HOT HATCHES
1 MERCEDES-AMG A45
Our pick S Plus
List price £63,370 Target Price £60,370 MPG 30.7 CO2 208g/km For Savage acceleration; immense grip; entertaining handling; quickshifting automatic gearbox Against Very expensive to buy; Audi RS3 is more comfortable; infotainment controls could be easier to use
WHAT CAR? SAYS ★★★★★
YOU’LL HAVE NO need for an alarm clock if you own an A45, because you’ll want to wake up at the crack of dawn just so you can go for a blast in it. Not only is this 416bhp, four-wheel-drive rocketship absurdly rapid in a straight line, but it’s also agile and entertaining through corners.
Although it isn’t quite as civilised as the rival Audi RS3, the A45 is barely any less practical or easy to live with than a regular A-Class. Bespoke features such as AMG sports seats, a flat-bottomed sports steering wheel and AMG-specific digital instruments simply add to the driving experience.