Top used hot hatches - from just £2000

You don’t need to spend a lot to enjoy some of the best of breed, either, so here are our picks of the hot hatch crop in alphabetical order, with guide pricing:

Way more than just a warmed over Fiat 500, the Abarth 500 was sold from the start as a standalone brand. This was thanks to the Abarth models sporting turbocharged petrol engines when the Fiat did not, which required the Abarth’s more jutting front bumper to accommodate the intercooler. There are plenty of other unique Abarth touches, not least the nimble handling and very rorty exhaust note.

With prices from £4800 for clean, reasonable mileage early Abarth 500s from 2009, it’s a cool way to get from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds. The Esseesse model shaved that down to 7.4 seconds with its £2500 upgrade package, though it came at the expense of the ride quality. Better to look for a standard Abarth 500 and just check the door handles and washer jets work properly.

As the four-leafed badge on this zesty Alfa Romeo suggests, it’s a bit of a rarity. Few new buyers realised this hot hatch’s potential, with 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds from its 235bhp 1750cc turbo petrol motor. The exterior is certainly subtle other than the handsome 18-inch alloy wheels, while inside the Giulietta has leather and suede seats.

From £4700 (and prices are firmly on the up it seems), you’ll be looking at a higher mileage car and private sale, but running costs are affordable so even choosing a pricier example won’t hurt the wallet. Look for water leaks in the rear lights and boot look, but otherwise, this is a solidly made alternative to a Volkswagen Golf GTI.

We could have chosen the earlier Audi S3 that is available from £1795 and is beginning to attain minor classic status. However, the 2006-13 Typ 8 generation represents a modern era fast Audi at tempting money. Around £7000 bags you a clean, average mileage example with full service record. Not bad for a car that will dispatch 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds thanks to its 261bhp 2.0-litre turbo engine and all-wheel drive.

There’s very little goes wrong with this generation of S3, so it demands little of your bank account. The fuel pump cam follower is worth replacing and so is the oil breather valve, both cheap items. Beware cars that have been tuned as they reduce gearbox and clutch life.

The BMW 135i is quicker, but for half the entry price the 130i is a very tempting hot hatch. With 262bhp, a sweet straight-six, rear-wheel drive and 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds, the 130i is still a very entertaining machine. At £3500, you will need to look very carefully at any prospective purchase for a failed water pump, leaks from the oil cooler gasket and any juddering from the brakes. Replacing the run-flat tyres with decent rubber will improve the ride dramatically.

If none of these arise, the 130i is a great way to enjoy under the radar hot hatch hijinks. Fews will give it a second glance as only the 18-inch alloy wheels and deeper front bumper of M Sport versions give the game away compared to a run of the mill 118d model.

Think a little laterally and you can have a great handling eight-year hot hatch from just £3000. That will bag you a Citroen DS3 DSport with around 95,000 miles and capable of 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds. It might not be as rapid as a Renault Clio RS, but the Citroen is easier to live with thanks to a more supple ride and lower running costs.

The big check point with any DS3 DSport is the engine, particularly the turbo and water pump. If the car shows any hesitation under acceleration or misfiring, move on as there plenty of DSports to choose from. In every other area, the Citroen is reliable and low-cost to own while also delivering nifty handling.

2013 will go down as a vintage year for fast Fords thanks to the introduction of that year’s Fiesta ST. Unlike previous STs that were more warm than hot, this one came with a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine packing 180bhp in standard form and 200bhp if you went for the Ford-backed Mountune pack. Either way, it was and remains massive fun in a small package.

The appeal of the Fiesta ST has kept prices strong, so you’ll pay from £4995 for an early version with around 65,000 miles. That’s still got plenty of life left in it but just listen for any rattles from the engine and suspension. Check the service records to show good quality oil has been used every 12,500 miles or 12 months to keep the engine in rude health.

If you’re not concerned about a hot hatch showing a six-figure mileage, the second-generation Ford Focus ST is a cracker. While some raised an eyebrow at its Volvo-sourced five-cylinder engine, its 221bhp offered 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds and a top speed north of 150mph. Not bad for a car that could still do everything any other Focus offered in the practicality stakes.

