Hatchback

The AMG A45 has changed the way people look at hot hatches. In fact,it might have created a whole new super hatch segment altogether. The A45 has proven its worth against the other hot hatches, but how does it fare against its own sibling, the CLA 45? Carwow pitted both these cars on a race track to see who would win. But, wait: there’s a twist. The CLA 45 is not stock. It makes 70 horses more than the AMG A45, but also much heavier. Who do you think will win?

In a world where high-performance brands like Porsche and Aston Martin are slowly leaving the manual transmission in the dust, here comes Honda with a pledge to keep our blood boiling as we row our own. Of course, you won’t be able to get a manual transmission in all Hondas – those days are long and gone – but you’ll be able to have six gears and three pedals in the models that matter the most.

“Turismo Internazionale” – it sounds Italian, but it’s actually what the “ti” designation on some compact BMW models stands for. After years of absence, we see it once again, on the 2021 BMW 128 ti. While the Bavarian hot hatch provides great performance and aggressive enough aesthetics, the Swiss tuning company has decided to turn the 128ti to 11, by improving almost every aspect of it. What came out of it is the 128tii (Turismo Internazionale Iniezione), which is an homage to the BMW 2002 tii.

The Honda Civic Type R is a very special vehicle. Many will belittle it because it is front wheel drive. Others will say that it is stupid to pay that much money for a fixed up Civic. People that say things like that are inexperienced drivers who have no idea how much fun a proper front wheel drive car can be. And if they need a badge from a high end European car to define a sports car, then they have an ego problem and they do not know anything about cars. Honda’s rich racing history is one of the most successful in recent times and products such as the Type R are a result of what their engineers learn from racing. We spent a few days with the Civic Type R and it is one of the most fun sports cars at any price. That sums it up. If you want more details, keep reading.

The RS6 Avant needs no introduction. It is arguably the hottest daily driver that offers a perfect blend of performance and practicality. ‘Archie Hamilton Racing’ bought the wagon on a drag strip to pit it against Volkswagen’s reinvigorated hot hatch, the Golf R. It comes with improved power outputs, a new all-wheel-drive system, torque vectoring, front and rear locking differentials, and launch control, amongst other things. With all these accolades, can the four-pot turbocharged hatch beat the twin-turbo V-8 super wagon in straight-line races?

There have been so many races in the past where the Tesla Model 3 has obliterated supercars on a drag strip. But, how does it fare against the refreshed Model 3? The folks at Carwow brought the old and the new Model 3s on a drag strip to see if the new one is any better than the model it replaces. They have the same power specs and almost weigh the same, too. So, is there anything that can make the new Model 3 quicker and better?

The internal combustion engines are on the verge of getting knocked off into oblivion, but that doesn’t mean electrification is the only way to go. A lot of automakers are fighting to keep them alive for as long as possible before euthanizing them. Toyota is one of them, and it recently gave us a preview of the hydrogen-powered version of the GR Yaris’ engine. The automaker plonked it into a Corolla hatch and released a video of how it sounds. If this doesn’t give you the chills, we don’t know what will.

When Volkswagen introduced the new 2020 Mk.8 Golf, we got to feast eyes on the Golf GTI, GTD, and GTE, a blend of trims that pretty much covered every desire imaginable. Later we got to lay eyes on the 2021 VW Golf R and Golf GTI Clubsport. I don’t need to tell you why any of these models is special, but did you know that only the Golf GTI and Golf R are sold here in the United States? That’s right! Outside of these two models, the rest of the Golf lineup is a forbidden fruit. It might seem a little early to think about the next-gen Golf considering the 8th generation is still practically brand new, but will there be another generation? And, what happens after that? Well, with the way the automotive industry is changing, that’s a very good question.

The current Honda Civic Type R, despite its track-focused and aggressive nature, made on hell of a daily driver. And, it was the first Type R from Honda or Acura that landed on U.S. roads since the Acura Integra Type R won over the hearts of ricers and tuners from coast to coast back in the 90s. Even cars like the NSX-R, for example, were left among the forbidden fruit that is the Japanese Domestic Market. Now, with the release of the 2022 Honda Civic sedan, we know that the next Civic Type-R is around the corner and it is, sadly, the last of a dying breed.

