Warm Hatch Ideas - Page 1 - Car Buying

Friday 11th January 2019

After a long wait from the insurance company, I'm finally looking for something to replace the Yaris T-Sport that met it's timely end after a head-on with an Evoque (not the prettiest, see pic)

Anyhow, looking for something similar as had a barrel of laughs in it, until ^^^
Must still be a manual hatchback
Ideally petrol
Needs 4 seats minimum
Budget is Max £2.5k
Any suggestions welcomed

aaaaron98

18 posts

94 months

Friday 11th January 2019

Swift Sport would be my picking if I was in your position for a 'warm' hatch. Punchy little engine and good handling to back it up.

Mr Tidy

28,874 posts

148 months

Saturday 12th January 2019

Eek - I hope you are OK. thumbup

I'm a big fan of RWD, so for that budget I'd be looking for a BMW E46 325ti Compact.

mikeyr

3,243 posts

214 months

Saturday 12th January 2019

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Love our Twingo 133, bought for under two and a half. Low mileage (65k) and FSH

mikeyr

3,243 posts

214 months

Saturday 12th January 2019

Lots of good ideas here too...

https://www.evo.co.uk/features/18232/cheap-first-c...

Blooming love a little hot hatch me! Fave type of car I reckon.

aka_kerrly

12,494 posts

231 months

Saturday 12th January 2019

aaaaron98 said:

Swift Sport would be my picking if I was in your position for a 'warm' hatch. Punchy little engine and good handling to back it up.

This is a GOOD option for a cheap to insure fun hatch!

With similar insurance& running costs also consider

R53 Mini Cooper S - supercharged fun and i cant see them getting much cheaper than they are. Find a nice Chili spec or JC
Fiesta ST - 2.0 16v format - 150hp of NA fun
Seat Ibiza 1.8T

don't overlook coupes in this price point to, the Toyota Celica for example is a relatively cheap to insure & run coupe in 1.8 VVT 140hp form,

Im not at all surprised to see MR Tidy recommending the E46 BMW 325Ti - another solid contender for something a little more unusual than standard hatchback, it is also a solid suggestion for a RWD experiment.

ZX10R NIN

29,865 posts

146 months

Saturday 12th January 2019

Test driver

348 posts

145 months

Saturday 12th January 2019

Golf v6 4motion and spend a few quick on the suspension/handling.

FiringOnThree

Original Poster

66 posts

89 months

Saturday 12th January 2019

Mr Tidy said:

Eek - I hope you are OK. thumbup

I'm a big fan of RWD, so for that budget I'd be looking for a BMW E46 325ti Compact.

I’m all good - not a scratch so props to Toyota’s build quality!
I’d love one of these but... just the headlights vomit

Twingo RS is tempting me though

18,479 posts

186 months

Sunday 13th January 2019

Fiat panda 100hp has to be in for a look along with the twingo and swift.

FiringOnThree

Original Poster

66 posts

89 months

Monday 14th January 2019

ecsrobin said:

Fiat panda 100hp has to be in for a look along with the twingo and swift.

Anyone driven/owned the Panda? Just feel like the 1.4 might not feel like quite enough, I may be completely wrong biggrin

Integroo

11,585 posts

106 months

Monday 14th January 2019

I would be going for a Suzuki Ignis Sport with the JDM-esque front fog lights.

Ron99

1,985 posts

102 months

Monday 14th January 2019

FiringOnThree said:

Anyone driven/owned the Panda? Just feel like the 1.4 might not feel like quite enough, I may be completely wrong biggrin

Any naturally aspirated manual feels like hard work compared to turbocharged autos.

My Swift Sport is sluggish below 3000rpm - put your foot down and not much happens. But it's surprisingly perky with a bit of gearbox stirring to get it above 4000rpm.

However, I'll be honest and say that I wouldn't buy a Swift Sport again because the ride is too harsh. It's tiring to drive for long periods, is prone to damaging tyres and generally skips about over uneven surfaces which spoils handling when an unexpected mid-corner rough patch is encountered.
In theory it's a great car for B-roads but in reality needs slightly more tyre sidewall and slightly less firm springs to prevent it skipping sideways.

As I've said on some other topics: my wife's Viva or my Insignia can travel at faster speeds than my Swift Sport over the rippled-surface B-roads near me because their tyres and suspension soak up the bumps rather than be so firm as to cause one or more wheels to momentarily lose contact with the road.

The Panda 1.4 is pretty firmly sprung, too.

Squadrone Rosso

3,530 posts

168 months

Monday 14th January 2019

Abarth Punto or 500.

18,479 posts

186 months

Monday 14th January 2019

Ron99 said:

However, I'll be honest and say that I wouldn't buy a Swift Sport again because the ride is too harsh. It's tiring to drive for long periods, is prone to damaging tyres and generally skips about over uneven surfaces which spoils handling when an unexpected mid-corner rough patch is encountered.
In theory it's a great car for B-roads but in reality needs slightly more tyre sidewall and slightly less firm springs to prevent it skipping sideways.

As I've said on some other topics: my wife's Viva or my Insignia can travel at faster speeds than my Swift Sport over the rippled-surface B-roads near me because their tyres and suspension soak up the bumps rather than be so firm as to cause one or more wheels to momentarily lose contact with the road.

The Panda 1.4 is pretty firmly sprung, too.

Isn’t every warm to hot hatch firmly sprung?

18,479 posts

186 months

Monday 14th January 2019

Squadrone Rosso said:

Abarth Punto or 500.

For £2.5k?? No chance.

Squadrone Rosso

3,530 posts

168 months

Monday 14th January 2019

ecsrobin said:

For £2.5k?? No chance.

Lol. Missed that part......

Ron99

1,985 posts

102 months

Monday 14th January 2019

ecsrobin said:

Isn’t every warm to hot hatch firmly sprung?

Yes, most are.

But it gets embarrassing when I'm in a 'warm/hot' hatch but have to slow to about 40mph while family cars can continue at 60mph because their occupants don't get concussed from the firm ride and their tyres don't get bumped all the way to the rims because they have chunkier sidewalls.

Of course, most hot hatches only pootle in rush hour traffic or to the shops, so the oversize wheels/small sidewalls and overly firm suspension doesn't matter to most owners.

ZX10R NIN

29,865 posts

146 months

Monday 14th January 2019

ecsrobin said:

Squadrone Rosso said:

Abarth Punto or 500.

For £2.5k?? No chance.

Nope but you can get a Grande Punto T Jet:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

but I'd take the 155 Veloce Mito over these:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...