The end of production for a five-door family hatchback wouldn't normally be that significant. Not for PH, at any rate. For the most recent Honda Civic, however, the situation was somewhat more serious. Firstly because it meant the end of car production at Honda's Swindon plant after more than 30 years. Secondly, because it caused the Civic Type R to go off sale while at the peak of its powers. It's very seldom that any class leader retires before being unseated - or replaced.
Of course, a new one is coming, and it'd be a very brave soul to bet against it repeating its predecessor's all-conquering ability - but until then, there's a host of hot hatches vying for the vacant spot as best in class. For those happy not to be first owner, an outgoing Type R is as mighty as ever. But if it's new or nothing (and you don't want to drive a four-wheeled ninja turtle), then these are arguably the three most promising contenders currently out there: the BMW 128ti, VW Golf GTI Clubsport and Hyundai i30 N.
We should probably explain the absences first. A Focus ST Edition would have been a worthy contender, but there wasn't one available because it too is on the cusp of being refreshed. A Cupra Leon isn't here as the Clubsport was better when we pitched them head-to-head, and the Hyundai is here at the expense of the Megane R.S. 300. Renault Sport's latest is a fine effort, but this is PH and a hot-hatch shootout with three automatics when a manual was on offer wouldn't have been right.
Historically speaking, the GTI is the standard bearer for quality, usability, and general niceness, so there ought to be nowhere better to commence proceedings. A fast Golf was once the baseline by which all others are judged for the everyday habitability - no longer. We won't dwell too long on a point that's already been laboured numerous times, but the GTI's interior is little short of a disaster. It feels both cheaply made and confusing to operate, like one of those own-brand supermarket TVs. It'd be noticeable in any car, leave alone one justly famous for its integrity and clarity. And that's probably enough for the moment, before it becomes stressful again.
Which is an enormous shame, because the Clubsport is the best driving series production GTI there's ever been. It was an easy one to dismiss, arriving so soon after the standard car and with a familiar badge, but a lot's gone into it. The gear ratios for the DSG are shorter, there's more negative camber on the front axle, enormous brake discs that are actually lighter than standard, a completely new turbocharger and uprated suspension mounts. Don't let anyone tell you the Clubsport is just stickers and boost.
In a greasy, grimy south Wales, that basic truth shows. For a car with 300hp, 292lb ft and just the two wheels to deploy them through, the GTI does remarkably well. Where the Mk7 always had that slight delay between wheelspin and torque redistribution, the Mk8's overhaul - including a new Vehicle Dynamics Manager - means the VAQ-enhanced front end responds more sharply. Consequently, and despite the most torque of any FWD Golf ever, the driver has more confidence to deploy it.
The front axle changes that are unique to the CS benefit steering and turn in, with strong traction aiding on the way out. The much vaunted 'Special' suspension mode (only available through the Sport mode with the optional dampers added) is a bonus as well, strictly controlling body movements without ever making the ride quality intolerable. Obviously the Golf isn't infallible, but reasonable modulation of the throttle and the intelligent driver safety net (helped by an ESC Sport that doesn't need much screen prodding) means wheelspin can be avoided and rapid progress made just about everywhere.
The engine certainly helps with that. The EA888 can feel as old as internal combustion itself given its ubiquity, but in Evo4 form it feels as good as ever. Perhaps not as thrilling at high revs as the Honda we're absolutely not going to mention any more, but eager, strong and with a pleasingly parpy exhaust on overrun as well. Just a shame that the augmented sound inside is so prominent it buzzes some of the shoddily assembled interior.
The BMW is an oasis of calm by comparison, like swapping an Up GTI for a 3 Series. The ti's interior is nice in isolation, and even more impressive when you consider that this car's as-tested price - £37,540 - is just a couple of hundred pounds more than the base RRP of the Golf. The materials feel way more expensive, the layout is more intuitive and the overall finish plainly superior. Obviously, interior ambience isn't the be all and end all - this is PH and not 60 Minute Makeover - but it would be naïve to suggest the driving environment isn't important. The BMW rights all the wrongs of the VW, with a driving position that's perhaps even better - the seat is lower, wheel that bit closer - to boot.
