Best used hot hatches
High quality used hot hatchbacks from rated and reviewed dealers
Best used hot hatches of 2025
When it comes to combining smile-inducing performance with everyday usability, then a hot hatch is hard to beat. If you also want the best value for money, then take a look at some of the best used hot hatches you can buy today.
A new Honda Civic Type R has just been revealed, and that’s great news for bargain hunters looking for a good deal on the previous-gen model. It’s a rabid performer thanks to a 320hp turbocharged motor that will launch you from 0-62mph in just 5.8-seconds. The looks are pretty striking thanks to the crazy wing and extrovert styling, but it’s just as practical as a regular hatchback.
2025
Pleasure of Driving Award
Highly Commended
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The Toyota GR Yaris is essentially a rally car for the road, and is all the better for it. Sure, it's not the most practical car and the interior could be a little nicer, but for vehicles outside of a Caterham are as mechanically engaging and characterful. It's also sold out from new until 2023 when Toyota is expected to issue new stock allocation for the UK, making a pre-loved model your only option for now.
For a quick and luxurious hatchback that offers serious pace regardless of the weather, the previous-generation Audi S3 is a great choice (the current model is pictured). Available in both three and five door versions, the 305hp 2.0-litre turbocharged motor will blast you to 62mph in around 5.0-seconds. It’s not much slower in the wet.
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The old adage ‘they don’t make ‘em like they used to’ certainly applies in the case of the BMW M140i. Whereas the new M135i is all-wheel-drive and comes fitted with a four-cylinder engine, the older M140i has a stonking 340hp 3.0-litre inline-six under its bonnet sending power to the rear wheels (the current car is pictured). That makes it sound and drive just like a BMW should. Get one before it’s too late.
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The current generation Ford Fiesta ST has been on sale since 2017. This means you can find some great used deals out there without having to look at the previous gen models. That’s great because the Fiesta ST is eager and great fun drive, and with 200bhp on tap it’s quick, too
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The Hyundai i30N trades a bit of comfort and refinement for one of the most immersive hot hatch driving experiences around. It produces 280hp (247hp versions were available pre-2021) and can be had with a manual transmission which is rare these days.
When it was launched in 2015, the 360hp Mercedes-AMG A45 had the most powerful turbocharged 2.0-litre engine in production. Thanks to a standard all-wheel-drive setup, it was credited with a 4.2-second 0-62mph time. That’s still quick today and prices for these first-gen models are now far more affordable.
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Thanks to constant updates, you’d never guess that the current generation MINI has been around since 2014. In 184hp Cooper S trim it has always been a nippy performer, and the facelifted post-2018 models offer serious value and a great driving experience.
The Golf GTI has long been the benchmark hot hatch. It arguably peaked in MK7 form (the current, Mk8 is pictured), thanks to a near-perfect mix of usable performance and daily driving practicality. It also had a far less frustrating infotainment system than the ones in use today. Used values remain strong, showing just how popular the MK7 GTI remains today.
Quick Peugeot hatchbacks have almost always been a hoot to drive, the 208 GTi didn’t change this perception. It delivered a strong 205hp from its 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, making it quicker than most of its direct alternatives. Used examples are very keenly priced, and they’re well equipped and offer a great ride on bumpy roads.
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