13 Japanese Hot Hatches That Are Perfect for Track Days
Hot hatches are perfect for those who like their performance cars with a side-order of practicality.
Traditionally, European carmakers are known to build the most driver-focused hot hatchbacks, but the Japanese aren’t far behind. In fact, some Japanese models are better.
We’ve created a list of 13 Japanese hot hatches that are as much fun on the racetrack as they are practical for everyday use.
Nissan Pulsar GTI-R
Nissan built the Pulsar as a homologation special for the World Rally Championship. It was never as good as the other WRC hatchbacks, the Lancia Delta HF Integrale and Ford Escort RS Cosworth, but still a great road car.
It’s an aggressively styled AWD car with a turbocharged SR20DET engine producing 227 hp, and power was sent to all four wheels. Although the Pulsar GTI-R was designed to demolish rally stages, it’s surprisingly good on the road and racetracks, too.
3rd-Gen Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Subaru introduced the third-gen Impreza WRX STI in 2008. It was initially available as a five-door hatchback, but later, it was also available as a four-door sedan.
It has a wider body than the standard Impreza, and under the hood, there’s a 2.5-liter flat-four engine that churns out around 300 ponies. Just like World Rally Championship cars, the road-going Impreza WRX STI has AWD, making it a great option for all kinds of surfaces and road conditions.
Toyota GR Yaris
Over the years, Toyota has built a few fun hatchbacks and some legendary rally homologation specials. In the case of the GR Yaris, Toyota combined the two into one amazing driver-focused package.
Exterior-wise, the GR version is wider than the base-model Yaris and has only three doors, not five. Under the hood, we find a turbocharged three-cylinder 1.6-liter engine that produces 270 horses, and every single one of them is sent to all four wheels via the 6-speed manual transmission.
Toyota Corolla T Sport Compressor
In the mid-2000s, Toyota made a special edition that turned its humble Corolla hatchback into a proper sports car. It received the same 1.8-liter engine as the Celica but was now fitted with a supercharger.
With 225 hp, it the Corolla T Sport Compressor could hit 60 mph in just over six seconds. It also had a new body kit, bigger brakes, improved suspension, dual exhaust, and 17-inch multi-spoke wheels.
Toyota GR Corolla
Sadly, the aforementioned GR Yaris isn’t available on the North American shores, but Toyota does offer the GR Corolla, and it’s almost as good as its smaller sibling. If you squint, it looks like a regular Corolla, but the GR version is nothing like your aunt’s grocery-getter.
Under the hood, it has the same three-cylinder 1.6-liter as the GR Yaris, and the GR Corolla sends its 300 horsepower to all four wheels via a manual transmission. It really is a car that can do it all. The GR Corolla is comfortable enough to handle all your daily driving needs yet capable of lightning-fast lap times straight from the showroom floor.
Toyota GRMN Yaris
Before the GR Yaris was a thing, Toyota’s racing division, Gazoo Racing, created the limited edition GRMN Yaris. It was the first GRMN performance Toyota built and sold in Europe, and only 400 units were made for European customers.
Under the hood, the tiny hatchback had a supercharged 1.8-liter Dual VVT-i engine that produced around 210 horsepower, all of which were sent to the front wheels.
Toyota Corolla AE86
We just had to include the legendary AE86 Toyota Corolla, or Hachi Roku, if you will, as this is one of the 1980s cars that define JDM culture — pretty impressive for a hatchback Toyota! Thanks to its appearance in Initial D, Gran Turismo, and being Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya’s weapon of choice, AE86 prices have skyrocketed.
It’s a lightweight car with a front-engine rear-drive layout and 50/50 weight distribution. Its 4A-GE 1.6-liter twin-cam engine was never powerful in stock form, but it still made it a true momentum car for driving enthusiasts.
Suzuki Swift Sport
The Suzuki Swift Sport is one of the most underrated hot hatches on the market. It has been around for three generations, each offering a distinct driving experience.
For the first two generations, Suzuki went with a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter engine that loved to rev all the way to its redline. The latest version has a 1.4-liter turbo engine, and it’s now very much like a GR Yaris for those on a shoestring budget.
Honda Fit / Jazz
The Honda Fit, or Jazz if you’re European, is a hoot to drive. It doesn’t have much power, even the 1.5-liter version only has 130 hp, but it still puts a smile on our faces thanks to its firm ride and responsive steering.
The Fit drives similarly to Honda’s iconic Civics from the 1990s. It’s rewarding to drive fast if you get everything right and manage to keep the momentum going. Don’t miss a gearshift or brake too early, though, as you’ll be left in the dust.
EK9, EP3, FN2 Honda Civic Type R
Honda introduced the first Civic Type R in 1997, and it was one of the best hot hatches the world had ever seen. Unfortunately, it was only available in Japan.
The next generations, the EP3 and FN2, were available in Europe, but a CTR wasn’t available in the States until 2017. It’s no surprise that all the high-revving Civic Type R generations are excellent on the track, as that’s exactly what they’re built for.
Honda CR-X
The Honda CRX looks like a real sports car, but the Si only has 108 horsepower. However, it also has a very low curb weight. Honda built some great, lightweight cars with rev-happy engines back in the day, and the CRX is among their best work.
Based on the Civic, there were some powerful CRX versions as well, like the JDM SiR version. While most second-gen CRX cars had one of the single-cam D-series engines, the SiR had the full-fat B-series VTEC twin-cam unit with 160 horsepower.
MazdaSpeed3
The MazdaSpeed3 is the perfect option if you’re on a budget and want a fun and reliable car. Its turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine sends 263 hp to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission with a limited-slip diff. Zero to 60 mph takes less than six seconds, making the MazdaSpeed 3 a very underrated hot hatch.
Mazda attempts to inject some of its Jinba Ittai ethos (horse and rider as one) into all its cars, and Edmunds compared the MazdaSpeed3 to the Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru WRX, two of the most iconic heavyweights in the JDM performance car game.
Mazda 2 / Demio
Everyone who has played the Gran Turismo video games has seen the Mazda Demio. It’s affordable, if a bit underpowered. Even the Sport version only packs a 1.5-liter engine with 110 hp, making it more of a lukewarm hatch than a hot one.
That said, it has an excellent, taut and agile chassis, and you can redline the little Mazda 2 in every gear without getting in trouble with the long arm of the law.
Honorable Mention: Toyota Starlet Glanza V
Toyota introduced the Glanza V as the sporty trim level for the Starlet’s fifth generation. It had a turbocharged 1.3-liter engine producing 138 hp, giving it a power-to-weight ratio of roughly 150 hp per tonne… before you install aftermarket parts and tune it.
