Throughout history, some car manufacturers have become linked to a certain segment of performance cars which they are clearly accustomed to. For example, Ferrari makes excellent supercars, Dodge is renowned for their powerful muscle cars, and Ford? Ford knows how to screw a hot hatchback together better than almost anyone else out there.
Boasting a legacy that stretches back over 50 years, Ford hatchbacks are some of the hottest out there. Any performance car out there with a Blue Oval badge on the front is almost guaranteed to be an absolute riot for the senses to drive. Throughout this article, we wind the clock back and revisit some of the best of the bunch.
All specs and stats have been acquired from Ford directly, unless cited otherwise. The models are ordered chronologically according to their production runs, starting with the oldest.
10 1981 Ford Fiesta XR2
ClassicCarAuctions
Performance And Production Specs
Production years
1981 – 1983
Engine
1.6-liter inline-four
Power
84 horsepower
Torque
93 lb-ft
For Ford, this is where it all started in terms of their hot hatchback story. The Ford Fiesta was first launched in 1976 as a retaliation to the Volkswagen Golf. The nimble hatch was a joy to drive and proved successful for the brand. However, customers clearly wanted more, and in 1981, they got what they were asking for.
A grand total of 84 horsepower isn’t even enough for the most basic of city cars in 2024, but in the early ’80s, it was more than enough to make the then-new XR2 all the rage. Pepperpot alloy wheels, a re-designed front-end, and protruding arches were enough to ensure this pocket-rocket stood out from the crowd.
9 1984 Ford Escort RS Turbo
ClassicCarAuctions
Performance And Production Specs
Production years
1984 – 1986
Engine
Turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four
Power
132 horsepower
Torque
133 lb-ft
As engaging as the XR2 was, the 1980s was the era of excess, and the era of the turbocharger. Ford were eager to jump on the trend and offer something with a harder edge and stronger bite for their gearhead fans. Its answer was to launch the Escort RS Turbo – a wide-body 3-door hatch with a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine and Recaro seat-equipped sports interior.
Only available for a short while, the Series 1 Escort RST was soon replaced with a slightly softer Series 2 model. Performance specs were much the same, but the earlier car commands a lot more money on the classic car market, as the purer driver’s car.
Add CarBuzz to your Google News feed.
8 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth
Performance And Production Specs
Production years
1992 – 1996
Engine
Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four
Power
224 horsepower
Torque
224 lb-ft
You could argue that Ford was experimenting with turbocharged hot hatches in the ’80s, but by the ’90s, it was clear the brand had nailed the brief. The Escort RS Cosworth is one of the most famous and desirable fast Fords of all time, thanks to a rich rallying pedigree, a hugely capable and tuneable YB-Cosworth engine, and that oh-so cool ‘whale-tail’ rear spoiler.
Earlier cars were known as ‘big turbo’ cars, as later examples were fitted with a smaller turbo to help reduce lag. Special editions such as the Monte Carlo were introduced, but in truth, every EsCos was special in its own right. Recaro interiors, epic deep-dish five-spoke alloy wheels, and huge arches finished the look.
7 2000 Ford Fiesta Zetec S
Car And Classic
Performance And Production Specs
Production years
2000 – 2001
Engine
1.6-liter inline-four
Power
101 horsepower
Torque
107 lb-ft
By the dawn of the new millennium, Ford was producing some seriously powerful production cars – the first Focus RS was just around the corner, as was the S197 Mustang. However, the Blue Oval brand had not outgrown the humble hot hatch, or warm hatch as these lesser-powered examples are sometimes called. The fourth-gen Fiesta had proved immensely popular, and so, before the model made way for the all-new model, Ford released the sporty Zetec S.
Powered by a 101-hp 1.6-liter inline-four, the Zetec S was in some ways a ‘modern’ XR2, prioritizing low weight and low-speed fun. It precedes the now-popular ST model, and was the first Zetec S model launched by the firm.
6 2002 Ford Focus RS
Iconic Auctioneers
Performance And Production Specs
Production years
2002 – 2003
Engine
Turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four
Power
212 horsepower
Torque
229 lb-ft
Boasting a similarly successful WRC background to the Escort RS Cosworth, the original Focus RS is now a collector’s gem. Piloted to many victories with Colin McRae behind the wheel, the original Focus RS was a rally car for the road, sporting a 212-hp turbo-four up front, powering just the front two wheels.
