If you’re in the market for a new vehicle these days, you may find the prices staggering. And that means the market for pre-owned is growing.
Requirement: You want a quick C-segment hot hatch with the ability to provide some good, clean fun. You have around R200 000 to spend (anything more than this would need to go towards maintenance costs), so you turn your attention to the second-hand market.
Here are five examples we found after having a look around Gumtree (click the vehicle name to see the posting in question):
The last of Honda’s naturally aspirated, high-revving VTEC engines. The FN2 Civic Type R still turns heads thanks to its futuristic design. It’s a pretty poised hot hatch, too, while its 2,0-litre engine delivers 148 kW to the front wheels through a decent six-speed manual transmission.
This is the safest bet on the list. The Mk 5 is where the Golf GTI began to shine once again, this time with the introduction of the DSG transmission. However, back then, it was still being perfected so a traditional six-speed manual may be the safer bet. And its turbocharged 2,0-litre engine? Well, it delivers a healthy 147 kW for some fun-filled driving.
This was Subaru’s attempt to shake up the hot hatch segment, by turning its Impreza into a 2,5-litre turbocharged all-wheel drive hatch. Yes, the 221 kW and controllable drive distribution makes this an interesting addition to the list…
The Focus ST has pleased many customers over the years. Like the WRX STi, it makes use of a turbocharged 2,5-litre engine. But this engine delivers 166 kW to the front wheels. As a result, the experience is a little more “on edge”, and more so than what you would experience in the Civic or the Golf…
2011 Renault Megane RS 2,0 250 Sport
Built for the track. The Megane RS has been a CAR favourite for a number of years, and this model boasts 184 kW of front-wheel drive, track-day fun. It’s probably the least suitable for an everyday drive considering its short gear-ratios, stiff clutch and hard suspension, but when the heat is on, there are few comparable hot hatches out there that can match it.
