Hunting for a Hot Hatch!

[Digerati]

Lo,

I'm in the market for a hot hatch, looking to spend between 9-12k.

The cars I've been looking at are:

Polo GTI
Fiesta ST
Clio 182/197
Civic Type R

My questions are, have any of you guys had any experiance with these cars?

My main concern is running costs. (Petrol, services etc) Insurance is surprisingly cheap for me (I'm 23) all coming under £650 a year which is what lead me towards the interest of purchasing one of these babies.

[Howard]

If you're concerned about petrol and service costs you should probably be looking at something more run of the mill

[99Flake]

Fabia vRS

'nuff said.

[Vimeous]

Polo is the slowest but looks great.
Fiesta likely to be cheapest to service.
Clio's a bundle of laughs, light and quick.
Civic has fabulous drivetrain.

I'd add:
Octavia vRS - Probably too big but superb allrounder
Leon Cupra - Fastest of the VW Brigade
Corolla T-Sport - Nutter engine in sensible car
Focus STI - Fine chassis

If you really don't mind a little compromise and can afford the insurance would a coupe be better suited? (Celica, MR2, Integra)


EDIT:

Fabia vRS

'nuff said.

How can I have forgotten!
^ What he said

[dangel]

The cars I've been looking at are:

Polo GTI
Fiesta ST
Clio 182/197
Civic Type R

Most fun: probably the clio. Most fun reliably: probably the civic.

The Polo is a dullard, and the ST feels slow.

Thumbs up for Leon Cupras (they did a TDI version too on the last model) from me and the vRS is nothing to be sniffed at (but curiously weighs more than a Leon!).
Don't buy a corolla - it'a a complete solid, reliable car but... it's a corolla. You'll be single until your sixties.

[Digerati]

If you're concerned about petrol and service costs you should probably be looking at something more run of the mill

Thats what my sensible conscience was telling me... but I don't listen to him anymore since the accident...

I did look at the Fabia vRS but I'm really not keen on the looks. Is there something about that car which I'm missing?

Ill check out the Leon as well!

[hitman67]

The Fabia is a Diesel so will be fast as f**k but still give 45-50mpg so that's one of your concerns killed.

Ok it's maybe not the best looking but it's a great sleeper, Several people on here over time have had Skoda vRS and all have loved them

[99Flake]

I did look at the Fabia vRS but I'm really not keen on the looks. Is there something about that car which I'm missing?

As said, it will return good miles to the gallon, and they are very quick. Great to drive, very solid and come with good equipment levels. One of my best friends has one and she knows nothing about cars really but fell in love with it after driving it. Very chippable as well, if you wanted to go down that route in the future.

[tiggerai]

Having driven the non-turbo version, Check out the Colt CzT also...

Type-R's are lovely though... Just don't wrap them round lampposts like my ex did.

I test drove the Type-R and the Leon a few years back and they're both really nice to drive, but the Civic just pips the Leon on build and comfort.

[Shad]

Does it have to be a small hatch? Have a look at what else you can get in that price bracket

Assuming you're not looking to buy new...?

[staffsMike]

Depending on the type of driver you are it would be down to 3 cars for me.

Clio 172/182
Civic Type R
Leon Cupra R

My brother has a 182 cup and it's essentially a go kart. Very difficult to get it wrong in that car..just point and hit the throttle. I personally hate the driving position..ruins the car for me. Its tacky but not unreliable..seems to take the thrashing he gives it anyway.

I've had a couple of extended drives in a civic type R. It's very much the drivers car out of the bunch for me. The gearstick on the dash is for lack of a better word is perfect. Just imagine you are in a touring car race It's massive fun in the dry..slightly more difficult to get the power down in the wet due to the nature of how it's delivered but massive fun for me. Pretty much a perfect all rounder but..

Extended miles are quite tiring if all you want to do is relax and it's very tiring as a passenger.

Cupra R goes the opposite way. Theres so much tourque you never really need to leave 6th gear, it's pretty quiet and easy to drive over distance. Handles nicely in all conditions but..

It is a compromise.. you can't have as much fun in them as the other two.. tune them as much as you like they won't be as fun to drive as the other two.

It would be the civic type R for me as I like high revving engines and having to work a bit behind the wheel.

Fiesta ST i've been a passenger in.. too slow really. handles nicely but the driver seem quite happy to get back to his clio
Polo GTi.. don't know much about it but I think i'd have the golf if I could afford it.

[dangel]

It is a compromise.. you can't have as much fun in them as the other two.. tune them as much as you like they won't be as fun to drive as the other two.

Oh I dunno - 280bhp post-chipping is a lot of fun I think there's better 'feel' in the LCR too - i always found the CTR a little indifferent in that respect. To be fair, the LCR does roll a bit much on stock shocks for my liking though. Personal choice.. Certainly if power is your aim then the LCR is the route to go - the CTR is much more work to make faster (thinking supercharger fitment versus a software mod). Plus, of course, a chip isn't er.. how shall I put it - too obvious to those who might be interested?
I've got a lot of time for both cars though and completely understand one man's heaven is another's hell. I'd take turbo shunt over screaming revs any day - just because it's far more relaxed a car to live with.

The Leon is a pretty big car BTW - it's a lot bigger inside and out than a focus for example. On the up side it does have a massive boot ..

[nimbu]

Well 12k is the rough value Ive been given for my (nearly) 5 year old S3. so could aim for one of them. though running costs are not nice . I drive semi sensibly and get around 27 mpg. Though its group 17 and my first years insurance (when I was ur age) was 2.4k........

Though build quality is prob better then all the cars you have stated, and generally the S3's have everything you could want extra's wise built in, electric seats, leathers, xenon's etc etc as standard.

Nims

[chriswood_7]

I might be biased but why not get a Megane 225 or R26?

I say this every time one of these discussions turn up, but for the money they are top cars

[arbitor]

Polo and ford are not hot hatches, wastes of time.

182 is as fast as the new one, and looks better imo... good little cars, v small though compared with lcr/ctr..

Having not driven a lcr i don't know, look good pretty much run of the mill.

Ctr i have driven, pretty quick, but if spending the dollar get the JDM import with the extra 25 bhp, plus its white and looks a joke.

Also I would consider a focus RS as its faster than all of the above.

Dont bother with a diesel, everyone is remapping diesels and its just not as fun to drive around a track as a petrol, and its just not a hot hatch is it.

Depending on what you really want to spend, you could pick up a GREAT Peugeot 306 gti-6 for 4k, and it would be mint. And still look pretty new if you got a 2000 reg one..


And would kick the crap out of the first two easily. Is very similar to the 182 albeit straight line speed is worse, but the drive is going to be much more involving, and its a nice looking car and theres not many about.

What about the v6 clio?

[Shad]

Good call on the Clio V6 there, it reminds me that I think Alfa 147 GTAs are in this price bracket now - now that's about as hot as hatches come

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/232358.htm

Mmmmmmm