10 best hot hatches to buy in 2026: expert reviews & performance ranked

1. Toyota GR Yaris: best overall hot hatchback

Why buy it

• Playful all-wheel drive system and rally pedigree

Why avoid it

• Much more expensive now, not easy to get hold of

Remember when people scoffed at the idea of a performance-oriented Toyota Yaris that cost £30,000? They're probably not laughing now that the Toyota GR Yaris costs closer to £50k and demand is still outstripping supply. Unless you're already on the waiting list, you'll have to go used and don't expect a bargain if you do so. 

We can see why so many people want one, because the GR Yaris is an absolute hoot to drive. It now makes 280PS from its 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder, an engine originally designed specifically for the car. The same goes for the bodyshell, with the GR Yaris using a unique three-door design that shares next to nothing with the regular Yaris hatchback.

The reason for that is that the GR Yaris was originally intended to homologate a World Rally Championship car. One that unfortunately got cancelled, but still, it gives the GR Yaris rally pedigree that other cars here simply don't have.

Being a rally car for a road, it simply has to have all-wheel drive and it's no run-of-the-mill system here. We like that you can tailor how rear-biased it is through the car's various modes, choosing to send more power to the rear than the front should you wish, making the GR Yaris feel super agile. We prefer it with more going rewards, of course. It's just one of the reasons this is our best overall hatchback.

Read our full Toyota GR Yaris review

2. Honda Civic Type R: best hot hatch for handling

Why buy it

• Quite possibly the best-driving hot hatch of all time

Why avoid it

• It's expensive and not easy to get hold of 

Yes, it's another pricey car that was once a lot cheaper and we were plenty suspicious before getting behind the wheel for the first time. £46,995 for the latest 'FL5' Honda Civic Type R, after all, represented a massive increase on the old FK8 version. But then we drove it and got it completely. 

It's not something you can really compare to other hot hatchbacks. Its focus, its poise, the communication through the steering all make the Civic Type R feel like it's more of a Porsche 911 GT3 reincarnated with additional doors than a Volkswagen Golf R rival.

The engine plays second fiddle to the incredible chassis, but it's still an important part of the mix, with the four-cylinder producing a punchy 329PS and exhibiting a surprisingly revvy attitude. We were really impressed by the shift from the six-speed manual gearbox which is exquisite. 

We also think it's also easier on the eye than before. It helps that the 11th-generation Civic that it's based on has a much cleaner design than the 10th-gen version, which has more creases than a paper aeroplane, but it's also more restrained in terms of its aerodynamic appendages.

Read our full Honda Civic Type R review

3. Audi RS3 Sportback: best hot hatch for sound

Why buy it

• Unique five-cylinder soundtrack, more playful than previous versions

Why avoid it

• Some options are enormously expensive

If you’re after a soulful soundtrack to accompany your hot hatch frivolity, take a look at the Audi RS3 Sportback. It’s powered by a 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine producing a hard-hitting 400PS, which is enough for the RS3 to sprint to 62mph in just 3.8 seconds. We spent a lot of time trying out the seven driving modes you can choose from plus we're big fans of the optional RS exhaust system which you need to get the best notes from the five-pot engine. Even a six-figure supercar would struggle to keep up with an RS3 on a B-road, especially if the weather turns a bit ‘British’.

You can thank the RS3's quattro all-wheel drive system for that, but don't go thinking this is a one-dimensional thing that offers loads of traction but not much else in the corners, like fast Audis of old. There's something called a 'torque splitter' that makes the rear axle more playful and we found makes a tangible difference to the way the car drives compared to previous RS3s. 

There's even a 'Drift Mode', not that you should be using the latter on a public road. And they'll shout at you for using it on a track day. We're not sure where you're supposed to use it, then, but hey – we appreciate the effort that went into making it. 

The RS3 is also nearly £3000 cheaper than the Mercedes-AMG A45 S. Considering the RS3 gets an extra cylinder compared to its arch rival, you might even call it good value. Until you start looking at some of the options in the configurator.

