Fastest front wheel drives

Top 18 fastest front wheel drive cars. Updated August 2024.

Front wheel drive cars tend to have less power than all wheel or rear wheel drives, therefore, top speed is not often advertised as a selling point, or something that most buyers are looking for.

Nevertheless, we still have performance-oriented front wheel drive cars, like the Renault Sport Megane, Clubsport VW Golf GTI or Honda Civic Type-R.

The limiting factor for front-wheel-drive speed is engine power. Front tyres have to transmit all engine power and take care of steering at the same time. Historically, this has set a ceiling for maximum achievable performance in a front wheel drive car. Thanks to modern tyre technology, this ceiling has been rising every year.

# make & model Speed (mph)▼ Image
1. 2023 Honda Civic Type R 171 Photo of 2023 Honda Civic Type R
2. 2017 Honda Civic Type R 169 Photo of 2017 Honda Civic Type R
3. 2020 VW Golf GTI Clubsport 169 Photo of 2020 VW Golf GTI Clubsport
4. 2020 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition 169 Photo of 2020 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition
5. 2015 Honda Civic Type R 168 Photo of 2015 Honda Civic Type R
6. 2023 Acura Integra Type-S 167 Photo of 2023 Acura Integra Type-S
7. 2024 VW Golf GTI 167 Photo of 2024 VW Golf GTI
8. 2010 Ford Focus RS500 165 Photo of 2010 Ford Focus RS500
9. 2016 VW Golf GTI Clubsport S 165 Photo of 2016 VW Golf GTI Clubsport S
10. 2019 Renault Megane RS Trophy 165 Photo of 2019 Renault Megane RS Trophy
11. 2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP 165 Photo of 2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP
12. 2009 Ford Focus RS 163 Photo of 2009 Ford Focus RS
13. 2017 Seat Leon Cupra R 163 Photo of 2017 Seat Leon Cupra R
14. 2012 Opel Astra OPC 163 Photo of 2012 Opel Astra OPC
15. 2019 Renault Megane RS Trophy R 163 Photo of 2019 Renault Megane RS Trophy R
16. 2006 Opel Vectra VXR 162 Photo of 2006 Opel Vectra VXR
17. 2006 Opel Vectra OPC 162 Photo of 2006 Opel Vectra OPC
18. 2019 VW Golf GTI TCR 162 Photo of 2019 VW Golf GTI TCR

Sources

Auto Bild Sportscars (1, 2, 11, 15, 18), FastestLaps.com (3, 7, 12, 14, 16, 17), Sport Auto France (4), Caradisiac (5), Car & Driver (6), EVO (8, 9), Motor (10), Auto.it (13)

List authored by Christian Zelcs. Last updated on 08/05/2024, last addition - VW Golf GTI.