What began in the late 1970s as a fairly straightforward idea to upgrade popular hatchbacks to deliver increased performance and sharper handling over their more sedate siblings – while maintaining the levels of practicality, comfort and, importantly, the value of the donor product – has evolved into an entirely more complex concept.
Based on the challenges associated with directing as much power as possible to driven wheels, and keeping the supposed purity of the hot-hatch concept in the back of the mind, in today’s market, the playing field and the ever-evolving rules of engagement are vast.
This is also a segment that is arguably well suited to an all-electric future as a means to wipe the slate clean once more. For the time being, the selection
