What reminds you of the 90s, Power Rangers? Pokémon? Game Boy? The McLaren F1? The Jaguar XJ220? When we at Hyperchips think about the 90s, we can’t help but flash back to a time when Ford and Renault were dominating the hot hatch scene and when every other car manufacturer was trying its best to keep up. If you lived through the 80s, you will know just how incredible that decade was for the hot hatch, but the 90s was arguably just as good.

So let’s relive the 90s right here, right now, and bring back some fond memories.

10. Volkswagen Golf 2.8 V6 4MOTION

We kick start our list with our wildcard. The Volkswagen Golf 2.8 V6 4MOTION was not a hot hatch, but more of a sleeper. You see this was the predecessor to the brilliant MK1 Golf R32 and it looked like any other Golf. The 2.8-litre V6 engine had lots of oomph too with 204 horsepower and 4MOTION all-wheel-drive kept the grip levels high. This hatch was nose heavy, for sure, but it was the first sign that VW was preparing something mightier than the GTI.

9. Toyota Corolla GTI-16

Although this hot hatch first started production in the late 80s, practically all sales were made during the 90s. So we deem it to be a 90s hot hatch. The Toyota Corolla GTI-16 was powered by a 1.6-litre engine with 129 horsepower (130 PS). The GTI-16 sold quite well in Great Britain however today good examples are thin on the ground. The good news is that if you do find a nice example, it’s rare for them to cost more than £2,000.

8. Seat Ibiza 2.0 MPI GTI

Before the FR and the Cupra, there was the MPI GTI. This hot hatch was produced between 1996 and 1999 and had an ace up its sleeve – a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine with 148 horsepower and 132 lb /ft of torque. This translated to a small car with big lungs, and it was more than quick enough to scare more exotic machinery. In fact, the MPI GTI offered a very pure driving experience that rivalled the hot hatches listed below.

7. Proton Satria GTi

The Proton badge might have no class, but back in the 90s it at least had some bite. The Satria GTi had a 1.8-litre Mitsubishi-sourced 4G93p engine with 138 horsepower. It was a competitor to the Ford Fiesta RS Turbo and benefited from sharp handling. It wasn’t particularly fast though – the best it could do was get from 0 – 62 mph in 7.5 seconds. Still, with its Mitsubishi-sourced engine, the Satria GTi was one of the most unique hot hatches of the 90s.

6. Audi S3 MK1

The MK1 S3 was launched in 1999 as a premium hot hatch. It had an inline-four 20v 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine that loved to be tuned, but as standard came with 207 horsepower and 203 lb /ft of torque. With Quattro all-wheel-drive, the S3 gripped extremely well and was one of the most fun hot hatches you could drive in the early 2000s. Today, well-kept models can be bought second hand for just a few thousand pounds, which is well worth it for such a fine hot hatch.

5. Ford Fiesta RS Turbo

Some might say that the RS Turbo wasn’t fast enough to be a hot hatch. While it certainly wasn’t the fastest with its 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine which produced 131 bhp and 134 lb /ft of torque, it was the perfect entry point for those new to hot hatches. Plus with a 0 – 62 time of 7.9 seconds, it was plenty quick enough on country roads. Also because the Garrett T2 turbo was rated for a higher power output, tuning companies could get 160 horsepower.

4. Honda Civic Type R EK9

The first generation Civic Type R was a wonderful machine. Honda managed to scrape an amazing 182 horsepower from the 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine which at the time was the highest output for its capacity of any engine in the world. The EK9 wasn’t just a quick car in a straight line though – it was quick everywhere, and especially so on country roads. Sadly, that naturally aspirated love Honda had seems to have gone with the latest turbocharged model.

3. Nissan Sunny GTI-R

If raw speed is what you like in a hot hatch, then the Nissan Sunny GTI-R should be your favourite hot hatch of the 90s. This car was a beast, with 227 horsepower and 210 lb /ft squeezed out of its 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. It also had all-wheel-drive and a power-to-weight ratio of 0.083. All of which helped this hot hatch get from 0 – 62 mph in 5 seconds flat and onto a limited top speed 144 mph.

2. Renault Clio Williams

With the Renault 5GT Turbo to live up to, there was a lot of pressure on the Clio Williams to provide 90s motorists with a thrilling drive. That pressure was alleviated once people got their hands on the Williams, which handled like a go kart and went like stink. The Williams had a 2.0-litre 16-valve straight-4 engine with 144 horsepower and a top speed of 134 mph. Only 12,100 of these stunning hot hatches were made and the number of non-tuned and un-fettled with versions is less than 1,000 today.

1. Ford Escort RS Cosworth

The Ford Escort RS Cosworth is, for us, the best hot hatch of the 90s. Launched in 1992, this fast Ford had all-wheel-drive and rally underpinnings combined with a 2.0-lire Cosworth YBT Garret Turbo inline-4 engine that produced 225 horsepower and 229 lb /ft of torque. It was ridiculously quick (0 – 62 mph in 5.7 seconds, anyone?) and it could out handle anything on the roads at the time thanks to its ability to generate down force at the front and the rear which was a first for a mass production car. A proper Cossie through and through.

Other notable hot hatches

We would like to give a special mention to the Volkswagen Golf GTI MK3 and MK4, which were certainly decent cars but were not quite up to scratch as adrenaline-pumping hot hatches.

Your turn

Did you own one of these hot hatches? Did we miss a hot hatch out that should have made it into our top ten? Be sure to share your thoughts by commenting below or join the discussion on Facebook.

Image credit.

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