Hot hatches have always held a special place in the motoring world. Affordable, compact and thrilling to drive, they struck a balance that made them as good for the daily commute as for weekend fun. From the Renault 5 GT Turbo of the 1980s to the Clio Williams of the 1990s and the Renaultsport Meganes of the 2000s, hot hatches have brought performance to the people and earned a devoted following along the way.
But as cars became heavier and more expensive – much of which was down to more demanding safety regulations – the simple joy of the hot hatch began to fade. For a while, it looked as though the shift to electric power might finish the genre off altogether.
And then came the Alpine A290.
Fresh from being crowned Best Fun EV at the 2025 Autocar Awards, it’s the car that proves the hot hatch is alive and well, and that its electric future is full of promise.
Here are five ways it captures the spirit of the greats while bringing something new to the table.
Learn more about the Alpine A290
Performance you can use
The A290 doesn’t chase supercar numbers, and that’s precisely why it works so well. Offered with either 180 hp or 220 hp, it’s quick enough to make every journey exciting without being intimidating. The range-topping GTS + version accelerates from 0–62mph in 6.4 seconds, which is just where you want your hot hatch to be. Any more, and cars tend to become a handful, tiring to drive when all you want to do is pick up some essentials from the supermarket.
But it’s the response to your inputs that really stands out. Electric torque makes it feel urgent and alive, whether you’re pulling away from a junction or powering out of a corner. Yet Alpine has resisted the temptation to overload the car with power or heavy and expensive dual motors. Instead, it’s front-wheel drive, just like the great hot hatches of old, with a carefully calibrated throttle that makes it exploitable rather than overwhelming.
Autocar’s testers noted how progressive and natural the car feels, with strong brakes borrowed from the A110 sports car and a brake-by-wire system so well tuned that you can’t tell when regenerative braking hands over to the discs. This means you can drive with confidence, leaning on the performance without worrying about unpredictable responses.
It’s performance that’s thrilling but accessible, and that’s exactly what a hot hatch should be.
