10 Awesome Hot Hatchbacks That Proved Driving Enthusiasm Isn't Dead

As far as hot hatchbacks are concerned, we sort of got the short end of the stick here in the United States. All the fun and interesting metal was born in Europe and mostly stayed there. But we didn’t get nothing; automakers like Ford, Mazda, Subaru, and Hyundai smiled down and blessed us with U.S.-spec options to take home. The 10 cars on this list are the most standout ones from the past 20 or so years, chosen because they represent this current age of modern hot hatch. Even though not all of them still exist, the fact that they were sold here at all is proof driving enthusiasm is still alive and kicking. You just might have to visit the used market to find it.

Hatchbacks have been around since the late ’30s, but it wasn’t until the ’70s that people started making performance versions of them. The 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI is largely considered to be the first hot hatch to arrive in the U.S., though the classic Mini Coopers from the ’60s deserve a loud and honorable mention. These cars set the stage for the modern hot hatches of today.

Even among enthusiast vehicles, a hot hatch is more of a fringe body style. There just aren’t as many offered as compared to wagons, coupes, sedans, and especially SUVs. You have to be a very specific type of person to shop for one of these. You’re someone who is willing to give up practicality in favor of a much smaller compact car, but in return you get giggle-inducing performance. Plus, you score the added bonus of sleeper car-status: No one expects hoonery to come from something sized and shaped like an economy car. That’s the beauty of it all.

Below is a list of our favorite hot hatches, listed in chronological order.

2002 Mini Cooper

Where would we be without the plucky charisma of the original Mini Cooper? The Italian Job would be far less interesting, certainly. In 2002, the Mini Cooper returned as a thoroughly modernized model, sharing nothing with its predecessor except for a basic silhouette, name, and execution. BMW was now in charge of making the Mini work, and so far, it has. Today’s Mini is quite expensive for how much car you’re getting, but it’s still plenty of fun and staggeringly spacious inside for its petite footprint. However, we specifically want to shout out the 2002 model, which was relatively simple and sporty. Nothing more complicated than that.

The 2002 Mini was more rigid than the contemporary BMW 3 Series of its time and used a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine to produce 115 hp and 110 lb-ft of torque. While those aren't exactly the hottest "hot hatch" models, the Cooper absolutely overflowed with MkI VW GTI vibes, arguably the original hot hatch despite its low horsepower. (There is of course a more powerful Cooper S model with 163 hp.) Thus, the basic Mini's biggest flaw was it took about 9.0 seconds to hit 60, yet it was never about straight-line speed. “It corners flat and feels stable in both low- and high-speed maneuvers,” we reported in a first drive. “Despite the front-drive configuration, there isn't the slightest hint of torque steer. The Mini's overall handling balance is near neutral, and even with the lack of power, the rear end can be rotated around more easily than in most front-wheel-drive cars. This is one of the best handling front-drivers we've driven.”

2002 Mini Cooper Specs

• Price: $18,000
• Engine: 1.6L I-4
• Horsepower: 115
• Torque: 110
• Performance figures

2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

How could the already-good Impreza WRX STI be improved? By making a hot hatch out of it, duh. Our shores got their first taste of the STI as a sedan for the 2004 model year, but it wasn’t until the following generation that it became a hatchback. Styling calmed down a bit here, with the hatchback version losing the previous version’s massive rear wing and trading the giant hood scoop for merely a big hood scoop. The turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four churned out a very respectable 305 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque, allowing it to hit the quarter mile in 13.4 seconds at 100.5 mph. And in those days, Subarus still burbled.

On our very first meeting of the STI, we were smitten: “Following a 350-mile drive in a WRX sedan from Los Angeles to Carmel, site of the press launch of Subaru Tecnica's superstar, it took a mere 350-foot jaunt in the STI for us to become fully hot and bothered. In light of the WRX, whose controls seem slow, reacting almost a step behind, the STI converses with utter immediacy, be it through the firm, right-now steering, the larger ultraresponsive Brembo brakes, or the more precise short-throw six-speed shifter.” The people demanded a hot hatch, and Subaru delivered.

