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Which hot hatch?

I am looking to buy a hot hatch for under £20,000 used that must match four criteria: More than 200bhp, Traction control can be fully disengaged (car will be taken to trackdays), a towbar can be fitted (so no central exhaust like on Ford Focus ST and Megane RS), boot must be over 350 litres.

So far I have a shortlist of a BMW 125i M Sport, Kia Proceed GT, Vauxhall Astra VXR, and Mk6 Volkswagen Golf GTI (post 2012 for the ESP thing)

Are there any other cars that match this criteria, and which one of my shortlist would you consider best?

Asked on 2 July 2014 by harry mac

Answered by Honest John
Presumably talking used here as well as new. The Astra is the fastest but most leery. The Proceed GT is surprisingly good. The BMW needs to be a 135i Msport. Used, a Leon Cupra is usually better value than a Golf GTI, but carries less status. New, the latest Leon Cupras have only just been announced so aren't for £20k. An Audi S3 should be on the list. A Mountune Fiesta ST should be the most fun, but I don't think a towbar will fit.

Our honest used car pricing is a little bit different to all the others. You can get to our values through make or model - you don’t have to follow a prescribed route. Plus, it’s live, which means we can react to changes in the market quicker than any printed price guide.

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