Top Gear's Hot Hatch Countdown

[Mr. M]

http://www.topgear.com/content/timetoburn/sections/galleries/other/hot_hatch_debate/01/

1st place: Honda Civic Type R

 

[mrniall]

cheers for the link
Have never seen the Volvo it is horrid!
The Alfa is Gorgeous.
Skoda Octavia - a Hatch???
Tiff Needel had good things to say about the Suzuki too.
Overall they are probably correct.
Given the choice I would probably go for one of the Citroens or the Mini though, Citroen cos I've had a few and Mini just cos they always have been cool

 

[Kowalski]

SKODA OCTAVIA IS A SALOON!

I'm surprised they rated the Volvo C30 T5 so low. Tom Ford from Fifth Gear tested it and he loved it. Mind you, Tom Ford also review cars for the Top Gear magazine.

 

[Zafiro]

SKODA OCTAVIA IS A SALOON!

I'm surprised they rated the Volvo C30 T5 so low. Tom Ford from Fifth Gear tested it and he loved it. Mind you, Tom Ford also review cars for the Top Gear magazine.

I driven C30 1.8F, okey its not a T5 but I wasnt impressed and yes Im from Sweden

 

[rev]

So, if I understood correct, did the Civic Type R get 1st place only because it looks different compared to all other hot hatch cars? That's a stupid reason in my opinion The Golf GTI deserved the 1st place. I'm sure most of you will agree with me.

 

[Deutsch]

I'm happy:

 

[martinbo]

EVO 102 lambasted the Civic Type-R's handling characteristics. As expected the torsion beam rear axle that sees the the ditching of the old CTR's double wishbone suspension appears to be the problem. As is typical of this type of suspension arrangement, the rear end apparently doesn't want to get involved in adjusting the cornering line of the car based on throttle input.

Somehow, only the French seem to be able to get a torsion beam rear axled car to get its arse to do any work.

This new CTR gets just 3.5 stars and that really bums me out because I love the car's concept.

 

[MikeJ]

SKODA OCTAVIA IS A SALOON!

Huh?

 

[Kowalski]

Huh?

The Citroen C5 has the same sort of Hatch in the back as well. Even so, you don't hear anyone calling it a Hatchback do you? At least I don't.

And that's the same thing for the Audi TT Coupé. You don't call it a Hatchback, just because it has one in the back, do you?

Now should you call the TT Coupé a hatchback, because it's got one? Well, unless, you want to know what the power of a TT Coupé owner's fist feels like on your face and you want to be labelled as "dull" by your friends, go ahead.

I would NOT advise you do that, though.

 

[Deutsch]

The Civic Si looks old, and it just came out? Hopefully VW engineers will kick things up a notch w/ the MKVI GTI/R, could rewrite the books for the hot hatch hall of fame.

 

[MikeJ]

The Citroen C5 has the same sort of Hatch in the back as well. Even so, you don't hear anyone calling it a Hatchback do you? At least I don't.

Citroën call it a hatchback:

The beautiful Citroën C5 is the large family car with distinctive style and personality. Available in hatchback and estate versions

... but then again, they also call it beautiful.

As for the Octavia:

Model shown is New Octavia Classic 1.6 FSI 115bhp Hatchback

To be quite honest, I'm quite surprised by your reaction. I'd never had thought anyone would not think of them as hatchbacks.

I do agree about the TT part, though.

 

[Kowalski]

Bloody hell!

So that means I was wrong all these years?!

In fact triple !!! I'm embarrassed now.

Thank you for explaining that to me. I had no idea that even Skoda called the Octavia a Hatchback. I always considered it to be a Saloon, because of the Saloon shape.

How wrong I was. Once again, many thanks for correcting me.

 

[Habitual Speeder]

So, if I understood correct, did the Civic Type R get 1st place only because it looks different compared to all other hot hatch cars? That's a stupid reason in my opinion The Golf GTI deserved the 1st place. I'm sure most of you will agree with me.

Not me.

I lament the fact that Honda seems to have no plans to bring this car to North America.