2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Specs

• Price: $35,640
• Engine: 2.5L flat-4 turbo
• Horsepower: 305
• Torque: 290
• Performance figures

2010 Mazda Mazdaspeed 3

This is not to say Mazda is no fun now, because it is. The Miata is still going strong, and the turbocharged versions of the Mazda3 and CX-30 are proper hoots to drive. But there was a time when Mazda did a real hot hatch, and it was the Mazdaspeed 3. From its 2.3-liter four-cylinder came 263 hp sent directly to the front wheels. This resulted in ludicrous amounts of torque steer that, at the time, was probably less than favorable, but we can look back on with rose-tinted glasses now. Torque steer! How quaint. What I wouldn’t give for a little torque steer. At least it’s some character.

There was just something goofy about the Mazdaspeed 3 that’s missing from cars today, even other hot hatches. This long-term verdict we published in 2011 agrees: “To the grown-up tuners, these character traits evoked memories of the glory of high school, minus the essentially nonexistent reliability. That brace-for-launch acceleration followed by comical torque steer? It's like your buddy's second turbo project car—you know, the one following the project you're not supposed to talk about anymore. The shifter and stiff clutch? Like your first custom short shifter and Stage 3 racing clutch. The exhaust drone? Inspired by every modified car, ever.”

2010 Mazda Mazdaspeed 3 Specs

• Price: $23,340
• Engine: 2.3L I-4 turbo
• Horsepower: 263
• Torque: 280
• Performance figures

2012 Fiat 500 Abarth

Among those listed here, perhaps none has more style squashed into its tiny body than the Fiat 500 Abarth. With bigger inlet and exit ducts, red brake calipers, bigger brake discs, stripes, and the giant Abarth badge stuck everywhere, Fiat certainly understood the hot-hatch assignment. A Garrett-blown 1.4-liter engine spit out 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque, and all of that was mated to an Abarth-exclusive five-speed manual. Our first test clocked it to hit 60 in a not-terrible 6.8 seconds, with the quarter mile happening in 15.3 seconds at 89.8 mph. And it probably sounded like a pissed-off little Ferrari while it did the job, too.

However, it wasn’t just the engine. The Abarth got upgraded front control arms, fortified front and rear anti-roll bars, and a reinforced rear axle and coiled spring mounts. This didn’t guarantee a better car, though. “With the new setup, the 500 Abarth's grip is impressive and the car stays much flatter, though the chassis seems a little less playful than before,” we reported at the time. “Where the 500 Sport can be coaxed into generally neutral behavior with a throttle lift here, a dab of the brakes there, the Abarth seemed intent on understeering its way around our figure-eight course. While the Abarth was unquestionably more capable, we can't wholeheartedly say it was more fun to throw into a turn.”

2012 Fiat 500 Abarth Specs

• Price: $21,500

• Engine: 1.4L I-4 turbo
• Horsepower: 160
• Torque: 170
• Performance figures

2014 Ford Fiesta ST

A mere 10 years ago, a wonderful thing happened: An automaker offered two hot hatches side by side. We know, it’s unheard-of stuff. That automaker was Ford, and the smaller of the two cars was the Fiesta ST. Lightweight and chuckable, the little car was the master of tomfoolery. It had a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that made 197 hp and 202 lb-ft of torque. The manual transmission was the only transmission, and despite the car’s petite size, it could still fit 6-foot 4-inch editors. Its 0-60 time happened in 6.4 seconds, with the quarter mile done in 14.9 seconds at 94.6 mph.

