Best hot hatches 2025 – the most fun, and the one to avoid

We talked in the introduction of this story about that all-important grin factor, and if smiles-per-mile was a currency, then the Mercedes-AMG A45 S Plus would quickly make you very rich indeed. That’s because it delivers more fun than any other car of its kinds, and that’s the biggest factor we consider in the hot hatchback class.

Indeed, being propelled around by the most powerful four-cylinder engine in production makes you feel rather special, and that’s even before you’ve unleashed the full 416bhp at your disposal. When you do, you’ll reach 62mph in just 3.9sec – that’s half a second quicker than the already rapid Volkswagen Golf R.

Of course, though, hot hatches are about more than just speed – most will also be used as everyday transport by families. And here the A45 is just as accommodating as any other Mercedes A-Class. Two six-footers can fit comfortably on the rear bench, and the boot took six carry-on suitcases in our tests – two more than the Audi RS3 could manage.

Yes, it’s an expensive proposition, but here it’s justified completely. As the antidote to a bad day, there’s nothing better.

“I'm very happy to sacrifice a bit of civility for extra fun. I found the amount of speed I could carry through corners was remarkable, and the effectiveness of the four-wheel drive system is seriously impressive.” – Dan Jones, Reviewer

Read our in-depth Mercedes-AMG A45 review

Key to the appeal of the Audi RS3 is its 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine. Not only does it make a wonderful burbling noise, but it's also stonkingly fast. Indeed, the RS3 is faster than a BMW M2 to 62mph, and isn't far off a BMW M3 – in our tests, it managed the sprint in just 3.8 seconds.

In terms of brute strength, the RS3's 394bhp isn't a match for the Mercedes-AMG A45 above, but it feels plenty fast enough on the road. The RS3 is also agile to thread through corners, thanks to accurate and well-weighted steering – but it's a shame that the steering wheel doesn't give you much feedback.

The RS3's standard-fit sports seats offer good levels 0f comfort on longer trips, and we like some of the RS-specific touches which you get over the regular A3, such as the new flat-topped steering wheel and two red buttons to activate the Audi's different driving modes quickly.

“I regularly travel with four people in my car, so I'm thanful that, unlike on the BMW M2, the RS3 gives you two proper rear doors. They make loading kids and cargo onto the rear bench infinitely easier.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Read our in-depth Audi RS3 review

If the GTI is a mildly spiced-up version of the regular Volkswagen Golf, then the GTI Clubsport turns the heat dial up subsantially again. It's not quite a vindaloo – that's the Golf R, which you'll lean more about later – but for most drivers, the Clubsport is plenty hot enough.

With 296bhp to play with – up from 261bhp in the standard car – the Clubsport's 2.0-litre petrol engine has no trouble in hauling you up to motorway speeds. And although it doesn't emit quite the same evocative burble as, say, a Civic Type R does, it still sounds sporty. And thanks to its tweaked adaptive suspension and electronic front differential, you can use more of the Clubsport's power more of the time compared with the standard GTI.

Unfortunately, the GTI is no longer available with a manual gearbox, so instead you have to make do with a seven-speed automatic gearbox. This is a shame, because the manual was ultimately more fun to use – but you can take control using paddles behind the steering wheel if you want to.

Sports seats with good side bolstering do a good job of holding you in place through the corners, while the materials used throughout the GTI are mostly of a high quality. 

“I adore the way the Clubsport encourages drivers to really push on – there's a reassuring feeling that it'll catch you if you run out of talent mid-corner. I just wish it sounded a bit meatier.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Read our in-depth Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport review

The Audi S3 may not deliver the ultimate driving thrills of some hot hatchback rivals, but it counters with impressive point-to-point pace. 

It’s absurdly rapid in a straight line, and there’s always plenty of grip on offer in corners. That’s partly down to the accuracy of the S3’s steering, and the assured nature of its four-wheel drive system. It never feels intimidating, unlike some hot hatch rivals such as the Honda Civic Type R or Toyota GR Yaris, which can feel a bit too powerful for anyone not used to wearing a racing helmet.

While the closely related Volkswagen Golf R is a better all-rounder, the S3 isn't far behind – and it has the obvious allure of a premium badge and a more upmarket interior. Indeed, its recent mid-life facelift has made real improvements to the material quality used throughout the S3, with certain prominent plastics being replaced with suede-wrapped panels.

“The S3's rear seat backs split in a useful 40/20/40 configuration, which is something you have to pay extra for in a BMW M135i. It's a very useful feature, as I found on a long road trip, where the extra flexibility for my luggage came in really useful.” – Stuart Milne, Digital Editor

Read our in-depth Audi S3 review

Welcome to the Golf Vindaloo – you see, the Golf R takes the GTI Clubsport formula above, and adds lots of extra chillies.

In fact, the Golf R is the kind of hot hatchback we love – exciting to drive when you're pressing on, but perfectly civilised when you're not.

You see, being based on the regular Volkswagen Golf, it offers plenty of space for your passengers and all of their luggage, yet also offers more feedback through corners than the rival BMW M135i and the mechanically-similar Audi S3.

The Golf R's four-wheel drive system also aids traction, yet you can feel power being sent to the rear wheels to help the car rotate on the way out of corners.

Indeed, if it had a smarter interior and a less frustrating infotainment system, the latest Golf R might rise even higher up this list.

“The Golf R is available with an optional Akrapovic exhaust system. It's quite expensive, but it's an option I'd choose because I love the humorous exhaust pops as you lift off the accelerator.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Read our in-depth Volkswagen Golf R review

You might be surprised to see an electric car on this list, but the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N proves there's a place for them in the hot hatchback class.

