Used Car Hunter: punchy and practical hot hatchbacks for £23,000
Our Car hunter has £23,000 to find a hot hatch that’s practical, quick and well-equipped
Dear Auto Express, I’m looking for a hot family hatchback with plenty of performance and kit for around £23,000. What are my options? - David Wallis, E-mail
Great hot hatchbacks seamlessly blend into your daily life, then deliver a thrilling driving experience at the right moment, on the right road. Investing in a used hot hatch can be a great move, too, as you can enjoy loads of thrills for a bargain price, all while being able to ferry the family about at the same time.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI has always leaned a touch more towards the sensible side, but for most drivers that’s no bad thing. Adding a dose of power and athleticism to the standard Golf is a recipe that has produced some of the greatest hot hatchbacks of the past 50 years or so, with the seventh generation of this motoring icon being one of the best.
By contrast, the Ford Focus ST has always been more playful, and with production of the Focus winding down, these cars are hot property on the used market. Then there’s the Hyundai i30 N. This was the Korean brand’s first performance car, but it absolutely nails the hot hatch brief, with a range of talents to worry its established rivals – and not many 155mph cars have a five-year warranty.
Here's our expert pick of the three best used hot hatches available for £23,000, together with links to buy them through our Find a Car service…
Ford Focus ST - the lively choice
- For: Straight-line punch, exciting handling, spacious cabin
- Against: Firm ride, limited choice on the used market
Fast Fords have always been exuberant cars, and the fourth-generation Focus ST is no exception. It’s quicker than the Volkswagen and Hyundai, and it really shines in the corners. Quick, positive steering and a grippy front end encourage you to get stuck in, although the trade-off is a firm ride around town.
The Mk4 Ford Focus ST was launched in 2019, so there should be a good selection of cars that are now within this budget. For around £20,000 it’s now possible to find a 2019 Focus ST that’s covered roughly 16,000 miles.
The Focus ST’s interior might be borrowed from lesser Ford Focus models, but Ford has distinguished it in key areas. The ST gets a thicker, flat-bottom steering wheel and excellent Recaro bucket seats to hold you in place in the bends, plus sporty red stitching. Build quality is good, if not quite as solid as the Golf’s, and the Ford has an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and a DAB radio. The ST gets an upgraded B&O stereo, too, and the cabin is roomy; there’s plenty of space for rear-seat passengers, with more legroom than in the Hyundai, and a respectable 375-litre boot.
See our used Ford Focus ST deals
Hyundai i30 N - the left-field choice
- For: Strong pace, involving chassis, five-year warranty
- Against: Bland cabin, hard ride
Hyundai played a real blinder with its first hot hatch. The i30 N offers genuine excitement in a racy body that’s as practical as the regular i30’s.
It’s the most aggressive-looking car of this trio, but the i30 N backs up those looks on the move. In optional Performance trim, it outguns the Golf GTI, and the chassis is engaging, but as with the Ford, the price you pay is a harder ride.
You can pick up a 2019, 33,000-mile i30 N Performance for around £22,500. If your budget stretches a bit further, it should be possible to find a car under five years old which will have some of the original manufacturer's warranty left.
Inside, the i30 N struggles to shake off its humble underpinnings. Some of the plastics aren’t all that premium, but there are at least a pair of supportive seats and a chunkier steering wheel. There’s plenty of scope to adjust the driving position, too, so it’s easy to get comfortable. Being Hyundai’s flagship performance hatch, the i30 N is well appointed, with an eight-inch touchscreen, nav, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard. And although the i30 N isn’t the most spacious hot hatch, there is enough room in the rear for most adults. The 381-litre boot is on par with what its competitors offer.
See our used Hyundai I30 N deals
Volkswagen Golf GTI - the versatile choice
- For: Classy looks, well built, slick dynamics
- Against: Not the most exciting, rivals are more powerful
The Volkswagen Golf GTI has long been the jack of all trades among hot hatches. It’s not outstanding in any one area, but its broad spread of abilities is undeniably appealing. The iconic hatch arguably reached its peak with this Mk7 model and it involves a classier approach than some rivals.
The VW takes a similar approach on the road. The Performance Pack version is certainly no slouch, but it’s never truly hair-raising. It doesn’t come alive like the Focus ST does, with the Volkswagen preferring a neat and tidy approach. For around £22,000, you can get your hands on a facelifted 2019 model with the Performance Pack and 32,000 miles on the clock.
The GTI’s interior is largely carried over from the standard Golf, but with fantastic build quality, heavily bolstered tartan cloth seats and a sports steering wheel, it feels every bit the premium hot hatch. Admittedly, the VW’s cabin design isn’t particularly adventurous, but the switchgear feels tight and the GTI is well equipped. An eight-inch touchscreen and DAB radio are standard fit, and later models receive Volkswagen’s Active Info Display, which replaces the conventional gauge cluster with a 12.3-inch digital screen. In the back, the GTI is just as accommodating as a standard Golf, with plenty of leg and headroom for a couple of adults, while the 380-litre boot capacity is comparable to what these rivals offer.
See our used Volkswagen Golf GTI deals
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