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Feature: Top 5 Hot Hatches in Malaysia!

Mention the word hot hatch, and what automatically comes to mind are some high-revving little hatchbacks carving some twisty roads. Hot hatches were first coined in 1984 by the Brits, but it was cars like the Mk1 Volkswagen Golf GTI that made hot hatches popular. Then in the 90s, the battle got hotter (pun intended) with the arrival of the Ford Escort RS Cosworth, Mitsubishi Colt 1600 Turbo and the Peugeot 205 GTI (among others). On the local front, Proton too, had their own hot hatch, in the form of the Satria GTI. But that was some 10-years ago, and now times have changed, and let’s see what modern hot hatches we can get locally.

Ford Fiesta ST

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The Ford Fiesta ST is quite the talk of the town at the moment. Having had a brief driving impression since it’s yet-to-be-launched, (as of time of writing), the Fiesta ST is very promising. Powering the feisty little Fiesta ST is Ford’s 1.6L EcoBoost engine, with 180 horses on tap. The gearshifts on the Fiesta ST are slick and precise, and when shifted at the right time, can propel the Fiesta ST from zero to one hundred in just 6.9 seconds. Top speed on the other hand, is an admirable 224 km/h. But the numbers cannot justify how nimble the Fiesta ST is through the corners. Sime Darby Auto Connexion has quoted RM149,888 for the Fiesta ST. Be quick though, very limited units of the Fiesta ST are allocated for the Malaysian market.

Ford Fiesta ST, A Glance
Engine – 1.6L EcoBoost
Transmission – 6 Speed Manual
Power – 180 hp @ 5,700 rpm
Torque – 240 Nm @ 1,600 rpm – 5,000 rpm
0-100 – 6.9 seconds
Top Speed – 224 km/h
Safety – 7 airbags, ABS+EBD, EBD, ESP, HSA, BA
Price – RM 149,888

Suzuki Swift Sport

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The Suzuki Swift Sport is by far the cheapest new hot hatch on the market right now. Retailing at a hair below RM100k, the Swift Sport should be driven in manual form, as there is nothing more satisfying than changing your own gears. The Swift Sport is powered by a 1.6L non-turbocharged engine, good for some 134 Japanese horses. The Swift Sport can run the century sprint in just 8.7 seconds, with a top speed of 195 km/h. Besides the increase in output, the 2013 Suzuki Swift Sport can also run on RON95, although it is recommended to fill the car up with RON97. The Suzuki Swift Sport retails for RM97,888 for the manual variant, while the CVT variant retails for RM102,888.

Suzuki Swift Sport, A Glance
Engine – 1.6L M16A
Transmission – 6 Speed Manual / CVT
Power – 134 hp @ 6,900 rpm
Torque – 160 Nm @ 4,400 rpm
0-100 – 8.7 seconds (M/T & CVT)
Top Speed – 195 km/h
Safety – 6 airbags, ABS+EBD, EBD, ESP, HHA, BA
Price – RM 97,888.00 (M/T), RM 102,888.00

Peugeot 208 GTI

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Launched a year ago, the Peugeot 208 GTI is a throwback to the legendary 205 GTI. Unlike the Suzuki however, the Peugeot 208 GTI is force fed with a turbocharger. This gives the 208 GTI a nice power improvement over its bread-and-butter model sibling, churning out a total of 200 hp. Torque generated from the Prince PSA engine too, is generous, coming in at 275 Nm. This enables the 208 GTI to sprint from zero to one hundred in just 6.8 seconds. Top speed is rated at 230 km/h. The price-tag for the 208 GTI? RM139,888.

Peugeot 208 GTI, A Glance
Engine – 1.6L Prince
Transmission – 6 Speed manual
Power – 200 hp @ 5,800 rpm
Torque – 275 Nm @ 1,700 rpm – 4,500 rpm
0-100 – 6.8 seconds
Top Speed – 230 km/h
Safety – 6 airbags, ABS+EBD, EBD, ESP, BA
Price – RM 139,888

 

Volkswagen Polo GTI

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The Volkswagen Polo GTI may be the smaller sibling to the Golf GTI, but don’t let that fool you, as the Polo GTI still packs quite a punch. Under the hood, you’ll find a familiar 1.4L  TSI engine mated to a seven speed DSG gearbox. Sorry purists, but the Polo GTI isn’t available with a stick shift, unlike other models here. The TSI engine in the Polo GTI produces about 178 horses, with 250 Nm of torque available from 2,000 rpm. With a curb weight of below 1.3 tonnes, the Polo GTI can rocket to hundred in a just 6.9 seconds, before reaching the top speed of 229 km/h. Launched back in 2011, the Polo GTI has seen quite a few price revisions, with the car retailing at RM152,888 for the 3 door variant, while the more practical 5 door variant retails for RM155,888.

Volkswagen Polo GTI, A Glance
Engine – 1.4L TSI
Transmission – 7 Speed DSG
Power – 178 hp @ 6,200 rpm
Torque – 250 Nm @ 2,000 rpm – 4,500 rpm
0-100 – 6.9 seconds
Top Speed – 229 km/h
Safety – 4 airbags, ABS+EBD, EBD, ESP, BA, HHC
Price – RM 152,888 (3 Door), RM155,888 (5 Door)

 

Renault Clio RS 200 EDC

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Renault may have the Megane RS as their bigger hot hatch, but that does not mean you can disregard the smaller Clio RS. The Clio RS, like the Polo GTI sold here, is only available with a 6 speed dual clutch gearbox. But the Clio RS does pack quite a punch. Like the Fiesta ST, the Clio RS has a turbocharged 1.6 L engine which produces 200 horses and 240 Nm of torque. With the quick shifting 6-speed dual clutch gearbox, the Clio RS can sprint from standstill to hundred in just 6.7 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 230 km/h. The Clio RS however, isn’t cheap, coming in at RM168,270, making it the most expensive car of the lot.

Renault Clio RS 200 EDC, A Glance
Engine – 1.6L Turbocharged
Transmission – 6 Speed automatic
Power – 200 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Torque – 240 Nm @ 1,750 rpm – 5,600 rpm
0-100 – 6.7 seconds
Top Speed – 230 km/h
Safety – 6 airbags, ABS+EBD, EBD, ESP, BA
Price – RM 168,2270

So, with the cars being listed out, which one is your pick? Would it be the affordable Suzuki Swift Sport? Or perhaps the French Peugeot 208 GTI? If you prefer to shift your own gears, the Fiesta ST is a good choice. Otherwise, for those concerned about traffic jams and such, the Clio RS and the Polo GTI may just suit you. Did we miss anything? So which is your favourite? Tell us in the comments section!