Used Car Hunter: exciting, sporty but affordable cars for £17,000
Our Car Hunter has £17,000 to spend on a car that will deliver driving fun and low costs, but what to choose?
"Dear Auto Express, I have £17,000 to spend on a fun-to-drive car that feels sporty, but doesn’t cost the earth to run. What should I get?" Alan Jameson, E-mail
Performance-focused cars can be great fun, but they also have a rather nasty habit of being expensive to buy and run, as well as impractical for use on a daily basis. Fortunately, there are a number of very appealing options for used models that are brilliant to drive, but won’t break the bank. Mazda’s MX-5 is the archetypal small, reasonably priced sports car, mainly because it’s agile, engaging to drive and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
The Toyota GT86 makes a fantastic used buy. Like the MX-5, it offers rear-drive fun, just in a 2+2 coupé package. A hot hatch is also an option and one of the best on the used market is the Ford Fiesta ST. Here’s a rundown of the three used options to help you decide which is best.
Here's our expert pick of the three three best used fun, sporty and exciting cars available for £17,000, together with links to buy one through our Find a Car service...
Ford Fiesta ST - the feisty choice
- For: Raucous engine note, most practical car here
- Against: Engine not especially rewarding at the top end
The latest Ford Fiesta ST did an excellent job of building on the foundations of its predecessor. Its 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged engine is smooth and potent, and makes an excellent noise. It may be the only front-drive car here, but it’s a joy to drive. The ST’s ride is firm enough to feel sporty, but comfy enough around town, too. In short, it’s everything a really good hot hatch should be.
You can buy a 69-plate Fiesta ST-3 (197bhp, 40.4mpg, 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds) with around 21,000 miles on the clock for a little over £16,000.
As you might expect, the ST’s interior is much racier than that of the standard Fiesta, with large Recaro bucket-style seats and faux carbon-fibre trim dotted around the cabin. The ST-3 model comes with an 8.0-inch touchscreen powered by Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s a relatively good piece of software, with quick response times and a logical menu layout. The ST benefits from being far more practical than the GT86 or MX-5, with a decent amount of rear legroom, and you get 311 litres of boot space, or 1,093 litres with the back seats folded down.
See our used Ford Fiesta ST deals
Toyota GT86 - the cool choice
- For: Fun handling, sharp coupé looks and decent boot
- Against: Least economical car here, low-rent interior
If you’d prefer your car with rear-wheel drive, the Toyota GT86 is a fantastic option. Its 2.0-litre flat-four engine feels smooth, although the Fiesta ST offers more performance. The GT86 comes into its own in the corners, though, with a well balanced chassis and responsive steering. It’s a great track car, too, with modest levels of grip that allow you to easily explore the limits.
We found a 15-plate GT86 (197bhp, 39.8mpg, 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds) with 90,954 miles notched up, on sale for £10,995.
The GT86 is the weakest car here when it comes to interior quality. There’s an abundance of cheap-looking plastics, while the 6.1-inch infotainment touchscreen feels a little like an aftermarket item. The styling of the cabin is pleasant enough, however, and the layout of the controls and switches is fairly logical. What’s more, there’s a useful 2+2 seating layout. But while that means you can theoretically carry three passengers, the rear seats are very tight and best suited to kids; tall adults will have little chance of fitting. Still, it’s more than you get in the MX-5, and the 237-litre boot isn’t bad either.
See our used Toyota GT86 deals
Mazda MX-5 - the drop-top choice
- For: Folding roof adds to fun, lightweight and economical
- Against: Lacks rear seats and boot is absolutely tiny
For more than three decades, the Mazda MX-5 has been the default choice for anyone buying a small, fun, affordable sports car. The latest model is just as playful as ever, because it weighs between 975kg and 1,000kg, depending on specification. This means it doesn’t need huge power to make its driver smile. Its steering is light and accurate, and the manual gearbox is slick. The Mazda has the comfiest ride of the three cars here.
A 18-plate MX-5 2.0-litre (160bhp, 40.9mpg, 0-60mph in 7.3 seconds) with 31,235 miles can be bought for £16,995.
The MX-5’s interior is the most mature of the three here, being smart and neatly laid out. Overall build quality is strong, too, with only a few cheaper-feeling plastics to be found. The infotainment system works well enough. Its rotary controls are quite intuitive, but the graphics are ever so slightly old hat. The biggest problem the MX-5 faces is its poor practicality; the Fiesta ST’s hatchback-based design naturally makes it the most useable car here, but even the GT86 technically has four seats. The MX-5, meanwhile, offers space for only one passenger, while the boot measures just 130 litres. This won’t be a problem for some buyers, but this isn’t the car for those who need quite a bit of luggage space.
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