Or it could just be rubbish engineering - go and drive a Lotus - lighter, quicker round the bends than any hot hatch - what's the ride like?
I'd agree, up to a point (though it is worth pointing out that the OP is not complaining about the ride, but the noise levels). The Lotus is designed as a stripped out, pure and basic sports car (and while an Elise may well have a surprisingly supple ride, it is definately not a quiet car). A hot hatch driver expects a little more in the way of seats, creature comforts, practicality, etc. This is also where RT's comments fall down,
The idea of hot hatches, any performance car in fact, is to reduce weight and maximise grip/handling. Noise suppression and ride comfort are low on the list of priorities.
as this is simply not the case, certainly not for hot hatches. The idea of hot hatches is not to 'reduce weight and maximise grip/handling', but to make a fast and practical car which can double for family car duties. Yes there are hot hatches which are much more hard core, including removing the rear seats, but that (IMO), makes the car completely pointless as a hot hatch, and moves the competition from other hot hatches to things like a Porsche Cayman (another 2 seat 'hatchback'). But even hardcore examples which retain the rear seats are very much in danger of falling outwith their point. If they have no, or very little soundproofing, no air-con, no elec windows etc (to reduce weight) and a hard ride (to maximise grip/handling), then very few would be used as family cars, but only as 2nd cars, or 'toys'. If that were the case, surely there are much better and more focussed options, such as the aforementioned Porsche, or an Elise?.
Edited by badbusdriver on 02/05/2019 at 14:48
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