The ti is far more than just some snazzy leather and slick smartphone integration, too. As mentioned in the first drive, there are some worthwhile upgrades here to make it much more than just another trim level. The 128ti is lower and 80kg lighter than the M135i xDrive, keeping the big brakes and anti-roll bars of the flagship car while also benefitting from its own steering tune, Torsen LSD setup and passive suspension - plus there isn't an option to upgrade. After so many fast BMW's configurable to a fault - and with the Hyundai to come - that's welcome.
There's real quality to the dynamic package, too. The ti-specific springs and dampers feel well judged; perhaps robust initially, but offering taut control when up to speed. The steering is surprisingly sharp off centre, but the car feels in tune with that level of response. Maybe it's not what you'd be call truly agile, but the 128 is a welcome improvement over the stodgy 135. And the traction control is the smartest here, nipping wheelspin decisively in the bud without killing acceleration, meaning the least powerful car here never feels far behind out of a bend.
It's all very agreeable. As ever, there's a lot to be said for a cohesive and satisfying-to-drive small car. But the experience is never elevated beyond that. The 2.0-litre, 'B48' four-cylinder turbo isn't the most exciting even between the front wheels of a Morgan, so it stands to reason that in a BMW hatch almost half a tonne heavier it's no thriller. Tied to an auto 'box, it's merely fine - which is a shame in a BMW. There's ample torque and power, sure, but no real incentive to rev it. The transmission doesn't offer the speed of the Golf's DSG nor the engagement of the manual Hyundai. Perhaps it doesn't feel such an egregious installation here as it did in the Mini GP, but it doesn't do much to win you over.
There's more, too: stand the assists down and the Torsen diff feels like it could be wound up a little tighter. Really push and the 1 Series is benign and approachable beyond its limit - not dissimilarly to the Mini its related to - but it never feels like a hot hatch crying out for juvenile behaviour. There's subtle, nuanced appeal, and the 128ti is probably best considered a sophisticated hot-hatch package for the sophisticated hot-hatch buyer. But, possibly for some of the same reasons, it stops someway short of being great fun. Perhaps that's how a small BMW ought to be, but when there's a i30 N to drive next, sophistication isn't exactly compelling.
Though recently facelifted with such niceties as a dual-clutch gearbox, wireless phone charging and puddle lamps, the Hyundai remains precisely the same sort of rascally hot hatch it's been for almost five years now. Various model-year updates and this most recent revision have smoothed away some of the more irksome rough edges, but for those who like their hot hatches with a scallywag streak (and who doesn't, frankly), the i30 is that car.
After the BMW - and, to a lesser extent, even the Golf - the Hyundai feels like a proper throwback. Those enormous exhausts gurgle and burp rowdily, there's a strange knob sprouting out between the seats, dials that aren't from a naff driving sim and a large lever in the middle that appears to operate only the rear brakes - curious. It's heartening to see smartphone mirroring, active safety assists and a heated wheel incorporated alongside more traditional, tactile features. The Golf gives the impression that it's an either-or situation; the Hyundai emphatically proves it isn't. Great seats, too.
On the road, the i30 plays the crowd-pleaser as well as it always has, determined that the driver enjoys the experience rather than marvels at what's achievable from a safe distance. The exhaust roars, the shift lights flicker, the pedals offer some actual resistance to work against and so on. There's a smile on your face that never quite materialises in the other two.
And it stays there, despite both 128ti and Clubsport serving to highlight a few problems with the i30 N. After the ability of the 128ti to deliver a decent drive without much configurability, the Hyundai's endless modes seem more superfluous than ever. All that's actually required is a Comfort and an N Individual (typically with the suspension and steering kept mellow and the engine at its rowdiest). It's more prone to axle tramp than the other two, which is a hot-hatch throwback we'd happily consigned to the history books; its damping lacks the sophistication of the Golf, unable to match it for either composure or comfort; and the engine is the weakest here despite sounding the best, being laggier and less willing. And famously equipped with a hole in the fuel tank. It was all kinds of fun when an i30 N cost £27k, because it was a right old laugh - old school, while just about avoiding old fashioned. But now it's £6k more expensive. The Hyundai still drives like the cheap and cheerful option (all things being relative), but factor in its notorious thirst to the bigger outlay and it's made to look a lot less affordable in the long run.
