Cars come in all different shapes and sizes; you just have to pick the one that suits you best. Trucks and SUVs for more utility, convertibles for style, vans for carrying people, and sedans for the average person with the average needs. There is one segment of the car market that is quite unique in its own right; the hatchbacks, more specifically, hot hatches. One won’t always need that V8 or that in-line six to have fun in an automobile. Sometimes, a lively engine and a lightweight body will do the trick just as well, if not better than other high-performance vehicles. Again, you don’t need that much power but some car manufacturers certainly beg to differ as they offer hot hatches with neck breaking accelerations.
From Germany all the way to Japan, these insane car designers conjure up some pretty interesting automobiles. It’s not like having little cars go 0-60 in less than 5 seconds is a necessity but knowing that your car is capable of such an exploit is a joy. Of course, it won’t hurt to try out what the entire buzz is about, right? As they say, fortune favors the brave. Such is also true with innovation in vehicles. A quick sedan is cool and all but for something that could do the job in a rather small package is pretty impressive by anybody’s standards. Some cars, though long and have limousine-like dimensions are actually hatchbacks in the technical sense according to the definition of hatchbacks.
18 Mercedes A Class 45 Amg 2.0 Turbo 2013 – 4.6 sec
Acquiring a nickname such as “The Beast” from engineers is probably a clear indication as to what the A45 AMG is capable of. The turbo is a godsend for small displacement cars such as the one in this tiny Mercedes and it suits well for its purpose.
Handling isn’t exactly its forte and the all-wheel-drive system doesn’t help much but the magic happens in the gut-punching acceleration.
Mercedes claims 0-60 happens in 4.6 seconds but numerous independent critics have tested the A45 AMG and it happens in about 4 seconds flat with the launch control on.
17 Ford Focus Rs 2.3 Turbo 2016 – 4.5 sec
Three times the charm, or so they say. The third iteration of the proper rally car, the Focus RS, is nothing short of amazing. Granted, not much has changed in terms of performance and hardware but the styling has massively improved in most people’s eyes.
Its front bumper now features more aggressive looking vents which look absolutely menacing when viewed from the front.
Improvements in the interior and entertainment would be gladly received though since many have been complaining that the Focus RS is a bit lack lustered in that department.
16 Volkswagen-VW Golf R 4motion 2.0 Turbo 2017 – 4.4 sec
Volkswagen is certainly not out of the game in the race for building the best hatchbacks. From the iconic Beetle to the classic Type 2 van comes the fast-paced Golf R. One can definitely argue that the car doesn’t announce its capabilities from the get-go but once the turbo is spooled up and ready, the tiny all-wheel drive vehicle bunny hops to life. It’s perfect for someone who does not need all that much space but will use the rear seats from time to time and have fun driving.
15 BMW 1 Series M140i Xdrive F20 2016 – 4.2 sec
Although automatic transmissions are arguably faster and quicker because they eradicate any time lost a human driver could do during shifting gears, a manual will always be the way to go for maximum enjoyment out of a vehicle.
The M140i Xdrive offers both transmissions and both are capable of reaching a 0-60 time of less than 5 seconds.
BMW has impeccable build quality both in the interior as well as exterior and the fastest of the 1 Series is no different.
14 Audi Rs3 Sportback 2.5 Turbo 2015 – 4.2 sec
If you thought that double clutch transmissions were only meant for flamboyant Italian supercars then you are dead wrong, my friend. An engine that has 5 cylinders and can push out a decent amount of power is without question a fun car to drive assuming weight isn’t that much of an issue. The RS3 package is just a complete bundle of joy for someone who needs space and can do the intermittent touge along mountain roads. Sadly, steering isn’t impressive for the RS3 but that does not discredit the good things going on about it.
13 Mercedes A Class 45 Amg 4matic 2.0 Turbo 2015 – 4.0 sec
Germans and their cars are inseparable, a fact more prominent than ever. All-wheel drive is surely a welcome feature for the A45 AMG; we won’t be surprised if people started competing in rallies with this competent vehicle even though the weight savings would be a painful task since it is still a Mercedes meant to be a luxurious haven on wheels. Whatever the case may be, a turbocharged all-wheel-drive hatchback is a concoction meant for some animated uses and vivacious driving through long winding roads.
12 Subaru Impreza Wrx Sti R205 Spec C - Hatch 2010 – 3.7 sec
Limited editions are made for a number of reasons, to commemorate an important person, in memory of a special event, even just because of a whim of an executive. In this case, homologation rules for the 24 hours of Nurburgring back in 2009.
Only 400 units of the hatchback STI was made, barely enough to comply with the minimum amount of production units to enter the race.
Even though the power gains were only marginally larger than that of the normal STI, the Spec C was way more capable around the track.
11 Subaru Impreza Sti Cs 400 - Cosworth - Hatch 2010 – 3.7 sec
Cosworth is known far and wide for their aftermarket parts that increase power to absurd numbers which is why when they made their own version of the already legendary rally car, people had high expectations. Despite having the public on their backs ready to prance at the first sign of failure, the company delivered and the vehicle is one of the best Subaru’s ever. They do know how to build whole cars, not just parts that you could buy off the internet and bolt on your project cars.
