EVO magazines best hot hatch list

[MarkM]

In this months magazine Q was list the greatest hot hatches based on driving enjoyment. List by John Barker.

1.Clio Williams
2.Clio 182 Trophy/Cup
3.306 Rallye
4.106 GTI
5.Mini Cooper S
6.205 GTI 1.9
7.Mk1 Golf
8. Saxo VTR
The top three are interchangeable dependant on road/weather conditions.

Surprised the 205GTI is so low.

 

[Revels]

4th!!! pah

 

[Dubai182]

Seems a very sensible list to me. Nice to see Renault leading the way!!

 

[Steve vRS]

They are all very small hatches i.e. no Golf's.

Steve

 

[Weeman]

how can the VTR, beat a VTS???? Its not even a luke warm hatch, more the temperature you give a baby milk.

 

[Phill1978]

seems like a good list. if it werent for such good publicity i dont think that other marque owners would belive the little clio to be such a fantastic car.

well done evo mag.


---

maybe thats a typo weeman

 

[Weeman]

yup, probablly, No Bread van in there though?? I'd say it was more fun to drive than a copper s.

 

[barley182]

how can the VTR, beat a VTS???? Its not even a luke warm hatch, more the temperature you give a baby milk.

Admitidly the VTS is better, but the VTR is still a fast hot hatch, very much under-estimated in my opinion especially for the money.

 

[Weeman]

i'm surprised the Mk 1 Golf the daddy of every car on that list, came down below something as hairdressery as a copper S. I think a true hot hatch is something emotive and raw, list should read.

williams
Golf mk1
205 1.9
172/182/trophy
306 rallye/gti-6
Type R
106 gti
Saxo VTS

No New golf gti, focus St, VXr as fast as they are they dont have the emotion of a true hot hatch, it should want to spit you backwards through a hedge when you lift off, anything with ESP/Traction should be lower down on that list imo, But new hot hatches, far too grown up, safe and reliable

 

[darren_rallye]

Which TypeR do you mean?

 

[Jay]

cool.

 

[edde]

I wonder what Mini they are on about? The new or the old one?

 

[Englebert]

Yeah, could be the old one. The new Cooper S is no less fun than the Clio though, it doesn't feel as adjustable but the 'go kart' feeling is more pronounced in the Mini.

 

[Daz]

 

[Aust1n]

how can the VTR, beat a VTS???? Its not even a luke warm hatch, more the temperature you give a baby milk.

I was just about to point that out.. VTR's are chav charriots..

 

[Aust1n]

Which TypeR do you mean?

Surely the newest Civic Type R model..

 

[darren_rallye]

Surely the newest Civic Type R model..

Yeh, I assumed that, but then rating it above the 106/Saxo for rawness.. :S
Surely the 106/Saxo are more raw, albeit mainly because of it's lesser build quality

 

[182 sport]

Yeh, I assumed that, but then rating it above the 106/Saxo for rawness.. :S
Surely the 106/Saxo are more raw, albeit mainly because of it's lesser build quality

will be old Type R

 

[Lagerlout]

Type R - Fast - Yes.
Type R - Driver enjoyment - *familly fortunes buzzer*

 

[ChrisR]

They are all very small hatches i.e. no Golf's.

Steve

*cough* number 7 *cough*

Goes to show you really can't beat a little french car for bang for buck, 6 out of 8

As for VTR and not the VTS, well the 106 is 4th and it's basically a VTS

 

[Russ_16v]

i remember when the integra type r (original) was out,that was claimed the best handling front wheel drive car ever

it depends on conditions too,i mean my old hybrid on dry roads is quicker than my golf,but in the damp,or on larger a roads the golf is alot better

swings and roundabouts really

 

[MarkM]

new Golf GTI and Focus ST:dapprove:. There on about cars to have fun in not over assisted heavy weights. They would be in the list if the Q was whats the best hot hatch for long motorway cruiseing.

EVO never rated the Civic Type R (new one) no steering feel apparently.

They will be on about the new mini which they always rated 2nd only to the 182

 

[danclarke]

I'm guessing they mean the new mini, was there ever an old cooper S? I thought it was just Cooper...

 

[Weeman]

I put the type R in mine, because give or take it was the first affordable hatch to hit 200 hp, is mega reliable and has been very successful and it goes and handles well. Golf and focus would be in for sure, easiest to live with, most practical, well biult etc, but having a new gti after a 172, i can say hand on heart as quick as it as and as well as it handles and grips, it just doesn't make me feel as alive as a clio does/did.

 

[ChrisR]

I put the type R in mine, because give or take it was the first affordable hatch to hit 200 hp

It's 197 isn't it?

 

[sh33n]

It's 197 isn't it?

Which is something like 200PS, which most manufactures use these days.

If he means the EP3 of course, and not the UK DC2.

 

[Rich]

205 bites to hard when you do get it wrong reckon thats why it is low down, and was underpowered. But beat by a Bini, come on!!!!!!!!!!

309 GTi should be in that list too.

 

[ukaskew]

Where's the Puma?!

May not be that fast but it's one of the best handling cars money can by, even in non-FRP form.

