With the continual cracking down on internal combustion engines (ICE) and the increased uptake of the SUV body shape, the end of the hot hatch seems to be on the horizon.
A few brands may be aware of this and preparing for it, for example, Hyundai with its new Kona N hot crossover and VW’s first-ever Tiguan R hot SUV.
These high-performance high riders are positioned as alternatives to their hatchback counterparts and there is expected to be a healthy mix of both sold to new and existing customers alike.
Both the Kona and the Tiguan are equipped with the same engines as the i30 and Golf R, a 2.0-litre, turbocharged unit generating 206kW and 392Nm in the case of the Hyundais and 235kW and 400Nm in the case of the VWs.
The front-wheel-drive Kona’s 0-100km/h acceleration is also nearly identical to the i30’s – 5.5 seconds vs 5.4 seconds – while that of the four-wheel-drive Tiguan is 0.3-seconds slower at 5.1 seconds.
However, throw the average road’s condition at the SUVs and they handle it far better than the hatches and getting in and out of them is inarguably easier, too, which is a big deal for many buyers.
Where did all the hot hatches go
But it’s not just the introduction of sportier SUVs with more powerful engines that is a cause for alarm, the VW GTI’s competitors are all but completely gone, and Hyundai’s N brand received a firm injection in 2022 with the all-new Kona being introduced alongside a facelifted i30 in an attempt to give it the letter N more local market presence.
Moreover, there are no more Ford STs, Mazda MPSs, Renault RSs, or Opel OPCs on the new market – even the famous VW Golf is now sold only in GTI spec with the uprated R hatch slated for an introduction midway through 2023 due to stock allocation, whereas the Tiguan R is already available locally with a further 10 Tiguan variations to choose from split between two body sizes.
Although Renault is introducing the Megane R.S.300 Ultime in late 2023, it discontinued sales of the Megane series in early 2021 citing the growth of the B-SUV segment as the cause.
Additionally, Ford not only removed STs from its domestic line-up a generation ago, but it has since also gone on to stop selling the Focus, Figo, and Fiesta ranges altogether, with the Mustang now being its only passenger car that’s not an SUV.
Pressure from above
Another appealing aspect of hatchbacks is that even in the high-performance class, they tend to be on the more affordable end of the price spectrum whereas SUVs typically demand a small premium.
With the upcoming EU7 emissions regulations which will demand even lower amounts of harmful gasses to be emitted by fuel-burning vehicles and are set to take effect on 1 July 2025, this benefit may no longer be present.
If these vehicles want to comply with the new European emissions standards, the prices of affordable models are expected to increase in the coming years by tens of thousands of rands which may put them out of reach of many buyers or in the worst-case scenario, out of the market.
One example of this is the possible discontinuation of the Polo hatch in the EU as CEO of Volkswagen, Thomas Schäfer, recently said there would be “no point carrying on” with small ICE vehicle sales in Europe after EU7 regulations come into play.
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