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HomeFeatured ArticlesGoMechanic Informative8 Drool-Worthy Hot Hatches Of The Past, You Can Buy Right Now!

8 Drool-Worthy Hot Hatches Of The Past, You Can Buy Right Now!

From all the car segments on sale, don’t you think hatchbacks make a lot of sense in a country like India? Incredible India, with all sorts of cultures, traffic and several types of roads across India. Broken roads, highways, narrow roads, trafficked roads and even race tracks. Hatchbacks make a lot more versatile buy in India than SUVs or sedans, of course, if you have a nuclear family.

Since 2015 there has been a lot happening in the hatch market, with cars exiting India, and then there are the new ones entering the segment. But today, let’s look at the cars that you can buy as used and have fun with them. So, here are 8 drool-worthy hot hatches of the past you can buy right now.

  1. Volkswagen Polo

    Volksfest Edition Volkswagen Polo
    Volksfest Edition Volkswagen Polo

    The OG, Volkswagen Polo, was among the first hot hatches to enter the Indian automotive market. Volkswagen brought the hot hatch, first with a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine back in 2012. Later shifted to the punchy 1.2-litre turbo petrol motor. This turbo petrol motor was mated to either a 6-speed manual transmission or the enthusiast’s choice, 7-speed DSG.

    GoMechanic News: Volkswagen Polo & Vento Production Ending Soon!

    With that, the car had an exceptional ride and handling with a lot of tuning potential. The only downer of the vehicle is the rear legroom which is a little cramped. With the Polo out of the company’s portfolio, one could get a good deal in the used car market.

  2. Ford Figo

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    Ford Figo

    Next up, is the vehicle that could have been a part of the market if it weren’t for the company. We all know, Ford last year wrapped up their business and sailed away and so did the engineered marvels from the company. Ford Figo, was among the top 3 choices of hot hatchbacks for people.

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    Figo came with a potent 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with supreme ride and handling. That said, in the used car market, one may also find the sports trim of the Figo, which had stock stiffer suspension and was slightly lowered than the conventional Figo.

  3. Honda Brio

    Honda Brio Tuned
    Honda Brio Tuned / Image for representation only

    Among the smallest vehicles on the list but certainly, one of the charming hot hatches is the Honda Brio. With a lot of tuning potential, lightweight, small form factor, and razor-sharp dynamics make the Brio definitely something to consider. As a stock, Honda Brio came with the butter smooth 1.2-litre 4 cylinder naturally aspirated petrol.

    Know more: Remembering The Honda Brio And Why It Failed The Indian Market

    With slight tweaks in the setup, like little wide wheels and a little stiffer suspension, Bio could get handling just like a Go-Kart. Also, even without any changes, Brio also had a frugal yet powerful engine thanks to the i-Vtec technology. Now, in the used car market Honda Brio should be on the list of cars if boot space is not your concern.

  4. Abarth Punto

    Fiat Abarth Punto
    Fiat Abarth Punto

    Not all small cars are boring. Having said that, one perfect example of a pocket rocket is the Abarth Punto. The Punto launched under the Fiat’s sub-brand Abarth was a hatch for hooligans. the vehicle was based on the conventional Punto but had a monster under its hood. Launched in 2015, this hatchback came with a 1.4-litre T-Jet turbo petrol engine.

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    The Abarth Punto was launched into the market to rival the likes of the hot hatches in India (Volkswagen Polo GT TSI). Discussing the Punto’s USP, this turbo petrol engine was capable of generating 145bhp and about 212Nm of peak torque. This powertrain made the hatch *THE* most powerful hatchback in its segment and many cars sitting above it. With some minor mods, the Abarth Punto can be the right weapon for time attack events.

  5. Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS

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    Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS

    From 2015 to 2020 many carmakers in India shifted the focus in introducing a turbo petrol engine in their vehicles. Then, why should Maruti Suzuki settle for less? Hence in 2017 MSL (Maruti Suzuki LTD.) India launched its first and to date the last true hot-hatchback Baleno with a turbo petrol engine. This was one of the company’s shot lived stunts and didn’t see the daylight for long. Nevertheless, the Baleno RS came with a 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine.

    More About: Remembering the Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS Hot Hatch

    This motor was capable of generating 102hp of max power and 150Nm of peak torque. Although the figures were not class-leading the RS was way more fun to drive than the NA version. The hatch also came with disc brakes on all 4 wheels along with different engines. That said, the car could be a great value in the used car market. Also, the same engine with just a tuning could at least be pushed till 110ps and 170Nm of peak torque. Just saying.

  6. Honda Jazz

    Remembering The Honda Jazz In India
    Remembering The Honda Jazz In India

    The next vehicle over here is another hatchback courtesy to Honda, the Jazz. So, if you are not aware, Jazz is part of the premium hatchback segment and competes with the likes of Hyundai i20 and Maruti Suzuki Baleno. Nonetheless, over the years, Honda has not changed the vehicle a lot. After all, if ain’t broke, why fix it. With some minor tweaks, Honda Jazz is still in the race of the premium hatchbacks.

    Let’s talk about Honda Jazz | Honda’s Premium Hatchback Through The Ages!

    With that, Honda Jazz is also a considerable part of the hot hatch used car market. As the resale value is a little low, Honda Jazz can be a budget-friendly hatchback with decent maintenance cost. Fun fact, Brio and Jazz, get the same 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. In the tuning community, Jazz surely is a serious purchase.

  7. Tata Tiago JTP

    Tata Tiago JTP
    Tata Tiago JTP

    A car from Tata creeps one way or the other in most of our lists, and we can’t help it! In this day and age when people care about mileage, there are people in India that care about fast cars. And Tata tested its luck by launching the Tiago JTP. It was made under a joint venture of Tata Motors and JTP; which is a tuning company based out of Coimbatore, famous for their contribution in 2000 cc single-seater race cars.

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    The turbocharged hatchback was a power-packed rocket which was a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine that also did duties in the Tata Nexon. The motor could generate 112 bhp! 112 bhp in a car that weighs a little over 1000 kgs! Yup, this did happen and there must be sellers across India willing to sell this hatchback.

  8. Maruti Suzuki Swift

    top selling cars june 2021
    Maruti Suzuki Swift

    The oldest car to exist on this list is the famous Maruti Suzuki Swift. There surely is a definite reason being the Swift’s success in India. Kudos to Maruti that they updated this hatchback periodically with the latest update at the beginning of 2021. In 2021, Maruti gave the Swift a more powerful engine and a couple of features on the inside. But the primary reason for Swift to exist on this list is its engine and the price in the used car market.

    Here are the Top 10 Most Googled Questions On The Maruti Suzuki Swift

    Talking about the engine, it is a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that is capable of generating 89ps (83 for the older model) of max power and 113Nm of peak torque. Where power figures are class-leading, so are the fuel efficiency figures. Though not tested yet, Maruti Suzuki Dzire with the same powertrain and drivetrain delivers about 28-30kmpl. With Swift being a smaller and lighter vehicle we expect it to make a little more. Also, the Swift’s handling is on point and has immense tuning potential, even in India.

So, these were the 8 hot-hatchbacks we find are drool-worthy. Which is your favourite among the 8, let us know in the comment section below.

Utkarsh Bhardwaj
Utkarsh Bhardwajhttps://gomechanic.in/blog
Technical Content Strategist at GoMechanic | Big Time Petrolhead with the passion for building cars and driving those beauties.

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