Hatchback

Revealed at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, the current-generation Renault Megane R.S. is due for its mid-life nip and tuck. The coming of such a revamped model is backed up by a set of photos sent it by our spy photographers, who caught the French hot hatch completely free of camouflage during what looks a lot like a pre-production test run.

In all fairness, we don’t expect Renault to operate a lot of changes on the facelifted Megane R.S., which is already a mature model both in terms of exterior design and drivetrain. The cockpit, however, does leave some room for improvement especially in the technology and material quality areas. Renault knows this all too well and is surely working to tweak things in this regard, but take a closer look at the spy shots and you’ll spot a couple of other cosmetic changes as well. Let’s check them out.

The 2020 Hyundai i10 N Line is a performance-oriented trim of the third-generation hatchback. A range-topping model in the current lineup, the 2020 i10 N Line slots above the regular i10 and will fill the gap between the standard hatchback and the upcoming i10 N. The 2020 i10 N Line is the fourth Hyundai to sport the "N Line" badge as of December 2019. It joins the i30 N Line, the i30 Fastback N Line, and the Tucson N Line. The N Line is essentially a package that adds some exclusive features to the 2020 i20. Performance-wise, it’s not a full-fledged N model, but it does benefit from an exclusive turbo three-cylinder mill that adds extra oomph over the standard powertrains. Let’s find out more about that in the review below.

Hyundai is no longer the maker of dull, uninspiring imports that people bought because of the low MSRP. Nowadays, the automaker is among the five biggest in the world and has pushed to conquest new grounds building on its reputation as a purveyor of reliable cars that are also cheap to run and maintain. With the N line, Hyundai has proven to the world that it can also make fast cars and its RM, which stands for Racing Midship, range of prototypes has just been enriched with the RM19, the latest and most outlandish member of the breed. Better yet, Hyundai is tipped to put a mid-engined sports car into production after years of exploring the architecture via its RM rolling laboratories. Time to get excited!

So, let us put it this way: at the 2019 L.A. Auto Show, Aston Martin, famed builder of some of the best, fastest, and most exquisite British sports cars and supercars, unveiled an SUV. A sporty SUV at that but an SUV nonetheless. Hyundai, a brand considered by most to be at the opposite end of the spectrum compared to Aston Martin, took the wraps off a track-bound mid-engined sports car. We already know what model you want to know more about and it’s not the bulky Aston DBX. Yes, the automotive world is turning on its head in more ways than one as we speak.

The reborn, retro-chic, Fiat 500 first graced North American shores back in 2011 and now, eight years down the line, we got behind the wheel of the peppy Abarth version to get one final sting from the scorpion as the entire 500 range is being discontinued by Fiat-Chrysler. Prepare for some top-down driving as we assess whether we’ll miss the 500 for what it is or for its vibe akin to an endless summer holiday in the rolling hills of Tuscany.

MINI is in attendance at the 2019 Los Angeles with the 2020 John Cooper Works, the fastest and most powerful production MINI ever created. The souped-up version of the MINI John Cooper Works was built with performance in mind, delivering the kind of power and ferocity never before seen in a production MINI. The hot hatch also benefits from important aerodynamic upgrades, but it’s the introduction of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine — the most powerful engine ever fitted in a production MINI — that sets the 2020 John Cooper Works GP apart. Only 3,000 units of the 2020 MINI John Cooper Works GP will be built with each unit priced from $44,900. Deliveries of the 2020 MINI John Cooper Works GP begin in March 2020.

Go-karting is super fun with those tiny, low-slung, low-power karts ripping the specifically-designed tracks. But what happens when you bring around a mainstream hatchback and drive it there? Just think about it. It sounds so much fun. Obviously, you’ll need precision and impeccable driving skills to actually have fun; or else it could get really frustrating when you have to reverse your car on a sharp turn. Well, here’s a video uploaded by LeMans Karting where you can see a 1972 Honda Z600 being ripped around an indoor go-kart track. Guess it’s time to move on from those big, bulky builds from SEMA and enjoy this cargasmic video in the shrunken reality.

If you want an eighth-generation, 2020 Volkswagen Golf, you have no choice but to get one with four doors plus a hatch. Just like the brand did with the Polo, it’s nixing the potential of a three-door golf hatch because the body style just didn’t sell well. It’s not surprising considering how hard it was to get into the rear of a three-door, but it’s still a damn shame. Fortunately, independent artist Aksyonov Nikita posted his latest work on Behance to show us just what a three-door MK. 8 Golf would actually look like. It certainly reminds us of simpler times, and it makes the itch for a three-door Mk. 8 Golf come stronger than ever.

The 2020 Volkswagen Golf is the eighth-generation of the iconic hatchback. Unveiled in Wolfsburg, Germany, the company’s home town, the 2020 Golf Mk8 shares the same MQB platform as the third-generation Audi A3 and Seat Leon. An evolutionary design on the outside, the 2020 Golf looks similar to its predecessor but employs more angular styling features similar to larger Volkswagen cars and SUVs. The interior is a notable departure from the old car and sports a more upscale design and fresh technology. Under the hood, the 2020 Golf continues to offer gasoline and diesel engines, but Volkswagen started using 48-volt systems and now offers a higher performance hybrid.

Arguably the most advanced vehicle in its class, the 2020 comes with a major drawback: it will be notably more expensive than the competition. Actually, there’s a good chance that the 2020 Golf will be only marginally cheaper than the Audi A3 Sportback, which could become a serious issue for the German automaker. What’s more, the 2020 Golf won’t be sold in the U.S. in base trim, as Volkswagen confirmed that only the GTI and R models will cross the pond to North America.

