You have £7000, which hot hatch do you buy?

[samoht]

Peugeot 306 XSI, GTi-6 or Rallye, if you can find a decent one for £7k.

[CG2020UK]

Peugeot 208GTI would be my pick.

I’ve had 2 and just love them.

Once you get use to the small steering wheel and it’s feeling there is a proper little hidden gem of a car.

Brilliant to live with, have been bombproof, returns brilliant mpg and happily gets up on 3 wheels and has a very lively rear end.

[ZX10R NIN]

VladtheImpala said:

My brother and I are playing this game, with the final idea being that he will buy a hot hatch as his 2nd car.

I've got a 182 so naturally, he isn't allowed to get one of those.

He's leaning toward a Cooper S (without having driven one) but I have, and still think there's better out there.

The rules:

1. Has to be a hot hatch, before Mr Tuned BMW 120D turns up in the comments.
2. Petrol
3. Any age past 2000, exceptions will be made for pre-2000 hidden gems.
4. No Vauxhall Astras, c'mon, we're better than that.
5. RHD
6. Ideally 3 doors, 5 is ok as long as it's still a hatchback (so not a BMW 120D).

What have you enjoyed driving? What would you avoid at all costs?

If you're talking full size hot hatch at 7k I'm buying an Astra GTC VXR, a car only bested imo by the Megane RS Cup Chassis cars.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211031...

I know you said no Vauxhalls but you should drive a GTC VXR before judging it.

Small hatch wise the 208 GTI:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210251...

[Decky_Q]

Xenoous said:

Megane RS250 just about falls into that price bucket, but not with the cup chassis (LSD and a couple of other bits). There's one up for £7,500 but its been up for a while now.

I'd probably be looking at a Mk7 Fiesta ST to be honest. Widely known as one of the best smaller cars of the era to drive.

Yeah I'd also vote rs250 megane, I've seen them for £6k locally and was that good vfm that I nearly bought it even though I have no use for it. Will also look good alongside a clio at track days

[White-Noise]

Ive a gti and a 200, but for that cash I'd be tempted to check out an St. I get the impression they have a good mix of comfort and excitement which in my mind sits between my two, I've never drive one. There are hot hatches and there are hot hatches!

[TameRacingDriver]

I had under £10k to spend on a new car, and most of the options were RWD sports cars, but the one FWD car I had on the list was an RS Megane.

That said, I would also consider spending a lot less on something like an FN2 Civic Type-R, get a Hondata for it (which you can resell), and fast road setup, and you'll still have a change out of £7k, and you'll have yourself an 8500 rpm, highly amusing hot hatch which still looks modern today and is ridiculously reliable. Only reason I didn't have this on my shortlist was because I've already had one, but honestly, it was a great little car.

VXR suggested above might be an underrated choice too I reckon. They definitely look very nice if nothing else.

[Pyrolysis]

I was going to say Alfa 147 GTA, just looked at the prices tho and the cheapest are slightly over budget

[ZX10R NIN]

Decky_Q said:

Yeah I'd also vote rs250 megane, I've seen them for £6k locally and was that good vfm that I nearly bought it even though I have no use for it. Will also look good alongside a clio at track days

The thing with the Megane is you really want the Cup Chassis & if you can't get one for 7k then the Astra above is the pick and even if you can get one I still think I'd buy the VXR because you can slacken off the Astra to make it a good daily too.

[blueovercream]

How's about going outside the box a bit with a Mazda 3 MPS?

Or to play the rule 3 card - a Peugeot 106 in Rallye or GTI flavour, and some negotiation...

[Zlat502]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204224...

Leon Cupra R

Edited by Zlat502 on Friday 7th April 17:18

[V 02]

The best example of a R53 Cooper S and still have some spare change to take to Lohen!

[MDL111]

nickfrog said:

In the long tradition of suggesting what I have I would say Clio 200.

+1
Started driving mine again recently - so much fun

[justin220]

Interesting topic. I'm looking for something at similar budget. Criteria very similar..

Must be interesting.
Take a dog in the boot and child in the back.
Ideally hold it's money and be reasonably easy to sell on - was tempted by a 147 GTA but not sure if I'd end up unable to sell it.

R32 maybe?

I have owned a lot of Renaultsports do the default for me would be the 197/200 but I just can't get over the price of them. And I'm not keen to pay 182 trophy money

I was close on a Panda 100 but it's probably a bit small for what I need.

[georgeyboy12345]

You can just about get into an Alfa Romeo 147 GTA for that money. This one probably needs a bit of work (especially getting those horrid black wheels back to their original colour), but it'll be totally worth it when you open up that Busso V6
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303085...


Honourable mention - this low mileage R53 Mini Cooper S looks tidy
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202210010...

[maz8062]

Off topic sorry, but have you guys seen the prices of the 2005 Renault Clio Trophy? I was going to suggest one until I saw the prices of the things

[FakeCarGuy]

Ideally a125i/130i hatch.

But I don't think you can go wrong with an R53 Cooper S or FN Civic Type R (although I'd go cooper S since I love supercharger whine).

[Belle427]

Edition 30 does tune well, £350 for a remap which sees 300bhp and really transforms it.
Problem is many are getting to the point they need suspension refreshes etc and can quickly become a money pit.

[Ryyy]

A 172

[Truckosaurus]

I'd be tempted by a late ZC32 Suzuki Swift, with the NA 1.6 engine.

Not the fastest but if meant to be old school fun and will be loads more reliable and cheaper to run than a 15 year old Clio or leggy 3 Generation old Golf with the boost turned up.

[ChevronB19]

Clio 197/200 for me, having previously owned them. Be quick though, they are going up.