Ten of the best hot hatches from 2017

These are the best cars in a very popular genre, with a few newcomers joining the old favourites

With hatches it’s not simply a question of being hot or not. Your hatch can be as hot as you like, but if it can’t take your daughter to her football training or get your weekly shopping in the boot you’re not going to be Mr Popular.

The family may put up with a firm ride but if it’s uncomfortable don’t expect anyone to be smiling, and if it’s all too soft and comfy then you won’t be happy.

So here are our favourite hatches that should keep everyone happy. But you most of all, obviously.

10. Audi S1

Audi’s smallest car packs quite a punch in S1 form. They’ve crammed in four-wheel drive and a 228bhp engine, so this can beat a VW Golf GTI in a straight line, and there’s plenty of grip in the corners too. Add in a luxury interior, albeit with a fairly firm ride, and you’re off to the races.

9. Audi RS3

Does 228bhp not sound enough? Then Audi can offer you 394bhp thanks to the engine borrowed from the Audi TT. The five-cylinder 2.5-litre iconic motor means there’s little in this area that can stay with it, at least in a straight line. It’s definitely not cheap though.

8. Ford Focus ST-2

Sitting neatly between a standard Ford Focus and the epic RS, the ST is a great driver’s car. It’s got a Ford cabin so it’s hardly premium but this is a practical family hatch yet you can have either 182bhp or 247bhp.

7. Volkswagen Golf GTI

You can’t have a hot hatch story like this without a Golf GTI can you? Mildly upgraded and revamped for 2017, this remains one of those go-to hot hatches as you know you’ll be getting a fast, good handling and easy to live with car. Prices are reasonably high but then so are residual values.

6. Audi S3

This is the last Audi in the top ten, promise. But the company is just so good at this, in this case by offering a premium family car that has 306bhp from its petrol engine and four-wheel drive to get it all down reliably. It’s very quick, even if not the most engaging of drives, but watch out for extras banging up the price.

5. Volkswagen Golf R

Change GTI to R and you go up a notch, with 296bhp to all the wheels – one reason it can hit 62mph in just 5.3sec. It’s discreet, classy outside and in and fairly practical too.

4. Mercedes-AMG A45

This is far less discreet, so you get a lot of show for your considerable spend. However, there is a lot of go too, with 375bhp ensuring high speed whether in a straight line or round a corner. Whether it’s better than some other much cheaper vehicles here is a moot point.

3. BMW M140i

A perfect car for those who want furious pace and a feelsome, supple chassis, but with none of that ostentatious bling – such as you might find in the full M cars. This is a fabulous drive, yet has immense practicality and comfort at normal speeds too.

2. Ford Focus RS

With prices starting at £31,765 the Focus RS is a lot more affordable than some here, yet you gain an immensely impressive four-wheel drive chassis, powered by a 345bhp four-cylinder turbocharged engine. And a 0-62mph time of under 5sec – you can see why this is a favourite of road warriors everywhere.

1. Honda Civic Type-R

If you’ve got it flaunt it, and that the Civic Type-R certainly does. The performance from the four-cylinder engine is utterly amazing, and all those flashy bits of bodywork provide masses of downforce, so it corners really hard on road or track. All this and you get a large, comfy and practical cabin with a decent boot. What more could you want? Well, yes, apart from a better infotainment system…

Graham Scott is a writer for WhatCar.