Drag races can be great fun to watch, but if you want to gauge the full performance and dynamic ability of any car, nothing beats throwing a few corners into the mix. That is exactly what our colleagues at the German publication Sport Auto did, taking nine hot hatches to the Hockenheim Formula 1 circuit in Germany.
With such a broad spread of approaches still on sale, not all of these cars can be compared like-for-like. That is why the German magazine split the nine hot hatches into several groups.
Group 1: MINI JCW vs Toyota GR Yaris
The opening head-to-head pitched the MINI JCW (John Cooper Works) against the current darling, the Toyota GR Yaris. Even the writers behind the duel admit the MINI JCW is not the perfect match for the GR Yaris - the JCW GP would have been the more appropriate opponent.
The GR Yaris arrives “armed to the teeth”: its 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder produces 261 hp, and power goes to all four wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. The MINI JCW, despite its 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, makes do with 231 hp; drive is sent only to the front wheels, also via a six-speed manual.
Tyre choice differs too. The Japanese pocket rocket runs Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, while the British pocket rocket wears Pirelli P Zero. The final outcome is as you would expect - but pay attention to the GR Yaris lap time, which is quick enough to embarrass some of the larger and more powerful hot hatches present.
Group 2: Ford Focus ST vs Volkswagen Golf GTI vs Hyundai i30 N Performance
In the second group, the playing field is more evenly matched: Ford Focus ST, Volkswagen Golf GTI and Hyundai i30 N Performance. All are front-wheel drive, all use turbocharged inline four-cylinder engines - 2.0 litres for the Golf GTI and i30 N, and 2.3 litres for the Focus ST - and all stick with a six-speed manual gearbox.
Power outputs vary within the trio. The Golf GTI is the least potent at 245 hp; the i30 N Performance adds 30 hp for a total of 275 hp; and the Focus ST tops the group on 280 hp. Each also rolls on different rubber: Bridgestone Potenza S005 for the Golf GTI, Pirelli P Zero for the i30 N, and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S for the Focus ST.
Even with a power disadvantage, it would be a mistake to underestimate the Golf GTI’s dynamic polish. Fresh to our market and already tested by us, its lap time backs up that reputation.
Group 3: Audi S3 vs Mercedes-AMG A 35
Moving up another notch in this “arms race”, we get a German duo: Audi S3 and Mercedes-AMG A 35. On paper, their specifications could have been copied straight across. Both have turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines, both drive all four wheels, and both rely on a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The S3’s edge over the A 35 is a slim four horsepower: 310 hp versus 306 hp.
Traction comes via Bridgestone Potenza S005 on the Audi S3 and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S on the A 35. Place your bets:
Group 4: Honda Civic Type R vs Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport
Finally, we reach another duo - perhaps the most anticipated of all: Honda Civic Type R and Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport. The Civic Type R (2020) has been the hot hatch benchmark, standing as the most powerful front-wheel-drive car here with 320 hp, and also among the most dynamically capable. The Golf GTI Clubsport is a “turned-up” GTI, delivering 300 hp and pairing it with a sharpened chassis that includes adaptive suspension, for instance.
Both run 2.0-litre turbo engines and both are front-wheel drive, but their transmissions (and tyres) differ. The Civic Type R (Continental SportContact 6) uses a six-speed manual, while the Golf GTI (Bridgestone Potenza S005) uses Volkswagen’s seven-speed DSG dual-clutch - quicker and more effective, says Volkswagen. Will that be enough to cancel out the 20 hp deficit to the Japanese rival?
Results: lap times at Hockenheim
Once the laps were completed, there were no shocks at the sharp end: the two last cars mentioned, the Honda Civic Type R and Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport, proved quickest - the most single-minded of the bunch, with the exception of a certain Japanese pocket rocket called the GR Yaris. They were separated by just one tenth of a second, with the advantage going to the… Golf GTI Clubsport!
The surprise was seeing the pint-sized Toyota GR Yaris take the final podium spot, beating even the other all-wheel-drive hot hatches (Audi S3 and Mercedes-AMG A 35). It is further proof that this homologation special is not to be taken lightly - even if it is built to be enjoyed.
All the lap times recorded by these nine hot hatches:
| Model | Time |
|---|---|
| Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport | 2min02,7s |
| Honda Civic Type R | 2min02,8s |
| Toyota GR Yaris | 2min03,8s |
| Ford Focus ST | 2min04,8s |
| Audi S3 | 2min05,2s |
| Mercedes-AMG A 35 | 2min05,2s |
| Volkswagen Golf GTI | 2min05,6s |
| Hyundai i30 N Performance | 2min06,1s |
| MINI JCW | 2min09,6s |
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