RE: Hot hatches for £20k | Six of the Best
Discussion
Dombilano said:
911Spanker said:
Mégane or the BMW with a Birds kit.
I can't understand how someone can own a standard 140i.
Because not everyone wants an LSDI can't understand how someone can own a standard 140i.
Seat really missed an opportunity with the Leon Cupra. Could have really gone to town on the styling both interior and exterior to make it stand out. VW group already have the Audi, VW, Skoda to be the sensible versions so why not. Instead we ended up with a fundamentally good car but bland.
MB140 said:
Baddie said:
M140 for me, after a passenger ride on track in an M135i. He was sliding it, big loads in the corners, rapid and tuneful down the straights, and stood up to commercial track abuse.
I’ve got a 2016 m135i, 80,000 since new. Never let me down once. Returns 38mpg on a motorway run.
Is perfect up to 7/10ths then the open diff and slightly under damped rear becomes a problem. Of course if your doing 8/10ths on plus on public roads your normally travelling at a rapid rate on knots.
Never felt the need to mod mine. It’s perfect for my needs. I’m keep looking at replacing it. But what with.
1) New Yaris Gr, can’t get one and at 45k more than I want to spend.
2) Megan trophy 300. Interior is way to cheap feeling
3) Civic type R, only manual, wife can’t drive manual as she has a bad back.
4) Golf gti clubsport, never been a fan of the golf interior, haven’t driven one though.
5))m140i, too similar to the 135i, especially as mine is the last of the m135i.
6) cupra, not a big fan of the interiors.
So basically stick with what I have.
I have the Cupra, great car, does everything I need. Sadly got some rust already on the arches (SEAT won’t repair that under the warranty either). Other than premature rot, it’s been just standard servicing and consumables.
The problem as said by others is it is just a bit bland, especially in grey. Good Q car though.
In retrospect I’d have had the M140.
The problem as said by others is it is just a bit bland, especially in grey. Good Q car though.
In retrospect I’d have had the M140.
Six of the best?
More like 'six random ones from our classifieds to dress up as a sort-of-article because we need to push more people to the ad pages'.
2 genuinely good ones and 4 also-rans would be another way of describing it, although the M140i would probably be worth a look for the engine alone.
Off the top of my head:-
- As above, Mk7.5 GTI HAS to be on the list. Best all-round hot-hatch - not quite as sharp as the Hyundai or Renault, but easier to live with and less crashy for passengers. PP pack gives it a little more (needed) edge, too.
- FK2 was another 'nearly' car for me, and I usually rate fast Hondas. But I'd still take it over the Peugeot and Seat, and probably over the Focus.
- Where's the Cooper S JCW?
- ...and the Fiesta ST, which probably deserves a place above the Focus?
- ...and for £20k you can get a Yaris GRMN, which while very leftfield is a hoot to drive
- ...and it sort of is a hatch but I'd put an Octavia vRS above half the stuff on the list too.
More like 'six random ones from our classifieds to dress up as a sort-of-article because we need to push more people to the ad pages'.
2 genuinely good ones and 4 also-rans would be another way of describing it, although the M140i would probably be worth a look for the engine alone.
Off the top of my head:-
- As above, Mk7.5 GTI HAS to be on the list. Best all-round hot-hatch - not quite as sharp as the Hyundai or Renault, but easier to live with and less crashy for passengers. PP pack gives it a little more (needed) edge, too.
- FK2 was another 'nearly' car for me, and I usually rate fast Hondas. But I'd still take it over the Peugeot and Seat, and probably over the Focus.
- Where's the Cooper S JCW?
- ...and the Fiesta ST, which probably deserves a place above the Focus?
- ...and for £20k you can get a Yaris GRMN, which while very leftfield is a hoot to drive
- ...and it sort of is a hatch but I'd put an Octavia vRS above half the stuff on the list too.
Firebobby said:
Dombilano said:
911Spanker said:
Mégane or the BMW with a Birds kit.
I can't understand how someone can own a standard 140i.
Because not everyone wants an LSDI can't understand how someone can own a standard 140i.
The M lites are poor drivers cars out of the box, suspension that can’t keep up with the car, woolly steering and a rear axle that is crying out for an LSD to transfer all that power with a bit more predictability.
So, driving using the throttle so it isn’t a switch, yeah, but means you can’t actually deploy it beyond a certain percentage as it all get ragged, so just means you are always backing off.
Go and look at any race car, do they have and LSD ? The answer in most cases is yes, and there is a reason for that or would your superior throttle control see you winning ?
M140i if it was a manual, had better suspension and an LSD, that’s the car it should have been.
pacdes said:
Not one 0-60 time... If journalists can't even be bothered why should the buying public.
Presumably you can look them up on various websites or in evo mag0-60 top trumps hardly tells the story of how a hot hatch performs, especially a FWD car. More important are in-gear acceleration times, handling, etc etc.
Comparing 0-60 times of petrol cars has so many variables.. Gear ratios, tyres, type of traction control etc and even how little mechanical sympathy you can get away with.
86wasagoodyear said:
MB140 said:
Baddie said:
M140 for me, after a passenger ride on track in an M135i. He was sliding it, big loads in the corners, rapid and tuneful down the straights, and stood up to commercial track abuse.
