Recently dubbed as a ‘picky petrol head’ I was seen worthy of reviewing our chosen top five Hot Hatch’s. Gone are the day’s where the task of the best hot hatch is between two or three manufactures. Today nearly every manufacturer has its own ‘Hot Hatch’. You go right back to 1976 to see the first Hot Hatch, the VW Golf GTI which was launched in Europe and virtually created the hot hatch genre overnight, and many other manufacturers since have created special sports models of their regular volume-selling small hatchbacks. Having been lucky enough or in some cases not really that lucky to have driven a massive portion of the hot hatches I have complied my top 5!

5th Place
Vauxhall Astra VXR
Fast and Furious but lack composure precision

The old Civic Type R won favour, not because it was the best hot hatchback, but precisely because all the older (35 +) people I work with were still harping on about the brilliance of the Golf GTI and how sad it was that Peugeot had gone off the boil. Under the hood it will feature an improved version of the high-rev iVTEC engine known from the previous model. An interest thing is that Honda does not go for the ‘power competition’ in which the competitors seem to be engaged. Other “super-hatches” such as the Vauxhall Astra VXR deliver 240 bhp, but the Type-R will offer still 200 bhp, but will use them wiser. The new Typ- R will offer this time an equipment package for those that prefer comfort to pure performance. Therefore the GT grade will be equipped with dual zone air conditioning and automatic rain and light sensors. Another thing I like is that it built in Britain! RULE BRITANIA!!! All said and done I think it looks the dog’s and although sometimes it doesn't feel that quick, there wont be much flying past you, trust me! I feel that its main rival is not the Golf GTI or the Focus ST but the old Type R and surely that is testament to Honda.