Skip advert
Advertisement

evo Magazine May 2014 - best hot hatchbacks ever

Hot hatch! Five decades of affordable speed - driving the best ever, from mk1 Golf GTI to BMW M135i

Try evo Magazine's new app on iPhone or iPad

Try evo Magazine's new app on Android devices

Buy a copy of evo 195 in our online shop

Subscibe to evo electronically on Zinio here

NEWSAn all-new TT heads up Audi’s sports car future, there’s a new Maserati, and someone finally names a car ‘Explosion’. Geneva motor show highlights are here

Advertisement - Article continues below

COLUMNSMeaden’s talking speed limits. We’ve prepped the postie for extra bags of angry letters next month…

LETTERS…speaking of which, moans aplenty sparked by Dickie’s column last month, in which he worried about the youth of today

FIRST DRIVESThe Jaguar F-type Coupe, Tesla Model S, BMW 435d xDrive and Porsche 911 50th Anniversary Edition are among the cars reviewed this month

GREATEST EVER HOT HATCHESThe hot hatchback is as important to us as the supercar. It’s not merely the accepted entry point into performance car ownership, the genre also contains some true automotive icons. Here, the 15 greatest hatches of the past 40 years three-wheel and lift-off oversteer their way around the evo Triangle in one of our biggest and most fun group tests ever

VW GOLF R v RIVALSIf that isn’t enough hot hatches for you, the new kids on the block – the 297bhp, four-wheel-drive Golf R and Ring-conquering Leon Cupra 280 – tackle the class best from BMW, Renault, Vauxhall and VW EXTREME HATCHESDoesn’t a hot hatch need back seats and a parcel shelf? What the heck… Here’s a battle between three of the most hardcore offerings – Mégane R26.R, Civic Mugen and Mini GP KOENIGSEGG ONE:1Meet the world’s first ‘megacar’ – the 1000kW (or 1341bhp) Swede with a smörgåsbord of tech

LAMBORGHINI HURACÁNAfter ten years in production, the Gallardo accounted for very nearly half of all Lamborghinis ever built. Needless to say, its Huracán successor has some pretty big suede driving moccasins to fill…

LAMBO BAMBINOSA potted history of baby Lamborghinis, from Urraco through to Gallardo

EAGLE E-TYPE LOW DRAG GTThe most beautiful car ever to appear in evo magazine? LONG-TERM TESTSThe most hard-worked car on our fleet – the group test veteran Mini GP – finally torque-steers into the sunset. Cue a sombre office

EVO KNOWLEDGEPromised yourself a new sports car just in time for the summer? Go hardcore – get a Vauxhall VX220

ART OF SPEEDThe greatest car design flourishes celebrated. This month, the double-bubble roof featured on the Aston Martin V12 Zagato

Try evo Magazine's new app on iPhone or iPad

Try evo Magazine's new app on Android devices

Buy a copy of evo 195 in our online shop

Subscibe to evo electronically on Zinio here

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Volkswagen Golf Mk8.5 review – still the hatchback benchmark?
Mk8.5 Volkswagen Golf
In-depth reviews

Volkswagen Golf Mk8.5 review – still the hatchback benchmark?

The Mk8.5 Volkswagen Golf is a better offering than the original, but it’s still not quite the no-brainer the model once was
24 Feb 2026
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Citroën C5 Aircross review – quirky, honest SUV offering Range Rover comfort on a budget
Citroën C5 Aircross
In-depth reviews

Citroën C5 Aircross review – quirky, honest SUV offering Range Rover comfort on a budget

When is a generic family crossover not the dullest thing on Earth? When it’s a comfy Citroën glazed in weirdness
9 Apr 2026
Jaguar F-Pace SVR long term test – more efficient than a diesel Discovery
Jaguar F-Pace SVR
Long term tests

Jaguar F-Pace SVR long term test – more efficient than a diesel Discovery

A stint in a diesel-engined Discovery that resulted in only 30mpg has convinced me the F-Pace SVR is impressively frugal
8 Apr 2026
Porsche 911 (992.2) review – more complex than ever, but still the best sports car
Porsche 911 (992.2) – front
In-depth reviews

Porsche 911 (992.2) review – more complex than ever, but still the best sports car

The 992-generation 911 has taken time to reveal its character, but it’s evolved into a sports car with enormous breadth and ability
10 Apr 2026