This week I was able to attend the SMMT Test Day which enabled me to have a short drive in a wide choice of cars that I wouldn't normally get access to, PLUS I got to do so on closed roads. There venue was Millbrook Proving Ground which features a variety of different routes to test a car's capabilities. There were many cars there, ranging from small city cars all the way through fire breathing supercars. Think of it as wine tasting for petrolheads. I know, it's a tough job but someone's got to do it.
I drove many cars on the day, most of them were hot hatches and this is my rundown on the aforementioned car genre.
Skoda Octavia VRS
I drove the Octavia VRS first and although it wasn't the best hot hatch I drove on the day it did set a good benchmark. Despite its performance it felt comfortable and I feel this would be an easy hot hatch to live with day to day. It was very easy to find a driving position and the driving ergonomics were pretty spot on. It was a nice car to drive, it provided more than enough power to get you going and the handling was very capable. It had a very big boot too which adds to the practicality.
What I will say is that the drive was not as memorable in some of the other cars I drove on the day but it is by no means a bad car, it's just not as thrilling as other cars in its category. But this car would be ideal if you want to use it as a family car but still want to have that performance on tap.
Volkswagen Scirocco GTS
From the Octavia VRS I jumped into the Scirocco GTS, a car that looks absolutely great in my opinion and one I would love to own. Like the Octavia VRS it was easy to get a good driving position although visibility out the rear is not as good due to the headrests in the rear and the rather small rear window.
The Scirocco was certainly more thrilling though, not to say that Octavia is boring, far from it. The car feels lower and it's wide, low stance make the car feel sportier than the VRS. The engine and the drive were more engaging in my opinion, making the drive more pleasurable. The Scirocco was definitely one of my favourites from the day and I would definitely look at a Scirocco as my next car.
Honda Civic Type R
Next up was the Type R, this is a car I've wanted to drive for some time, plus my wife is a big fan. I know someone who owns one and despite begging, I've not been able to convince her to give me the keys. It's clear when you look at the Civic Type R it means business, from the large bodykit to the big alloys, the styling is aggressive. Step inside and the bold red/black interior shouts hot hatch.
The gearstick is mounted higher up towards the dashboard - more cars should have this - and is a joy to behold. The throws were short and crisp, making it one of the best for the day. The Type R is far from short on performance but it you fancy more there is a +R button which lowers the car, tightens everything up and turns the gauges red. I like this. I liked this a lot. The large rear wing limits a visibility a bit but it's a price worth paying!
Peugeot 205 GTI
Now then, we move on to the daddy of hot hatches, the 205 GTI. A car that I've heard a lot about over the years but never experienced first-hand, until now that is. Step in the cabin and you are presented with a rather dull and plasticy interior. Oh and a long gearstick which looked like a novel feature. As I turned the simple key in the ignition the engine came to life and gave a lovely low rumble.
As I drove the car I fell in love with the noise coming from the naturally aspirated 1.9 engine, it sounded superb and produced one of the best noises of the day. Despite the comedy gearstick the changes were short and purposeful. In regards to handling, well it's been said many times before but it feels like a go-kart and you can really feel where the car is going. The 205 GTI was the highlight of my day and easily gave me the biggest grin. What an absolute honour it was to drive.
Peugeot 308 GTI
From old to new, we move on to the 308 GTI. As you can imagine a lot has changed since the 80s 205 and it's clear the 308 has been designed to be ease to live with. The controls are light - maybe a little too light - and the car is very comfortable to drive. The car is definitely suited to those who want a hot hatch that won't send them to a chiropractor.
Having said that, the 308 GTI is still capable but it's simply not as focused as the other hot hatches I've mentioned and I found the seats were not as supportive. The grip is still good though and the gear changes are still pretty slick although they didn't feel as satisfying. I like the small wheel though, it looks odd as you step in but it feels like you steering a go-kart which is nice although like the other controls it is a bit light.