We review the latest hot hatches from price to economy and all their features
HOT hatches have always been a way of bringing a touch of much-needed excitement to the world of mainstream motors.
And since the early days of models such as the Escort XR3, the UK has led the way.
Britain is the home of boy racers – young and old – who want a supercar but are happy to settle for a hot hatch with a bit of attitude.
The field ranges from pocket rocket superminis, through warm hatches, up to the red-hot variety.
Below, KEN GIBSON looks at new versions from three experts in the sector – Renault, Volkswagen and Vauxhall.
road test Vauxhall Astra GTC
VAUXHALL are aiming high with the Astra GTC — targeting the VW Scirocco, no less.
And when you see the GTC in the metal you can see their confidence is not misplaced — it’s the most striking thing they have done since the Calibra.
If you thought the five-door Astra was smart, the three-door GTC makes it look almost frumpy.
And if car firms ever have a Rear Of The Year contest, the GTC’s back end is a contender. It reminded me of an Alfa Romeo, and that’s a compliment.
The new Astra five-door and estate is already a big sales hit. Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port factory is working a seven-day week and the GTC is really the icing on the cake.
But can it deliver the performance to do justice to the way it looks? I’ve already driven a GTC prototype around a demanding test track handling circuit and it was deeply impressive. Now, after a day behind the wheel on twisty British A roads and motorways, I can tell you it has the all-round ability to deliver on a daily basis.
Vauxhall engineers have tuned the Astra’s chassis and suspension to give it a genuinely sporty ride, especially if you go for the £790 FlexRide option which allows you to adapt to a sports or touring mode at the touch of a button.
The main instrument dials even glow red when you switch to Sport mode — a little touch the go-faster boys will love.
When it comes to speed, the GTC’s 1.4 and 1.6 turbo petrols and 1.7 and two-litre turbo diesel engines fit into the warm rather than hot category.
The petrol engines have reasonable performance and 39 to 47mpg, while the two-litre diesel is quick — 0-62mph in 8.4 seconds — but a bit noisy when revved hard at low speeds. It also has the advantage of 58mpg and CO2 of 127g/km.
The good news for hot hatch lovers is there is a smouldering two-litre twin turbo VXR waiting in the wings that hits showrooms in spring.
Buyers get a smart, quality cabin that mixes the best of the Astra five-door and the Insignia, and despite its compact size the GTC is a genuine four-seater with a surprising amount of space in the rear and 380 litres of boot space.
Lastly the GTC is reasonably priced from £18,495 up to £22,430, undercutting the Scirocco by nearly £1,350.
The Astra has become a British motoring institution and a permanent fixture in the UK’s top five best-selling cars for the last 30 years — and the GTC may just be the best model they have ever done.
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road test VW GOLF GTi Edition 35
I ALWAYS thought anniversaries were just a good excuse for having a party.
Car companies also love an anniversary because it is a good excuse to bring out a celebration special edition to boost sales.
And no car firm has done a better job of marking milestones than Volkswagen with their Golf GTi model.
In the case of the GTi, it’s merited because it is the jewel in the crown of the Golf — the world’s best-selling hatchback with more than 26million sales since the original was launched in 1974.
The Golf has become a phenomenon, and the GTi version is a cult car across the world.
Remarkably for a niche model it has clocked up two million sales since its debut in 1976 — 221,000 of these in the UK.
It has become the ultimate status symbol for the mature hot-hatch driver, with that touch of class its rivals can’t match.
So it’s no surprise that, to celebrate its 35th birthday, VW have brought out the GTi Edition 35. No marks for originality boys.
But the GTi doesn’t need gimmicks or fancy names — the Edition 35 is a lesson in subtlety.
On the outside all you get are discreet 35 badges on each front wing, Bi-Xenon headlights with LED running lights and its very own sexy set of black and chrome-edged alloys.
There is a modest styling pack, with uniquely shaped skirts and front bumper, a unique rear spoiler and twin chrome exhausts, but it still looks very much like a standard GTi.
It’s the same story on the inside where you get Edition 35 kick plates on the door sills, a unique gear stick with patterned head, plus a smart patterned door trim and leather sports seats.
One major change on the Edition 35 is a power hike from the 2litre turbo petrol of 25 PS on the standard GTi which sees 0-62mph arrive in 6.6 seconds, along with a top speed of 153mph.
There is a small price to pay on economy — that drops from 37 to 34mpg, but expect around 28mpg if you drive the 35 to its full potential. C02 goes up to 189g/km.
You also get a wonderful, deep, throaty engine noise, fabulously precise and assured handling, a super-smooth six-speed gearbox, a good degree of comfort and a permanent smile on your face.
For some people, 35 can mark the on-set of a midlife crisis. In the case of the Golf GTi, it is just getting better with age.
Prices start at £27,525 for the three-door six-speed manual and goes up to £29,405 for the five-door six-speed DSG auto.
But remember — GTis will retain their secondhand value and be in more demand than any other used hot hatch.
road test Megane Renaultsport Trophy RS
CAR sponsorship deals with pop stars are now big business — and Rihanna and Renault are perfectly matched.
The French car-maker is sponsoring the sexy singer’s British tour. And I’ve just driven the perfect Renault model for her.
The RenaultSport Megane RS Trophy even gets a vivid Liquid Yellow paint job and stylish black alloys that red-headed Rihanna would love.
And the Bajan star shares several other qualities with the car — both have stunning bodies with curves in all the right places and they deliver red-hot performances.
The Trophy is the ultimate wild child in the RenaultSport range.
And I reckon driving it will be a lot like a night out with Rihanna — a constant battle to keep under control, but enormous fun.
The Trophy is high-maintenance. It demands attention at all times, with light, twitchy steering that reacts to any changes in the road surface, while the 2litre turbo engine just loves to be thrashed to the max.
It’s an engine that pumps out 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds. That’s fast sports car territory, although the only slight disappointment is the engine cuts the power when you reach a certain limit, forcing you to change up a gear.
That said, the gear change is smooth and very quick. The Recaro sports seats, complete with bright yellow seat belts, hug you like a second skin, a bit like the way the Trophy holds the road.
You always feel that you might lose control driving hard but you never do, which is part of the challenge of the Trophy.
Renault put a lot of their F1 expertise into developing their hot hatch models and it really shows in the Trophy’s handling and performance.
And in a strange way for a red-hot hatch, the Trophy is a pretty practical mode of daily transport which you can drive sensibly and is comfortable with a firm ride.
But driving the Trophy modestly would be like staying in and watching the telly on a date with Rihanna when you know you really should be out dancing the night away in a club.
The RS Trophy is not cheap at £27,820, but it is exclusive — just 50 are coming to the UK.
Or you could buy the almost-as-quick Megane Renaultsport 250 at just over £25,000.