Read our full Audi RS3 review

4. Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport: easiest hot hatch to live with

Why buy it

• As easy to live with as any other Golf, Clubsport changes sharpen up handling

Why avoid it

• Far from the most exciting hot hatch out there

Although there are some cars that predate the Volkswagen Golf GTI which could be described as 'hot hatchbacks', in all the ways that matter, it's the VW that was the originator of the genre. And 50 years later, it's still very much a thing.

Of course, in its eighth generation, it's a lot more powerful and sophisticated. And there's now more than one version to pick from. The GTI Clubsport is the one to pick in our opinion, featuring lower suspension than the regular GTI, beefier brakes and a 45PS uplift from its four-cylinder engine to give a mighty 300PS.

It remains perfectly comfortable and refined, blending into your life as easily as a more run-of-the-mill Golf. It's classy, too, in a way no other car here can emulate. No one will judge you for buying a Golf GTI, but they might think you're a wally if you've bought a shoutier alternative with various wings jutting out of it. 

Even the new Golf GTI Edition 50, which hadn't arrived in the UK at the time of writing, keeps things fairly restrained on the outside. That one gets even more power (325PS), snazzier wheels and the option of a Performance Pack to sharpen up the suspension.

Read our full Volkswagen Golf GTI review

5. Cupra Leon VZ3: best hot hatch for value

Why buy it

• Better visual differentiation from SEAT Leon than before, powerful engine

Why avoid it

• You might still have to explain people what a Cupra is

Once upon a time, you could buy something called a SEAT Leon Cupra. This made sense – it was simply a fast version of a SEAT Leon. Now, things are a bit more complicated. Cupra has become a brand in its own right and you can buy something called a Cupra Leon. And if you want, have it with a humdrum 1.5-litre engine.

But don't worry – a 300PS engine is still very much on the menu in the top-spec Cupra Leon VZ3, making for a thrilling hot hatch which we found feels spicier than a Volkswagen Golf GTI despite the Cupra being made from a lot of the same bits and pieces.

Should you want to take advantage of some electric-only running and/or cheap company car tax, there's also a plug-in hybrid version, but for ultimate excitement, we think the pure petrol model is where it's at. 

Read our full Cupra Leon review

6. Mercedes-AMG A 45 S: most powerful hot hatch

Why buy it

• Outrageous straight-line performance, trick all-wheel drive system

Why avoid it

• Expensive even before you start adding options, Audi RS3 sound better

If you ranked hot hatches in order of output and are only going by petrol-powered machines, the Mercedes-AMG AMG A 45 S would win the arms race. Its arsenal includes a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine producing a mighty 421PS, an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and an all-wheel drive system to harness that ferocious power. 

This hyper-hatch will hit 62mph in just 3.9 seconds, before going on to reach a top speed of 168mph. At around £66,000, it’s not cheap, but if keeping up with a Porsche 911 is your thing, the AMG A 45 S is hard to beat. And that’s before you break out the ‘hot hatches’ pack of Top Trumps.

The A 45 S also gets a jazzier all-wheel drive system than the cheaper A35, which is able to send more power to the rear for a spicier driving attitude. We found it works pretty well but whenever we've driven an A45 we've thought it to feel a bit unnatural in the way that it lightly oversteers in the corners. 

Read our full Mercedes-Benz A-Class review

7. Abarth 600e: best affordable electric hot hatch

Why buy it

• Handles like a traditional petrol hot hatch, looks great

Why avoid it

• Firm ride can get annoying, poor range if driven hard

Proving there's more to making an exciting EV performance car than simply giving it a load of power, one of our favourite of the category doesn't actually have a great deal. Peak power of 280PS isn't a whole lot in this company but the key thing about the Abarth 600e is the way it's delivered.

It's front-wheel drive and sends its power to the tarmac via a mechanical limited-slip differential. That means the 600e feels a lot like the petrol-powered front-wheel drive hot hatches on this list. We enjoyed that lovely feeling of just a bit too much power going through the front wheels for the car's own good.