We harangued about the Mazdaspeed 3’s torque steer, but the lower-powered, front-drive Fiesta ST had nearly none. From our original first test: “When you have 197 hp and 202 lb-ft going to the front wheels, two things are expected to be present: torque steer and understeer. Both have decided to ditch class and go smoke behind the portables. There's a slight twisting feeling under hard acceleration, but nothing a small child couldn't handle. As nice as it is not to have torque steer, the lack of understeer -- along with the rest of its general on-road behavior—is what really makes the Fiesta ST bring the smiles. The 160.1-inch-long hatch is neutral going into a corner and develops a desire to rotate as the turn progresses, giving it a slightly tail-happy sensation.”

2014 Ford Fiesta ST Specs

• Price: $22,195
• Engine: 1.6L I-4 turbo 
• Horsepower: 197
• Torque: 202
• Performance figures

2016 Ford Focus RS

When the Focus RS came out, it was all anyone could talk about. All-wheel drive. Three-hundred and fifty hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. Manual. Drift mode. It really didn’t get much hotter than this. Yes, there was also the Focus ST, but for the sake of epic-ness, we’re talking about the RS today. Its quarter-mile time was 13.3 seconds at 103.3 mph, with 0 to 60 mph down in 4.5 seconds. But it was more than just about the numbers. This was the first RS-branded Ford to be sold in the U.S. No longer was the forbidden fruit forbidden. There were some issues of failed head gaskets in the beginning, but Ford issued a fix in 2018.

Still, people loved these cars, and for good reason. They were riots to drive. “The power the Focus RS' 2.3-liter engine makes is unbelievable; there's a touch of lag as you accelerate, but once boost hits, you're off like a Falcon 9 rocket, with a matching soundtrack to boot,” we wrote in a four-way comparison. “The gearbox carries widely spaced ratios, making it easy to string quick-succession corners together in second or third gear or lope down the freeway in sixth. The pedals are difficult to heel-toe in everyday situations because they don't lie on the same plane, but they're ‘perfect when you're hammering the car and deep in the brake pedal,’ [Scott] Evans said.”

2016 Ford Focus RS Specs

• Price: $36,775
• Engine: 2.3L I-4 turbo
• Horsepower: 350
• Torque: 350
• Performance figures

2017 Honda Civic Type R

Much like an RS-badged Ford, a Type R Honda Civic was only something we could observe with jealousy from afar. The 2017 Honda Civic Type R changed that. Immediately, its excellence was clear and led us to argue it was possibly the best front-wheel-drive sports car ever. More on that in a sec. With a lack of turbo lag or torque steer, the Type R cracked off a 0-60 time of 5.4 seconds. It achieved the quarter mile in 14.0 seconds at 102.5 mph. This was all from a turbocharged 2.0-liter with 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. In retrospect, maybe you didn’t love that generation’s racy design, but those went away with the current generation.

But the 10th-generation Type R’s performance more than stood on its own. “On a good back road, it's a precision instrument; around town or on the highway it is an easy-going cruiser,” we said in a first test review. “The Honda turns in on a knife's edge, absorbing bumps and bruises from the road without upsetting the driver or chassis no matter what drive mode you're in. Steering is crisp and quick, and throttle response is linear. The Civic Type R's engine is a little monster, with tons of power, little lag, and a sky-high 7,000-rpm redline, backed up by a Ryan Gosling-slick six-speed gearbox topped by a brushed aluminum knob.”

2017 Honda Civic Type R

• Price: $34,775
• Engine: 2.0L I-4 turbo
• Horsepower: 306
• Torque: 295
• Performance figures

2018 Volkswagen Golf R

Over the years, there have been plenty of Golf Rs, but we’re specifically calling out the Mk 7.5 because it’s the best blend of performance and everyday usability. The infotainment is modern enough but not too modern that it’s a touchscreen-only affair. And you get all the modern safety equipment. Essentially, it’s an Audi, just not quite as expensive. This Golf R made 292 hp from its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, and it was seriously quick. We found it could hit 60 in 5.7 seconds, and on uninhibited stretches of the German Autobahn, it cruised cheerfully at 130 mph. A Golf!

