Sat behind a new Golf GTI last night.Nice but no quicker than my car and in fact probably same performance.

Just got me thinking.Virtually every single hot hatch from every manufacturer has similar performance figures.No one will ever really 'blow anyone away'.The differences are miniscule. Just different power delivery.

So out of about 25 hot hatches currently on offer (Auto Express showed some this week) can any one car really be better than the rest? Solely on holding value I suppose the Golf is the best.Can you justify why one car is better than the others.Certainly not a speed thing

I think you can only be smug when you have an RS4 or an M3:)

You are looking at the mid-range hot hatches in performance terms I think. Go up a level

Golf R32

BMW 130i M Sport

Alfa GTA

They are quicker than the others I know I'm missing your point

As to which is is better / or best, it comes down to several factors:

Performance

Balance

Fun

Fixtures and fittings

What you want it for

With the last on the list being probably the lost important.....

As to which I'd choose; couldn't pick one with out driving them, but on my criteria it'd be one of the following 3 in alphabetical order:

BMW 130i

Ford Focus ST

Vectra VXR

There is no best, only which is the best compromise for you

The Golf may hold its value for longer but it will cost a lot more to buy than the equivilent spec'd Octavia VRS.

However, if you look at the percentage depreciation after 3 yrs the Golf may still be a better buy.

It all comes down to personal taste, at the end of the day it is unlikely that the average man/woman is going to push their hot hatch hard enough to find the difference between a Focus ST, Octavia VRS, Golf GTi, Astra VXR etc. Sure enough you can tell the difference between them but none of these are poor handling cars.

I think the best hot hatch would be a Golfstria VRSTXi

Or go for the cheap option - Megane 225 F1

id wait untill the Clio 197 and new type r come out before making my mind up if i was going to buy one. As for the best they would have meet these specs for me

1) Fun

2) Handling

3) Power

Forget the rest as to me the 3 things ive list is what the original hot hatches were about

What you want it for is also important though......

To some it must be big fun, handle and go really well on both road and track, but must have enough boot space for camping and climbing gear or have a small boot but enough room in the back for a 12 year old etc etc

As I say, it's all about what is the best compromise for you as to which is "best"......

I dont see how there can be so many "hot hatches". Personally the Vectra, Mazda 6, Moneo etc.. dont fall into that bracket as they're simply too big.

The Octavia is almost in there too, as are the Impreza and Evo.

Evo and Scoob are saloons :haha:

There is very little difference in size between a Vectra and an Octavia - both are available as hatchbacks with "powerful" engines ergo they are hot hatches.

Most of the hatches look different too and this may play a part. The Megane 225 is just ugly full stop, even in race guise. The Focus ST is a tarted up version of a plain hatch which looks worse than its predecessor. The Golf GTi is smart but the black rear bumper spoils it. You don't buy a BMW130i for the way it looks! To be honest the Octavia, although not wild, is more handsome than many of the others.

In every day driving you may not notice the finer differences in driving but you will notice the quality and comfort of the cockpit area whilst sitting in traffic. For this reason alone the Astra VXR interior is ugly and awkward. Likewise for some of the other cars.

Running costs are also a factor e.g R32 vs GTi (I'd rather have the latter) but so long as it's moderately quick and taught, they're all good in their own way.

The Focus ST is a tarted up version of a plain hatch

This is the whole point of the hot hatch isn't it? It's the sporty version of the range, so it will be the bog standard car with big wheels, sporty interior and bolt-on bodykit......

Out of the current breed of hot hatches, I'd be choosing the Focus ST if I didn't have to worry about lugging baby gear around

Chris

Out of the current breed of hot hatches, I'd be choosing the Focus ST if I didn't have to worry about lugging baby gear around

...And this is why I bought an Octy vRS 3 years ago and replaced it with another one 2 weeks ago.

It's a car with a size and price bracket in the "small family car" sector, but can compete with the bigger class when it comes to haulage ability (if not rear legroom). I had 2 SEATs before my Octys - I like the VAG feel. If it were just me, the missus and no kiddies, I guess a Leon FR would be what I would go for. It's VAG, got the same go as the Golf and Octy, cheaper and has more equipment than both.

If it were me alone, or I was still living with my folks whereby practicality can go hang, I'd probably go even smaller. Best car I ever owned for pure, unadulterated grin factor was a Renault 5 GT Turbo. It was also the most expensive to keep on the road...

...And this is why I bought an Octy vRS 3 years ago and replaced it with another one 2 weeks ago.

I should also add "and doing 20k+ miles a year"

Chris

This is the whole point of the hot hatch isn't it? It's the sporty version of the range' date=' so it will be the bog standard car with big wheels, sporty interior and bolt-on bodykit......

Out of the current breed of hot hatches, I'd be choosing the Focus ST if I didn't have to worry about lugging baby gear around

Chris[/quote']

Well yes it may be what a hot hatch is about but my point was that the standard Focus looks worse than the previous model and likewise the Focus ST is not as good looking as the Focus RS. A hot hatch should still look good and be quick.

I should also add "and doing 20k+ miles a year"

Chris

That's one area these smaller cars can't compete - cruiseability

Well yes it may be what a hot hatch is about but my point was that the standard Focus looks worse than the previous model and likewise the Focus ST is not as good looking as the Focus RS.

So a bit like the Octy II then ... and the Golf Mk V ... and the new Astra VXR ....

Chris

That's one area these smaller cars can't compete - cruiseability

I was thinking more about fuel economy as most of the journeys I make are on nice twisty back roads and fast A-roads where they'd be in their element (and guzzling!)

Chris

So a bit like the Octy II then ... and the Golf Mk V ... and the new Astra VXR ....

Chris

You cant seriously think the MKV Golf is worse looking than the MKIV ? or the same for the Astra ? :eek:

So a bit like the Octy II then ... and the Golf Mk V ... and the new Astra VXR ....

Beauty is in the eye of the thingy. Excepting the Astra, I think the above are improvements (especially the golf) and make their forebears (sp?) look dated. The old Focus looks like an updated version of a new Focus - backwards! The old was much cleaner and less fussy. The ST was especially tidy and the RS looked nicely chunky. IMO the new ST has gone too overtly hooligan. But then I think I'm out of the demographic Ford and Vauxhall are appealing to with their offerings. Forty beckons.

You cant seriously think the MKV Golf is worse looking than the MKIV ? or the same for the Astra ? :eek:

Best shape Astra was the Mk1 in my opinion and it's been downhill since then! Mk IV Golf looked solid, purposeful and agressive. The Mk V looks like a Mk IV that's been in an accident

All in my humble opinion

Chris

You cant seriously think the MKV Golf is worse looking than the MKIV ? or the same for the Astra ? :eek:

I know several people who do not like the look of the Golf mark V compared with the mark IV. The Focus' look has definitely gone backwards but I hear it has improved in every other way.

The fact that we all have opinions on these (hot) hatches shows that despite the proliferation and variety, there are still plenty of reasons why people choose one model over the other.

What goes through your mind when you see one of these cars? Do you diss the car and think that the owner made a poor choice or do you recognise it as better than your car or as a car you would like to own or race against?... It's quite fickle really.

We're all different so we all have different preferences and reasons for choosing our cars.