At times, we found the power delivery almost unrefined, but we like this scrappy nature to the car. Stiff suspension means it's up for being chucked around with very little body roll occurring in the process. The other side of this is that the ride is firm enough to get a bit tiresome. And while we're moaning, the official range figure isn't great at 207 miles plus if used 'properly', you might only get half that.

Initially, it seemed quite expensive for what it is, but Abarth has slashed the price of the 600e multiple times. And, of course, you could get one as a company car while the monthly salary sacrifice will be negligible thanks to its 3% Benefit in Kind (BiK) tax rate. 

Read our full Abarth 600e review

8. MINI John Cooper Works: best hot hatch for style

Why buy it

• Fun to drive, has a unique sense of style

Why avoid it

• Too firm for its own good

The MINI John Cooper Works is something of a hot hatch survivalist. While many of its rivals, including the Hyundai i20 N and Ford Fiesta ST, have fallen by the wayside, the BMW-owned brand has brought out an all-new version of the MINI JCW, and you can have it as an EV too, should you wish.

The JCW was a bit lower down our hot hatch pecking order before, not because it wasn't much good, but simply because the alternatives were just that bit better. Now that a lot of those rivals have died off, it's the JCW's chance to shine. 

The electric version is the quicker of the two, with its single motor providing 261PS for a 0-62mph time of 5.9 seconds, while its 49.2kWh battery gives a range of up to 250 miles. Which you aren't going to achieve if you keep trying out that 0-62mph time. 

The petrol one uses a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, just like the last JCW, making a handy 231PS for 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds. There's a convertible version, making for a niche proposition – we can't think of another full-on convertible hot hatch around. No, we're not counting the Abarth 500e 'Convertible', which has what we think of as more of a glorified sunroof. 

Read our full MINI Cooper review

9. BMW M135: best hot hatch for luxury

Why buy it

• Premium-feeling cabin, surprisingly good value

Why avoid it

• Not as exciting as a lot of the cars on this list

There was a time when BMW used to stuff six-cylinder engines in the front of its rear-wheel 1 Series hatchback in the form of the M135i and later M140i, but those shenanigans are sadly a thing of the past. There's still plenty of appeal to the M135 which uses the firm's current, front and all-wheel drive 1 Series as a starting point.

No, that lack of 'i' on the end wasn't a typo – BMW has started dropping this as a way of identifying the petrol models in its line-up. Oh, and the '35' bit of the badge is a bit smaller, for...reasons. But let's not get caught up in the naming nonsense, because the M135 has plenty going for it as a premium performance car. 

Its 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine produces 306PS, making for 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds. An all-wheel drive system ensures you can deploy all of that power even when it's a bit soggy out. It's similar on paper, then, to a Mercedes-AMG A35, but it undercuts that car by a few grand, and is a bit cheaper than a Volkswagen Golf R, too. 

We found it far nicer inside than either of those, with a plush, well-built cabin being one of the car's highlights. Yes, a nice interior and decent value-for-money aren't the most exciting things in the world, but for some, a pragmatic choice that's still quick and capable will be just the ticket.

Read our full BMW 1 Series review

10. Hyundai Ioniq 5 N: best electric hot hatch

Why buy it

• Surprisingly effective simulated gears, cheap as a company car

Why avoid it

• You might still yearn for petrol power

We're still a bit sore about Hyundai discontinuing its incredible i20 N and i30 N hot hatches. Despite no prior experience in making such cars, the brand came from nowhere first with the i30 N and then the i20 N, both hot hatches that were able to take on the best cars in the genre. And then both were killed off.

Hyundai hasn't completely lost interest in making performance cars, though, instead shifting its attention towards sporty things powered by electricity. The first of these is the Ioniq 5 N, and while it can't completely make up for its departed petrol-powered cousins, it's one of the most interesting electric performance cars to drive.

Yes, it's quick, with its two motors delivering 650PS for 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds, but that's not a big deal for EVs, not when you can buy a relatively ordinary-looking MG that makes nearly 100PS more. No, it's more about the playful nature of its surprisingly tail-happy all-wheel drive system and the effectiveness of its simulated gearbox.

