10. 2012 Volkswagen GTD
Okay, so this is essentially a sixth-generation GTI with a diesel engine, but we’ll bend the rules a little bit in this instance. Why? Because the GTD blurs the line between penny-p[inching fuel economy and hot hatch fun even further. At 170 hp, it’s a bit shy of the 200-hp offered by the GTI, but it still drives about as spritely while returning some impressive fuel economy figures. Although the GTD has been a European exclusive model for decades, there’s some hope for North America – Volkswagen’s U.S. product planners are keenly interested in bringing the next-generation model stateside. We say the sooner, the better.