The ST-3 version is the best equipped and most common, so there’s little point choosing a more poorly specced version. Suspension clonks are usually worn bushes and cheap to sort, while the clutch can wear and slip, so feel for this on the test drive. If the turbo whistles, it’s probably the diaphragm in the oil filter housing, while a shortage of power will be due to a duff turbo solenoid boost valve. Both are easy to sort.

The 2007-13 FN2 generation of Honda Civic Type R could well be one of the best bargain hot hatches you’ll find. It has a deliriously rev-happy 2.0-litre engine, slick manual gearbox, great handling and is very practical even if it does only come as a three-door. For some, the handling isn’t quite as precise as its predecessors due to the FN2’s rear beam axle, but the reality is you won’t really notice on A-roads.

Look for a GT spec Type R to get climate and cruise controls and make sure the car stays in third gear under hard acceleration. If not, the synchromesh is worn and the ’box needs a rebuild. Beyond that, there’s nothing to be concerned about other than making sure this Honda comes with a full service history.

The Mazda 3 MPS that arrived in 2003 is a rare bird, yet it came with a 256bhp 2.3-litre engine to make it one of the most potent hot hatches of its time. It could hit 155mph and 62mph from rest in 6.1 seconds, so it had the legs of even its swiftest rivals. Yet the Mazda never found its level against the Focus ST and Golf GTI, so it remains a scarce sight.

However, there is a dedicated following for the MPS that has kept prices from plummeting too far down the depreciation scale. As a result, around £5000 is needed to get a well maintained MPS with less than 100,000 miles. Listen for any ticking from the engine that suggests a worn variable valve timing actuator. Also listen for rumbles from the gearbox and differential, which should be sorted by an oil swap.

You can find the first-generation of BMW-built MINI Cooper S for less than our indicated budget, but £2000 is the starting point for something that’s not a garage bill away from being scrapped. This supercharged pint pot package is huge fun to drive and still quick enough by today’s standards, covering 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds. The hatch is the one to have as the Convertible’s body isn’t especially rigid.

With plenty to pick from, finding a spec you like isn’t difficult. When you do, check there are no leaks from the coolant tank which can split and the gearbox isn’t grumbling. A supercharger service is needed at 100,000 and costs £350 at an independent specialist, so budget for this on any car where it’s not recorded in the history.

Stick a GTI badge on a small Peugeot and it will inevitably draw comparison to the 205 GTI. Forget that pointless exercise and the 208 is a sound small fast hatch. Its 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine offers up 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds. That’s allied to deft handling and a comfortable ride in a well-equipped cabin.

There are no serious weak spots in the 208 GTI’s reliability. A few early examples suffered premature cam chain wear, but that’s been dealt with. Some drivers aren’t keen on the small steering wheel that sits low in the driver’s lap, but you get used to it and the high-mounted instrument pod.

One of the most satisfying hot hatches of this millennium from £6900? That’s got to be a bargain and the Renault Clio Renaultsport 197 and 200 models are just that. They were the benchmarks of their time for handling prowess and fun and still show most similarly sized fast hatches the way to go. Pokey 2.0-litre engines add to the fun, though you’d better get used to a comically small fuel range even when not using the power to the full.

Cup models demand more money and running a Clio RS isn’t cheap. The cambelt and water pump need to be changed at five-year or 72,000-miles intervals, but the engine is strong in every other respect. The gearbox less so and the 197’s synchromesh fails on third and fourth gears, so check it’s not noisy and stays in gear under acceleration. The suspension is sensitive to worn bushes and many owners will have upgraded to longer lasting poly bushes. Seats wear more than most rivals’ and the steering can suffer from a peeling surface.

While the rare Renault Megane R26.R is a bona fide classic car, its mainstream hot hatch sister launched in 2004 remains amazingly budget-friendly - and prices seem to be on the rise so it may even be an investment if you get something tidy and ideally stock. From £5800, you can have one of the best cars of its class from the period thanks to 222bhp from a turbo 2.0-litre. Admittedly, the Renaultsport Megane wasn’t quite as hardcore as many hoped at first, hence the later special editions.

Today, this makes the Megane easy to live with and gentle on the bank balance. Most of the uncared-for examples have fallen out of the market, leaving three- and five-door cars capable of 0-62mphin 6.5 seconds. The infamous rear end even looks good today, while the engine is strong so long as the cambelt is changed at 72,000-mile intervals.

