PistonHeads Top 10 The Results - we did good :)

[mossyv6]

Best hot hatch of the century - the results!

You nominated them and you voted for them; time to get into the official PH list of greatest hot hatches from the 21st century

www.pistonheads.com

We did well

And a photo of my car at no 9.

 

[White16valver]

Nice

Not sure how the breadvan Civic got that high, though, lol.

 

[cat171]

I wouldn't say that a Vee & a BMW M140i are hot hatches!

 

[Krarl]

Renault dominating the whole list

Bet most of them cars pictured have been through a few gearboxes😂

 

[David Stuart]

I wouldn't say that a Vee & a BMW M140i are hot hatches!

It’s like there are two types of hot hatches now. The Golf GTI and the Golf R sum it up perfectly.

The clio v6 never was a hot hatch really. More of a mid engine sports / kit car build around a clio body.


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[The Psychedelic Socialist]

Renault dominating the whole list

Bet most of them cars pictured have been through a few gearboxes😂

But not a single Mk3 Mégane on it. Weird?

And to pile on the bandwagon complaining about stuff.... IMHO a hot hatch is a quick, fun version of a family hatchback that's 95% as practical. There's no way a Clio V6 or an R26R can be considered a hot hatch if you can't put kids in the back.

 

[Krarl]

But not a single Mk3 Mégane on it. Weird?

And to pile on the bandwagon complaining about stuff.... IMHO a hot hatch is a quick, fun version of a family hatchback that's 95% as practical. There's no way a Clio V6 or an R26R can be considered a hot hatch if you can't put kids in the back.

You can put the kids in the back

They just won't be safe or comfortable😂😂

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Not a bad list overall, though I would disagree with some of it. A crime that there is no MK3 Megane RS on the list, and there is simply no way that the M140i or 147 GTA are anywhere near the top ten hot hatches. The BMW being that high is just because PH is full of fanboys.

 

[Feirny]

It was a vote, there was a thread in which people could add their choice, then a vote and these are the results.

 

[VR46-G@Z]

Nice

Not sure how the breadvan Civic got that high, though, lol.

As I've recently owned both I think I agree with you... Although it has a great engine and gearbox and great for b road blasts, it lacks so much soul... Also the lack of cruise control sucks, but my biggest issue with it was I found the gear ratios wrong for a daily driver... You're up and down the box the whole time when you just want to relax,it did my head in.......

 

[R3k1355]

I wouldn't say that a Vee & a BMW M140i are hot hatches!

and how is the Vee lower than the Trophy as well?

 

[imprezaworks]

Mine came 5th, not a bad effort tbf

 

[VR46-G@Z]

Not a bad list overall, though I would disagree with some of it. A crime that there is no MK3 Megane RS on the list, and there is simply no way that the M140i or 147 GTA are anywhere near the top ten hot hatches. The BMW being that high is just because PH is full of fanboys.

To be fair though the Busso V6 is one of the best engines ever made, and the gearboxes were sweet so I can see the reason for it being in there... I've never driven the 147 though so I can't comment on the way it drives...

 

[VR46-G@Z]

Is a standard Trophy noticeably better than a standard/Cup packed 182? I've never been in a Trophy, I'd thought of owning one many a time but that ship has sailed with the price hikes...

 

[imprezaworks]

The dampers made the trophy.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

To be fair though the Busso V6 is one of the best engines ever made, and the gearboxes were sweet so I can see the reason for it being in there... I've never driven the 147 though so I can't comment on the way it drives...

It's definitely a nice/interesting car for sure. I just don't think I could put it in the top ten. Not because it's bad, because so much other stuff is so good lol.

Is a standard Trophy noticeably better than a standard/Cup packed 182? I've never been in a Trophy, I'd thought of owning one many a time but that ship has sailed with the price hikes...

The poll had pretty strict rules so it had to be a specific model, hence Trophy and 172 Cup. I've not been in a Trophy, but I don't think I could be bothered with the damper rebuilds, so it would be a bit wasted on me. 172 Cup all the way.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

The dampers made the trophy a pain in the arse because they need rebuilding so often.

Fixed that for you.

 

[Simon1975]

Looks a good top ten. Alfa gta always sounded amazing but a bit expensive to run and repair.
Like a few comments on here ep3 does nothing for me. I took one in Px recently and was expecting to like it and sell my 182 Cup. I hated it. Despite being a little more comfy than the Clio I didn't like anything about it apart from noise from the induction kit. It got sold on very quickly

 

[VR46-G@Z]

Looks a good top ten. Alfa gta always sounded amazing but a bit expensive to run and repair.
Like a few comments on here ep3 does nothing for me. I took one in Px recently and was expecting to like it and sell my 182 Cup. I hated it. Despite being a little more comfy than the Clio I didn't like anything about it apart from noise from the induction kit. It got sold on very quickly

As I'm 6"3 the EP3 fitted me much better than the 182 as its a bit bigger and sturdier, but as a whole ownership experience it just didn't cut the mustard.... The precise handling of the 182 is what does it for me and the things got soul, the Ep3 was set up properly and lowered on eibachs with camber arms etc but na, it just didn't inspire... 😕

 

[VR46-G@Z]

The dampers made the trophy.

If you put a quality set of coilovers on a cup/cup packed 182, is it roughly the same or not?