Ford clearly thought they had crafted perfection with the first Focus RS, as it was available with no options, and only in Imperial Blue. The wide front grille and bolstered arches gave the once humble Focus an aggressive stance, while Sparco sports bucket seats inside kept the driver in place.
5 2003 Ford Sportka
Anglia Car Auctions
Performance And Production Specs
Production years
2003 – 2008
Engine
1.6-liter inline-four
Power
94 horsepower
Torque
99 lb-ft
Once again, Ford returned to their hot hatch roots with a diminutive three-door hatch, dubbed the SportKa. The SportKa enjoyed a lengthy production run from 2003 to 2008, although it was actually quite late to the party, with the standard Ka launching some six years prior. This Ford 2-door hatchback may lack in terms of output, with only 94 horses on tap, and 99 lb-ft of torque. However, thanks to its tiny proportions and cheeky character, it is no doubt just as fun as the larger, more powerful models from the brand, in the right setting.
Sporting similarities to the far-hotter Focus RS, the SportKa was also available in Imperial Blue, and too boasted a wide grille and wide wheel arches. Inside, black and blue two-tone leather seats with matching steering wheel provided a fun finish to the cabin.
4 2005 Ford Focus ST
Ford
Performance And Production Specs
Production years
2005 – 2011
Engine
Turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five
Power
225 horsepower
Torque
236 lb-ft
Of all the Ford hatchbacks launched up until this point, the European-spec Focus ST (Ford went in another direction with the second-gen Focus in America) had to be the most outrageous. Available in a powerfully metallic bright orange, with a raucous turbocharged five-cylinder engine providing an epic soundtrack, this Ford hatchback had some serious appeal. Unlike many previous hot hatches from Ford, the Focus ST had no motorsport pedigree of which to boast, and instead was launched as merely a hot road car. The later generation, reviewed by ourselves as a 2018 Ford Focus ST, followed a similar direction, but lacked the characterful five-cylinder engine.
3 2005 Ford Fiesta ST
Ford
Performance And Production Specs
Production years
2005 – 2009
Engine
2.0-liter inline-four
Power
150 horsepower
Torque
140 lb-ft
The ST badge would also be adorned on the then-new fifth-gen Fiesta in 2005. It may have lacked the shouty colors of its bigger brother, but striped graphics and bright 17-inch alloy wheels ensured this smaller hot hatchback would not go unnoticed.
In terms of hot Ford hatchback models, the Fiesta ST was the entry-point, offering heaps of fun at an accessible price point. Performance was brisk yet not scary, with 150 horsepower provided, courtesy of a 2.0-liter inline-four engine.
2 2011 Ford Focus RS 500
Ford
Performance And Production Specs
Production years
2010
Engine
Turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five
Power
345 horsepower
Torque
339 lb-ft
The second-gen of the European Focus RS, available from 2009 through to 2011, was a real beast. No fewer than 300 horsepower was channeled exclusively through to the front wheels, and the exterior had a more menacing look than ever before. Inside, lightweight Recaro bucket seats keep you in place – a necessity in this lethal hot hatch.
Keen to provide a proper send off for the model, Ford took things even further in 2010, with the RS 500 model. Available only with a matte black wrap, the RS 500 boasted an extra 45 horsepower, and was roughly £8,000 (around $12,800 in 2011) more than the standard RS. It didn’t matter, though, as all 101 of the 500 examples allocated for the UK sold out within a week, and collectors have been clambering to get their hands on one ever since.
1 2013 Ford Fiesta ST
Ford
Performance And Production Specs
Production years
2013 – 2019
Engine
Turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four
Power
197 horsepower
Torque
202 lb-ft
The second-generation of Fiesta ST, based upon the sixth-gen Fiesta, was, if anything, even more of a success than the earlier fifth-gen model. Power swelled from 150 to 197 horsepower, thanks to the addition of a turbocharger, and the hot hatch looked angrier than ever before. Unlike some of the other hot Fords on this list, American buyers could also buy this Fiesta ST.
Following a similar approach to previous models, the fast Fiesta boasted hugging Recaro seats inside, unique exterior body panels, and attention-grabbing five-spoke alloy wheels. The ST proved popular in motorsport circles too, making for a competent racer both on and off the track. Sadly, the Fiesta has now been dropped entirely from the Ford lineup, so there are no hopes for a new ST.