Wednesday 22nd February 2023

Vote for the best hot hatch of the last 25 years!

The sports car winner has been decided. Time to find out which is the best hot hatch since 1998...

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That’s PH25 off to an amazing start, then, even if we do say so ourselves. There weren't many complaints about the Lotus Elise S1 being crowned the greatest sports car of the past 25 years; it’s a seminal Lotus and a hugely important little car full stop. Not sure of its significance? Over to John to spell it out…

With sports cars done and dusted - at least until all the winners are together again - it’s time for a new category: hot hatches. We’d be staggered if this victory is as comprehensive as the Elise’s, given the multitude of brilliant cars that have launched in the last 25 years. PH arrived at a good time for the resurgence of the genre, in fact; while 1998 may only have been notable, really, for the 306 Rallye and Golf GTI Mk4 (only one of those made the cut), by the early 21st century the segment had rediscovered its mojo. You’ll find all the early 2000s heroes in here, from Civic Type R to Focus RS and 147 GTA to Golf R32.

It was really onwards and upwards from there, with a great Golf GTI returning a few years after that, the Renaultsport Megane coming good, the Vauxhall VXRs delivering great bang for buck fun and even the hot hatch oddball coming back: for our sins, we’ve even included the five-door Impreza…

Again, we've tried to cut the wheat from the generational chaff, but we're fairly confident that all the very best hot hatches since 1998 have been included here. Anyone searching in vain for the really hardcore stuff can rest easy: we've merely shunted the hot lap specials to the forthcoming track car vote. Otherwise, whether your hot hatch preference is for light and simple like a Suzuki Swift Sport or four-wheel-drive and fearsomely fast like an Audi RS3, you’ll find the car on this list.

As with the sports car vote - and like all the PH25 polls, in fact - we’re not asking for just one choice. It would just be too difficult given the quality and quantity of cars that have emerged over the past quarter of a century. Instead, you can select your top three and we’ll tot up the high scorers for an overall winner. That’ll become the star of another epic PH25 video (fingers crossed for sunshine this time) ahead of the giant group test later in the year, which will be premiered at our big birthday party at Bicester Heritage.

Simple as that. The vote closes on Sunday 26th - so get clicking!

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See the shortlist and vote now

[cerb4.5lee]

I expect the Clio Trophy to finish high up in this list. I thought that it was a wonderful little thing handling wise when I was a passenger in one years ago.

[fantheman80]

This will be interesting, as I have had a few gooduns over the years, from 106 rallye to EP3 to Focus Rs mk1 to GTi mk6 with a couple more in there, and currently have the FK8. The FK8 should be high but the looks will count against it and the fact not many will have driven it due to this.

I am gonna put my chips on a predictable win for the Mk5 Gti all rounder...

[don logan]

2 Meganes but no R26.R?

I can only imagine that it’s in a forthcoming category?

[Byker28i]

cerb4.5lee said:

I expect the Clio Trophy to finish high up in this list. I thought that it was a wonderful little thing handling wise when I was a passenger in one years ago.

When there's a Clio V6 there?

[Tickle]

Had to vote for the two I've owned out the list; Clio Trophy and 200. Also, keeping it French with 106 Rallye, one I missed the boat on. Assume 1.3 Rallye not the last 25 years (feel old).

[VR6 Eug]

1.6 or 1 9 205 GTi for me, both were great.

[T1berious]

Ooh!

The thing is there was never one hot hatch to rule them all. One mans Civic Type R will be another's 208 Gti.

Fiesta ST
Clio 182
BMW 135i (I know.. I know....)
Golf R

A hero at price point has to be Fiesta ST (last 4 pot) or the Golf GTi MkV as it was a massive return to form.

Interested on the result of this one.

[T1berious]

VR6 Eug said:

1.6 or 1 9 205 GTi for me, both were great.

Not available at the time point requested by the article (sadly)

[04helipilot]

This really is a toy story !!

Expecting the Cleo V6 to do well, the GR Yaris being the new boy and not used by many won't do as well as it should.

Great list so get voting, the best hot hatch is going to be hotly contested.... .... ...

[TameRacingDriver]

T1berious said:

Interested on the result of this one.

Same here, I'm pretty opinionated when it comes to hot hatches and as you said one man's meat is another man's poison.

I really hope it's not the mk5 Golf GTI though, I completely recognise it was a return to form for the GTI and it's no doubt a good all round car, but christ they're dull.

I'm not necessarily the biggest Clio fan but I think I'd probably vote for the Trophy 182 if I had to pick one, or the GR Yaris.

[r5kdt]

Focus RS mk1 must be up there as it restarted the hot hatch revival in the early noughties

[JP__FOX]

don logan said:

2 Meganes but no R26.R?

I can only imagine that it’s in a forthcoming category?

haha if you read the short article, you would no longer need to imagine

[Wab1974uk]

Peugeot 106 GTI.

Best Handling Hot hatch ever !

[Water Fairy]

Clio 182 Trophy
Fiesta ST
GR Yaris

Not necessarily in that order


I wanted to tick the EP3 but I just couldn't forgive the steering on mine

[JJJ.]

Gosh, there's so many I haven't driven much less owned.
From yesteryear it's the 306 Rallye and out of the moderns the Civic would be my picks.
Still, reckon a VW or possibly a Renault will get the top spot.

[don logan]

JP__FOX said:

don logan said:

2 Meganes but no R26.R?

I can only imagine that it’s in a forthcoming category?

haha if you read the short article, you would no longer need to imagine

I haven’t got time to not jump to conclusions! :-)

Thanks!!!

[zorba_the_greek]

How has the Honda Integra Type R (DC2) been overlooked on this list ?!? Come on PHs.

Even after so many journalists over the years always coming back to them as the best FWD drivers car.


Very odd.....

[HazzaT]

I think the winner has to be something either 10+ years old or if it's newer a B segment car.

Modern 'big' hot hatches aren't directly comparable to older ones or their smaller counterparts-I don't think you can directly compare a Mk7/8 Golf R to a Clio 182 Trophy or even a Mk1 RS.

[Tickle]

zorba_the_greek said:

How has the Honda Integra Type R (DC2) been overlooked on this list ?!? Come on PHs.

Even after so many journalists over the years always coming back to them as the best FWD drivers car.


Very odd.....

Because it's a coupé

[Simon Owen]

The joy of the older generation (for me anyway) was that steering corruption was much less of an issue compared to a lot of the new stuff. You didn't have that low down slug of torque did you so less torque steer. We ran a 275 Trophy on OEM Ohlins for a few years, it's hard to describe how it devoured UK B roads and had elements of true magic... BUT it was the fact that you have to drive around throttle inputs so carefully to mitigate torque steer that eventually got to me. Much better on new boots but once the tread depths started to wear then the steering corruption increased. The new stuff manages it really well but it's still there and was a big frustration for me.