A hot hatch has been chosen as the best of the year, with several outlets naming their top picks for 2026. The Volkswagen Golf GTI has been specifically mentioned as a hot hatch of the year by one outlet, while another outlet mentions an electric hot hatch from Volkswagen with a new design. Other outlets have also shared their favorite hot hatches, including an electric model from Alpine, but it is unclear if there is a consensus on a single best hot hatch.