My wife and I have just had a baby and have decided to keep my Impreza WRX Wagon as the family car for my wife to use (nothing better quite frankly for the money) which leaves me with my wife's Fiat 500. A great little car but not really my style!

I'm a big hot hatch fan - fast, light, cheap(ish) to run yet practical, yet I haven't owned a proper hot hatch for about 10 years (my last and only hot hatch being a laser green 205 1.6 GTi). I keep trying to persuade myself that for my budget (2000-3000 pounds) that I would be better off with a more modern Clio 172/182 or 306 Rallye/GTi or something retro but more grown-up like an E30 318iS or a Saab 900 Turbo but I keep coming back to a 205 1.9 or a big-bumper Golf GTi 16v (two cars that I have dreamt of owning since I was a boy).

I'm a bit of a perfectionist and want something cosmetically and mechanically tidy and I like everything to work if possible. I know from my previous ownership experience that this would be unreasonable on a 205 and probably any car of this age. The 205 was such a blast to drive though and I definitely want the 1.9 this time for the wheels, part-leather interior and big engine in a small car experience. However, I remember the heater being a bit crap and it being difficult to drive smoothly in traffic. However, 205s seem to resist rust really well which is a positive, as it would be kept outside.

I have owned a Golf GTi but it was a mk4 2.0, so not really a proper one. The Golf has a nice look and feel about it and I would expect it would be the easier car to live with and also a bit more substantial. I wrote off my 205 in a 20mph shunt! My only experience of a mk2 Golf GTi was a short drive in a late 8 valver. It was nice enough but to be honest felt a bit slow and unresponsive compared to my 1.6 GTi. Is the 16v noticeably quicker? Also, I have heard reports of 28mpg being typical. It's not a biggie, as my daily commute isn't that far but this seems low for a NA 1.8. I'm sure I used to regularly get 35-40mpg out of my 205.

So which would make the nicest daily driver, the 205 or the Golf?

Id say Golf is the best for daily driving,owning 2 they really were brilliant,but based on peoples experiences the 1.9 205 was the better drivers car by a margin.

Both great cars. For that budget I think I'd go with the Golf, build quality has got to be a consideration with 20 year old cars!

As a daily driver and weekend fun car combined I'd go for another Golf. No question.

I love the 205 too but I wouldn't hang my hat on it the way I will with Golfs.

For driving, the Pug without a shadow of a doubt - more smiles per mile and all that. 8V Golfs feel a bit pedestrian along side and a 16Ver would be the way to go. However, you describe yourself as a bit of a perfectionist - this really doesn't equate with the Pug - the interior falls to bits whilst you drive along!

Both cars I'd love to own or drive. The Golf is better built and slightly more practical but I suspect the 205 is a little more fun, and it also doesn't look too dated inside considering its age

I'd go for whichever was in the best condition at the price point given the age of the cars we're talking about.

The 205 is the better drivers car.