SEAT’s second-generation Leon was a sharper-suited model than its predecessor and the Cupra model upped the ante further with a 237bhp turbo 2.0-litre. It was good for 153mph and 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds, beating its Volkswagen Golf GTI cousin yet costing less. It’s a similar story today where a Golf GTI of equivalent age and mileage will demand a higher price.

This makes the SEAT a solid bargain, especially as it handles well and goes well. Not a lot goes wrong with this Leon, but watch for any car with an ABS or ESP warning light on the dash as this points to a broken ABS pump that is costly to replace.

Few hot hatches offer as much choice as the second incarnation of the Skoda Octavia vRS launched in 2005. You could have it as a hatch or estate, with manual or DSG auto gearboxes, and with petrol or diesel power. Our choice would be a petrol manual, with the wagon the pick of those seeking a stealthy hot hatch. Whichever you choose, they’re quick, capable and robust.

From 2009, the 2.0-litre petrol engine changed to one with a cam chain in place of a belt, but both have 197bhp. Check earlier cars have had the belt replaced every 80,000 miles or four years, and listen for any rattles on later cars that point to a worn cam chain. The earlier cars are reckoned to be more reliable, so buy on condition rather than age.

Prices for the 2005 Vauxhall Astra VXR have crept up in the past couple of years. As rough examples head to the scrapyard, the best are now being enjoyed. It’s easy to see why as this was always an old-school, rough round the edges hot hatch in the way it delivered its power. At the time, 237bhp was a fair bit of power and 0-62mph came up in 6.2 seconds.

With most of the poor VXRs of this generation sifted out by attrition, good examples are easier to find. Look for a standard car as tuning puts a strain on the gearbox, which is known for weak bearings on first and sixth gears. Smoke from the exhaust is either worn valve stem seals or the turbo needs a rebuild.

There was no mistaking the 2007 Vauxhall Corsa VXR for anything but a hot hatch. It came with 186bhp from its turbo’d 1.6-litre motor when most of its rivals mustered 150bhp. Nought to 62mph was dusted in 6.8 seconds and the Nurburgring and Clubsport models chipped that down to 6.5 seconds thanks to uprated 202bhp motors.

A clean, cared for Corsa VXR costs from £3750, which gets you plenty of equipment if not the last word in handling finesse or refinement. If the engine feels short on power or noisy, it’s most likely piston number four suffering from a well-known cooling issue. Either walk on or budget for having modified pistons fitted. After that, the VXR is a tough little customer.

The Mk5 Golf GTI had to be good after Volkswagen made such a hash of the previous generation. And gee, did they smash it out of the park with the Mk5. Great looks, a punchy and smooth 2.0-litre turbo petrol with 197bhp, and superb handling that banished memories of the stodgy Mk4. The GTI was back and more desirable than ever in three- or five-door forms.

That appeal continues today and Mk5 GTI prices remain strong, so reckon on paying from £2200 for a decent car with less than 100,000 miles. Five-door cars command a small premium and most buyers want the 18-inch Monza alloys. Look for rust on the front wheelarches and lurching DSG gearboxes with failing mechatronic units. The engine has a number of known faults, including faulty coil packs, worn cam followers and diverter valve. However, all can be cured at reasonable prices to future-proof this sure-fire classic hot hatch.

With no replacement for the Mk3 Volkswagen Scirocco, which arrived in 2008, it still looks remarkably fresh. This has helped values and you’ll pay from around £4000 for a well kept early model, which is unlikely to fall much further if carefully maintained. You can pick from 1.4- and 2.0-litre petrol engines or a 2.0-litre turbodiesel and all are decently quick.

The larger petrol engine can be stricken by a number of well noted faults, but all are inexpensive to avoid with servicing items. On all versions, check second gear engages cleanly in the manual gearbox. If that’s good, then you can enjoy a great handling and different take on the hot hatch theme.

Finding a Volvo C30 T5 for sale will be the biggest challenge of choosing this as your hot hatch. It was a slow seller when new and owners tend to hang on to them, which is easy to appreciate when the compact Swede packs a 227bhp five-cylinder 2.5-litre turbo lump more used to powering police V70s. In the C30, it gave 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds and 149mph.

The good news is this engine is tough as old boots and so is the six-speed manual gearbox. The five-speed auto ’box needs fresh oil every 50,000 miles to thrive. Air conditioning is prone to failure due to the condenser or compressor giving up, and the rear wiper falters to leave it drooping.