Yes, faking revs might sound a bit naff, but in the Ioniq 5 N we found it really does work, making the acceleration feel all the more forceful and giving an extra layer of engagement that other fast electric cars lack. It blew away our doubts. Of course, you could argue that if an electric hot hatch needs to pretend to be a petrol one to be more exciting, you might as well get, erm, a petrol one, but the running costs of an 5 N could potentially be a fraction of the amount. 

Just as we pointed out with the Abarth 600e, the Ioniq 5 N makes for a very cheap company car, with all EVs enjoying a 3% Benefit in Kind tax rate. Keep it charged at home on an EV home charging tariff to coincide with cheaper off-peak periods. None of that is particularly thrilling, but it makes the 5 N a whole lot easier to justify than a lot of the cars here.

Read our full Hyundai Ioniq 5 N review

Hot hatches: Frequently Asked Questions

Are hot hatches expensive to run?

While they are based on sensible family cars, hot hatches do cost more to keep on the road than a standard 1.0-litre hatchback. Because they have more power, they are thirstier on fuel—expect around 30-35mpg in the real world rather than the 50mpg you might see in a brochure. You’ll also find that insurance premiums are higher and, because they use performance rubber, a set of replacement tyres will be more expensive. However, compared to a dedicated sports car, they are still a relative bargain to maintain.

Is a four-wheel-drive hot hatch better than a front-wheel-drive one?

It depends on where you live and how you drive. All-wheel drive (AWD), found in cars like the Audi RS3 or Volkswagen Golf R, gives you incredible point-and-go grip, which is a massive help on greasy British roads. However, AWD systems add weight and complexity, which can make the car feel a bit less playful and slightly heavier on fuel. A front-wheel-drive (FWD) car, like the Honda Civic Type R, is often lighter and feels more agile in the corners, but you might struggle to get all that power onto the road if it’s raining.

Will a hot hatch be too uncomfortable for daily driving?

Ten years ago, the answer might have been yes, but modern hot hatches are much more sophisticated. Many now come with adaptive dampers (suspension that can be softened at the touch of a button). In 'Comfort' mode, a VW Golf GTI is almost as smooth as a standard model. The only thing to watch out for is large alloy wheels with low-profile tyres—these look great, but they can make the ride feel crashy over sharp potholes. If you value comfort, check if the car has a dedicated 'Individual' mode so you can keep the engine sporty but the suspension soft.

What was the first hot hatch?

Contrary to popular opinion, the Volkswagen Golf GTI wasn’t the first hot hatch. The Simca 1100 Ti and Renault 5 Alpine (called the 5 Gordini in the UK) actually hit the market before the Golf GTI, although the Volkswagen can claim to have popularised the hot hatch concept. While the Golf GTI was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1975, we had to wait until 1979 for the first right-hand drive cars to arrive on our shores. It was worth the wait.

Does a hot hatch need to be front-wheel drive?

Conventional wisdom dictates that a hot hatch should be driven through the front wheels. This is due to the configuration of early hot hatches such as the Volkswagen Golf GTI, Peugeot 205 GTI and Ford Escort XR3i. Times change, though, and today’s hot hatches are just as likely to have all-wheel drive, not least because of the need to harness the performance of an engine producing 300PS or more. Some BMW hatchbacks of the past were rear-wheel drive, but today’s 1 Series is front-driven, with the powerful M135 adopting all-wheel drive.

What’s the greatest ever hot hatch?

It depends who you ask. The agile, lightweight and oh-so-pretty Peugeot 205 GTI is many people’s idea of the best hot hatch—and current prices reflect this. Others will say it’s the Mk1 Golf GTI, or indeed the subsequent Mk2 version, but most people will agree the Peugeot and VW were the best hot hatches of the 1980s. Cars such as the Peugeot 306 GTI-6, Renault Clio Williams and Renault Sport Clio took over in the 1990s, while the most recent Honda Civic Type R might just be the best-driving hot hatch ever.