10 Porsche Panamera GTS – 4.6 sec
You can bet your pretty penny that Porsche knows a thing or two about making fast cars. Although the Panamera is considered as a limousine, a rather competent rival of the BMW 7 Series, it’s actually a hatchback. This sleek looking Porsche has access to the trunk by opening the hinges from the top of the rear portion of the car; part of the roof even opens up as well so as to accommodate the moving parts. Being the luxury and an exclusive car that the Panamera is, of course, it can be quick.
9 BMW M135i – 4.9 sec
Not as small as a mini, not at all. However, what the M135i has is a much more complete package for the car enthusiast. BMW has a rather long history with creating groundbreaking cars, that’s a fact, but when they released the little hatch that could, everyone simply lost their minds. It was a fit of hysteria since a 3.0-liter 6 cylinder turbocharged engine from BMW, no less, was stuffed in a small and lightweight body. It’s definitely not the fastest BMW but it certainly is one of the most engaging.
8 Audi A7 3.0 Tdi Sportback Competition Quattro 2014 – 4.9 sec
It’s hard not to like everything about the Audi A7. Even though it comes at a hefty price tag, it certainly is worth every penny you spend on it since you get the best of German engineering has to offer in a vehicle.
Two options for the engine are available for the A7, a supercharged gasoline powered one and a turbocharged diesel.
Both make considerable power and are comparable to each other but whatever engine you choose, the car is still capable of breathtaking acceleration.
7 Audi A3 S3 Sportback 2.0 Turbo S-Tronic 2016 – 4.4 sec
Even with just 2 liters of displacement, the Audi hatchback is still capable of getting less than 5 seconds from 0-60.
Being one of the best-selling small cars in recent times will definitely garner a lot of love from many who have tried owning and driving the tiny little car.
With respectable design and high-quality materials put into the mix, it would be incredibly hard to argue that the S3 isn’t the best bang for buck hot hatches available for purchase today.
6 Volkswagen-VW Golf R 2.0 Turbo Dsg 2016 – 4.7 sec
It’s hard to imagine that a 6 cylinder engine sits under the hood of this seemingly tiny vehicle. This particular model is the most powerful version of the Golf R.
One can acquire a front-wheel-drive version but we doubt anybody in their right minds would choose that over an all-wheel-drive system that’s clearly the better option among the two of them.
Although the other hot hatches can be more attractive on paper, it wouldn’t be justifiable to outright discredit the Golf R.
5 Volkswagen-VW Golf R 2.0 Turbo Dsg 2017 – 4.6 sec
Tearing up rubber around the Nurburgring on a Sunday and commuting to work the very next day is a couple of the things the Golf R excels at. It’s viewed by some as the quintessential daily driver that has a hidden animal within, ready to be unleashed when the driver gets a tad bit excited. A beast with more than 300 horsepower, we might add. The 2017 iteration of the popular VW hatchback is more powerful and slightly faster than its predecessor; an updated infotainment system is also added to cater to the average Joe.
4 BMW 1 Series M140i F21 Lci 2016 – 4.6 sec
A 3.0-liter straight six engine that produces 335 horsepower on a small body is a recipe for guilty pleasures. Back in 2012, the M135i and the update brought the new M140i to a whole different level with numerous upgrades.
The M badge is a symbol of performance and is known far and wide for all its contributions in high-performance vehicles.
More affordable than an M3 or an M5, the M powered 1 Series is one hatchback to acquire when looking for that BMW element in a fun little bundle.
3 Subaru Impreza Wrx Sti 330s 2008 – 4.6 sec
When the hatchback WRX STI was released about a decade ago, it was dubbed as the world’s quickest-accelerating hot hatch. What started out as a regular WRX STI became a more comfortable car to live with since many amenities were added into the fray. The same old tried and tested boxer engine never fails to amaze and will always be a legend among rally cars. Prodrive’s take on the Impreza is somewhat inclined to having commodious features rather than all-out power and performance.
2 Tesla Model 3 – 4.6 sec
Electric cars are the future and fortunately for Tesla, they offer electric cars that are capable of doing ridiculous speeds.
Saving the environment while having fun? There’s literally nothing more we could ask for, except maybe the sound of a real engine screaming at the top of its rev range but hey, to each his own.
Since Elon Musk has been putting on a lot of elbow grease in furthering technological enhancements in Tesla, they’ve been creating amazing cars that are future proof.
1 Porsche Panamera Turbo – 3.0 sec
Anything that pushes out more than 500 horses out the tailpipe is definitely a fun car. What you get when you have a V8 with a turbocharger bolted on is absolute controlled chaos. Getting a 3-second 0-60 time is no easy feat and considering that the Porsche Panamera Turbo is by no means a lightweight car, it makes everything much more special than it already is. We highly suspect that if people in the higher echelon of society really wanted a capable daily driver with posh interior and exclusive features, the Panamera Turbo would be at the top of their list.
Sources: autosnout.com, caranddriver.com, electrek.co, topgear.com, evo.co.uk