Best hot hatch of the century - the results!

[Krikkit]

thelostboy said:

I imagine that is a reflection of the amount of PHers who own an M135i/M140i. However, a little surprised why the Mk7 Golf R isn't on there instead of the Mk5 GTI - with the amazing PCP deals, has a more complete car ever been offered for the money?

The Mk.7 R is a noteworthy one, and as a package it's probably the most performance you can get for the money, but the Mk5 GTI was the first step in reviving the VW hot Golf to where it is today - the absolute home-run compared to the Mk.4 which was (rightly or wrongly) pretty poorly received.

[thelostboy]

Krikkit said:

thelostboy said:

I imagine that is a reflection of the amount of PHers who own an M135i/M140i. However, a little surprised why the Mk7 Golf R isn't on there instead of the Mk5 GTI - with the amazing PCP deals, has a more complete car ever been offered for the money?

The Mk.7 R is a noteworthy one, and as a package it's probably the most performance you can get for the money, but the Mk5 GTI was the first step in reviving the VW hot Golf to where it is today - the absolute home-run compared to the Mk.4 which was (rightly or wrongly) pretty poorly received.

Not disputing it is a good car, but it is it a great one just on the basis that the Mk3 and Mk4 were woeful, and they finally pulled their finger out again?

[Dave Hedgehog]

just goes to show why you cant take peoples opinions seriously

[grassisntgreener]

I absolutely hated the Clio 182 I drove.

Too small, steering wheel from a London bus, had to be thrashed, stupid wipers, tiny pedals - handled well but in every other aspect it was notably French and disappointing.

Wasnt too impressed with the EP3 Type R I drove. Again had to be thrashed and the gear shift was literally awful - coupled with a weird driving position that reset itself everytime someone got in the back.

Give me a MK2 Focus ST any day of the week, absolute peach of an engine, comfortable recaros, typical Ford decent handling (even if not on par with the Clio) but when you consider it was just as at home on the M25 as a track - arguably a much better car.

Then again if we all liked the same thing it would be a horrible world!

[NJ72]

"Fans of a certain brand are in for a treat, but we won't spoil the surprise"

When the article has a picture of eleventy billion 182 Trophies? lol

[nunpuncher]

Think this list speaks more about how unimaginative pistonheaders are.

[JackReacher]

From that list, I've owned 2 x Ep3, a mk5 GTi and a m240i.

I agree the m140i shouldn't be there, it's a quick car but no hot hatch. The EP3 was the best of the 3 for an entertaining drive by far. I've driven the 230 F1 Megane and Clio 200 cup and both were excellent.

[KPB1973]

This whole process was undermined by the original shortlist.

I've owned or driven many of that list and very few get anywhere near the mk3 Megane, so I didnt vote.

Ep3 and 182 are deservedly high due to bringing fun and power to the common man or woman, but the m140i's inclusion is a real headscratcher.

[is1]

KPB1973 said:

This whole process was undermined by the original shortlist.

I've owned or driven many of that list and very few get anywhere near the mk3 Megane, so I didnt vote.

Ep3 and 182 are deservedly high due to bringing fun and power to the common man or woman, but the m140i's inclusion is a real headscratcher.

Agree, and the shortlist was driven by the criteria.

Two-seaters, anything other than front-engine and two driven wheels should have been excluded.
For example, R26R and Clio V6 are silhouette hatches, not hot hatches.

With that criteria, some more obvious choices such as a MK3 Megane might have crept in.

[T1berious]

Surprised there wasn't a Focus RS \ ST or Golf R in the top 10. Not sure about the negativity towards the 135 \ 140? On this very site (and others) Journo's were heaping praise on it's flat 6 and RWD platform.

Chris Harris did a fair few vids and it always beat the Golf R.

I am a paid up French hot hatch fan boy so the top spot was a deserved winner, remember CH drooling over those dampers in a video.

[greenarrow]

Paddy80 said:

To not have a Mk3 Rs Megane on the list is criminal! Without that car other manufacturers standards wouldn't have improved so much.

I'd agree it is the main notable omission.

As I said on an earlier thread, I think cars fairly recently out of production sometimes suffer in polls like this as they are not old enough to evoke the same nostalgia the cars now old enough to be "modern classic" cars do. If they do the same poll 5 years from now, I bet a Mk3 RS makes the cut.

[thebestlittlecivicintheworld]

Audi S1?

RS3?

[Jon_S_Rally]

nunpuncher said:

Think this list speaks more about how unimaginative pistonheaders are.

How so? What "imaginative" cars are missing from the list? There are a couple of cars that I don't think should be there but, generally, it's fairly representative of some of the high points of the hot hatch genre.

is1 said:

Agree, and the shortlist was driven by the criteria.

Two-seaters, anything other than front-engine and two driven wheels should have been excluded.
For example, R26R and Clio V6 are silhouette hatches, not hot hatches.

With that criteria, some more obvious choices such as a MK3 Megane might have crept in.

I think you could maybe argue the case for the Clio V6 not being there, but I think it's a bit harsh to call the R26-R a silhouette. I don't think any normal person would identify it as anything other than a hot hatch. Yes it's it's the most extreme interpretation of the breed, but it's a hatchback that goes fast, so I don't see why it doesn't count.

[Jon_S_Rally]

thebestlittlecivicintheworld said:

Audi S1?

RS3?

Top ten of this century? Really?

[Alpinestars]

KPB1973 said:

This whole process was undermined by the original shortlist.

I've owned or driven many of that list and very few get anywhere near the mk3 Megane, so I didnt vote.

Ep3 and 182 are deservedly high due to bringing fun and power to the common man or woman, but the m140i's inclusion is a real headscratcher.

It’s not an objective list. Never will be. It’s driven by people’s own experiences, which in most cases will be limited, and biased towards what they have driven/owned. In many cases It’s as much a best sellers list as a drivers’ car list.

[xjay1337]

SidewaysSi said:

Yep, it's not a particularly good car to be honest. Mégane should have been there but it's obviously what people on this site like.

How is it "not a good car" ? (not a M140i owner, by the way, although I am a M135i owner)

[Gad-Westy]

Alpinestars said:

It’s not an objective list. Never will be. It’s driven by people’s own experiences, which in most cases will be limited, and biased towards what they have driven/owned. In many cases It’s as much a best sellers list as a drivers’ car list.

Indeed. And most people will likely have had more exposure to some of the older stuff as those cars will have passed through several owners. I know I haven't driven much of the current stuff but have driven several of the older cars on that list.

[mikeswagon]

I can have no complaints about the results, or the shortlist, as I didn't vote in the original thread.

Happy enough about the Clio 200 appearing there, but not too far up as I want one, and don't need all you PH'ers buying them up.

[E36Dan]

Dave Hedgehog said:

just goes to show why you cant take peoples opinions seriously

Obviously the DC2 should have been number 1. Keep your Mcpherson crap.

[Dale487]

T1berious said:

Surprised there wasn't a Focus RS \ ST or Golf R in the top 10. Not sure about the negativity towards the 135 \ 140? On this very site (and others) Journo's were heaping praise on it's flat 6 and RWD platform.

Chris Harris did a fair few vids and it always beat the Golf R.

I am a paid up French hot hatch fan boy so the top spot was a deserved winner, remember CH drooling over those dampers in a video.

Flat 6?