2018 Hot Hatch Comparison: Initial Insights

The Hot Hatch Megatest, a highly-anticipated event in the automotive world, is underway at Haunted Hills, a purpose-built track in Gippsland designed specifically for hot hatches. The competition is fierce as a range of contenders vie for the title of the best hot hatch on the market.

Renato Loberto, a renowned Ferrari Corsa Pilota instructor, GT3 racer, and founder of MotoKinetic, is providing valuable feedback on each car's track performance. Loberto's expertise in evaluating lap times at Haunted Hills adds an extra layer of credibility to the test.

The track itself poses a significant challenge to the drivers. With 15 corners, a heart-in-mouth, maximum attack start, and a series of hairpins that lead back to the start/finish line, Haunted Hills tests the limits of both man and machine. A single mistake can result in bent sheetmetal or worse, as missing the braking point, putting a tire onto polished kerb paint, or getting greedy with the throttle can lead to costly accidents.

Among the contenders in the test are some familiar names. Volkswagen's Golf GTI, a car that has defined the hot hatch class for four decades, is present, as is its more powerful sibling, the Golf R Grid, which scored an impressive 8.5/10. The Honda Civic Type R also made an appearance, earning a perfect 9/10.

Other notable entries include the Hyundai i30 N, the winner of the test, which scored an impressive 9/10. The Peugeot 308 GTi 270, another strong contender, scored 8.5/10. The Renault Clio RS220 Trophy and the Ford Focus ST also put up a good fight, scoring 7.5/10 and 7.5/10, respectively.

However, not all the contenders were able to make it to the test. The upper price bracket for the test is $52K, excluding the Ford Focus RS and the new Megane RS280 due to unavailability. The test also includes a few Subarus, all-wheel drive sedans that add an interesting dynamic to the competition.

The Subaru WRX STI and the Subaru WRX Premium scored 7/10 and 6.5/10, respectively. The Mini Cooper S JCW and the BMW 125i scored 6/10 and 6.5/10, respectively.

As the test continues, the competition heats up, with each car pushing its limits on the challenging track. The final results will be announced soon, and we can't wait to find out which hot hatch will emerge victorious. Stay tuned for more updates from the Hot Hatch Megatest.