Ford Fiesta ST hatchback review
Best used hot hatchbacks – our top 10
If you need practicality and enjoy driving but you’re on a tight budget, used hot hatches offer a great solution. Here are our top 10 best used hot hatchbacks
The humble hot hatchback has long been a popular car among driving enthusiasts with families because they offer a mix of performance and practicality. The thing is, ever more stringent emissions regulations and a surge in SUV sales means hot hatchbacks are being discontinued en masse, but fear not – the second-hand market is still awash with plenty of used hot hatchbacks to scratch that itch.
Of course, you could look at a coupe or sports car, but the beauty of a hot hatchback is that they’re much easier to live with, say, if you need to do the school run, go on holiday or in some more practical models with an estate option, even transport furniture or do a tip run.
Hot hatchbacks are also more economical than you might expect – while electric hot hatchbacks are still rather new and expensive if bought used, many petrol hot hatches will return fuel economy mpg figures in the high 40s, not to mention their cheaper prices on the used market.
If you don’t need the practicality of a hot hatchback, check out our list of best cheap sports cars or if you want some top-down fun read our list of the best convertibles. Read about the best used hot hatchbacks you can buy now below.
Used price: around £11,000
The latest Ford Fiesta ST is our favourite hot hatchback currently on sale and it makes a good choice on the used market too. Its three-cylinder engine produces just shy of 200bhp, which is plenty in a small, lightweight car. Zero to 62mph takes just 6.5 seconds, and it’s even more fun in corners than in a straight line. It’s one of the sweetest cars to drive currently on sale, so much so that we prefer it to some supercars that cost six times the price. It’s on a par with the previous Fiesta ST for driving thrills but feels more sophisticated.
Despite the exciting performance, the Fiesta ST is surprisingly efficient when you’re not in the mood to drive it quickly and can manage almost 50mpg. Plus, it has a hi-tech interior, enough space for four adults and a reasonably big boot, but it’s considerably cheaper than some of the slightly bigger cars on this list. The Fiesta ST does have somewhat of an image problem, though, so be prepared that others might see you and treat you as a bit of a boy-racer until they see you through the windows – if that bothers you, you might want to opt for something else on this list.
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Used price: Around £22,000
The standard Skoda Octavia is one of our favourite family cars, and the rapid vRS version adds extra pace and sportiness without sacrificing any of its qualities. You still get class-leading practicality, thoughtful ‘Simply Clever’ touches and all the space you could wish for, but a 242bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine helps to turn up the excitement; 0-62mph takes 6.7 seconds and the top speed is 155mph.
There’s also a 2.0-litre diesel version that offers most of the speed of the petrol but much better fuel economy (7.6 seconds to 62mph and 55.9mpg), and it’s one of the cars on this list that can be had as an estate. The Octavia vRS has subtle styling additions to make it look sharper than the standard car, but it’s still much more discreet than alternatives such as the Honda Civic Type R. Skoda Octavia vRS models are always in demand, so prices stay higher than a regular Octavia in the same condition.
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Used price: around £26,000
There’s no mistaking the Honda Civic Type R, with its massive spoiler, vented bonnet, wide body kit and red badges and brake calipers. This styling won’t appeal to everyone, but the aero additions aren’t just for show — they really do help the Civic’s performance and impressive cornering ability. This generation of Civic Type R has a potent 316bhp and officially manages 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds, on the way to topping out at 169mph.
All the standard Civic’s plus points still apply: the boot is cleverly designed and bigger than most of its rivals, it’s well built and it has plenty of equipment — although it’s slightly disappointing that it didn’t come with sat nav as standard. Honda’s infotainment setup as a whole is eclipsed by the systems in rivals, while some cheaper materials can be found if you look hard enough. We don’t think you’ll care too much though, once you sit in the red bucket seats and use the aluminium gear lever. All five Type R generations are highly sought after on the used market, but the latest car has been produced in higher numbers than the previous generation so it should be more readily available.
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Used price: around £16,000
Now in its seventh generation, the Volkswagen Golf GTI is the iconic hot hatchback. It faces stiff competition from the likes of the Octavia vRS and the Hyundai i30 N, and from within its own ranks from the more powerful Golf R. You’ll be able to find a 227bhp version on the used market, alongside the 242bhp Performance version that is now the entry point for a new GTI. The Performance is likely to hold its value better as, alongside the additional power, it adds extras like a limited slip differential for better handling. Above that is a limited-run TCR model with 286bhp, lowered suspension and an Akrapovic sports exhaust, which will catch the attention of collectors and likely always have high residual values.