 

[dc03ley 182]

Type R - Fast - Yes.
Type R - Driver enjoyment - *familly fortunes buzzer*

agree the type r is boring 2 drive

 

[p3rcy1]

the vtr's are a lot easier to tune than the vts and alot cheaper to insure etc you put an induction kit and full ss exhaust including de-cat and the vtr's are faster believe it or not (than a standard vts that is)

 

[Rich]

agree the type r is boring 2 drive

More like what are my front wheels doing!

 

[Graham Gooch]

In this months magazine Q was list the greatest hot hatches based on driving enjoyment. List by John Barker.

1.Clio Williams
2.Clio 182 Trophy/Cup
3.306 Rallye
4.106 GTI
5.Mini Cooper S
6.205 GTI 1.9
7.Mk1 Golf
8. Saxo VTR
The top three are interchangeable dependant on road/weather conditions.

Surprised the 205GTI is so low.

lol that list is b****cks LOL quite simply theres is no way a bini or a vtr should be in it and thats that lol

my list

1.Clio Williams
2.clio 182(any variant)
3 5 Gt turbo
4.205 gti 1.9 OR 1.6
5.Lotus Talbot Sunbeam
6.peugeot 106 gti
7.306 rallye
8.106 Rallye (1.3)

 

[White16valver]

I was surprised it was 205 1.9 - I always understood that the 1.6 was better balanced and more enjoyable?

 

[Rich]

I was surprised it was 205 1.9 - I always understood that the 1.6 was better balanced and more enjoyable?

Both different in the own ways, the 1.9's over square engine made it less keen to rev, where as the revvy 1.6 always felt more buzy. I prefered the extra torque of the 1.9. You could drive it swiftly and make good progress but not have to work to hard like the 1.6 needed.

Point to point aint much in it. The 1.6's always seemd to make over book power the 1.9's under.

The late non cat 1.9 is the car all the collectors want. I did a hell of a lots of miles in a short time in mine, and not so many in 1.6's, but handling wise there was very little in it for me, less than alot of journos seem to write about. I prefered my 309 GTi to both.

 

[Ross M]

some of that list i have to agree with, just if the VTR is in there why isnt there a rallye ?? surely there better !
on the whole though its seems fair.
those saying focus, civic and golf .... these should def not be in this list of hot hatches. theyre way to big and heavy to be hot hatches now IMO.
the old golf yes.
and also the civic is not a good fun top hot hatch ... its a warm cruiser with speed high up the revs if you need it.

 

[Rich]

For me just read 106 Gti as Saxo VTS, the drive on the road there are damn near enough the same.

Saxo VTR as 106 1.6 Rallye.

Just with different driver images for the later.

 

[White16valver]

Both different in the own ways, the 1.9's over square engine made it less keen to rev, where as the revvy 1.6 always felt more buzy. I prefered the extra torque of the 1.9. You could drive it swiftly and make good progress but not have to work to hard like the 1.6 needed.

Point to point aint much in it. The 1.6's always seemd to make over book power the 1.9's under.

The late non cat 1.9 is the car all the collectors want. I did a hell of a lots of miles in a short time in mine, and not so many in 1.6's, but handling wise there was very little in it for me, less than alot of journos seem to write about. I prefered my 309 GTi to both.

I guess it depends on whether you prefer riding a wave of torque or like to rev the nuts off an engine! lol

I had a 309GTi for a while - pretty quick but engine was so thrashy and possibly more gutless below about 4k than the valver...

I also wasn't impressed with the handling - it stuck in every corner and never let go, but it was also a bit 'inert'. I think the previous owner had lowered it though, so I fear that was the problem :dapprove:

 

[Penfold1977]

1.Clio Williams
2.Clio 182 Trophy/Cup
3.306 Rallye
4.106 GTI
5.Mini Cooper S
6.205 GTI 1.9
7.Mk1 Golf
8. Saxo VTR

Quite happy with that! Only moved down the one spot!

 

[Rich]

I guess it depends on whether you prefer riding a wave of torque or like to rev the nuts off an engine! lol

I had a 309GTi for a while - pretty quick but engine was so thrashy and possibly more gutless below about 4k than the valver...

I also wasn't impressed with the handling - it stuck in every corner and never let go, but it was also a bit 'inert'. I think the previous owner had lowered it though, so I fear that was the problem :dapprove:

I had a good lump in my 309 seemed to pull hard in the mid range, they all tailed off early at the top end, no benifit to really thrashing them really high up there, better engine than my 1.9 205 had, Friday engine for sure!

The lowering may have been the problem, most advise said not to touch the rear beem just drop the front end 20mm to balance the height, I liked the fact it was tamer then the 205, at 19 I think this was good for me! Easy car to drive fast, like you say they just seemed to stick. Know what you mean lacked the on/off throttle back end adjustability/steering the 205 GTi had.

 

[Rob669]

I'm guessing they mean the new mini, was there ever an old cooper S? I thought it was just Cooper...

There were very many versions of the Mini Cooper in the late 60s / early 70s including Cooper S. Different engine sizes from 970 upwards to 1275 I think. Best 0-60 time though was about 11 secs from a 1275cc Cooper S. Many though had modified cylinder heads and bigger bored engines, so non-std Coopers could be faster.

Hey, what about the RS2000?

Rob669