Hot Hatches are essentially for consumers who wish to combine everyday functionality with high octane performance. Hot hatches are generally more expensive than your everyday commuter but cheaper than your high-end sportscar and if you’re lucky, you might be able to find one that suits both of these characteristics better than one would expect. Here’s a pick of our top five track tests of hatches we feel stood out for us:
Honda Civic Type R
Made to tackle the track. We were impressed with the Civic Type R when we had it on test and took it with us on our 2016 Performance Shootout. It was a bit rough looking from the outside but we were pleased to see how well focused it was as a purebred performance car. Sure, it has trouble keeping up with a 20 year old CR-X on the drag strip but with the right driver behind the wheel the Type R can do some phenomenal things.
Audi S1
The Audi S1 is the VW Group’s very own Frankenstein. It has a Polo platform, Golf R engine and an Audi design with a half a million Rand pricetag. What you get is a 170 kW quattro with a power-to-weight ratio of 124 kW per ton. The S1 is a fun hatch to keep you entertained. Although it doesn’t match the mind-blowing performance of its bigger brothers it still has a charm to admire.
Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance Pack
The Volkswagen Golf GTI is the one that started it all and, seven generations down the line, opposing manufactures are still having a tough time dethroning it from the hottest hatch title. But what happens when you give the GTI a track focused persona with the help of a front diff from VW’s new Performance Pack?
Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG 4matic
There’s no denying that the ultimate super hot hatch of the modern age is the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG. The numbers and figures it churns out are amazing when you consider this to be a hatchback with a 2,0-litre engine. How does all of this translate to the track, though?
Mini Cooper S JCW GP
Some argue that the Mini is the real original hot because of the achievements it achieved in rally and touring car championships. Since its creation back in 1959 the Mini has been put to the test on many proving grounds and when BMW took ownership of the brand the focus on performance based Minis increased. As can be seen in the Mini Cooper S JCW GP; a stripped out, track focused hot hatch with a no-nonsense personality.
