What "Fast Hatch" Quandry - Page 1 - Car Buying

CallMeLegend

Original Poster

8,945 posts

230 months

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Thursday 4th December

I'm in a quandry.

I currently lease EVs form my own Ltd Co, the current one (Cupra Born V3) goes back in AUgust '26.

So the spreadsheet has started on what I get for it's replacement.

I love the idea of an Ioniq 5N on a £00 a month lease, however, I thinks it's quite a lot on money to pay, to actually own nothing after two years.

So I'm looking at pre-owened fast hatchbacks, under £25k to buy as I figure it may actually be cheaper )& more fun) over 4 years ownership.

The requirements are

Automatic (for SWMBO)
4 seats for the occasional rear set passengers
0-60 ideally under 5s
MUST be engaging to drive

That's pretty much it.

On the list so far:-

BMW M135i
BMW M140i
BMW M235i
BMW M240I (not strictly hatchbacks I know)
Renault Megane RS 280 or RS 300
Porsche Macan S V6 (yes I know it's an SUV)
VW Golf R
MINI Clubman All 4 Cooper Works

Open to other suggestions for a sutable candiate, or real world experience of any of the above.

Edited by CallMeLegend on Thursday 4th December 09:10

Belle427

11,065 posts

253 months

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Thursday 4th December

If you scrub the hatch bit an M2 maybe of interest if you are considering the 140/240.
May even scrape into an M3 which i prefer looks wise personally speaking.

kcalculates

37 posts

108 months

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Thursday 4th December

I've been looking at similar too.

Other options:
Mercedes A35
Audi S3
Audi TT S/ 45
Hyundai i30 N - quite rare in auto, but they do exist
Cupra Leon VZ - not as fast as the others, but still 0-60 in 5.7 sec.
Mustang 5.0 - not a hatch, but should be engaging

Edited by kcalculates on Thursday 4th December 09:29

Edited by kcalculates on Thursday 4th December 09:31

pb8g09

2,918 posts

89 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 4th December

I sold my M235i in July.

Good car, but I don't think it meets your brief - it's not the greatest in corners and bends as it never feels really stable. You'd want to upgrade the suspension. By the time you've done that, you're into M240i prices, and by the time you've done with a nice spec you're getting very close to M2 money... I personally think they're achingly pretty though. After my first 3 months with it, I don't think I ever got up early or went out late to just go for a drive.

Discombobulate

5,768 posts

206 months

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Thursday 4th December

I would have a Mk 7 ED40 Clubsport manual (with buckets and DCC if you can find one) over a Golf R.

CallMeLegend

Original Poster

8,945 posts

230 months

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Thursday 4th December

Discombobulate said:

I would have a Mk 7 ED40 Clubsport manual (with buckets and DCC if you can find one) over a Golf R.

What are the reasons you say that?

ZX10R NIN

29,733 posts

145 months

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[news]

Thursday 4th December

CallMeLegend said:

I'm in a quandry.

I currently lease EVs form my own Ltd Co, the current one (Cupra Born V3) goes back in AUgust '26.

So the spreadsheet has started on what I get for it's replacement.

I love the idea of an Ioniq 5N on a £00 a month lease, however, I thinks it's quite a lot on money to pay, to actually own nothing after two years.

So I'm looking at pre-owened fast hatchbacks, under £25k to buy as I figure it may actually be cheaper )& more fun) over 4 years ownership.

The requirements are

Automatic (for SWMBO)
4 seats for the occasional rear set passengers
0-60 ideally under 5s
MUST be engaging to drive

That's pretty much it.

On the list so far:-

BMW M135i
BMW M140i
BMW M235i
BMW M240I (not strictly hatchbacks I know)
Renault Megane RS 280 or RS 300
Porsche Macan S V6 (yes I know it's an SUV)
VW Golf R
MINI Clubman All 4 Cooper Works

Open to other suggestions for a sutable candiate, or real world experience of any of the above.

the-photographer

4,145 posts

196 months

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Thursday 4th December

The other Golf R variants, like S3
MK7 GTI 230/245 or 290 TCR
GTI variants like the Cupra
Something bigger like a VRS

CallMeLegend

Original Poster

8,945 posts

230 months

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Monday

Bugger, another added to the list.

