Tell the Old fart about Hot Hatches
Discussion
Need a new Tesco Express for self and Mrs C.
As I haven't driven anything FWD since the last century I guess things have moved on a tad. what's out there sub £15k that in standard form goes like hot snot, is chuckable and reasonably reliable?
would prefer 3 door and nothing that looks like a four wheeled abortion ie, the love child of Wayne and Chantelle after a night of MD and Aftershock.
Likes,
Alfa 147GTA
Leon Cupra R
Golf R32
So what can the 'massive' suggest for Mrs C to pootle to Tesco's in and yours truely can beast around Exmoor?
As I haven't driven anything FWD since the last century I guess things have moved on a tad. what's out there sub £15k that in standard form goes like hot snot, is chuckable and reasonably reliable?
would prefer 3 door and nothing that looks like a four wheeled abortion ie, the love child of Wayne and Chantelle after a night of MD and Aftershock.
Likes,
Alfa 147GTA
Leon Cupra R
Golf R32
So what can the 'massive' suggest for Mrs C to pootle to Tesco's in and yours truely can beast around Exmoor?
My 147 GTA was great, and SWMBO learned to drive in it.
It is actually really easy to drive around town due to its massive torque. It does have quite a poor turning circle, though.
Worth looking for one with a Q2 diff, and a recent cambelt/waterpump/impellor change. Also a stainless exhaust as the standard items only last about 3 years or so.
They have an air of specialness that other hot hatches can't match, and I would regularly get waves and thumbs up from Ferrari and Lambo drivers.
It is actually really easy to drive around town due to its massive torque. It does have quite a poor turning circle, though.
Worth looking for one with a Q2 diff, and a recent cambelt/waterpump/impellor change. Also a stainless exhaust as the standard items only last about 3 years or so.
They have an air of specialness that other hot hatches can't match, and I would regularly get waves and thumbs up from Ferrari and Lambo drivers.
Ecurie Ecosse said:
My 147 GTA was great, and SWMBO learned to drive in it.
It is actually really easy to drive around town due to its massive torque. It does have quite a poor turning circle, though.
Worth looking for one with a Q2 diff, and a recent cambelt/waterpump/impellor change. Also a stainless exhaust as the standard items only last about 3 years or so.
They have an air of specialness that other hot hatches can't match, and I would regularly get waves and thumbs up from Ferrari and Lambo drivers.
Well of course you'd get thumbs up from other drivers of Italian cars - they need to build a network of friends so that they can get assistance/a push when the electrics invariably pack up!It is actually really easy to drive around town due to its massive torque. It does have quite a poor turning circle, though.
Worth looking for one with a Q2 diff, and a recent cambelt/waterpump/impellor change. Also a stainless exhaust as the standard items only last about 3 years or so.
They have an air of specialness that other hot hatches can't match, and I would regularly get waves and thumbs up from Ferrari and Lambo drivers.
All in jest - I'm sure the GTA is a good car...Not sure I could ignore one of these with your criteria, so much better looking than any other hot hatch:
Quite like this:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2627068.htm
This is just about in budget and would no doubt be a hoot to drive, and fairly practical too
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2467498.htm
Quite like this:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2627068.htm
This is just about in budget and would no doubt be a hoot to drive, and fairly practical too
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2467498.htm
Edited by Japveesix on Friday 1st April 17:23
I'm going to pipe up for the Leon Cupra R, they are often off the radar for most people but they are fantastic cars. I've got the older version, but it's fast, handles and rides well, well insulated from wind and tyre noise and has a great engine and exhaust noise. Take a look in my profile for more info.
It's an absolute joy to drive. It feels very meaty and substantial, unlike the smaller breed of hot hatches. The black interior is very cossetting, and the glowing red dials look fantastic at night. The gearbox is excellent too and is as slick and satisfying to use as I would expect from a VAG box. The 6th gear makes it good for motorway cruising at a quiet and economical 2600rpm or so at 70mph, though the stiff suspension makes it bump over cats eyes and expansion joints - with that in mind, these kind of cars are meant for annihilating back roads, not munching motorways! At 225bhp as standard and not being a small car, it's really in the unofficial "super hatch" category, and I note from your post that you are looking at the bigger/faster end of hot hatches. Some might say "look for a smaller hot hatch, lighter weight and better handling" etc, but in truth you would have to be very, very brave (or foolish) to really tax the grip and handling of these cars as they are all very capable in this bracket.
