RE: PH poll: best hot hatch
Discussion
Like the list. All the Clio V6 puzzled faces I get all my football coaching gear in mine, the little lad when he fancies being deafened so surely that makes it practical? And as for it being a rubbish drive.... Ok then
But I do sort of get why people scratch their heads at some decisions, I'd say a hot hatch is something pretty small, chuckable, not mental power 200bhp max maybe? But it's just too hard to define. So this list was A-C segment, so all cars viable for this list. Simples.
Ultimately though, don't get your knickers in a twist if you disagree, it's not the actual end of the world. Some people must live some empty lives if this is all you've got to worry about
But I do sort of get why people scratch their heads at some decisions, I'd say a hot hatch is something pretty small, chuckable, not mental power 200bhp max maybe? But it's just too hard to define. So this list was A-C segment, so all cars viable for this list. Simples.
Ultimately though, don't get your knickers in a twist if you disagree, it's not the actual end of the world. Some people must live some empty lives if this is all you've got to worry about
I have personally driven over twenty of the cars on this list, and while I have no problem with the iconic status of the Integrale and the MkI Golf (1.8), to have so much rubbish in front of the five door Impreza turbo (42nd - FFS!) is simply nuts. 
Most of the French stuff was totally rubbish in terms of reliability, build quality and road handling. In fact most of the semi-decent stuff from across the channel were small editions heavily modified and disproportionally promoted. The standard versions were ordinary or dreadful. Seems like a lot of baby boomers voted, retro-viewing their twenties and thirties with slightly rose tinted specs!
The Subaru Impreza five door MkII or III (turbo in UK, WRX or STi? elsehwere, making about 215 bhp) without any Prodrive or other modifications was a pocket rocket with exellent handling and reliability, great build quality and was fantastically practical too. It belonged to era of models that put Subaru on the top of the JD Power survey on more than one occasion. I can only suppose it is so far down the list because it was clearly in the minority of Impreza turbos sold in the UK, most of them being four or two door saloons(sedans). What a shame, IMHO.
PS to other posters, many of the great models you are supporting simply are not 'hatches'
Corrado was defo a coupe and the BMW Touring & RS6 while fab are definitely 'Estates (Wagons).
PPS What about the Jenson Interceptor FF??
Most of the French stuff was totally rubbish in terms of reliability, build quality and road handling. In fact most of the semi-decent stuff from across the channel were small editions heavily modified and disproportionally promoted. The standard versions were ordinary or dreadful. Seems like a lot of baby boomers voted, retro-viewing their twenties and thirties with slightly rose tinted specs!
The Subaru Impreza five door MkII or III (turbo in UK, WRX or STi? elsehwere, making about 215 bhp) without any Prodrive or other modifications was a pocket rocket with exellent handling and reliability, great build quality and was fantastically practical too. It belonged to era of models that put Subaru on the top of the JD Power survey on more than one occasion. I can only suppose it is so far down the list because it was clearly in the minority of Impreza turbos sold in the UK, most of them being four or two door saloons(sedans). What a shame, IMHO.
PS to other posters, many of the great models you are supporting simply are not 'hatches'
Corrado was defo a coupe and the BMW Touring & RS6 while fab are definitely 'Estates (Wagons).
PPS What about the Jenson Interceptor FF??
Edited by CiderwithCerbie on Thursday 4th October 01:51
I am very pleased to see that enough old timers out there remember how good the Alfasud 1.5Ti was (39th place).
I loved mine dearly, although the rate of corrosion (especially during our salted road UK winters) was horrendous, I have yet to drive another front wheel drive car that combined such wonderful grippy cornering, sweet gearchange, reassuring brakes and precise steering. All that as well as a musical exhaust note. It was a car with soul.
I loved mine dearly, although the rate of corrosion (especially during our salted road UK winters) was horrendous, I have yet to drive another front wheel drive car that combined such wonderful grippy cornering, sweet gearchange, reassuring brakes and precise steering. All that as well as a musical exhaust note. It was a car with soul.
I think the Renault Sport Clio 172/182 should have a higher ranking than the Clio V6.
A good hot hatch, should also be a practical tool - Thats the magic of them.
I am currently driving my wifes 2002 Clio 172 and i love that i can buzz around in it, then pick the kids up with it, then go to the supermarket and put some shopping in the boot - Great little car.
A Clio V6 would be a liability left on the street all night, i couldnt get the kids in it, my shopping would cook in the boot and i dont think i would have half the fun hustling a V6 down some of the tight twisties that the 172 seems to relish.
A good hot hatch, should also be a practical tool - Thats the magic of them.
I am currently driving my wifes 2002 Clio 172 and i love that i can buzz around in it, then pick the kids up with it, then go to the supermarket and put some shopping in the boot - Great little car.
A Clio V6 would be a liability left on the street all night, i couldnt get the kids in it, my shopping would cook in the boot and i dont think i would have half the fun hustling a V6 down some of the tight twisties that the 172 seems to relish.
Edited by richard300 on Thursday 4th October 08:24
Something not quite right here, result nowhere near as expected.
Op: i want a hot hatch, must be fast but economical, and able to do the shopping run.