The first-generation Ford Fiesta was of paramount importance for the Blue Oval. But with all the optimism in the world, nobody at Ford would have imagined that their globally-sold, fuel-efficient subcompact car would live to hide a Subaru engine where its trunk was originally supposed to be or bang mid-nine-second quarter-mile runs. Case in point: Chris Todd’s Mk1 Ford Fiesta.

As if the Hyundai Veloster N isn’t hot enough, Hyundai’s all set to unwrap an even hotter version of the hot hatchback at the 2019 SEMA Auto Show. This new variant is called the Veloster N Performance Concept, and it is a spicy piece created by Hyundai to give Veloster N owners a preview of how the hot hatch could be transformed if it got introduced into the aftermarket world. The Veloster N Performance Concept comes with exterior enhancements, interior upgrades, and technical improvements. In other words, it’s the full cocktail of the tuning world. Unfortunately, don’t expect the Veloster N Performance Concept to make its way to dealerships anytime soon. This concept is strictly for showcase purposes. On that end, the Veloster N Performance Concept will be in attendance at SEMA in Las Vegas, Nevada next month.

Hyundai is one of the top players in the TCR category of touring car racing. The most popular category in the world of tin tops can be seen in action almost anywhere in the world, including Stateside, and now an electric series seems more tangible than ever. Hyundai released the Veloster N E-TCR to go alongside Cupra’s E-TCR racer. The Hyundai features four electric motors, all in the back, and a 65-kWh battery package.

Volkswagen just launched 2020 Golf Mk8, and by far, the biggest surprise is a hybrid GTE model that cranks out 242 horsepower. That’s more than the outgoing Golf GTI, rated at 227 horsepower in standard form and 242 horses with the Performance Pack. Now that the hybrid GTE is more potent than the regular GTI, is there a future for the GTI badge in the Mk8 lineup?

After seven successful years on the market, the Golf Mk7 was retired to make way for the eighth-generation hatchback. Unveiled at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, the Golf Mk8 brings a new design to the table. However, much like all recently introduced new-generation Volkswagens, the new Golf is an evolution of the outgoing model. Is the new design different enough to be considered a new generation? Let’s find out in the comparison below.

The highly-anticipated 2020 Volkswagen Golf Mk8 is finally out and the really big news is that it comes with five hybrid drivetrains. The regular TSI engines are now paired to 48-volt systems, but Volkswagen also offers two proper hybrids with electric motors. One of them is basically similar to the old Mk7-generation GTE, but the new Mk8 GTE is a wild one and packs more punch than the outgoing GTI. I bet you didn’t expect that.

The Volkswagen Golf is arguably one of the most recognizable models in Volkswagen’s lineup. That stature comes with the pressure of standing out in a sea of hatchbacks looking to take some shine away from the famous nameplate. Now that the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf (Mk8) is here, it looks like the competition will have its hands full trying to catch up with the Golf Mk8. See, there are a lot of things to like about the Golf Mk8, but arguably the most important of these things is the incredible amount of new technologies Volkswagen was able to pack into the hatchback. Believe me when I tell you, the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf is so tricked out in new technology, it’s hard to imagine how Volkswagen managed to fit all of them into the hatchback.

Volkswagen just finished debuting the new 2020 Volkswagen Golf MK. 8, and it takes the Golf into unchartered territory with mild hybrid technology, car-to-x connectivity, a mildly revised look, and engines that are more efficient than ever. Even better yet, at launch, the Golf Mk. 8 will be available as a plug-in hybrid with a 13 kWh battery that will give you some 60 km (about 37 miles) of all-electric range. The interior of the Golf has been completely revamped as well with an all-new focus on digital controls, and, to be quite honest, it feels like the Golf just surpassed Audi in a big way. Here’s what you need to know.

The 2019 Nissan Leaf Twin-Motor is an all-electric concept car that features two electric motors and all-wheel-drive capability. It’s heavily based on the existing second-generation Nissan Leaf, as it features an identical exterior and a lightly modified interior. Unveiled at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, the twin-motor Leaf concept previews a new production car that’s already in the works. According to Nissan, this new drivetrain will enable a future EV to "achieve a huge leap in acceleration, cornering and braking performance, on par with the latest sports cars."

The eighth-generation, Mk. 8 Volkswagen Golf debuts later today at 12:30 pm EST, 4:30 pm GMT, or 6:30 PM CEST and with it will come the normal VW evolution that we’ve experienced with previous iterations of the Golf. Thanks to some leaked images, we already know what the 2020 Golf will look like inside and out, and we can now comfortably say that the interior is a huge departure from the seventh-gen model and does effectively move the Golf a little further upmarket than it is right now. The 2020 Golf should go on sale within the next six months, so go ahead and kick back, press play on the stream below, and watch the all-new (at least on the inside) Golf make its grand debut. Oh, and by the way, there’s still the potential for this thing to be offered as a mild hybrid, so the next-gen Golf GTI and Golf R could be off the chain baby.

Let us know what you think after the Golf makes its long-awaited arrival!

Update 10/24/2019: The new 2020 Volkswagen Golf Mk. 8 has made its debut. Check out our immediate coverage to learn more about it!

The eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf is about to break cover at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, and as it usually happens, we get to see it earlier than we should thanks to a batch of leaked photos. The images confirm what we already saw in spy shots: that the 2020 Golf Mk8 is an evolution of the outgoing generation in terms of styling. It remains about the same, yet it looks modern and fresh, and it’s ready to lead the market for a few more years.

Update 10/24/2019: The new 2020 Volkswagen Golf Mk. 8 has made its debut. Check out our immediate coverage to learn more about it!

After the Honda e, it’s time for another car to make our hearts melt, this time at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, where Honda unveiled the new Jazz (aka Fit in the United States). The supermini marks its fourth generation, one that brings a handful of changes inside and out. Bear with us to find out what’s what.