The latest Cupra R is 265bhp, and imo should be pretty bloody fast, and according to EVO it was the quickest in a superhatch test a few months back. They didn't like the "lack of steering feel", a common easy get-out for motoring journalists to explain why they prefer another car, but admitted that it's traction and grip were absolutely supreme and that it outgunned even the claimed 300bhp Focus RS. In reality I don't think a Focus RS has ever dyno'd at 300bhp from the factory, 275bhp I think is the figure EVO recorded and is the figure that I've heard of some owners getting. Since it seems that Ford have inflated the performance of the RS to aid sales, the gap between the much cheaper Cupra R and the Focus RS is closer than it may seem on paper, and like I mentioned, it was the quickest round EVO's track. On the road, I think all of these cars are much of a muchness in terms of outright performance. You have to be willing to throw your licence away in order to really go flat out through the gears in any of them!
I get good fuel economy from mine too, up to 35mpg on a mixed commute (beating the manufacturers figures and nearly matching my old 1.3L Fiesta!) and never less than 28mpg when I'm really getting my foot down, which admittedly is not all that often because my Cupra R will take off in any gear when the turbo spools up to full boost. I generally only use the power for quick overtakes and the odd run through the gears. The full acceleration on tap is quite impressive! For the power on offer it's really quite good on fuel, though as performance cars all of the cars you mention are really best run on V Power 98 RON fuel, which is a little but more expensive than regular 95 RON.
If you want to know anything more specific about the Cupra R then feel free to ask!
It's an absolute joy to drive. It feels very meaty and substantial, unlike the smaller breed of hot hatches. The black interior is very cossetting, and the glowing red dials look fantastic at night. The gearbox is excellent too and is as slick and satisfying to use as I would expect from a VAG box. The 6th gear makes it good for motorway cruising at a quiet and economical 2600rpm or so at 70mph, though the stiff suspension makes it bump over cats eyes and expansion joints - with that in mind, these kind of cars are meant for annihilating back roads, not munching motorways! At 225bhp as standard and not being a small car, it's really in the unofficial "super hatch" category, and I note from your post that you are looking at the bigger/faster end of hot hatches. Some might say "look for a smaller hot hatch, lighter weight and better handling" etc, but in truth you would have to be very, very brave (or foolish) to really tax the grip and handling of these cars as they are all very capable in this bracket.
The latest Cupra R is 265bhp, and imo should be pretty bloody fast, and according to EVO it was the quickest in a superhatch test a few months back. They didn't like the "lack of steering feel", a common easy get-out for motoring journalists to explain why they prefer another car, but admitted that it's traction and grip were absolutely supreme and that it outgunned even the claimed 300bhp Focus RS. In reality I don't think a Focus RS has ever dyno'd at 300bhp from the factory, 275bhp I think is the figure EVO recorded and is the figure that I've heard of some owners getting. Since it seems that Ford have inflated the performance of the RS to aid sales, the gap between the much cheaper Cupra R and the Focus RS is closer than it may seem on paper, and like I mentioned, it was the quickest round EVO's track. On the road, I think all of these cars are much of a muchness in terms of outright performance. You have to be willing to throw your licence away in order to really go flat out through the gears in any of them!
I get good fuel economy from mine too, up to 35mpg on a mixed commute (beating the manufacturers figures and nearly matching my old 1.3L Fiesta!) and never less than 28mpg when I'm really getting my foot down, which admittedly is not all that often because my Cupra R will take off in any gear when the turbo spools up to full boost. I generally only use the power for quick overtakes and the odd run through the gears. The full acceleration on tap is quite impressive! For the power on offer it's really quite good on fuel, though as performance cars all of the cars you mention are really best run on V Power 98 RON fuel, which is a little but more expensive than regular 95 RON.
If you want to know anything more specific about the Cupra R then feel free to ask!
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