Opinions on various hot hatches
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Caporegime
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Mazda 3 MPS 
Needs a budget too.
Things that spring to mind in a hot hatch are -
Things that spring to mind in a hot hatch are -
- Renaultsport Clio - 172/182, 197 & 200
- Renaultsport Megane - 255, 250, R26, R26R
- Ford Fiesta ST
- Ford Focus ST
- Ford Focus RS
- Mazda 3 MPS
- Honda Civic Type R
- Seat Leon Cupra R
Bit harsh? It's a disappointing car but it's reasonably well built, revvable and 8s to 60, which certainly makes it a warm hatch.
Jeez you guys are harsh. First of all I thought it was pretty obvious from the OP that there is a larger list of cars (which presumably contains all of the usual suspects) and that this is just a subset of that list containing the cars the OP is not familiar with.
Secondly just what is the criteria for a 'hot' hatch these days? Must be at least 350bhp the way you lot are talking.
Secondly just what is the criteria for a 'hot' hatch these days? Must be at least 350bhp the way you lot are talking.
Caporegime
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Fun to drive
4 seats
Boot for your shopping
Problem is, the most important fact is very subjective.
Caporegime
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Where did you get that figure from?
no where, he could have said 900bhp.
He is just saying why people are discarding a car as a hot hatch because it has less BHP...the point is, where is the line?
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Nothing to do with the BHP, its the car as a package and the ones in the OP fall short. The Corolla has the BHP but is meh. The Focus is good but lacks the power.
It's amusing how the people who seemingly decide what counts as a hot hatch and what doesn't are seemingly people who don't 'get' or like the whole hatch thing anyway.
A car does not have to have 220+ bhp or do 0-60 in less than 7 seconds to be a hot hatch. Saying 'too slow, not enough power' does miss the point I feel....look at the recent pistonheads article on 'forgotten hot hatches', things like an alfa Romeo 145 cloverleaf, 150 bhp, 8.5 to 60, its still essentially a hot hatch...
A hot hatch is more about feel than outright pace, to me its something that has that 'chuckability', something that's happy being hustled down a tight b road. A racing puma will be far more involving than a Leon cupra r in such circumstances.
The racing puma has this ability in spades, its a fantastic handling car with a wonderfully revvy and characterful engine, that it is only 155bhp misses the point entirely as to what its like to drive...its a hatchback, fairly quick, sporty to drive with rally/motorsport influences to improve the standard car, if it isn't essentially a hot hatch in terms of how it drives, then what exactly is it?
Whether it suits the op though I doubt, its the sort of car you know you want to buy rather than one you'll objectively consider....very expensive for its age, with some issues over parts availability, and it will probably need some pricey work on brakes and bodywork over time....a real enthusiasts or 'fanboys' choice dependant on perspective.
A car does not have to have 220+ bhp or do 0-60 in less than 7 seconds to be a hot hatch. Saying 'too slow, not enough power' does miss the point I feel....look at the recent pistonheads article on 'forgotten hot hatches', things like an alfa Romeo 145 cloverleaf, 150 bhp, 8.5 to 60, its still essentially a hot hatch...
A hot hatch is more about feel than outright pace, to me its something that has that 'chuckability', something that's happy being hustled down a tight b road. A racing puma will be far more involving than a Leon cupra r in such circumstances.
The racing puma has this ability in spades, its a fantastic handling car with a wonderfully revvy and characterful engine, that it is only 155bhp misses the point entirely as to what its like to drive...its a hatchback, fairly quick, sporty to drive with rally/motorsport influences to improve the standard car, if it isn't essentially a hot hatch in terms of how it drives, then what exactly is it?
Whether it suits the op though I doubt, its the sort of car you know you want to buy rather than one you'll objectively consider....very expensive for its age, with some issues over parts availability, and it will probably need some pricey work on brakes and bodywork over time....a real enthusiasts or 'fanboys' choice dependant on perspective.
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With the CTS they also did a rather rare supercharged version that has 215bhp standard but they are quite rare(250 imported iirc)
Which the OP mentions
Again with no budget it's hard to say, but for the kind of money most people have when they say they want a hot hatch the things that spring to mind are a Clio of some description, Civic Type R or a Cupra R.
And out of those 3 I'd drive them all and pick the one you (well, your nephew) likes best.
I haven't driven the Leon (only the older Cupra), but out of the Civic and the Clio I preferred the Clio, but others will say the opposite so really do need to go out there and try things to see what suits
[TW]Fox;20359521 said:
Seen a few of them used on track and they are blooming quick.
Brake callipers that require a rebuild constantly due to not using seals to save weight as an example are one of the stupid things you would encounter with one!
I have to say the Puma's are very nice cars to drive.