Hot hatches have become the mainstay vehicle of choice for a couple different audiences: First, you have youths who are enthusiasts but can only afford so much. Second, you have more mature folks using them for daily drivers for their fuel economy and utility.
I fall into the latter group.
I think it's safe to say that the Volkswagen Golf GTI, in MKVII form, is one of the greatest hot hatches of all time. That's because it has the right mix of, well, everything. Plenty of power, good fuel economy, space in all the right places, handsome design and it's not priced sky high. The reason why many hot hatches exist today is simply because of the Golf GTI.
And another was just added. Coming via Korea, Hyundai's all-new N division is shipping the U.S. market the Veloster N. Equipped with 275 horsepower, the Veloster N will send power to the front wheels and feature a six-speed manual gearbox. In addition, from videos we've seen of the i30 N model available overseas, we're thinking this will make a pretty nice noise for a four-cylinder powerplant, and even have some pops and bangs to entertain children — like me.
That said, does it stand a chance against the likes of a hot hatch legend? What say you, Spies?