Sick of seeing dual-cab utes and full-sized four-wheel drives go head-to-head on the drag strip? We hear you.
That’s why we lined up these four pocket rockets, and roped in a few owners to put them through their paces.
Driving the Honda Civic Type R is Mac Cook, a member of the CarExpert finance team who also has a Type R in his garage at home.
Melissa Ong was behind the wheel of her very own Hyundai i30 Hatch Drive-N DCT, or the iDirty N as she calls it. It’s the oldest member of our four-strong hot hatch race.
Representing the CarExpert editorial team were Paul Maric in the Cupra Leon VZx, and me in the Toyota GR Corolla.
You’ll need to watch the video above to see who won the drag race. Place your bets, but bear in mind these are four very evenly matched cars.
Here’s how they compare on paper:
| Leon VZx | Civic Type R | i30 Drive-N DCT | GR Corolla | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2.0L 4cyl turbo | 2.0L 4cyl turbo | 2.0L 4cyl turbo | 1.6L 3cyl turbo |
| Transmission | 7-speed DCT | 6-speed manual | 8-speed DCT | 6-speed manual |
| Driven wheels | Front | Front | Front | All |
| Power | 221kW | 235kW | 206kW | 221kW |
| Torque | 400Nm | 420Nm | 392Nm | 370Nm |
| Tare mass | 1503kg | 1406kg | 1511kg | 1455kg |
| Fuel type | 98 RON | 95 RON | 95 RON | 98 RON |
| Price when new | $63,990 D/A | $72,600 D/A | $56,200 +ORCs | $64,190 +ORCs |
And here’s how they fared in individual performance tests, with the same driver behind the wheel:
| Leon VZx | Civic Type R | i30 Drive-N DCT | GR Corolla | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter mile | 13.85s | 14.03s | 13.85s | 13.69s |
| 0-100km/h | 5.91s | 6.34s | 5.87s | 5.96s |
MORE: Everything Cupra Leon
MORE: Everything Honda Civic
MORE: Everything Hyundai i30
MORE: Everything Toyota GR Corolla