 

[imprezaworks]

Those dampers are very good though. That and a limited number etc

 

[Crybert]

Mine came 5th, not a bad effort tbf

*6th

 

[imprezaworks]

5/6th pretty much the same :/

 

[Patrick Bateman]

The Trophy dampers reveal their credentials best on a typical British B-road with very rough tarmac.

I've driven over some pretty rough surfaces locally to me and absolutely nothing phases them.

 

[David Stuart]

I’ve owned two and a half of those cars.

Fiesta ST. Fantastic car and absolutely the best of the 1.6T small hot hatches and an absolute bargain new.

M140i. My current daily. As much as I love it I kind of wish I was still in my fiesta. I think it’s a bit more fun than the BMW. I hope the analysis on values is correct but a doubt very much. So many were sold on cheap pcp deals so there are plenty to pick up second hand.

Clio 182 / 182 cup. For hot hatches deserves to be above the two above as a fun car. But if you had to pick the best all rounder it would be the fiesta. I tried to drive my clio as a daily but I’m too old to put up with a 15 year old french car every day.


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[Crybert]

I honestly rated my 172 cup higher than the trophy. Can never put my finger on it why though. Maybe because it was cheaper and proper no frills motoring

 

[R3k1355]

Why is there also a noticeable lack of all the properly fast hatches as well?

Golf R
Focus RS
Merc A45

If you put a quality set of coilovers on a cup/cup packed 182, is it roughly the same or not?

of course, it's only suspension, the Trophy dampers aren't magic or anything nor are they the absolutle best of the best.

Clearly they had some decent R&D put into them, and as people have already said they're pretty much perfect for British B-roads.
To get the same ride with coilovers you'd need to spend a decent amount of time faffing around with spring and damper rates to get the same perfect setup, you might even have to get a custom set made as the majority of properly decent coilovers are for track work not road.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

of course, it's only suspension, the Trophy dampers aren't magic or anything nor are they the absolutle best of the best.

Clearly they had some decent R&D put into them, and as people have already said they're pretty much perfect for British B-roads.
To get the same ride with coilovers you'd need to spend a decent amount of time faffing around with spring and damper rates to get the same perfect setup, you might even have to get a custom set made as the majority of properly decent coilovers are for track work not road.

Indeed. I think you could argue that the Sachs hardware isn't actually very good at all, as they don't seem to last all that long before rebuilds.

The money is in the ride tuning, and most people don't have access to the equipment to get that right, while most off-the-shelf coilovers are actually pretty rubbish for road use. That being said, if you took a set of the Sachs to any suspension manufacturer (Gaz, Avo etc etc), they could dyno them and copy the rates easily enough. Don't know how much the Sachs go for second hand in good condition, but it might work out as a reasonably good value option if someone wanted a good road-based set-up. A custom set of Gaz Gold/Avo is only about £1k.

 

[yeecup]

no clio Williams???

 

[The Psychedelic Socialist]

no clio Williams???

Top 10 hatches of the century (so far) so doesn't go back far enough to include the Williams.

 

[David Stuart]

Top 10 hatches of the century (so far) so doesn't go back far enough to include the Williams.

Which would get beaten by the 205 anyway. [emoji23]


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[yeecup]

Which would get beaten by the 205 anyway. [emoji23]

not driven a 205 so cant comment tbf, but still want one and think they still look great.

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Top 10 hatches of the century (so far) so doesn't go back far enough to include the Williams.

my bad, kind of explains lack of classic hatches, should of read the title properly LOL.

 

[Mr Burns]

I wouldn't say that a Vee & a BMW M140i are hot hatches!

Agreed. Technically yes, spiritually no...

 

[Mr Burns]

As I've recently owned both I think I agree with you... Although it has a great engine and gearbox and great for b road blasts, it lacks so much soul... Also the lack of cruise control sucks, but my biggest issue with it was I found the gear ratios wrong for a daily driver... You're up and down the box the whole time when you just want to relax,it did my head in.......

Totally agree. One of the most overrated cars out there imo.

 

[Mr Burns]

Also, no Suzuki's... I'm fuming! (Lol)

 

[MarkCup]

Even I went "WTF?" when I scrolled down the list and saw the M140i.

Car oif the moment, sort of, hugely popular because lease deals, yup, but 5th best hot-hatch?

Nah.

Yes it has a hatchback. Yes it can be a huge laugh to drive. Yes it does all the mundane things a family hatchback should be able to do.

But it's NOT a hot-hatchback!

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

I'm a bit confused. Seen a lot of it on PH and on here. I don't understand why the M140i isn't a hot hatch? It has a hatch, it's got five seats, it's in the C-segment, it's fairly quick and handles reasonably well, has sporting intentions. Why is it not a hot hatch? And if it isn't, what is it?

It can't be because it's a six-pot, because there have been six-cylinder hot hatches before (147 GTA and Golf R32), or that it's RWD, because there have been RWD hot hatches before.

#confused.

 

[VR46-G@Z]

I always perceived a hot hatch as a featherlight little pocket rocket.... I.e, Peugeot 205 gti, 106 gti, Sunny GTI-R, Ibiza Cupra, AX GTI, Clio Williams, Clio 172/182, Fiesta RS turbo etc... That was always what I thought a hot hatch was, a small light car with more power than originally intended... but then that doesn't mean my perception is right...

 

[VR46-G@Z]

These days you can't produce such vehicles with so many modern safety features expected/needed on cars, it all adds so much weight doesn't it...

 

[R3k1355]

So not the Megane then? Which is a C-class car?