Between the Civic Type R and the Golf R, the VW was the more civilized choice. All-wheel drive meant it had broader use cases and more corner-exit traction. “A broad swathe of midrange torque—the engine pumps out 280 lb-ft from 1,800 rpm to 5,500 rpm—combined with the slick stick-shift and a decent ride, mean the Golf R is smooth and refined to drive,” we wrote in a Euro-spec first drive. “Drivers can choose between Comfort, Normal, and Race modes to tweak shock rates and steering and throttle response. But even in Race mode the Golf R never drops its mature demeanor. It feels a little more alert, and there's a little more vertical body motion and a little more noise from the exhaust, but that's about it.”

2018 Volkswagen Golf R Specs

• Price: $39,785
• Engine: 2.0L I-4 turbo
• Horsepower: 292
• Torque: 280
• Performance figures

2019 Hyundai Veloster N

No one saw this coming, least of all from Hyundai. But it happened, and we’re all better off for it. The Veloster N busted out of the gate with a fury, winning awards and hearts left and right. It was funky, blue, and had four cylinders and three doors. It made 275 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque and was like a mad hornet’s nest to drive. It calmed down when you needed it to, but it felt happiest being caned around some twisty roads. It wasn’t quite as grown up as the Civic Type R (lol), but you couldn’t deny its youthful charisma. Good car.

In a first drive review, we enjoyed the hell out of it: “Step on the gas, and you'll feel your back push against the seatback as you listen to the snaps and pops from the exhaust. The Veloster N is easy to drive and handles great on twisty roads; the additional welding and increased torsional stiffness (6.9 percent) over the regular Veloster make the N car behave better ... In the two laps I drove at the 'Ring, the Veloster N equipped with the Performance Package felt at home.” It’s too bad the Veloster N is no more, but if you can find one on the used market, you’re in for a treat.

2019 Hyundai Veloster N Specs

• Price: $27,785
• Engine: 2.0L I-4 turbo
• Horsepower: 275
• Torque: 260
• Performance figures

2024 Toyota GR Corolla

Another one we didn’t think a relatively conservative automaker like Toyota would do. But it did, and the resulting GR Corolla is like a cross between a Mitsubishi Evolution and Focus RS, both dearly departed. Up until recently, the Toyota GR Corolla was manual-only, but the three-cylinder, 300-hp engine stays the same. Those good at math will quickly work out that’s an even 100 hp per cylinder. Madness. And this is not to say the base Corolla hatchback is the most practical vehicle in the world, but you still get more cargo space than the sedan. Plus, with the rear seat-delete option, you can fit four tires back there to get to the track and back.

The car’s straight-line performance is aight, but being thrashed in the corners is where it shines. Per our first test review: “Our best figure-eight lap tripped the clock at 24.9 seconds at 0.76 g average. The gears happened to align well for our course; downshifting with the Intelligent Manual Transmission’s (iMT) rev-matching was flawless and accurate far beyond a car at this price point. The six-speed gearbox had sharpshooter precision, and missing a gear never even crossed our minds. With lightweight, exceptional handling and a set of 235/40 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4s wrapping the wheels, the GR Corolla averaged 0.95 g around the skidpad.”

2024 Toyota GR Corolla Specs

• Price: $41,415
• Engine: 1.6L I-3 turbo
• Horsepower: 300
• Torque: 273
• Performance figures

And although it’s not officially on this top 10 list, we’d like to give a special shout-out to the Volvo C30, which was way ahead of its time in terms of design, earned a spot of honor in the Twilight saga, and makes us yearn for the days when Volvo was fun. There was a Polestar version of it and everything!

10 Hot Hatchbacks That Prove Driving Enthusiasm Isn’t Dead

• 2002 Mini Cooper
• 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
• 2010 Mazda Mazdaspeed 3
• 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth
• 2014 Ford Fiesta ST
• 2016 Ford Focus RS
• 2017 Honda Civic Type R
• 2018 Volkswagen Golf R
• 2019 Hyundai Veloster N
• 2024 Toyota GR Corolla