Tag Archives: hot hatch

We take the Mercedes-AMG A45 S – the most powerful hot hatch on the market – for a spin… It could be argued that the concept of the ‘hot hatch’ – in the traditional sense – is now in its dying days. After all, we live in an era where …

Is the Abarth 500e a proper electric pocket rocket? We get behind the wheel to find out… If you’ve ever driven or heard one of the Abarth-tuned Fiat 500s over the years, you’ll know that they are cars that bombard the senses. Not only do they look suitably sporty, they …

Alpine has unveiled its first ‘lifestyle’ model – the concept for the much-anticipated A290. The exciting new car made its debut at an historic hangar in Bristol – birthplace of Concorde, the Anglo-French supersonic airliner. Alpine’s Formula one drivers, Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, who are helping to develop the …

We put the latest incarnation of Honda’s hot hatch through its paces – on the road and on track… There are a handful of new cars worthy of a genuine fanbase, and the Honda Civic Type R is one of them. With a pedigree stretching back to 1997, it’s become …

We drive the Volkswagen ID.3’s stylish Spanish cousin, named after the cool El Born district of Barcelona… I have to be honest, this is a painful article for me to write because I really like the Cupra Born – I just don’t think I could live with it. Let’s start …

Honda’s next-generation Civic Type R has set a new lap record for a front-wheel drive car at the iconic Suzuka Circuit in Japan. The hot hatch lapped the 5.8km track in 2 minutes 23.120 seconds, 0.873 seconds faster than its predecessor, the stripped back 2021 Honda Civic Type R Limited …

Is this rally-bred pocket rocket as good as everyone says it is? I don’t know about you, but I’m always a bit suspicious of a new car when it’s universally acclaimed and wins major awards before it’s even hit the roads. The Toyota GR Yaris is one such vehicle, but …

When Ford launched the fourth generation of its best-selling Focus in 2018 it was immediately clear that this was a superbly engineered package with huge potential. Now, the sporty ST version is proof positive that the Focus is back in the hot hatch game, ready to do battle with the …

When Kia launched the third generation Ceed family hatchback in 2018, it was a big step up from the previous model. In line with the South Korean’s car maker’s swift move up the rankings, the new Ceed improved in every way. So much so that it’s now a genuine rival …

When the latest Ford Fiesta was launched in 2017 it was a real step-up. Not only did it look sharper than the seventh generation car, but it was more spacious and updated with the latest, fully connected infotainment system. Most of all, it was still engaging to drive, so job …