The worst hot hatch ever

[stugolf]

Meridius said:

I read the title and that Mk4 Golf GTI was instantly in my head. Cant think of many others that got the idea of a hot hatchback so wrong. I suppose their one good point has been the 1.8T for conversions into the older Golfs. Scrap the rest.

Erm......Think they got it pretty right further along the line

[BrabusMog]

stugolf said:

Meridius said:

I read the title and that Mk4 Golf GTI was instantly in my head. Cant think of many others that got the idea of a hot hatchback so wrong. I suppose their one good point has been the 1.8T for conversions into the older Golfs. Scrap the rest.

Erm......Think they got it pretty right further along the line

I prefer the MK5 GTi Edition 30.

[Hub]

Probably not warm enough to be a 'hot hatch' but as the clearly intended it to look like one with alloys, body kit and sporty badges, how about the Hyundai Accent MVI?



Otherwise the underpowered Golf mk4 2.0 is a good shout, and perhaps the Corolla T-Sport with frustrating gearing.

[Never you mind]

I'll just leave this here.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=997...

[Sticks.]

Never you mind said:

I'll just leave this here.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=997...

0 - 60 was 9.2/3 iirc, not the 8.5 quoted.

[stugolf]

BrabusMog said:

I prefer the MK5 GTi Edition 30.

Looks wise...I certainly don't....ED30 is much quicker though and handles better out the box

[GeordieInExile]

lee_erm said:

In response to the best hot hatch ever thread.

This is bottom of the hot hatch pile for me:



Terrible weezy 8v engine, poor to drive and questionable reliability and build quality.

First car that came to my mind. Fat, gutless, wallowy. Worst GTi ever.

[DavidJG]

Rover 220 GTi Turbo anyone?

How much extra torque-steer would you like today? The standard 220 GTi was bad, the turbo almost un-drivable on anything other than a dry road and in a straight line.

The 2 door coupe that was based on roughly the same car was every bit as bad too.

[MikeGoodwin]

PISTONHEADS said:

Those cars that had the right ingredients to do well but fell way short of the mark..

Audi RS3

[ALBA MELV]

Early Mk4 Astra GSi. These were released initially with the X20XEV (2.0 16v non turbo 136bhp) engine initially before being revised to the Z20LET (2.0 16v Turbo)

[stugolf]

MikeGoodwin said:

Audi RS3

Regardless if the handling wasn't as good as it should've been 0-60 in 3.9 seconds with a simple remap is lightning fast so hardly "Worst hot hatch ever"

[ahmedre88]

I had a t-sport for a year and a half. Now running a current Fiesta ST, I realise that the t-sport handled like a dog. The engine in the t-sport certainly has potential though

[gweaver]

The Spruce goose said:

in dry you could just about get away but in the wet lethal.

That was the reason I crashed mine in the 'Please drive carefully', sign in my village..

I think there must have been something wrong with both of yours! If anything, I think the handling is on the safe/boring side. IMHO oversteer only happens with ditchfinders on the back.

[jamesb2001]

Having kept (it was a company car) a Golf 2.0 for 3 years and 75,000 miles feel I can comment that it was a really bad GTI.

Slow, didn't handle well, steering too light and no feel, rolled alot much in corners. I remember trying to keep up with a mates Audi TT cross country and hating it.

It was a great car though. Comfy- centre armrest rocked, great stereo, economical (40mpg on runs between Hitchin and Bristol/Darlington) and the looks and interior impressed my now wife. Mine is still going according to the DVLA

[Motorrad]

stugolf said:

Erm......Think they got it pretty right further along the line

Look nice, drive crap. Worst hot hatch I ever owned and stupid fecking wheels that needed replacing under warranty twice.

[cirian75]

Downward said:

The Spruce goose said:

Clio V6 from what I have heard.

Rover 200 Vi, great engine but the handling was a joke.

I had a 200vi. Sold it when I was out handled by a mk4 golf gti. Went back to a 306 S16.

I had a Vi too, but I fixed the handling on mine, ZR160 shocks and springs and 16 alloys off the 25 GTi with Michelin PE exalto 2 tyres 205/45R16

completely different animal with those mods, dreadful with out them.

[Devil2575]

Johnnytheboy said:

Any version of the last generation of the Escort including the RS2000.

EFA

[The Turbonator]

sim72 said:

Downward said:

To call the Golf gti 2.0 mk4 a hot hatch is an insult.

Correct. Indeed, everywhere else apart from the UK, the 2.0 wasn't even badged as a GTI. However if you simply assume it's a bog standard hatchback it was/is a good car. That engine is pretty much indestructible and they didn't rot like a lot of Mk3s (nor possess chocolate gearboxes). My current snotter is a 17-year old 1.8NA GTI (a whole 10hp more than the 2.0) with 150K on the clock and apart from the stone chips it pretty much looks and drives like new. Excellent budget motoring.

I've actually fallen in love with my 2.0. Yes it's not fast and it should never have been given a gti badge but it's been a great car.

I do actually quite like the engine note and I rev it more than I should. It's got a deep throaty sound to it and I think it feels faster than what it actually is.

[cirian75]

DavidJG said:

Rover 220 GTi Turbo anyone?

How much extra torque-steer would you like today? The standard 220 GTi was bad, the turbo almost un-drivable on anything other than a dry road and in a straight line.

The 2 door coupe that was based on roughly the same car was every bit as bad too.

completely wrong tyre'd that car 195\55R15 not enough tyre on the road and too much sidewall = wobbly thing.

[white_goodman]

Downward said:

Maybe Rover gave the press doctored cars like the MG maestro turbo's !

News to me too. Thruxton race school used to run a fleet of R25 GTis!