 

[martinbo]

Interesting that the Renault Clio III 197 pips the Cooper S - somewhat surprising to me as the new 1.6 litre turbo has the edge on the 2.0 NA engine in terms of "got-the-gas-to spit-out-of-a-corner" midrange punch. I think the Cooper S is a hotter hot hatch.

GTI is still up there - and the rumours of a power hike are all too rife...

To me there is one glaring omission: the Audi A3 2.0T Sportback (please don't tell me it's not a hatchback) which combines unmatched prestige with a wonderfully refined yet sporty chassis. Truly a paragon of understatement but a masterclass in its segment. In my opinion Audi make the most desirable, prestige hatchbacks around.

 

[Mr. M]

I'm happy:

Me too.

To me there is one glaring omission: the Audi A3 2.0T Sportback (please don't tell me it's not a hatchback) which combines unmatched prestige with a wonderfully refined yet sporty chassis. Truly a paragon of understatement but a masterclass in its segment. In my opinion Audi make the most desirable, prestige hatchbacks around.

That's because the GTI is around for a lower price - the A3 gets the prestige thing, but that's about it IMO.

 

[martinbo]

That's not necessarily logical Mirage - to omit the 2.0T Sportback by virtue of the fact that the GTI is there. If that were the criteria for omission then by definition cars like the Renault Megane Cup and Golf GTI ED30 shouldn't get a mention either...

The 2.0T SB is every bit the hot hatch in its own right without resorting to the flashiness of the GTI. It may not shout street cred among the traffic light racers but it's a far more worthy entry than anything else below position 10. And it goes beautifully too with a ride / handling compromise that's hard to match. Classy, yes, but let's not preclude it from the fact that performance is straight out of the hot hatch top drawer.

 

[Mr. M]

That's not necessarily logical Mirage - to omit the 2.0T Sportback by virtue of the fact that the GTI is there. If that were the criteria for omission then by definition cars like the Renault Megane Cup and Golf GTI ED30 shouldn't get a mention either...

I didn't mean that. I meant that the GTI offers what the 2.0T SB already offers, without the prestige. How do you think they compare?

The 2.0T SB is every bit the hot hatch in its own right without resorting to the flashiness of the GTI. It may not shout street cred among the traffic light racers but it's a far more worthy entry than anything else below position 10. And it goes beautifully too with a ride / handling compromise that's hard to match. Classy, yes, but let's not preclude it from the fact that performance is straight out of the hot hatch top drawer.

I understand what you mean, but I can hardly call the GTI flashy... It's just as much as a Q-car as the 2.0T SB is, I think.

Also, as I've said above, I'm not doubting the merits of the 2.0T SB... But I'm not particularly convinced it's worth the premium over the GTI either.

 

[martinbo]

Interesting that you think the GTI is Q-Car understated. I find it quite a bit more extrovert than an A3 SB. Certainly it appeals far more to the younger generation that I've been exposed to.

I personally feel that the A3 stands apart from the Golf in the driving experience and quality stakes. They might be similar in terms of on-paper specification but the A3 feels decidedly more upmarket both in the static and dynamic experience. The ride is excellent and whilst it's not as tippy toe as the GTI it does have more grace and composure over rougher surfaces. It's an altogether more luxurious and comfortable experience without being flabby and "un-hot-hatchlike". It deserves its place because, for the more, let's say, "mature" buyer it warrants the premium over its VW sibling.

 

[Mr. M]

Interesting that you think the GTI is Q-Car understated. I find it quite a bit more extrovert than an A3 SB. Certainly it appeals far more to the younger generation that I've been exposed to.

I personally feel that the A3 stands apart from the Golf in the driving experience and quality stakes. They might be similar in terms of on-paper specification but the A3 feels decidedly more upmarket both in the static and dynamic experience. The ride is excellent and whilst it's not as tippy toe as the GTI it does have more grace and composure over rougher surfaces. It's an altogether more luxurious and comfortable experience without being flabby and "un-hot-hatchlike". It deserves its place because, for the more, let's say, "mature" buyer it warrants the premium over its VW sibling.

Thanks for your opinion.

I still stand by my previous statement... To each his own.

 

[Yperion]

Greek car magazines (including Greek Autocar) which drove the Civic weren't impressed with it at all so it's safe to say cause it got the first place because Honda has a factory in England.