by Jeremy Taylor - January 19 2004
Oil to burn? 2004 starts with a cool collection of diesel hot hatches to tempt you away from petrol.
The Volkswagen Golf was arguably the first hot hatchback - but who would have thought that almost 30 years on we would be powering our pocket rockets with diesel?
Back in 1976 the idea of a hot hatchback diesel would have had drivers rolling around garage forecourts %u2013 but not anymore. With public opinion swinging towards derv, the diesel hot hatch is set to boom.
Industry body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said: "With changes to company car tax and VED offering financial incentives towards lower emission cars, the diesel market has seen a massive growth over the last three years.
"Combine this with advances in diesel technology increasing the general appeal of diesel cars and the growing popularity of superminis, the combined growth for small diesel cars is set to continue."
So what are the real diesel hot hatchbacks to watch out for? In 2003, we saw the SEAT Leon TDI 130 arrive - a car that can put a lot of petrol-powered hot hatches to shame.
It has bags of torque, great handling and, of course, that gorgeous engine note. But the 'must have' hot hatch of 2004 is surely a Cupra derivative of the SEAT Leon TDI, a fantastic drive in every sense.
It was just a few months ago that fellow VW Group darlings Skoda, an unlikely contender for the hot hatch crown, released the Fabia vRS. Despite having the same power output as the Leon, it goes even faster!
Click here for the full road tests:
Audi A3 TDi 140bhp
Seat Ibiza TDi Sport
Golf GT TDi PD 130
Skoda Fabia VRs
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