Please note that some of these cars are only available in certain markets with the engine specified in the article. As well even though these cars may be WORLD cars they are offered in various markets with different engines, due primarily to gasoline octane levels available in those markets. (ex. highest octane in North America is 94, where in Europe highest is 99+)
1) VW Golf R mk7
What they say ... "The new VW Golf GTI is good – one of the best ever, in fact. So you wonder just how much better the 297bhp, 4WD Golf R can be. The answer is quite a lot. Not as an all-round car – the GTI already has that nailed – but it’s on another level in terms of acceleration, corner speed, stability and, crucially, excitement. In many respects it’s reminiscent of old Impreza STIs and Mitsubishi Evos. You throw it at corners, cambers and crests just to try and challenge it because it can soak up so much punishment. What’s just as impressive is how it remains true to the GTI’s time-honoured credo, possessing decent ride quality, great refinement and comfort levels, and true family car practicality. A flagship Golf to get really excited about, the new R offers immense pace and a truly engaging driving experience in a compromise-free package with class and quality aplenty"
Full EVO review on the VW Golf R mk7, link: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/291619/vw_golf_r_mk7_review_price_and_specs.html
2) Renaultsport Megane 265 (RS)
What they say ... "Combining a coupe side profile with the genre’s most focused chassis (as well as a properly punchy 261bhp 2-litre turbo engine), the Megane makes a case for being a true all-rounder if you can tolerate a firm ride. Experience its mechanical limited-slip differential in action and we’d wager your £27,000 won’t go anywhere else."
Full EVO review and video on the Renault Megane RS, link: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/280699/renault_megane_265_cup_review.html
3) Ford Fiesta ST
What they say ... "This is just how a junior hot hatch should be, we said in our five-way hot hatch group test. The Fiesta ST mixes a punchy 179bhp 1.6-litre turbo engine with a properly chuckable front-drive chassis that also manages to serve up plenty of grip and precision. And with a £16,995 price tag, it’s also nearly £2000 cheaper than its key rivals.
Even better news is the supremely good value Mountune upgrade; an extra £599 buys you an extra 33bhp, enough to transform a great car into one of the best affordable performance cars of all time."
Full EVO review on the Ford Fiesta ST, link: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/288643/ford_fiesta_st_review_price_and_specs.html
4) Mini John Cooper Works GP
What they say ... "The mk2 Mini GP is hyped-up, aggressive and quite a lot to hang on to on Britain’s bumpy roads, but its uncompromising style of performance is the very core of its appeal. It’s an extreme hot hatch reminiscent of one of the class’s all-time greats, the Renaultsport Megane R26.R.
It only has two seats, while at £28,790 it costs nearly as much as the 100bhp-healthier BMW M135i. Yet the Mini GP also boasts rarity – just 200 made it to the UK – and a 150mph top speed. And at its best the GP is about the most exciting front-drive car you can imagine. ‘Angry and urgent like a wasp in a tin,’ Richard Meaden said"
Full EVO review and video on the Mini John Cooper Works GP, link: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/288166/mini_john_cooper_works_gp_review_best_of_2013.html
5) BMW M135i
What they say ..."If you’re looking for the most sophisticated, best-quality hatch then the BMW wins hands down, we said when the M135i and Megane 265 clashed earlier in 2013. The Renault edged it for thrills, but there’s no denying the Beemer is a more luxurious item. Its engine has two more cylinders for a start, its 316bhp 3-litre straight-six turbo serving up the best noise and some of the most potent pace in the class. It drives the rear wheels, too, offering a finer balance than its more traditional, front-drive rivals. It’s a class act, whether you stick with a six-speed manual or choose the slick eight-speed automatic. And priced from a smidge over £30,000, it’s something of a bargain too."
