Autocar.co.uk is polling its readers to find the best hot hatch ever built.
You can cast your vote from a shortlist drawn up by Autocar writers.
To help you make your decision, we've assembled pictures of every car on our shortlist.
See the best ever hot hatch pictures here
To vote, follow the link below.
Vote for favourite hot hatch ever here
The shortlist for the best hot hatch ever built is:
Alfa Romeo Alfasud, Citroen AX GT, Citroen Saxo VTS, Daihatsu Charade GTti, Fiat Abarth 595, Fiat Cinquecento Sporting, Fiat Strada 130TC Abarth, Ford Escort Cosworth, Ford Fiesta XR2, Ford Focus RS (pre-gen), Honda Civic Type R (pre-gen), Lancia Delta Integrale, Mini Cooper S (original), Mini Cooper S (new), Nissan Almera GTi, Nissan Sunny GTi-R, Peugeot 106 GTi, Peugeot 205 GTi 1.6, Peugeot 306 GTi-6, Renault 5 GT Turbo, Renault Clio 197, Renault Clio 182 Trophy, Renault Clio Williams, Renault Megane R26R, Seat Leon Cupra R, Skoda Fabia vRS, Toyota Corolla GT, Vauxhall Astra GTE, Volkswagen Golf GTi 16v Mk1, Volkswagen Golf GTi 16v Mk2I, Volkswagen Golf GTi 16v Mk5.
Join the debate
Trevorminor
Re: The best hot hatch ever
It simply has to be the Peugeot 205GTi. The original 1.6 perhaps with the 115hp engine introduced when Peugeot first updated the car about a year after the GTi being introduced.
The power output seems low by modern standards but the light weight and unburstable nature of its 1.6 engine felt lovely. I never really experienced the tail happiness that many describe of this car's handling. I found it to be neutral and it was great fun to drift through the twists and bends of rural Suffolk.
tannedbaldhead
Re: The best hot hatch ever
[quote Trevorminor]I never really experienced the tail happiness that many describe of this car's handling.[/quote]
That was the 1.9GTI.
It's a fourway split for me and requires a lot of thought to choose a winner. Peugeot 205 1.6 with as Trevor reminds us the 115BHP engine, Peugeot 306 S16, the Mk1 Golf GTI 1.8 version or MkII Golf GTI 16v.
andrepaul999
Re: The best hot hatch ever
im not sure the 205 would be the best of all time.....
So we should really break it down into a shortlist of decades :
for me.....
1970's Golf GTi Mk1
1980's Pug 205 GTI 1.9
1990's Ford Escort RS cosworth
2000's Golf GTI Mk 5
I think the Golf GTi mk 5 is all the car you'll ever need, so thats my choice for best hot hatch ever!
Pugmeister
Re: The best hot hatch ever
205 GTI 1.9, coz Ive got one and never want to see it go. The feedback on a trip to the shops from the steering is more inspiring than when hammering my Ibanez guitar through its Line 6 AMP on Insane Mode!
Second, 306 Rallye, an underrated gem and at last featured in this weeks issue.
Third, probably the original Civic Type R. Not the best chassis perhaps, but a total bargain at 15k when new and moved front drive performance to a new level.
Favourite recent hot hatch is Megane R26 F1, Clio 200 Cup or the latest Type R Civic, which gets mixed reviews but asks the driver to actually drive it!
Rover P6 3500S
Re: The best hot hatch ever
BMW 130i, simply because it isn't wrong-wheel-drive, and it's got THAT engine, plus a lovely gearchange (short throw, slightly notchy, lovely mechanical click as you go into each gear, so precise-feeling). Also, I think the 1-series is a very pretty little car. If that won't be admitted, then the old 2002 Touring.
drivenfromthere...
Re: The best hot hatch ever
Pug 205GTi 1.6
Pug 306 Rallye 106/Rallye
Clio Williams Mk1
Clio 182 Cup/Trophy
Clio V6 255
NeVeR L8te
tannedbaldhead
Re: The best hot hatch ever
[quote drivenfromtherearplease]
Pug 205GTi 1.6
Pug 306 Rallye 106/Rallye
Clio Williams Mk1
Clio 182 Cup/Trophy
Clio V6 255
[/quote]
Vive la France.
drivenfromthere...
Re: The best hot hatch ever
[quote tannedbaldhead]Vive la France.[/quote]
Quite, they seem to have the knack!
NeVeR L8te
Jon Hardcastle
Re: The best hot hatch ever
Alfasud 1.5ti and the original Golf GTI
VX220EDDIE
Re: The best hot hatch ever
i can only really give my opinion on the cars i have driven and from this i would say the previous Honda Civic Type R so such a great drivers car
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