Every sector of the automotive world has its own cult following. Some enthusiasts latch on tightly to muscle cars, while others believe that the four-wheel-drive pickup cannot be beat. Among the more dedicated subgroups is the concept of the "hot hatch," the basic formula for which involves shoehorning as much power and handling capabilities that money can buy into the smallest package possible. As the description implies, this recipe is almost too good.
Whether it's straight line bursts or aggressive corner carving, the hot hatch is suited for whatever its driver chooses to throw at it. Automakers past and present have tried to perfect the formula for decades, some more successfully than others. With that, here are the 10 sportiest hatchbacks with which we have been blessed.
10 Renault 5 Turbo 2
The French perform exceedingly well in a few categories: delicious breakfast pastries and a plethora of the most fun vehicles money can buy. The Renault 5 Turbo 2 should serve as ample proof to this notion with its 1.4 liter turbocharged I4, capable of 178 horsepower, and its other adaptations as a WRC homologation vehicle.
Whereas the base Renault 5 bore a front-mounted engine and front-wheel-drive that looked both ways before crossing the street, the Renault 5 Turbo 2's mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration screeched across the road with its teeth gnashed and eyes closed. Finding one won't be easy, but the opportunity to get behind the wheel is well worth the effort.
9 Nissan Pulsar GTi-R
Being born with a face only a mother could love does not downplay the masterpiece that is the Pulsar GTi-R in the least. Powered by the SR20DET that inevitably found fame in the Nissan 240SX, the Pulsar GTi-R was an all-wheel-drive Group A homologation model that produced just a tick under 230 horsepower. In a package as small as this one, the car was a road-legal rocket.
A far cry from the otherwise mundane Nissan Pulsar, the GTi-R was essentially a Skyline GTR that could be carried in one's pocket if desired. Though not originally sold in North America, the GTi-R has aged to the point of passing vehicle import restrictions and can now be brought stateside... if you're brave enough.
8 Subaru Impreza WRX
If there was ever a true fanboy rally hatchback more popular than all the rest, its name is Subaru WRX. Featuring Subaru's pedigree all-wheel-drive system and varying turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engines, the WRX has been an enthusiast favorite since its initial creation. Rain, sleet, snow, and dirt conditions don't slow down the WRX in the slightest. The flat-four engine takes quite a beating and is immediately recognizable by its unique exhaust note.
Though the hatchback version of the WRX was canceled not long ago, used examples are still plentiful and remain among the most fun common hatchback vehicles around.
7 Renault Clio Williams
Interestingly, the Renault Clio Williams had virtually nothing to do with the Williams F1 racing team from which its name was born, other than that it was a car built for performance. A 2.0 liter DOHC I4 engine provided the Clio Williams with approximately 145 horsepower in a package weighing only slightly more than 2,200 pounds.
The car was so fun that Renault couldn't keep up with demand; over 1,000 additional Clio Williams units had to be built after the initial run of 3,800 sold out upon the release of the homologation model. The car's nimbleness and go-kart-like assembly remain favorites among many enthusiasts today.
6 Ford Focus RS
Yes, the Ford Focus RS has finally found its place on this list. Three different iterations of the Focus RS have been sold to the public, each one somehow improving on the brilliant generation that came before. The current Focus RS MK3 is possibly the greatest of them all, upholding its reputation with a 2.3 liter four-cylinder engine that sends 350 horsepower to all four wheels via a mandatory 6-speed manual transmission.
The entertainment of the complete package is hard to discount, and drivers will love every second behind the wheel (provided they refrain from inexperienced usage of the car's "Drift Mode").
5 Honda Civic Type R
Even when compared to the rally homologation vehicles on this list, the current-generation Civic Type R is the most wildly-styled of the bunch. With that in mind, however, even the largest Honda-hater cannot argue that the automaker truly put its best foot forward this time around.
With the long-awaited addition of a turbocharger for a Civic sold in North America, the Civic Type R pushes 306 horsepower to the front wheels exclusively through a six-speed manual transmission. Precision steering and suspension engineering completes the package and offers buyers some of the most fun a new car in its class can offer. It certainly doesn't hurt that the new Civic Type R recently claimed the fastest front-wheel-drive lap ever recorded at the Nurburgring, either.
4 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione II
To think that an everyday prospective buyer could waltz into a dealership in 1995 and purchase a Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione II is jarring. Though it was the only Delta HF Integrale that never actually competed in organized rally racing, the Evoluzione II is the best that Lancia dared to make.
Born in the shadow of its older sister, the Lancia Stratos, the original Delta Integrale and Delta Integrale Evoluzione were homologated rally cars that competed in Group A racing. A turbocharged 2.0 liter I4 produced approximately 210 horsepower, and a sophisticated four-wheel-drive system made the Delta Integrale platform a force to be reckoned with. Its Group A performance was quite impressive, but there were bigger kids on the block in the rally circle at the time.
3 Audi Sport Quattro
The name with which everyone is familiar and the standard to which all other rally vehicles are held. Enter the Audi Sport Quattro.
A Group B rally legend, the Audi Sport Quattro was powered by Audi's menacing 2.1 liter turbocharged inline five-cylinder engine. Examples sold to the public cranked out a whopping 302 horsepower, more than impressive for its class, and race-ready versions boasted over 440 horsepower. The Quattro left Lancia's Group B division shaking in their collective boots upon its introduction, and to this day it is still one of the most sought-after motorsports vehicles ever built. You'll just need to sell your house to afford one.
2 Peugeot 205 GTI
Readers unfamiliar with the 205 GTI may be surprised to see such an unassuming hatchback this late on the list. In fact, it's probably the greatest vehicle that Peugeot ever built.
Based on the economical and underwhelming 205, the 205 GTI saw performance upgrades over its yawning twin and could produce up to 126 horsepower. This number may have proven unimpressive in, say, a Subaru WRX, but the 205 GTI weighed less than 2,000 pounds, and, as such, is the lightest car on this list. The car's light-footed construction allowed it to command quite literally any corner it encountered with ease, and the minimal power still brought the car over 60 mph in less than nine seconds. Without the need for sophisticated driver controls or immense power, the Peugeot 205 GTI is regarded by many as the greatest hot hatch ever built. The jury is still out on that claim, however.
1 Volkswagen GTI
There is no clear-cut owner of the title of the first hot hatch. With that in mind, however, there is no denying that no other vehicle has solidified the moniker quite like the Volkswagen GTI. It is the proverbial brainchild of the phrase "hot hatch," the first name to come to mind when the words are spoken. And it is well-deserving of these accolades.
Volkswagen likely did not even know what it had created in 1976 when they unveiled the GTI. It was the best and most manageable combination of economy, versatility, and performance in an automobile at the time, and improvements on the original platform have continued with each generation. There may never be a more recognizable homage to all things hot hatch than the Volkswagen GTI.