Five Things: the most powerful hot hatches available in NZ
Monday, 25 May 2020
While we live in an era of monster AWD 'hyper hatches', the humble FWD hot hatch is still around and offers some of the best bang-for-your-buck thrills on wheels. So with that in mind, here are the five most powerful FWD hot hatches you can buy in New Zealand right now.
Honda Civic Type R
The Honda Civic Type R may look like what happens when someone got several totally different model kits mixed up and decide to just forge ahead anyway, but it is one superb drive.
With power and torque - 228kW/400Nm - that's knocking on the door of the AWD hyper hatches, the Type R is somehow a wonderfully balanced and drivable thing, despite having to channel all that power into just the front wheels.
**READ MORE:
* Focus ST could be Ford's last traditional hot hatch
* Road Test review: Hyundai i30 N Fastback
* Hyundai turns up the Noise with i30 N
* High performance has become democratic in cars
**
At $59,990 it is priced pretty much the same as anything else on this list, yet effortlessly out-grunts them.
If you are fan of wings, then this is certainly the car for you. If not, just tell yourself you can't see it when you are driving it…
Seat Leon Cupra
An unsung hero of the hot hatch world, the current Seat Leon Cupra is in runout while we are waiting for the new one, which will be called the Cupra Leon. Yeah, there're reasons there, but they don't really matter - what does matter is that the current model is a superbly fast and feral hot hatch. Even if it really doesn't look it.
With 213kW and 380Nm it effortlessly out-muscles its Volkswagen Golf GTI cousin (that doesn't even manage to make this list with 169kW), and the $57,900 Leon Cupra sticks to the traditional hot hatch FWD format, while the forthcoming new Cupra Leon will add plug-in hybrid motivation, AWD and the like as options as well.
Ford Focus ST
The disappointment of Ford canning the next-gen Focus RS is tempered somewhat by the fact the new $59,490 206kW/420Nm ST has just landed here.
While we haven't driven one yet, the last model was a fantastically fun thing, complete with a thoroughly belligerent attitude and equally belligerent torque steer. While the new one to follow that last trait thanks to a clever electronic diff (although it was hilarious fun), by all accounts the attitude remains nicely intact.
It has grown up a bit though and, like the Renault Megane that follows it on this list, is available with an automatic transmission for the first time.
Renault Megane RS
The Megane RS was always the true mad man of the hot hatch segment, but the current one has tidied up its act and now comes over all mature and responsible.
Actually, it only pretends to be responsible, because even though it is now a five-door and is available with an automatic transmission, it is still a ferociously fast car. And with 205kW and 390Nm it should be.
And, with the risk of having to turn my hot hatch fan club membership in, I would go so far as to say the $62,990 automatic RS is actually the slightly better pick too. Although that is only by virtue of the fact that the $59,990 manual is slightly clunky…
Hyundai i30 N
Back in the late 70s/early 80s when the hot hatch was being invented Hyundai was cranking out hatches like the Pony and Excel. They weren't exactly the greatest and no-one sane would have imagined they would be making one of the best hot hatches available.
But the $54,990 Hyundai i30 N certainly is one of the best available today. A brilliantly angry 202kW/353Nm engine that pops and cracks with the best of them (except the Honda that is weirdly quiet), a slick and quick manual transmission and a ride that is admittedly a bit too firm - but this will be improved at the next update, if the Fastback version is anything to go by.