The Nineties were a time when cars got a bit, well, blobby. The aggressive, hard-edged ‘80s gave way to a less sure of itself, angst-ridden era. Likewise, the confident straight lines of car design softened and gave way to more apologetic and rounded forms. A few of the hot hatch favourites of the previous decade went a bit too far down this route; you won’t find a Mk3 Golf GTI or mid-‘90s Ford Escort RS2000 on many enthusiasts’ must-have lists. There were still a few contenders though as our list shows.

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