If someone asks a car enthusiast to name a few classic hot hatches, chances are the Ford Fiesta ST, Honda Civic Type R, and the VW Golf GTI will get thrown in the mix. That's precisely what the Brits from Auto Express bet on that when trying to find some hot hatch competition for the new Toyota GR Yaris.
Let’s face it; the Toyota GR Yaris is a bit of an outsider when it comes to hot hatch credentials. It’s brand new and has the dimensions to rival a Ford Fiesta ST, but it trumps the Blue Oval with a lot more horsepower, rally-inspired looks, and a grippy all-wheel drive system.
So, it was a bit natural for the British outlet to try and even the odds when it comes to rivaling hot hatches. They couldn’t bring AWD monsters such as the Audi RS3 or the Mini John Cooper Works, and instead opted for some competition from the class immediately above.
Bringing out the Golf 8 GTI to play seems like a natural decision, considering the Volkswagen is pretty much responsible for establishing the segment. And the Honda Civic Type R, which was recently refreshed, seems like the go-to Japanese counterpart as it’s still one of the most compelling representatives of the niche.
The action took place at Auto Express’ favorite Welsh racetrack, the picturesque Llandow Circuit residing in the Vale of Glamorgan, 15 miles southwest of Cardiff, which is also a regular fixture for supercar experience days, track testing, and related events.
First up on the roster for the Auto Express Hot Hatch Shoot Out came the little Ford Fiesta ST Edition, which is the lightest and cheapest of the bunch. It’s also the least powerful at just under the 200 PS (197 hp) mark, which clearly had an influence on the lap time of 48.5 seconds.
Believe it or not, it wasn’t the slowest around the track – the unwanted honor went to the 242-hp Golf 8 GTI, which seemingly couldn’t profit that much from being equipped with the 7-speed DSG. Its final result of 48.8 seconds is a far cry from what the Japanese rivals managed.
Although the damp Llandow racetrack was quite representative of standard British weather, the Honda Civic Type R managed an impressive performance. Its time of 47.1 seconds was actually better than what the GR Yaris managed (47.9), even though the AWD-toting Toyota also came equipped with the Circuit Pack.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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