The folks at Carwow brought the Yaris GRMN to the drag strip to take on the new GR Yaris. But, little did anyone know that the GR is playing on a different field altogether. This came as quite a shocker because you would consider the flagship GRMN, which stands for Gazoo Racing Meisters of Nurburgring, to be the better one on a drag strip. I mean, it literally has “Meisters of Nurburgring” in its name. But, that was not the case here.

The Mercedes AMG A45S is currently the hottest hatchback you can buy. We already covered how it stretches the definition of a hot hatchback. In fact, the AMG A45S is more of a super hatchback than anything else. Although its 421 horsepower, combined with all-wheel-drive and a quick-shifting DCT makes for a 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.7 seconds, you can’t neglect the steep price tag of $72,752. This begs the question, what are the alternatives? Luckily there are some, and here they are.

Toyota has taken the engine from a Toyota GR Yaris and modified it to the extent that it burns hydrogen as opposed to gasoline – a strange move for a company that insists that cars like the Mirai that convert hydrogen to electricity will be the future. This engine is aimed at endurance racing first, but could eventually find its way into production road cars. This new development got me thinking: can hydrogen-powered engines delay the continuous shift to an EV only future?

Ask around and people will tell you that the current Honda Civic Type R is the best hot hatch out there, ticking almost every box there is. That’s why this video does a little apples-versus-oranges comparison in trying to see whether the Type R can face the first-generation Honda NSX.

Despite trends in the automotive industry, Toyota is hellbent on cracking through the norm and delivering fun cars that aren’t electric or riding on elevated suspension. In Europe, Toyota offers the GR Yaris, a 257-horsepower pocket rocket that offers zero hope of arriving Stateside, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to be left in the dark. Previous rumors have hinted that Toyota has plans to introduce a U.S.-bound Corolla GR to compete with the Volkswagen Golf GTI and the Hyundai Veloster N. Now, a new report from Car Sensor in Japan says that the Corolla GR will be even better than expected. How good? Well, pretty damn good.

Hot hatchbacks are arguably the most popular performance cars, because of their balance between sport and practicality. One of Europe’s most notable representatives of the segment is the Renault Megane RS. The version has enjoyed a substantial fan base, for three generations now, and being co-developed with Renault Williams means it can take some punishment on racetracks. There’s a reason why the Megane RS is one of the main car choices for race driver schools, across Europe.

There are hatches, then there are hot hatches, and there are super hatches. We recently told you how the Mercedes-AMG A45 may have paved way for an entirely new segment, but it looks like it’s not sitting alone there. The 2021 Volkswagen Golf R is on the AMG’s butt here and is a strong competitor to the latter. While it may not be as powerful, the Golf R managed to catch everyone by surprise when the folks at Carwow managed to do a 0-60 mph sprint in four seconds flat.

Now, they’ve pitted the two hatches against each other. Can the VW Golf R take down the Mercedes-AMG A45 S to claim bragging rights?

The automotive industry has come a long way and we have gotten plenty of great cars, over the years. The competitive nature of the industry usually means that the first one to come up with something has a competitive edge. Tesla is a good example, as the brand pioneered high-performance EVs. When it comes to performance, whoever has the quickest car gets the bragging rights. This competition, based on performance is what caused “the Horsepower wars” and, with their AMG A45S, Mercedes may have created an entirely new segment, without even realizing it.

Veloster fans out there, please do not despair. Despite what some rumors might have suggested a couple of days ago, Hyundai is not throwing the regular version of its sporty hatchback under the bus. However, some trim levels will have to go.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI is considered the forefather of the hot hatch segment. The first Golf GTI was introduced in June 1976 and has been going strong ever since. Nowadays, the Golf GTI is in its eighth generation and is still one of the best all-around performers in the segment. It’s also sold both in Europe and North America, which is not something that can be said for all the cars on the list. With that being said, the modern hot hatch scene is as dynamic as ever and many new contenders for the best hot hatch title. Here are some of the best alternatives that aim to de-throne the GTI.