Abarth 500E: the return of the hot hatchback? EV rivals rated

The petrol-powered hot hatchback is an endangered species.

Once, if a manufacturer wanted to make an affordable sporting car, it put a big engine in its family hatchback and stiffened up the suspension.

Ever tightening emissions and fuel consumption limits means that's no longer an option. You can't buy a Ford Fiesta ST, any Peugeot GTI, a Renaultsport Clio or Megane, and even since filming this video Hyundai has stopped production of the i20N and i30N.

And there hasn't been an EV hot hatch to take up the mantle ... until now?

We've got the Abarth 500E, arguably (and it's an argument our tester Matt Prior is prepared to make) the first proper EV hot hatch.

So much the first that there isn't yet an obvious rival: so we've taken four other fun alternatives to test alongside it. Join us for the ride. The full specifications are below.

Edited by Shreyans Chordia. Prices correct at the time of filming.

Abarth 500E Turismo
Price £38,195
One permanent magnet synchronous motor
Power 153bhp
Torque 173lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction, FWD
Kerb weight 1410kg
0-62mph 7.0sec
Top speed 96mph
Battery 42.2/37.8kWh (total/usable)
Range, economy 157 miles, 3.4mpkWh

Cupra Born 58kWh V2
Price £38,395
One permanent magnet synchronous motor
Power 201bhp
Torque 229lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction, RWD
Kerb weight 1736kg
0-62mph 7.3sec
Top speed 99mph
Battery 62.0/58.0kWh (total/usable)
Range, economy 262 miles, 4.0mpkWh

Honda E
Price £37,395
One permanent magnet synchronous motor
Power 152bhp
Torque 232lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction, RWD
Kerb weight 1520kg
0-62mph 8.3sec
Top speed 90mph
Battery 35.5/28.5kWh (total/usable, est)
Range, economy 131 miles, 3.5mpkWh

MG4 EV XPower
Price £36,495
Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Power 429bhp
Torque 443lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction, 4WD
Kerb weight 1800kg
0-62mph 3.8sec
Top speed 124mph
Battery 64.0/61.8kWh (total/usable)
Range, economy 239 miles, 3.3mpkWh

Renault Megane E-Tech
Price £39,495
One permanent magnet synchronous motor
Power 214bhp
Torque 221lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd reduction, FWD
Kerb weight 1708kg
0-62mph 7.5sec
Top speed 99mph
Battery 65.0/60.0kWh (total/usable)
Range, economy 280 miles, 3.8mpkWh

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Autocar, the world's leading motoring magazine and website, delivers industry-leading news, the most in-depth car reviews and opinion from our team of experts. Our presenters include some of the world's top motoring journalists who have unrivalled access to the world's fastest, rarest, most exotic and most exciting cars on some of the world's best roads and race tracks.

00:00 Introduction
00:47 Cupra Born
04:00 MG4 EV X Power
05:59 Renault Megane E-Tech
08:00 Honda E
11:03 Abarth 500E