What's the best affordable hot hatch?

I'm looking at buying a hot hatch to complete my garage. I will be using it as one of my daily drivers, and the main purpose of it will be to have fun down the back roads. I have discounted the Hinda Civic Type R, as I found the infotainment system utterly dreadful and I couldn't live with that. Plus I have also discounted the M135i as I'm not a fan of the looks. I have also discounted the new Golf GTI as I didn't get that "feeling" when I drove it. I'm unsure of what to buy, any help would be appreciated. Budget isn't an issue, nor is fuel economy, but ideally it shouldn't be too expensive or too harsh on fuel. Currently, my favourite car that I've driven is the Focus ST. Should I buy this or something else?

Asked on 9 November 2020 by Alex Laughton

Answered by Andrew Brady

Try a Hyundai i30N Performance. It might be one of the more affordable hot hatches but we reckon it's also one of the best. It sounds terrific, is a riot to drive and has a better interior than the Civic. Chuck in a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty and it's a really good purchase. Otherwise, the Focus ST is a good choice, or also consider a Mercedes-AMG A35.

Tags: hot hatches

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Hyundai i30 N (2018 on)

A real revelation of a hot hatch. Superb handling. Impressive performance. Seriously quick. Really good fun to drive. Undercuts most rivals on price. Traditional handbrake, not an electrical switch.