I’ve got a 2016 m135i, 80,000 since new. Never let me down once. Returns 38mpg on a motorway run.
Is perfect up to 7/10ths then the open diff and slightly under damped rear becomes a problem. Of course if your doing 8/10ths on plus on public roads your normally travelling at a rapid rate on knots.
Never felt the need to mod mine. It’s perfect for my needs. I’m keep looking at replacing it. But what with.
1) New Yaris Gr, can’t get one and at 45k more than I want to spend.
2) Megan trophy 300. Interior is way to cheap feeling
3) Civic type R, only manual, wife can’t drive manual as she has a bad back.
4) Golf gti clubsport, never been a fan of the golf interior, haven’t driven one though.
5))m140i, too similar to the 135i, especially as mine is the last of the m135i.
6) cupra, not a big fan of the interiors.
So basically stick with what I have.
Looking at this list, I think you want to find a bit more and buy a GR Yaris. I’m totally biased.
This almost exactly the list of cars I considered 5 years ago and scarily with a £20k budget (for a 2~3 year old at the time) which is a interesting observation on used car prices
What is missing from this list, and they are big omissions are (of course) the CTR and Golf GTI/R
What I actually bought was a Leon Cupra 300 and I did not regret it at all. Ran it for 4 years and only replaced it because I felt a GR Yaris was an itch I had to scratch and I couldnt justify keeping both.
I chose the Cupra because it is effectively a cheaper Golf TCR and a really, really good all round car for daily use with occasional fun on the right road/occasion. Others were rejected as CTR - looks. Focus - Interior. Golf R - boring to drive at sane speeds. 308 - steering wheel location. BMW - handling feel (don't want to mod with Birds/others due to cost). Megane - 3 dr and scared of unreliability. i30N - looks and image.
In essence the Cupra was the "safe option" whilst capable of providing a level of fun on the road.
When I first got it I was worried as the axle tramp in the wet and a bit in the dry was appaulling. After a little forums research I fitted PS4S tyres and held changing the dogbone mount swop until I saw what the tyres did. THey 100% cured it in the dry and 95% in the wet so I didn';t swop the dogbone as it swops axle tramp for noise and/or light throttle shunting. With good quality tyres (other quality brands might also do the trick) the car was great and there are times I really miss it's all round competence (like when doing a 4 hour motorway journey with the GRY)
Truth is, all the cars (plus Golf and CTR) are good cars and if they meet what you want from a car then they likely are going to make you very happy. If/when I replace the GRY the likely candidates are a CTR (FL5 or Sport Line FK8), a Focus Estate ST or the Mk 2 GRY. The Cupra Leon is not on the list as they ruined it's interior with Golf 8 rubbish and it doesn't look good to my eyes. I think about another Leon Cupra (possibly estate) but the only time I got the same car twice I got bored of the 2nd one really quickly so I told myself not to do that again.
We shall see
What is missing from this list, and they are big omissions are (of course) the CTR and Golf GTI/R
What I actually bought was a Leon Cupra 300 and I did not regret it at all. Ran it for 4 years and only replaced it because I felt a GR Yaris was an itch I had to scratch and I couldnt justify keeping both.
I chose the Cupra because it is effectively a cheaper Golf TCR and a really, really good all round car for daily use with occasional fun on the right road/occasion. Others were rejected as CTR - looks. Focus - Interior. Golf R - boring to drive at sane speeds. 308 - steering wheel location. BMW - handling feel (don't want to mod with Birds/others due to cost). Megane - 3 dr and scared of unreliability. i30N - looks and image.
In essence the Cupra was the "safe option" whilst capable of providing a level of fun on the road.
When I first got it I was worried as the axle tramp in the wet and a bit in the dry was appaulling. After a little forums research I fitted PS4S tyres and held changing the dogbone mount swop until I saw what the tyres did. THey 100% cured it in the dry and 95% in the wet so I didn';t swop the dogbone as it swops axle tramp for noise and/or light throttle shunting. With good quality tyres (other quality brands might also do the trick) the car was great and there are times I really miss it's all round competence (like when doing a 4 hour motorway journey with the GRY)
Truth is, all the cars (plus Golf and CTR) are good cars and if they meet what you want from a car then they likely are going to make you very happy. If/when I replace the GRY the likely candidates are a CTR (FL5 or Sport Line FK8), a Focus Estate ST or the Mk 2 GRY. The Cupra Leon is not on the list as they ruined it's interior with Golf 8 rubbish and it doesn't look good to my eyes. I think about another Leon Cupra (possibly estate) but the only time I got the same car twice I got bored of the 2nd one really quickly so I told myself not to do that again.
We shall see
Jonstar said:
Stop moaning, no one cares.
Megane for me, proper hot hatch that.
The hot hatch 'USP' was always considered it's 0-60 time: No advert, review, top trump card or discussion amongst enthusiasts would take place without it. Sadly, it's the 'Nobody's' you mention which, by inclusion refers to 'you' that has resulted in the demise of these machines. Megane for me, proper hot hatch that.
Edited by pacdes on Saturday 25th May 11:03
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