Full EVO review on the BMW M135i, link: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/285697/bmw_m135i_review_price_and_specs.html
6) Suzuki Swift Sport
What they say ... "Our favourite of the sub-150bhp, mini hot hatch pack, the Suzuki Swift Sport manages to be a heap more fun than its 134bhp peak and modest £13,749 price tag might suggest.
Its 1.6-litre engine has no turbo attached to it and loves to be revved, while the sharp steering and slick six-speed manual gearbox are both a joy to use. The Swift also boasts an uncanny amount of ride comfort."
Full EVO review on the Suzuki Swift Sport, link: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/274408/suzuki_swift_sport_review_price_and_specs.html
7) Ford Focus ST
What they say ... "Ford doesn’t make a hardcore Focus RS at the moment, but the 247bhp, 154mph ST puts in a good appearance in its absence. It entered the market aiming for the Golf GTI’s all-rounder honours, and in our twin-test against the (now superseded) mk6 GTI last summer, it stole them. Ford has successfully trodden a very fine line with the Focus ST – dynamic enough to be genuinely interesting and sensible enough to justify itself as everyday transport. And like the Fiesta, it comprehensively outdoes its rivals on price, starting at £21,995."
Full EVO review and video on the Ford Focus ST, link: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/284302/ford_focus_st_review_price_and_specs.html
8) Peugeot 208 GTI
What they say ... "Its 1.6-litre turbo engine produces 197bhp and 203lb ft, enough for a 6.8sec 0-62 time and a 143mph top speed. And unlike the Renault, it comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, rather than a paddle-shift box. It’s also arguably the prettiest car in its class. It’s great to have a Peugeot we can champion again."
Full EVO review on the Ford Focus ST, link: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/288817/peugeot_208_gti_review_price_and_specs.html
9) SEAT Leon Cupra 280
What they say ... "For starters it has the same engine that sits in the nose of the Golf R, albeit detuned to 276bhp in order to leave some headroom for the rumoured Cupra R and channelled through the front wheels only. Three-stage dampers (controlled by the fiddly infotainment system, like in the Golf R) give you a choice of stiffness, while a Haldex limited-slip differential called VAQ can put 100 per cent of the turbocharged in-line four’s torque to one wheel if you lean on it hard enough. Fitted with an optional DSQ twin-clutch paddle-shift tranmssion, it completes 0-60 in just 5.7sec, making it the most accelerative SEAT ever. Priced from £26,940, it’s also around £3000 cheaper than a comparative Golf R and where it trumps the VW is with its trackday credentials: this is (as we write!) the fastest front-wheel-drive car to ever lap the Nurburgring’s fearsome Nordschleife, taking ten seconds off the record previously held by the Megane Cup with a 7:58.4 time. There are rumours the victorious car was missing a few items of standard equipment, but even so – this is a family car with a paddle-shift gearbox that is quicker than an Audi R8 V8 or E92 BMW M3 around the green hell."
Full EVO review on the Seat Leon Cupra 280, link: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/291766/seat_leon_cupra_280_review_price_and_specs.html
10) VW Golf GTI mk7
What they say ... "The all-new Volkswagen Golf GTI moves the game on considerably from its predecessor, mating the VW Group’s trick new MQB chassis architecture to a host of gadgets, including super-sharp new Progressive Steering. Balance, grip, poise, agility – it has it all. It might not be the most outright fun hot hatch, but it’s certainly one of the classiest and most polished. Its 2-litre turbo engine has 217bhp as standard, but an extra £980 buys the Performance Pack, which adds another 10bhp plus bigger brakes and a proper limited-slip diff."
Full EVO review on the VW Golf GTI mk7, link: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/290053/vw_golf_gti_mk7_2013_review.html
Thank you for this great article EVO magazine.
For us in North America we will have to continue to hold our breath a little longer FORD and VW will be offering their vehicles here by 2014-2015 as 2015 and 2016 models. (VW Golf R mk7,
Ford Fiesta ST, Ford Focus ST, and the VW Golf GTI mk7)
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