22. HONDA CIVIC TYPE R

Price £32,000 (est) On sale July

HATCHBACKS don’t get much hotter than Honda’s all-new Civic Type R. Based on the new Mk10 family car, it sticks with the outgoing model’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo, but ups power by 10bhp to 316bhp.

It’s front-wheel drive and comes only with a six-speed manual box, as before. No performance figures have been released, but the new Type R is likely to be slightly faster from 0-62mph than the outgoing car, which took 5.7 seconds. Honda will also attempt to reclaim the Nürburgring lap record for a front-wheel-drive car, currently held by the VW Golf Clubsport S.

In a bid to make the Type R easier to live with, a Comfort driving mode has also been added on top of Sport and R+ modes. There’s a rev-matching function for the first time, designed to help smooth downshifts and maintain momentum.

The cabin has also been overhauled, featuring a new infotainment system, steering wheel and centre console.