Hot hatch

A popular choice with UK buyers since the days of the original Volkswagen Golf GTI, the hot hatchback mixes everyday practicality with higher performance and the sort of handling and agility that’s ideally suited to British roads.

A good hot hatch should be fun and, since it’s likely to be a car you’ll use every day, it should also deliver respectable running costs.

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Showing 1 - 10 of 21

Mercedes-AMG A45

from £28,880
The Mercedes A45 AMG is ferociously quick in a straight line and round corners. However, rivals such as the BMW M135i are cheaper and more engaging.

New Toyota GR Yaris

from £46,195
The GR Yaris is one of the most characterful and entertaining hot hatches of the decade
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Honda Civic Type R

from £29,949
The Honda Civic Type R offers awesome performance and precise handling, and yet it's also a practical and comfortable everyday car.

Volkswagen Golf R

from £22,990
With superb performance and four-wheel drive, the VW Golf R is one of the quickest cars point to point, but a Honda Civic Type R is more fun

Audi S3

from £27,532
The Audi S3 is one of the most premium-feeling cars in its class, and quick, too. Not the most exciting, however

Hyundai i30 N

from £24,593
The i30N is a well-equipped hot hatch gifted with sublime handling. There are more powerful and quicker alternatives, though

Cupra Raval

from £23,785
The new Cupra Raval is the Spanish brand’s smallest EV and it packs a sporty punch

Audi RS3

from £61,975
The Audi RS3 isn’t the sharpest hot hatch, but no rival can match its all-weather pace and high quality interior.

BMW 1 Series

from £29,491
The BMW 1 Series is one of the best small family cars. It’s desirable, good to drive and surprisingly cheap to run

Alpine A290

from £30,944
The Alpine A290 is a sporty small EV with two power outputs available
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More on Hot hatch

2026 VW Golf GTI Edition 50 review: when 50 is the new 40

Anniversary edition of the hot hatch brings a shot of excitement by taking inspiration from the past

Hyundai i20 N to return as affordable hybrid hot hatch

Previous i20 N was so good we named it Hot Hatch of the Year, but Hyundai discontinued the model in 2024

Peugeot e-208 GTi revealed: £35k electric hot hatch covers 0-62mph in 5.5sec

Competitively priced and with class-leading performance, here’s everything you need to know about the GTi moniker’s latest flag bearer

New Volkswagen ID Polo GTI revealed: electric hot hatch gets 223bhp

Hot hatch version of the upcoming Volkswagen ID Polo gives you plenty of bite, if not so much bark

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