Best of 2023: Performance cars

As we continue our look back on 2023, today we turn our attention to the fun stuff – performance cars.

This year there was a bumper crop of hi-po heroes from car brands, everything from affordable coupes all the way up to wild luxury SUVs. And that’s reflected in our diverse list of vehicles.

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Here, in no particular order, are our favourite performance car offerings from 2023. Let us know your favourites in the comments or join the conversation on social media.

Toyota GR86

Full disclosure, this is cheating a bit as we first drove the new-generation GR86 back in 2022. However, that was just a brief sample on the track at Sydney Motorsport Park, in 2023 we got to spend some more meaningful time on the road in Toyota’s affordable coupe.

Because while it’s great that it’s more powerful and more fun on the track, for most people having fun on the road is the priority. Which was the beauty of the original 86, that you could have fun and push the car closer to its limits without blasting past the speed limits and putting yourself in danger.

Thankfully, despite the extra grunt from the bigger engine, the GR86 retains the ideal balance of power, grip and agility that made the car an instant classic.

Toyota GR Corolla

It was a big year for Toyota with the arrival of the GR Corolla. While the GR Yaris is something special, car fanatics have been waiting for Toyota to finally give the Corolla the hot hatch treatment for decades.

And it was worth the wait.

While we could go on about how much more practical the larger, five-door Corolla is compared to the three-door Yaris, what really makes the GR Corolla appeal is the performance. It has more power (221kW v 200kW), it gets better Yokohama tyres (instead of the Dunlops on the GR Yaris) and the longer wheelbase makes for a more stable handling platform.

While the GR Yaris is the brand’s WRC homologation special, the GR Corolla feels every bit as fun and rally-inspired as its baby brother.

Damn it, Toyota, why didn’t you build this sooner?

Hyundai i30 Sedan N

Having spent three months living with Hyundai’s ‘hot sedan’ we couldn’t help putting it on our list. Obviously we’d driven it before 2023, but spending an extended period behind-the-wheel was a great way to appreciate the finer details.

The i30 N hatch is a more playful offering, but the sedan is simply better. It’s more well-rounded, both to drive at the limit on a track or just doing the run to the shops. It feels more mature than most of its hot hatch peers, in part thanks to its longer-than-average wheelbase and spacious cabin.

But when we did get to unleash its full potential, it was a seriously fun and fast machine for the money. Hyundai will introduce its first electric N car in ‘24 – the Ioniq 5 N – but after our time in this, it’s hard not to wish this petrol-powered performance line-up sticks around for as long as possible.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Q

The 2023 updates for Alfa Romeo’s Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio models weren’t technically significant, but there’s a sentimental reason these cars made the list. Quite simply, these will be the last internal combustion powered cars of their kind that Alfa Romeo makes. The Italian brand is committed to electrification and that includes its flagship performance heroes.

Thankfully the send-off was a special one and we got to blast around France’s famous Montlhéry racetrack and then Le Mans in these turbocharged V6 beasts.
Read our review of the Stelvio Quadrifoglio here.