in 8 seconds.
Volkswagen Polo G40 - 111hp, 830kg
The Volkswagen Polo G40 has a supercharged 1.3-liter engine. It has a 0 to 100 km/h time of 8.6 seconds and a top speed of 196 km/h (122 mph).
Renault Clio Williams - 148hp, 981kg
The Renault Clio Williams has a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine. It has a 0 to 100 km/h time of 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 216 km/h (134 mph).
Suzuki Swift GT - 100hp, 785kg
The Suzuki Swift GT is the lightest on this list. It makes 100 horsepower from a 1.3L 16-valve DOHC engine.
The Renault Megane R26.R has a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. It does 0 to 100 km/h in 6.0 seconds and has a top speed of 237 km/h (147 mph).
Lancia Delta Integrale Evo II - 212hp, 1340kg
The Lancia Delta Integrale Evo II has an inline 4 cylinder turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. It does 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and has a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph).
Peugeot 106 Rallye - 100hp, 810kg
The Peugeot 106 Rallye has a 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine capable of a 0 to 100 km/h time of 9.7 seconds and a top speed of 190 km/h (118 mph).
Hyundai i30 N - 247hp, 1400kg
The Hyundai i30 N has a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 6.3 seconds.