It's powered by two electric motors (with one on each set of wheels) that combine to produce a whopping 601bhp – or 641bhp in 10-second bursts using the N Grin Boost mode. Using launch control, the car is said to hit 0-62mph in just 3.4 seconds – that makes it the quickest car on this list by quite some margin.

However, it's not just about power and pace with the Ioniq 5 N, because it has some very clever party tricks. The most notable is the N e-Shift and N Active Sound Plus driving modes; the former makes the car drive as if it has an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and you can shift the simulated gears up and down with the steering wheel-mounted paddles, while the latter pumps fake engine sounds into the interior and outside the car.

The combination, along with the car's playful handling, is an electric car that's great fun to drive. Of course, with all those gadgets, you do have to pay a price for the Ioniq 5 N, because it's very expensive.

“Beneath the surface, the Ioniq 5 N is closely related to the Kia EV6 GT. However, it has new suspension, bigger brakes, quicker steering, reinforced underpinnings and a vast array of drive modes to distinguish it from its cousin. I found the difference was like night and day.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer 

Read our in-depth Hyundai Ioniq 5 N review

Where previous iterations of BMW's hot hatch were rear-wheel drive and had a throbbing six-cylinder engine, the latest version eschews that setup in favour of a more conventional 2.0-litre petrol engine which sends its power to all four wheels.

The result is a car which doesn't feel quite as thrilling as it once did. The engine starts off strong, but performance tails off a bit as you explore the upper rev range. And while a 0-62mph sprint time of 4.9sec isn't to be sniffed at, it's not quite as fast as the rival Audi S3 and Mercedes-AMG A35. Still, let's not forget that the BMW will cost you less than those rivals to put on your driveway in the first place.

Inside, you'll find high-quality materials and an infotainment system which looks sharp – even if we still miss the rotary controller of some older BMWs, which made controlling the infotainment setup easy. A couple passengers will find that they have more room to stretch out in the rear of the BMW than in the A35, but taller folk may find their heads brushing the roof lining. 

You can also fit more luggage into the boot of the M135 than you can into most hot hatch rivals, but the Skoda Octavia vRS offers even more.

“Unlike in some Mercedes models, the metal-look features inside the BMW M135 are actually made from metal. For me, that's a nice touch at this price point.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

Read our in-depth BMW M135 review

The second all-electric model to feature on this list is the go-faster cousin of our reigning What Car? Car of the Year, the Renault 5.

Alpine took that car, and added a lot more power, boosting the output from the single motor driving the front wheels to either 178bhp or 212bhp, depending on which version you choose. We've only sampled the more powerful model so far, and can confirm that when you put your foot down, it slams you back into your seat with a ferocity which few of the combustion-engined hot hatches on this list can match.

As you might expect, the A290 feels heavier through corners than the Ford Focus ST, but it controls its weight well and doesn't suffer from a lot of body lean.

Interior quality is miles ahead of the MG4 XPower and matches the Mini Cooper Electric, and while the boot is small, it's large enough for a couple of holiday suitcases or your weekly shop.

“I'd been used to some hot hatches electronically boosting the sound from their exhausts, but the A290 doesn't take that approach. Instead, there's a futuristic sound derived from the electric motor's actual noise that's then edited in a studio. It's far less annoying than the noise you get in the Abarth 500e.” – Claire Evans, Consumer Editor

Read our in-depth Alpine A290 review

Previously, the Cupra Leon was a go-faster version of the Seat Leon. However, following a mid-life facelift in 2024, it's now a standalone model, with bespoke styling that aims to give it a more distinctive, sporty look. 

For the most fun version of the Cupra Leon hatchback, you have to go for the range-topping 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. It produces 296bhp and can sprint from 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds, which is not quite as quick as a Ford Focus ST, but it's still pretty punchy. 

One issue with that version is that it can struggle for grip in wet conditions, which is why the 328bhp engine offered in the estate is even better, because it gets four-wheel drive. No matter the version you go for, though, the Volkswagen Golf GTI is more comfortable for everyday driving, while the Focus ST is more engaging to drive down a twisty road.

“The adaptive suspension, which is fitted on all Cupra Leons apart from the entry-level version, is very useful. I liked that I could choose from hard and focused for driving down a twisty B-road, or soft and cosseting for a long motorway journey.” – Darren Moss, Deputy Editor

Read our in-depth Cupra Leon review

The Mercedes-AMG A35 might be a cheaper version of the A45 that tops our list of the best hot hatches – but it doesn’t feel cut-price. Indeed it’s best thought of as a softer, slightly less shouty alternative.

It’s no slouch, though, because it’ll accelerate from 0-62mph in just 4.7sec. And with grippy four-wheel drive, it’ll do that in pretty much any weather condition. If there’s a drawback, it's that the steering doesn’t engage you quite as much as that of a BMW M135, but it’s certainly more relaxed at a cruise than the A45.

The interior has a genuine wow factor, boosted by the appearance of two AMG sports seats and a racy flat-bottomed steering wheel, although you’ll need to overlook a few low-rent interior plastics. The A35 has a pair of 10.3in screens – one for the instruments, one for the infotainment – which look impressive, but can be a tad tricky to use while driving. 

It’s a shame that the automatic gearbox isn’t more alert and the engine sound lacks character – and that it’s practicality is merely average by the standards of the hot hatch class.

“I love the A35's interior design, especially at night with the optional multi-coloured ambient lighting fitted. It adds a real dose of drama to the dashboard – although I wish it was just a little easier to use.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

Read our in-depth Mercedes A35 review

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