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5 Hot Hatches that can be brought for less than a TV

Can't afford a brand new hot hatch? No worry, older cars are
just as good
Hot hatches. Whilst they may not be as recognised over across the pond at the USA, they are a common sight here in Europe - and for good reason. Someone who drives a hot hatch in my eyes is someone who needs their everyday practicality, but it also shows someone who enjoys driving. And when it comes to smiles per gallon, the pocket rockets are hard to beat.

Happily for us, hot hatches still wear normal car badges on them. This does mean that they tend to lose their value at a somewhat alarming rate; simply because they aren't sporting a Germanic badge. So I decided to have a hunt through the car ads today, and see if there were any bargains. Here is what I found...


RenualtSport Clio Cup 182



This rather handsome looking thing is the Renault Clio Cup 182. Rather astoundingly, it has 182bhp which means it will get from 0-60 in 7.1 seconds. That may not be lightning quick by todays standards - diesel saloon cars are quicker these days - however its the feel the car brings that makes this such a gem to blast down your back round. It's also great at raising a rear wheel off the ground for maximum lift-off oversteer fun. This particular example may have slightly scuffed rims, but everything else is in shape. Only £1,995!


Ford Fiesta ST



To some of the naturally aspirated purists, this ST is better than the current generation. Why? Because while the current car has to make do with a turbo 1.6, this has an all natural 2.0L engine. It was also an absolute peach; the noises are great, the response is excellent and it really does shift. 0-60 is done in 7.9 seconds and it'll keep pulling up to 130mph! This examples' tax has just expired, but it does have full service history and we think it's good value at £2,495


Honda Civic Type-R



There are many people who really enjoy having a poke at Honda drivers, especially Civic owners. They get laughed at for having no torque, for sounding like a fart and for typically pimping their cars to look stupid. But if you keep your Civic stock, you can enjoy that 2.0L Vtec masterpiece that lays under the bonnet. It is true that torque is fairly left out, but that's just an excuse to rev it to its 8000 rpm redline! They sound amazing too, and have dropped in price to just £2,295 for this particular example.


VW Lupo GTi



The Lupo is one of the lesser known hot hatches in the market right now, especially since the Lupo is often associated with old people and their rattly 3-cylinder engines. The Lupo did get the GTi treatment though, packing a 1.6L engine into its tiny body; enough to propel it to 60 in 8.3 seconds. That isn't quick, in fact it could be argued not to be a hot hatch at all. But you've got to remember straight-line speed is not what hot hatches are about. If you are thinking about getting one of these, be quick because they are getting rarer (and more expensive). This one is up for £1,990 and has service history, tax and an MOT.


Peugeot 206 GTi



Badge snobs look away now, it's a Peugeot! Love it or loathe it, if you are looking for a hot hatch but are on a serious budget, you cannot ignore the 206 GTi. Dozens are on sale for under £1,000, but I would probably ignore them because they may have problems or missing history. Despite the 206 getting bad press, the GTi was actually loved quite widely, and for good reason. It ate up corners like a piece of cake and had such a free-revving engine. Like the Lupo, it's not quick by today's standards, but it will put such a grin on your face. Not many other cars that cost £1,195 can do that!



5 Hot Hatches that can be brought for less than a TV 5 Hot Hatches that can be brought for less than a TV Reviewed by Jack Cooper on March 26, 2014 Rating: 5

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