25 of the coolest 1990s hot hatches

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

February 1, 2024

Choose your weapon
© Alfa Romeo
If the hot hatch was a child of the 1980s, it hit adolescence in the 1990s. This was the decade in which the 16-valve engine ruled the road and cars with a GTI badge became increasingly tricky to insure. The good news is that a ’90s hot hatch should be cheaper to buy than something from the previous decade, so sift through our list of gems and choose your B-road weapon.
Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf
© Alfa Romeo
The 145 began life on Chris Bangle’s sketchpad as a design for a new Lancia Delta, but was dismissed by Fiat’s design boss Ermanno Cressoni for looking like an Alfa Romeo. With some tweaks, it became Alfa’s ‘breadvan’ hatchback for the 1990s. The flagship Cloverleaf was powered by a 2.0-litre Twin Spark engine from the larger 155, with Alfa upgrading the Tipo-sourced suspension to create one of the nimblest hot hatches of the era.
Citroen Saxo VTS
© Citroen
Not to be confused with the softer, more insurance-friendly VTR, the Saxo VTS was the king of the hot superminis. Alongside its Peugeot 106 GTI sibling, the Saxo VTS offered lightweight thrills and, for some, also occasional spills. Its 1.6-litre 16-valve engine may have produced a paltry 120hp, but the pint-size Citroen weighed less than a slice of French toast. If you can find a good one, buy it, cherish it and enjoy it.
Citroen ZX Volcane and 16v
© Citroen
Dismissed by Citroen purists as being too conventional, the ZX was one of the best family hatches of the ’90s. Not that anyone seems to care. Which is good news if you’re looking for a bargain French hot hatch. The Volcane is available in petrol or diesel forms, with the latter being one of the first diesel-powered hot hatches. The rare-as-hen’s-teeth 2.0 16v is a proper old-school hot hatch. Good luck finding one.
Fiat Punto GT
© Fiat
Stay tuned for a Fiat overload, as we offer three tasty Italian dishes. The Punto GT is the most recent of the trio and was powered by the 1.4-litre turbocharged engine found in the earlier Uno Turbo. It could sprint to 60mph in just eight seconds, while its closest rivals struggled to do it in 10. It’s just a shame that it lacked the poise of the slower but sharper Peugeot 106 XSi.
Fiat Tipo 16v
© Fiat
It’s odd that, some three decades after its launch, the Fiat Tipo 16v – or ‘Sedicivalvole’ in Italian – isn’t held aloft as one of the greatest hot hatches, not just of the 1990s, but of all time. With power sourced from the Lancia Thema’s 2.0-litre 16-valve twin-cam engine, the Tipo could hit a top speed of 130mph, but it was the car’s handling that shone through. The name ‘Sedicivalvole’ also proves that nearly everything sounds better in Italian.
Fiat Uno Turbo i.e.
© Fiat
The original Fiat Uno was a product of the 1980s, with the Turbo i.e. unveiled in 1985. The facelifted Uno was launched at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show, with the Turbo picking off where the old one left off. In its day, the Mk2 Uno Turbo was an engaging alternative to the Peugeot 205 GTI and Renault 5 GT Turbo, with a top speed of 127mph and a 0-62mph time of 7.7 seconds.
Ford Escort RS2000
© Ford
Think of a hot Escort of the 1990s and thoughts inevitably turn to the RS Cosworth. Which is why the RS2000 is so often overlooked, at least outside of RS circles. Make no mistake, this was a proper Rallye Sport product, with a tuned 2.0-litre 16-valve engine and a host of dynamic upgrades. When production ceased in 1996, Ford said goodbye to the RS badge. It didn’t reappear until the launch of the Mk1 Focus RS.
Ford Escort RS Cosworth
© Ford
At the outset, we told you the cars featured in this gallery are more affordable than their 1980s counterparts. Sadly, that rule doesn’t apply to the iconic Escort RS Cosworth, which sits at the top table of legendary hot hatches. In truth, it was as much a Sierra as it was an Escort, but it was 100 percent rally-bred.
Ford Fiesta RS Turbo
© Ford
Are you old enough to remember the ‘curry’ press advert? If so, you’ll know that the Ford Fiesta RS Turbo was the ‘vindaloo’ to the XR2i’s ‘madras’. Adding a Garrett turbocharger helped to overcome some of the XR’s shortcomings, but the hottest Fiesta remains a flawed diamond. Autocar & Motor called it a ‘crude performance machine that offers no finesse and little reward to the skilled driver’. It doesn’t stop us from wanting one, though.
Honda Civic VTi
© Ford
Don’t let that sombre styling fool you, because the Civic VTi is a cracking motor. That’s because it’s powered by a rev-happy 1.8-litre VTEC engine, that simply begs to be taken to the redline. Contemporary road testers praised its chassis, performance, value, equipment and styling. The Mk3 Golf GTI may have sold in larger numbers, but the Civic VTi was the better of the two.
Lancia Delta Integrale Evo
© Lancia
To petrolheads of a certain age, the name ‘Lancia Delta Integrale’ will conjure up images of Martini Racing stripes, snow and the BBC Rally Report. The Integrale is up there with the greatest homologation specials of all time, be it in 8-valve, 16-valve, Evo or Evo 2 guise. Indeed, the Evoluzione models are very much products of the 1990s. Sadly, prices are such that us mere mortals can only dream of owning one, while humming a certain tune by Propaganda…
Nissan Almera GTI
© Nissan
