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hot hatch
A black 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX hatch on a backcountry road

The Next Toyota-Subaru Collab Might Be an AWD Hot Hatch

Automaker collaborations can lead to interesting vehicles. The modern Supra, for example, is the result of BMW and Toyota working together. And it’s because Toyota joined forces with Subaru that we have the 86 and BRZ. But new rumors suggest the two Japanese automakers aren’t done with their partnership. We’re hearing whispers that Toyota and …
2022 VW Golf R

The 2022 VW Golf R Has Evolved Into Its Highest Form

Hot hatches are the coolest. Full-stop. They hit all the major food groups; fast, efficient, practical, and good looking. In almost every other segment in the automotive industry, you end up sacrificing something to get something else. The hot hatch group, in general, doesn’t really feel that way. So, we agree; hot hatches are the …
A white 2021 Toyota GR Yaris vs. a black ST205 Toyota Celica GT-Four

Watch the Toyota GR Yaris Take on Its Rally Predecessor

Thanks to a rally racing touch, the Toyota GR Yaris is shaping up to a truly hype-worthy hot hatch. But it’s not the Japanese automaker’s only all-wheel-drive hatchback rally entry. Before the GR Yaris, Toyota had the Celica GT-Four. But how does the new kid on the block compare to the old guard? The YouTube …
A black 2015 Volkswagen GTI Autobahn

Cars and Bids Bargain of the Week: 2015 Volkswagen GTI Autobahn

With the loss of Ford’s ST and RS models, the hot hatch selection in the US has gotten fairly thin. Fortunately, in addition to relative newcomers like the Hyundai Veloster N, the archetypal hot hatch, the Volkswagen GTI, is still sticking around. And as we await the next-gen 2022 model, older examples will start getting …
A blue 2019 Volkswagen Golf R next to a gray 2021 Mazda3 Turbo next to a blue 2020 Subaru WRX

Does the 2021 Mazda3 Turbo Speed Past the Volkswagen Golf R?

While a Mazdaspeed version isn’t happening, Mazda is still giving the 2021 Mazda3 a bit of zoom-zoom. Specifically, in the form of a new turbocharged powertrain. However, the Mazda3 Turbo’s luxury aspirations put it in competition with another turbocharged fast hatchback: the Volkswagen Golf R. But which one is really faster? That’s what YouTube team …
A red 2021 Toyota GR Yaris slides on a track

Let’s Hope the Corolla Hot Hatch Is as Cool as the Toyota GR Yaris

Here in the US, the Yaris hatchback serves—or rather, served—as Toyota’s cheapest car. But its strengths don’t include performance. So Gazoo Racing, the Japanese automaker’s performance division, stepped in to correct that. In doing so, it created the Toyota GR Yaris, an all-wheel-drive throwback to the brand’s rally days. It’s not coming to the US—but …
The red Sbarro Super Eight by a green hedge

There’s a Swiss Ferrari 308 Hot Hatch by Sbarro up for Sale

While its newest models come with quite a few restrictions, many older Ferraris find themselves being used for all sorts of projects. Some builds, like Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera’s Aero 3, give the donor Ferrari a full re-skin. Others, though, focus on transplanting the Italian powertrain into more mundane cars. And one of these builds, the …
A photo of the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S utilizing its drift mode on track.

Drift Mode Is a Pointless Hot Hatch Feature We Actually Love

The recent unveiling of the 2022 Volkswagen Golf R brought along the announcement of a unique new feature. The Golf R now features a new drift mode, which in theory, should allow its owners to do wonderful skids on the track. The VW isn’t even the only hot hatchback to offer it. So far, only …
A silver 2002 Renault Sport Clio V6 drives down the road

The Renault Sport Clio V6 Is a Mid-Engine Hatchback Supercar

For performance with daily practicality, the usual answer is a hot hatch. And some of the best modern ones, like the Honda Civic Type R, can even embarrass classic supercars. But some hatches went beyond ‘hot’ and went straight to ‘super’ thanks to some drastic changes. And YouTube team The Straight Pipes recently spent time …
An orange 2014 Ford Fiesta ST parked on desert asphalt

A Used Ford Fiesta ST Is a Budget Pocket Rocket

It’s not just sedans that Ford’s cut from its US lineup, but hot hatches too. Up until fairly recently, you could walk into a Blue Oval dealership and take your pick from 3 different models. There was the all-wheel-drive rally-inspired Focus RS, as well as the more ‘traditional hot hatch’-style FWD Focus ST. And then …

The 2021 Toyota Corolla Might Surprise You

The Toyota Corolla is a benchmark Toyota car. Now, we have the 2021 Toyota Corolla presenting with some new trims, or ‘grades,’ as the Toyota press videos call them. There is an all-new special edition called the Apex, as well as the spunky hot hatch Corolla. In fact, with a reputation for being a basic …
A gray 2020 Honda Civic Type R parked on the street by some shops

The 2020 Honda Civic Type R Lives up To the Hype

The Integra Type R never wore a Honda badge in the US. But along with Fast and Furious, it helped create a wave of JDM love that’s never really gone away. We could only watch and envy the markets which received the early Civic Type R models. However, eventually, as with the Nissan GT-R, Honda’s …
The side view of a gray 2020 Honda Civic Type R on a city street

The 3 Things That Make the 2020 Honda Civic Type R Feel Special

That the Ferrari F40-beating 2021 limited-edition Honda Civic Type R sold out in minutes should be proof enough of the hot hatch’s credentials. But if you missed out, the 2020 Civic Type R is by no means a consolation prize. And it’s not a pretender to the Integra Type R’s name, nor is it hanging …