Wednesday, August 10, 2016

The list of the remaining non-turbo hot hatches

Some say the Swift Sport is the last
NA hot hatch in car history

A certain Top Gear article says that the current-generation Suzuki Swift Sport will be the last naturally-aspirated hot hatch in automotive history and its successor model, to be based on the next Swift coming soon, will be turbocharged. Yes, this model will go down in automotive history as the last non-turbo hot hatch ever made...or is it? If they do some fact checking right now, there are some few hot hatches in history that still hasn't gone turbocharged since then, well until their replacements came into view or got discontinued at some point. Aside from the Swift Sport, what other hot hatches that still has naturally-aspirated engines?

2015 Toyota Vitz
Here, we have the Toyota Vitz RS. The first-generation model had a turbocharged variant before but here on its current-generation state, there's no sign of turbo since then, unless if there is a Mazda-based replacement for the Vitz in the works right now, which will spell doom to this hot model. Anyway, this hot Vitz comes with a 1.5L 1NZ-FE engine which produces 109PS of power and 136Nm of torque, while mated with either a CVT or a 5-speed manual. A five-speed manual, get it? Although not as fast as any other today's hot hatch go, the Vitz RS still has its practicality charm that its normal Vitz would do day by day. Let's not forget, this car is priced at 1,883,127 Japanese Yen.
2015 Toyota Vitz RS G's
Don't forget that this Vitz RS model even comes with an available G's model packed some stylish aerokits, sport-tuned suspension, and a sporty dark interior that suits its sporty character. This is as hot as any hot hatches can get.

2014 Honda Fit RS
The current-generation Honda Fit RS is also a non-turbocharged hot hatch. Although it has the same 1.5L petrol engine as the Vitz RS, it has 23PS more than the Vitz RS and if you gone for the manual, it has one gear more than the Vitz RS as well. Because this is a Honda, speedo boys love to make things with this Honda, especially when it gets fitted with optional aero kits courtesy of Mugen or Modulo. Although fun to look and drive at, the pricing is somewhat of a slouch because it's around 43,000 Yen more than the Vitz RS. Still, it's value well spent for a non-turbo hot hatch that is built for some business and leisure for the rest of your lives.

2014 Nissan March NISMO
Although, the current K13 Nissan March will soon be replaced, this March NISMO reminds us that this non-turbocharged hot hatch is still defiant in its last breath. There are two kinds of NISMO March models to choose from such as the entry-level model which comes with the HR12DE engine mated with the XTRONIC CVT, which is a bit of a nonsense for performance-oriented enthusiasts, and the driver-focused March NISMO S model which comes with a HR15DE engine specially tuned for this model, producing 116PS of power and 156Nm of torque, while mated with a 5-speed manual gearbox. We like the S model with the 5-speed gearbox on it because this is by no means one of the sportiest variants in this generation and despite this model is fading away soon, there are still speedo boys who are feeling jelly because they haven't drive this thing in ages, even video games.

Nissan Note NISMO
Another one in the list is the Nissan Note NISMO. Apart from the base NISMO model which comes with the 1.2L DIG-S engine and a CVT, there's the NISMO S model which uses the same 1.5L engine from the March K13 NISMO and it's mated with a 5-speed manual gearbox. It may sound unfair to have a smaller, supercharged variant mated with a boring CVT instead with a manual but that's fine by us because the Note NISMO S model, with its non-turbocharged 1.5L engine and a 5-speed manual, shows that you don't need turbos for a hot hatch that can live up to the fullest, unless you had a bucket list to spare.

2016 Hyundai Veloster

The Hyundai Veloster has been with us for five years now and even though it even comes with the hotter Veloster Turbo D-Spec packed with an improved 1.6L T-GDi engine producing 204PS of power and mated with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed double-clutch gearbox, this naturally-aspirated version is one of the main reasons why we love the Veloster five years on...even in the wrong barrels. Even though it performs poorly as any other hot hatches I know and love, the Veloster is still considered hot in a unique way, apart from the unique three-door design where the additional door is on the passenger side. It comes with the Gamma 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection engine, which produces 140PS of power and can be mated with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic (with an additional DCT Pack that comes with Sport Mode on it). It's priced at 18,450,000 Korean Won and despite being unloved by its weird behavior, it's still a hot hatch in its own right.

We are very thankful that there are still living non-turbo hot hatches right among us up till now but sadly, these endangered species won't last to live until one of them is sent to the great highway in the sky or be reincarnated with a turbocharged consequence. As long as they're living right now, be sure to pick them up right away like there's no tomorrow for these non-turbocharged hot hatches.

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