Look, don’t knock it, because the Nissan Almera GTI was actually rather good. It may have been based on the Almera, which was as hot as a lukewarm bowl of semolina, but the GTI badge took this family hatch to the edge of greatness. Or maybe we’re thinking about those brilliant Sweeney and The Professionals TV ads…
Nissan Sunny GTI-R
© Nissan
If there are lingering doubts over the Almera GTI, there can be no disputing this Nissan’s hot hatch pedigree. Badged as a Pulsar in its domestic market, the Sunny GTI-R was powered by 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that sent 220hp to the road via Nissan’s ATTESA full-time four-wheel-drive system. It could hit 60mph in 5.4 seconds, which made it quicker than the Escort Cosworth.
Peugeot 106 Rallye
© Peugeot
We could have featured the Peugeot 106 GTI, but as we’ve covered its Saxo VTS sibling, we’ll focus on the featherlight 106 Rallye. Once again, this was a homologation special, with the original S1 (pictured) powered by a 1.3-litre engine and the S2 by a 1.6-litre unit. Sadly, manufacturers aren’t able to build cars like this anymore, which is why the 106 Rallye is in demand. Buy one before prices go through the roof.
Peugeot 306 GTI-6
© Peugeot
Some folk will tell you that the 205 GTI was the last properly enjoyable car Peugeot ever built. These people seem to have forgotten about the 306 GTI-6. In today’s world of 300hp hot hatches, a 167hp 2.0-litre engine might not seem like a big deal, but the 306 was outstanding on a B-road. It’s all about the chassis, which was brilliant, even on a more humdrum-spec 306. For an alternative flavour, you could opt for the equally good, but even rarer, Citroen Xsara VTS.
Proton Satria GTI
© Proton
The Proton Satria was essentially a rebadged Mitsubishi Colt, which is why Lotus deserves huge respect for creating such a credible hot hatch. The Satria GTI was launched in the UK in 1999, so it only just squeezes into this gallery. But given it was based on an ageing platform, it always felt more nineties than noughties. The 1.8-litre engine needed to be revved, but Lotus worked some magic with the handling. It’s getting harder to find a good Satria GTI and prices are on the rise.
Renault 19 16v
© Renault
Available in both five-door hatchback and four-door saloon (Chamade) guises, the Renault 19 16v is a rare sight today. Being French, it weighed little more than a freshly baked croissant, meaning it could maximise the 140 chevaux galloping from its 1.8-litre engine. A future classic? We think so.
Renault Clio Williams
© Renault
For years, the magicians at Renault Sport reigned supreme as the purveyors of the finest hot hatches. The Renault Sport Clio, Megane and Twingo can all trace their roots back to the Clio Williams, one of the very best of the breed. A 2.0-litre 16-valve engine gave it a terrific turn of pace, but Renault Sport worked wonders with the chassis. The original car was followed by the marginally less special Williams 2 and Williams 3.
Rover 220 GTI and GSI
© Rover Group
How can such a handsome hatchback be so unloved? We think the second-generation Rover 200 (R8) has aged superbly and we’d quite happily roll in a 220 GTI or GSI Turbo. Or perhaps you’d prefer something a little more special…
Rover 200 BRM
© Rover Group
Step forward the Rover 200 BRM. The bright orange grille is the first thing to catch your eye, designed to pay homage to the BRM F1 cars of the 1960s. The interior is an acquired taste, but the Brooklands Green paint and Torsen differential will help lift your mood. The 200 BRM was based on the equally good 200vi, so there’s very little not to like. Assuming you like the grille and interior combo.
Seat Ibiza GTI
© Seat
The second-generation Seat Ibiza was the first to be developed under the control of the Volkswagen Group and it shares its platform with the Polo. Early GTIs were powered by a 1.8-litre engine, with the facelift models treated to a more powerful 2.0-litre unit. There was also a range-topping GTi Cupra Sport.
Toyota Corolla GTi-16
© Toyota
It was one of the most understated hot hatches of the ’90s, so it’s no surprise that the Corolla GTi-16 has been largely forgotten. Its 1.6-litre developed 130hp at 6,600rpm but would rev on until 8,000rpm. Top speed was 122mph, but as one contemporary road tester noted, you could sprint smoothly from 20mph to 90mph in third. Nice.
Vauxhall Astra GSi
© Vauxhall
Following the Mk1 and Mk2 Astra GTE was always going to be a struggle and it’s fair to say the Mk3 Astra GSi couldn’t reach the high-water mark of its forebears. Power is sourced from either a 1.8-litre or 2.0-litre engine, but the majority of cars were fitted with the 2.0 unit. Try finding an Astra GSi that hasn’t been modified in some way.
Volkswagen Golf VR6
© VW
The Mk3 Volkswagen Golf GTI offers little in the way of fireworks, but there’s some fun to be had with the VR6. OK, it was more of an upmarket grand tourer than a proper hot hatch, but the six-cylinder VR6 engine was silky smooth and there’s a heap of low-end grunt. We think the Golf VR6 wears its years rather well.
Volkswagen Polo G40
© VW
We finish with the Polo G40 – a special hot hatch, even if VW called it a coupe. It’s all about that supercharged 1.3-litre engine, which gave the otherwise humble Polo a soundtrack akin to something more exotic. Throw into the mix an 830kg kerb weight, neat styling and sharp handling, and you’ve got the ingredients for a 1990s gem. Autocar & Motor called it a ‘GTI basher’.