300bhp/tonne:
How about:
90's era ugly mustang
Camero
Dodge viper
MAC semi truck
Exxon valdez
Smart roadster
Clearly, the results in the news story have nowt to do with 300 =)
Op: i want a hot hatch, must be fast but economical, and able to do the shopping run.
300bhp/tonne:
How about:
90's era ugly mustang
Camero
Dodge viper
MAC semi truck
Exxon valdez
Smart roadster
Clearly, the results in the news story have nowt to do with 300 =)
Some Gump said:
Something not quite right here, result nowhere near as expected.
Op: i want a hot hatch, must be fast but economical, and able to do the shopping run.
300bhp/tonne:
How about:
90's era ugly mustang
Camero
Dodge viper
MAC semi truck
Exxon valdez
Smart roadster
Clearly, the results in the news story have nowt to do with 300 =)
...and you're right; they didn't have anything to do with 300. 300 has only collated other PH'ers votes. We can debate the list all day and disagree with it but individual preferences mean nothing. This was a consensus of opinion, so the result is accurate for the people who took the time to vote.Op: i want a hot hatch, must be fast but economical, and able to do the shopping run.
300bhp/tonne:
How about:
90's era ugly mustang
Camero
Dodge viper
MAC semi truck
Exxon valdez
Smart roadster
Clearly, the results in the news story have nowt to do with 300 =)
< in your best comic book guy from the simpsons voice> Worst list ever!
Lancia at number 1, really? I've driven plenty and worked on as many and in my opinion they're no worthy of that position, or anything close to it.
Clio V6? again been in a few and the first one was not long after the release. A few of us drove it and were all of the same opinion, overrated.
I'm not French car bashing, but apart from perhaps the 205, the rest shouldn't be in there at all.
Lancia at number 1, really? I've driven plenty and worked on as many and in my opinion they're no worthy of that position, or anything close to it.
Clio V6? again been in a few and the first one was not long after the release. A few of us drove it and were all of the same opinion, overrated.
I'm not French car bashing, but apart from perhaps the 205, the rest shouldn't be in there at all.
tommy1973s said:
To this 1980s bigot, the hot hatch template is:
1. light
2. practical and reliable (everyday cars, not sports cars)
3. front wheel drive (for safety-first, fun handling - these are not trad. sports cars)
4. four cylinder (for lightness, balance and economy)
5. naturally aspirated (for a linear throttle response)
Re point 3, struggle to get my head around deltas. You might as well put in a quattro also. Hatches they may be, but in a different league?
Re point 2, now that we’re looking back as enthusiasts who no longer live with these cars daily, we forget how important the commuting/shopping/family aspect of the hot hatch was in its day. For instance, the nervous handling 1.9 Pug was a wonderful sports car, marginally better pure sports car for an enthusiast than the equivalent Golf, but the 205 was a lesser hot hatch as it only had 2 doors and was made of tinfoil. Mistake to judge them solely or mainly on how “sporty” they were.
Good fun poll though – happily settle for all ten in the fantasy garage …
As for the quattro, does the vehicle size and category not have a bearing on it? Would have thought that a far more obvious point than engine or drivetrain or flared arches.1. light
2. practical and reliable (everyday cars, not sports cars)
3. front wheel drive (for safety-first, fun handling - these are not trad. sports cars)
4. four cylinder (for lightness, balance and economy)
5. naturally aspirated (for a linear throttle response)
Re point 3, struggle to get my head around deltas. You might as well put in a quattro also. Hatches they may be, but in a different league?
Re point 2, now that we’re looking back as enthusiasts who no longer live with these cars daily, we forget how important the commuting/shopping/family aspect of the hot hatch was in its day. For instance, the nervous handling 1.9 Pug was a wonderful sports car, marginally better pure sports car for an enthusiast than the equivalent Golf, but the 205 was a lesser hot hatch as it only had 2 doors and was made of tinfoil. Mistake to judge them solely or mainly on how “sporty” they were.
Good fun poll though – happily settle for all ten in the fantasy garage …
As for your other points, well can I ask what are these:
-Talbot Lotus Sunbeam
-MG Metro Turbo
-Alfa 147GTA
-Golf MK3 VR6
-Galanza Turbo
-Audi S3
They would all seem to fail your list for being a hot hatch. So I'm genuinely curious as to how you'd categorise them.
This pole shows there are a lot of people on here who have never driven let alone owned any of the cars they voted for. I have owned three of the top ten cars on the list and a number of others and I believe the clear winner is the Golf GTI Mk1. I run a RenaultSport Clio 200 which will wipe the floor with most cars on this list but when I bought my Mk1 GTi way back in 1994 (2 years old) it was astonishing, there really was nothing else like it. Since then, there have been loads of amazing Hot Hatches but no other car has given me such a range of emotions like my Mk.1. Most on the top ten are faster but that's not what a hot hatch is all about.
Voting for a car like this is like voting for Miss World. Pointless. Never met her, never shagged her never held a conversation with her but she looks nice. If we could shag, wine and dine all the Miss World contestants, then and only then could the say which one is the best.
Voting for a car like this is like voting for Miss World. Pointless. Never met her, never shagged her never held a conversation with her but she looks nice. If we could shag, wine and dine all the Miss World contestants, then and only then could the say which one is the best.
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