A "hot hatch" has to be a practical every day car as well as being fun and quick. A few on your list that certainly aren't!

....and there is me thinking the Hot Hatch ment a Hatchback that was hot.

Ands Stig Blomqvist finished 3rd in the 1996 RAC in a 1.6 Felicia kit car, but it doesn't make it a hot hatch - it just makes the Stig even more of a driving deity.

Great drivers and a great team will always wring the best from their machinery and that what happened with the Felicia.

That list is pretty much bob-on. I love my vRS, but I'm not sure it should be on the list because it doesn't really handle. That said, there do seem to be too many variants on a French theme for my liking. And truly special cars like the Chevette HSR and Lotus Sunbeam surely deserve some recognition too? Both were properly hot, road-going cars you could buy and run.

100% agree with that

....and there is me thinking the Hot Hatch ment a Hatchback that was hot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_hatchback

Clio V6 for one is out of there! (although I agree it's a great car)

I cannot see why the fabia should not be in that list it meets the demands of a hot hatch, affordable, cheapish to run and insure and lots of fun.

The Fabia (vRS) is a great every day car, but fine handling hot hatch it most definately is not! Too much body roll, not enough feedback through the steering and a diesel engine that has a 1500rpm power band..... My Mk1 MX5 probably wouldn't see which way the Fabia went on any road, but its much more fun

They missed out as No 1 The Skoda Yeti 170 CR

the mk1 one the first,and is definatly a hard act to follow as an iconic car,but the mk2 16v raised the bar through the roof,and no golf has ever matched it :yes: (tho i am a little biased)

Yes you may be viewing the world through these

The Mk1 in GTi shape is a nicer place to be than the mk2, handles better, looks better and isnt all that much less brisk, if at all.

All that it really misses are some of the luxuries, leccy windows, PAS etc (And I dont think it really needs PAS).

Mk1 1.6 GTi----------------------------------Mk2 16v

110bhp@6100rpm------------------------127bhp@5800rpm

96lbft@5000rpm---------------------------124lbft@4250

Power to weight 132.53bhp/ton--------Power to weight 132.29bhp/ton

0-60mph in 8.70s--------------------------0-60mph in 9.00s

kerb weight 830kilos----------------------kerb weight 960kilos

Maybe I might be a little bias in the other direction

They're both good

I liken it to TV... compared to other cars, the Mk1 GTI was like the changeover between mono and colour TV, Mk2 was was like SD to HD

Cars tend to get faster as time goes on, not necessarily in the 0-60 stakes, but in real world conditions. But I think the top 20 should reflect icons of the ages and as such the Golf Gti mk1 is surely the king. Although the Gordini was amazing in it’s day. I loved the Alfasud and Sprints too and was lucky enough to be one of the few owners daft enough to own a Strada Abarth 130TC. The 105TC wasn’t quite as hard core

I think hot hatches started properly with the Gordini/GTi mk1 and continued through the 205 Gti and Clio 16v/Williams, but started to lose it’s way afterwards with the increasing horse power war and the rally hypercars starting. Mind you I have ‘followed’ a Clio Cup hatch cross country and was staggered at how quick they are in the real world!!

(Loved the Lotus Sunbeam too )