Is there such a thing as the ‘best hot hatch’. Do you mean the quickest off the line? Fastest on the autobahn? Lightest and most nimble?
There are too many criteria to pick just one hot hatch as the ‘best’, but we can help to break down those statistics to give you a shortlist. Who knows, maybe there’s a champion-in-the-making that can top most of the rankings? Take a look…
Fastest 0-62 mph
| Rank | Model | Origin | Fuel | Drive | 0-62 mphsec | PowerPS | Weightkg | Top speedmph | MPG | CO2g/km | Insurancegroup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kia EV6 GT (CV) | 3.5 | 650 | 2,220 | 161 | – | 0 | 46E | |||
| 2 | Hyundai IONIQ 5 N (NE) | 3.5 | 650 | 2,235 | 162 | – | 0 | 49 | |||
| 3 | MG4 XPower | 3.8 | 435 | 1,785 | 124 | – | 0 | 40E | |||
| 4 | Ford Focus RS Heritage Edition (2018) | 4.5 | 375 | 1,569 | 165 | 36.0 | 175 | 40 | |||
| 5 | Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG (W176) | 4.5 | 360 | 1,480 | 155 | 40.0 | 161 | 43 |
Best power-to-weight
| Rank | Model | Origin | Fuel | Drive | Power-to-weightbhp/tonne | PowerPS | Weightkg | 0-62 mphsec | Top speedmph | MPG | CO2g/km | Insurancegroup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kia EV6 GT (CV) | 288.7 | 650 | 2,220 | 3.5 | 161 | – | 0 | 46E | |||
| 2 | Hyundai IONIQ 5 N (NE) | 286.8 | 650 | 2,235 | 3.5 | 162 | – | 0 | 49 | |||
| 3 | Mini John Cooper Works GP (2020) | 240.6 | 306 | 1,255 | 5.2 | 164 | 32.0 | 167 | 37 | |||
| 4 | MG4 XPower | 240.3 | 435 | 1,785 | 3.8 | 124 | – | 0 | 40E | |||
| 5 | Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG (W176) | 239.9 | 360 | 1,480 | 4.5 | 155 | 40.0 | 161 | 43 |
Highest top speed
| Rank | Model | Origin | Fuel | Drive | Top speedmph | PowerPS | Weightkg | 0-62 mphsec | MPG | CO2g/km | Insurancegroup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cupra Leon VZ (KL) | 168 | 325 | 1,426 | 5.4 | 33.0 | 184 | 30 | |||
| 2 | Ford Focus RS Heritage Edition (2018) | 165 | 375 | 1,569 | 4.5 | 36.0 | 175 | 40 | |||
| 3 | Ford Focus RS (2016) | 165 | 350 | 1,569 | 4.7 | 36.0 | 175 | 40 | |||
| 4 | Mini John Cooper Works GP (2020) | 164 | 306 | 1,255 | 5.2 | 32.0 | 167 | 37 | |||
| 5 | Hyundai IONIQ 5 N (NE) | 162 | 650 | 2,235 | 3.5 | – | 0 | 49 |
Best MPG
| Rank | Model | Origin | Fuel | Drive | MPG | PowerPS | Weightkg | 0-62 mphsec | Top speedmph | CO2g/km | Insurancegroup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cupra Leon VZ e-Hybrid 245 | 201.0 | 245 | 1,671 | 6.7 | 140 | 31 | 28 | |||
| 2 | Skoda Fabia vRS diesel | 52.0 | 132 | 1,220 | 9.5 | 127 | 140 | 20E | |||
| 3 | Ford Fiesta ST (B299) | 47.9 | 182 | 1,163 | 6.9 | 137 | 138 | 30 | |||
| 4 | Abarth Punto Evo (2010) | 47.0 | 164 | 1,185 | 7.9 | 133 | 142 | 32 | |||
| 5 | Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance (5G) | 47.0 | 230 | 1,382 | 6.4 | 156 | 139 | 29 |
Lowest CO2
| Rank | Model | Origin | Fuel | Drive | CO2g/km | PowerPS | Weightkg | 0-62 mphsec | Top speedmph | MPG | Insurancegroup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ID.3 GTX Performance | 0 | 326 | 2,000 | 5.7 | 124 | – | 31E | |||
| 2 | MG4 XPower | 0 | 435 | 1,785 | 3.8 | 124 | – | 40E | |||
| 3 | Abarth 500e / 500e Turismo | 0 | 155 | 1,410 | 7.0 | 96 | – | 26E | |||
| 4 | Cupra Born VZ | 0 | 326 | 1,999 | 5.6 | 124 | – | 34 | |||
| 5 | Kia EV6 GT (CV) | 0 | 650 | 2,220 | 3.5 | 161 | – | 46E |
Lowest insurance group
| Rank | Model | Origin | Fuel | Drive | Insurancegroup | PowerPS | Weightkg | 0-62 mphsec | Top speedmph | MPG | CO2g/km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skoda Fabia vRS diesel | 20E | 132 | 1,220 | 9.5 | 127 | 52.0 | 140 | |||
| 2 | Ford Fiesta ST500 (WQ) | 26 | 150 | 1,165 | 7.9 | 129 | 38.0 | 177 | |||
| 3 | Ford Fiesta ST (WP) | 26 | 150 | 1,165 | 7.9 | 129 | 38.0 | 177 | |||
| 4 | Abarth 500e / 500e Turismo | 26E | 155 | 1,410 | 7.0 | 96 | – | 0 | |||
| 5 | Hyundai i20 N (BC3) | 27 | 204 | 1,190 | 6.7 | 143 | 40.0 | 158 |
