Good hot hatch for 2.5k

[Prancing Moose]

I'm after replacing my boring daily with something for 2.5k max (don't like finance and saving for other stuff)

Criteria is,

Fun
Reliable for 13kpa
Quick if not fast
Good looking, subjective I know.

So far considering,

Fiesta St150, plenty of nice ones around in budget
Seat Leon 2.0 TFSI, cheaper than MK5 GTI, would like DSG but unsure of reliability
Mini Cooper S (reliability??)
Clio 197, hard to get a good one with cambelt change for the money
Celica 190.. Found a nice one but full of advisories for rust on MOT
Audi TT 225, maybe money pit...

Wildcard, MR2, but all of them seem to have fked roofs.

Ruled out,

Civic type R, too expensive
Clio 182, seating position not for me
Golf GTI... Knackered and old for the money mostly

Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Thank you

[Prancing Moose]

Doesn't necessarily have to be a hatch, woiold consider e46 coupes, but almost impossible to find a nice one