All of which makes a verdict rather tricky. Not only would the best bits of all three make for a hot hatch great, there isn't one of them that wouldn't benefit from significant improvement either. A Clubsport with a manual gearbox might sound predictable, but it would do wonders for involvement. Throw in the Mk7's interior (or the BMW's) and it would walk this test. Similarly, a 128ti cranked up another few per cent - a bit faster, a bit louder, a bit naughtier - could be superb, the 'tii' badge brought back for the 2020s. And if the i30 experience could be priced at £29,995, the queue for them would be even longer.
But we must accept the cars as they are, and how they performed on the day. As transport for the long slog home on the M4, the 128ti is predictably good - comfy, refined and expensive. It feels like what the Golf GTI used to be: the one you'd recommend as a lovely object (if not to look at) with a nice badge, the hot hatch that's good enough to drive without ever being inspirational. That it's now more affordable than the actual Golf GTI makes the BMW's case even stronger. It's the one we'd tell you to buy, just not the one we'd want you to...
As a result, the Golf snatches defeat from the jaws of victory. It's the fastest car here and the best to drive, the input of the clever folk behind the old Clubsport S clear to detect. But it's also unnecessarily expensive, and therefore undone by an interior that simply isn't commensurate with the money being asked. Which is how best to describe it without swearing.
Meaning there's only one car left. The Hyundai i30 N is a long way from perfect, of that there can be no doubt. But in making the person in the N Light Sport Seat a focal point, the i30 remains nothing if not likeable - and that counts for a lot. To these eyes it's the best looking car of the three, and if more expensive than ever it's also £10k less than the Golf, which is hard to ignore. Rough 'n' ready may not suit everyone, but with no Civic left to cover all the bases simultaneously, it proves itself preferable to the alternatives. And for as long as there are hot hatches out there with manual gearboxes, gratuitously loud exhausts and a feisty nature, we'll recommend them.
Specification | 2021 VW Golf GTI Clubsport (MK8)
Engine: 1,984cc, four-cyl turbo
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 300@5,300-6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 295@2,000-5,200rpm
0-62mph: 5.6 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Weight: 1,461kg (VW 'unladen weight')
MPG: 38.3 (WLTP)
CO2: 167g/km (WLTP)
Price: £38,760 (price as standard; rice as tested tested £45,085.19 comprised of Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) for £815, Discover Navigation Pro touch-screen navigation infotainment system for £1,200, rear-view camera for £305, Head-up Display for £650, curtain airbag system for £350, 19-inch 'Estoril' Black diamond-turned wheels for £855, Winter pack (heated front seats and washer jets and low washer fluid light) for £290, Digital Key for £215, Retailer fitted Vodafone S5-VTS GPS Tracker for £540.19 incl fitting and Oryx White Premium Signature paint for £1,105)
Specification | 2021 BMW 128ti
Engine: 1,998cc, four-cyl turbo
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 265@4,750-6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 295@1,750-4,500rpm
0-62mph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Weight: 1,445kg (without driver)
MPG: 44.1-46.3
CO2: 139-148g/km
Price: £34,140 (price as standard; price as tested £37,540 comprised of BMW Live Cockpit Professional for £1,000, Front lumbar support for £150, Through loading system for £150, Sun protection glass for £300, Luggage compartment separating net for £150, Steering wheel heating for £150 and Technology Pack (Adaptive LED headlights, high beam assist, parking assistant, head up display, enhanced Bluetooth with wireless charging and WiFi hotspot preparation) for £1,500)
Specification | 2021 Hyundai i30 N
Engine: 1,998cc four-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 280@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 289@2,100-4,700rpm
0-62mph: 5.9 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Weight: 1,419kg
MPG: 35.3
CO2: 182g/km
Price: £34,045 (price as standard, price as tested £35,230 comprised of Performance Blue paint for £585 and N Light Sport Seats for £600)
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