The hot hatch market is a fast-moving one (no pun intended). As soon as one vehicle has made its mark, a faster more powerful one swoops in to claim dominance. Once hailed as the category leader. Even the venerable Volkswagen Golf GTI is now faced with ever-stronger competition.
This means the usual favorites are under fire. As new offerings emerge to challenge the likes of the plush Audi S3 for their thrones. Notable contenders of late have been the Hyundai i30N. Or the reigning heavyweight champion. The awesome Toyota GR Corolla. Cars that are bathing in gearhead limelight. For now.
The car-buying public is a fickle lot; one minute they're clamoring to buy certain models before getting rid of them the next as the latest hot fad takes off. This leaves several well-sorted performance examples to sit unloved through no fault of their own. And it's a crying shame that no one buys these cheap hot hatches anymore.
10 Renault Clio RS 200
Renault redefined what a hot hatch should offer with the Clio Sport. Early versions could beat more expensive performance cars into bloody submission. The Clio RS 200 became the pinnacle of the model's achievements. It was once as near to perfection as a car has a right to be.
It made 197 hp from a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine. That allowed it to hit 60 mph in 6.8 seconds. Tame figures by today's standards. On the move, the Clio RS was untouchable. It could carry speed through corners with breathtaking ability. Pin sharp and simply superb.
9 Honda Civic Type R FN2
Honda jumped the Civic forward light years with the FN2. When compared to the car it had replaced, the whole package was more refined, more comfortable, and more appealing. The styling was bold. The interior features were advanced. And the Type-R is very fast.
Compared to its competition, the Type-R was low on torque. Its 2.0-liter engine made 198 hp but only 142 lb/ft of torque. It could hit 60 mph in 6.6 seconds. The chassis was brilliant, elevating average drivers to near-god-like status. But the game has changed dramatically.
8 Mazda 3 MPS Gen 1
Not short on power, the Mazda 3 MPS was a monster. Packing a 2.3-liter turbocharged engine under the hood. The inconspicuous-looking Mazda spat out 256 hp and 280 lb/ft of torque. It could rocket to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds. Being front-wheel drive, torque steer was an issue.
Taking some practice and patience to tame. The Mazda 3 MPS could rip across the asphalt at an alarming rate. It came with a decent level of equipment too. What led many buyers to look elsewhere was its drab appearance. A great sleeper car with huge tuning potential.
7 Volkswagen Golf MK5 R32
Volkswagen took one of the biggest engines it made and dropped it into one of the smallest cars it made, and then added four-wheel drive. It combined all this with a chassis that was praised as being one of the best in business. The result is the second-generation Golf R32.
Its 3.2-liter VR6 delivered 247 hp and 236 lb/ft of torque. It could hit 60 mph in 5.8 seconds all the while making a fantastic noise. Quite a thirsty car, it was a fiery cross-country companion. Now superseded by the more competent Golf R models, the R32 now gets ignored by most.
6 Skoda Fabia VRS MK2
Skoda cherry-picked from the Volkswagen parts bin when bolting the MK2 Fabia VRS together. It lifted the clever 1.4-liter twin-charged engine and DSG gearing system and bolted them into their urban focussed runabout. The combination made the Fabia VRS brilliant.
Generating 178 hp from a turbocharged and supercharged engine, the VRS could hit 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. The seven-speed DSG box allows for silky smooth progress. Very checkable in the corners, the Skoda Fabia VRS is a little rocket. It also looks best in rally Green.
5 Vauxhall Astra VXR
Vauxhall has a long history of producing powerful hot hatches. So when a smoking version of the then-restyled Astra was needed, they came out fighting. Deploying 237 hp and 236 lb/ft from a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. It made a distinct horsepower statement.
This payload was fed to the front wheels, which made rapid progress interesting. That said, the Astra VXR could hit 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. In gear, acceleration was fearsome. Many were modified to pump out close to 300 hp quite easily. Underrated, the Astra VXR is a gem.
4 Subaru Impreza WRX
Keen to cash in on the hot hatch scene, Subaru dumped its WRX STI sedan. A silly move. The hatchback Impreza WRX never found as many homes as the previous sedan version. It lacked the hard-fought rally pedigree. Plus, it lost a lot of that car's superior dynamic feel during its rebirth.
But it wasn't a bad car – just a misunderstood one. It still had AWD, plus a 2.5-liter turbo-fed engine making 237 hp. The WRX could hit 60 mph in 5.8 seconds. They proved to be costly to run. A love of unleaded fuel and high road tax ratings in some markets were its downfalls.
3 Suzuki Swift Sport
One of the most naturally competent vehicles on this list, the little Suzuki Swift Sport proves that prowess can overcome power. What it lacks in punch it makes up for in almost-perfect handling. Superbly balanced, it needs to be driven to be believed. It's that good.
Modestly powered by a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine. The Suzuki Swift Sport relies on just 136 hp and 155 lb/ft of torque. Not big numbers, but the Swift works magic with them. Through a set of twisting corners, the chassis finds grip where others would fail. It's a wonderfully rewarding car.
2 Alfa Romeo Giulietta JTDM 170
In Europe, the diesel engine is the weapon of choice for numerous buyers. It offers cheaper running costs, plus a huge thump of torque low down the rev range. The unit fitted to the Alfa Romeo Giulietta is a masterpiece. A 2.0-liter turbocharged powerhouse that was also frugal.
Power was rated at 168 hp with 236 lb/ft of torque. Off the line, the Giulietta could hit 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. In-gear prowess was superb, it went like a freight train. The Giulietta JTDM 170 would also turn in a respectable 50 mpg.
1 Volvo C30 T5
More famed for their wagons, Volvo dropped a visual bombshell with the C30. It's a sleek, compact hatchback with beautiful styling inside and out. Fans of Volvo were also glad to see that a fire-breathing T5 version was available. And what an awesome little car it was.
Volvo squeezed a 2.5-liter 5-cylinder turbocharged engine under the hood. This gave 227 hp and 236 lb/ft of torque. It could happily hit 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. Tuners bumped up the power, making the C30 T5 incredibly fast. Often forgotten, the C30 T5 is a ballistic Swede.