8. Volkswagen Golf R
The R is the top-of-the-line Golf with a powerful four-cylinder turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive. In fact, it delivers a brutal performance for a family hatchback. The R version is the derivate of the mighty R32 Golfs from the early 2000s. And those featured the 3.2-liter naturally-aspirated V6 engine.

However, the latest versions feature a smaller, more powerful 2.0-liter turbo-four which delivers almost 292 HP. As you can expect, the performance is quite brutal for what is basically a family compact. To get from 0 to 60 mph takes 4.5 seconds and this car can top 155 mph, which is amazing.