Golf GTIs are often thought of as the everyday hot hatchback, as they’re comfortable, quiet and refined when you’d rather just cruise. Generous equipment levels and the classic GTI touches like the tartan seats and the golf ball gear knob make it feel more special than a standard Golf, too.
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Used price: around £14,000
The SEAT Leon Cupra undercuts the Golf GTI but is quicker and more powerful. The Cupra produces 286bhp but it has had varying amounts of power during the last few years, and there have been several special editions. All models sprint from 0-62mph in six seconds or less, and all now come with an automatic gearbox as standard — although earlier models were available with a manual gearbox.
Like the Octavia vRS, you can have a SEAT Leon ST Cupra estate version but, unlike the Skoda, the SEAT is petrol-only. Inside, the Cupra adds a smattering of sporty touches over the standard Leon, including Alcantara suede-fabric trim and exclusive badges.
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Used price: around £21,000
While Hyundai doesn’t have the longest history of making hot hatches, we were massively impressed by the i30 N when it launched, and then when it was followed up by the smaller Hyundai i20 N we liked that even more and awarded it our Carbuyer Best Hot Hatchback award in 2023. Unfortunately it’s now been discontinued to make way for electric-only ‘N’ models, but you can still find examples on the used market.
The Hyundai i20 N is powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 201bhp, which is plenty for a nimble little car like this. The six-speed manual gearbox gets rev-matching technology to help with swifter downshifts, and there’s also a limited-slip differential to provide extra grip though the corners. The i20 N was solely available as a five-door model, so it’s a little more practical than other hot-hatch supermini rivals, too.
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Used price: around £17,000
The Ford Focus ST has long been one of the most fun hot hatchbacks on the market. It’s the next step up above the Fiesta ST so rather than being suited to a boy-racer, it will suit you if you’re a parent with kids you need to regularly ferry around for the school run and then take it on a B-road blast after you’ve dropped them off.
It’s powered by a 2.3-litre turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine with 276bhp so it was more powerful than the Golf GTI of the time. If you want even better fuel economy there are diesel versions on the used market with 187bhp from a 2.0-litre engine. The Focus is also available as an estate version for even more versatility, so it’s a great car for fun and everyday functionality.
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Used price: around £11,000
While the Golf GTI and the even more powerful Golf R attract plenty of attention in enthusiast circles, the Polo GTI is often overlooked even as it has become more capable than ever before. Equipped with the same 2.0-litre turbo engine in the Golf GTI but with less horsepower, the Polo is now a quick car that is easy to enjoy. Don’t confuse it with a supermini though: the Polo GTI has grown and is now similar in size to a Golf of a few generations ago. Equipment levels are more generous than those of the previous generation and the interior finish in the Polo GTI feels refined. The Polo GTI may not be as exciting as some rivals, but it will achieve over 40mpg when you aren’t enjoying the performance, and is a more refined affair.
No manual gearbox is available and so for the enthusiast that really wants to engage with the car on every level, this will be a disappointment, but if you can see past this and enjoy clicking through a DSG paddle shifter the Polo GTI is hard to overlook.
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Used price: around £13,000
MINI offers two fast versions of its hatchbacks but the John Cooper Works (JCW) version is more powerful and racier than the Cooper S. Both provide an exhilarating drive and are excellent fun on a back road, but the JCW sits on lower, sportier suspension and comes with a more eye-catching body kit and paint scheme — complete with a handful of red accents.
Despite featuring one of the lowest power figures on this list – 228bhp – it gets from 0-62mph in just 6.1 seconds, which is quicker than some bigger hot hatchbacks. Its size means it’s nimble and easy to drive around town, although the usual MINI three-door practicality considerations apply here too: the back seats don’t offer much legroom, and the boot is small. Those drawbacks don’t stop the regular MINI from selling well, and it’s even less important here as you’ll buy a JCW for its speed and cornering ability.
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Used price: around £22,000
Although the AMG A35 isn’t the most powerful hot hatchback Mercedes offer, it has the same high quality finish and with 302bhp it isn’t lacking in performance. If you want a quick hatch back but also want the prestige and quality of a more premium vehicle, then this is likely to feel like a great fit.
Residual values have remained strong, as you would expect from such a well built and well equipped hot hatchback, however, now that the earliest models are just over three years old there are good savings to be made over buying new. If you do begin searching for the Mercedes AMG A35 you should remember that there were an array of options available so it is important to view the car, or ask the seller to send you a copy of the options list fitted to their example.
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