Yaris GR

Unreal

8,192 posts

45 months

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Monday

CallMeLegend said:

Bugger, another added to the list.

Yaris GR

You won't be getting an auto for £25K. £25K will get you a Mk1 and they're all manual.

Unreal

8,192 posts

45 months

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Monday

Unreal said:

You won't be getting an auto for £25K. £25K will get you a Mk1 and they're all manual.

Yes really CallmeLegend.

rofl

CallMeLegend

Original Poster

8,945 posts

230 months

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Monday

Unreal said:

You won't be getting an auto for £25K. £25K will get you a Mk1 and they're all manual.

Yes really CallmeLegend.

rofl

Hah, just spotted my error.........it LOOKS like a GR, but only has 120bhp. That's off the list again.

That WOULD have been dissapointing.

CallMeLegend

Original Poster

8,945 posts

230 months

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Yesterday (13:27)

We have whittled the list down to.....

BMW M135i
BMW M140i
VW Golf R
MINI Clubman All 4 Cooper Works

But have also added....

BMW 128ti
Mini Coutryman S Works
Audi SQ2

CrippsCorner

3,238 posts

201 months

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Yesterday (14:13)

For me it'd be the S3/RS3 or A35 - Think they both look so much nicer than the BMW and I really don't rate the seats in the 1 Series.

Golf R is decent. Leon Cupra?

Chucky-egg

151 posts

64 months

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Yesterday (14:21)

Had an S3 stage 2+. Boring. Too front heavy and terrible in anything other than a straight line. Golf, 135i etc might be capable but they’re everywhere and the chav’s car of choice.

Get one of these instead, in this colour obviously.

CallMeLegend

Original Poster

8,945 posts

230 months

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Yesterday (14:58)

Chucky-egg said:

Had an S3 stage 2+. Boring. Too front heavy and terrible in anything other than a straight line. Golf, 135i etc might be capable but they re everywhere and the chav s car of choice.

Get one of these instead, in this colour obviously.

....don't make me put it back on the list!

fido

18,133 posts

275 months

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Yesterday (15:18)

GR(rrr) .. didn't realise prices for the Mk 1 are holding up so well. Thinking of replacing the E92 M3 with a GR and even a 2021 is around 30k!

Edited by fido on Thursday 11th December 15:20

TikTak

2,581 posts

39 months

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Yesterday (15:22)

Had a similar dilemma a few months back as this was a very similar scenario for getting a new car that I was also going to daily. I just didn't have the auto restriction so plumped for a MK3 Focus RS.

The BMWs just didn't feel anywhere near special enough (dime a dozen down here) and I don't like the interior on the Mercs. I really liked the Megane but it felt too harsh around town (also heard the auto boxes on these are plagued with issues) but it's fantastic otherwise. Personally if it's the Mini I'd be plumping for the JCW hatch for the enjoyment factor alone over the comically huge Countryman.

The Golf is a brilliant all rounder but it is also very regular, as much as I did enjoy B road bashing in my GTI, but it'll do everything well.

Tough choices, so good luck!

Matt_T

1,037 posts

94 months

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Yesterday (20:17)

How about a Subaru WRX?
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/17992380

thetapeworm

13,088 posts

259 months

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Yesterday (20:37)

I'm looking for something similar at the moment, maybe a bit outside of your requirements but on a similar theme to the Macan but encompassing the whole Golf R, S3, Cupra 300 underpinning how about a Cupra Alteca?

A VZ3 might be top end but the VZ2 or base VZ should give more to choose from, they're still reasonably rare though.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025112882...

Probably not as dynamically fun as the others but supposedly quite capable based on what I've seen in videos.

I'm gravitating towards the 7.5 Golf R estate currently but I shift focus constantly, I'm looking for something bland that goes under the radar but if I wasn't I think I'd be more Megane.

Edited by thetapeworm on Thursday 11th December 20:54