A pair of used car buying experts have shared their thoughts on the best pre-owned hot hatchbacks to buy on a budget of under £20,000, offering cutting-edge styling and performance alongside surprising levels of refinement and practicality.
Adam Morris and Jim Hull are the faces behind the ReDriven YouTube channel, regularly posting videos in which they discuss the best used models to buy and offer tips to help viewers purchase a dependable set of wheels.
In their latest video, the duo discuss the best used hot hatchbacks to buy, with Adam suggesting the Hyundai i30N for its fun driving style in a mix of conditions and solid mechanicals.
He advised: “My winner is the Hyundai i30N, specifically in the fastback form, because it’s easily as practical as a Honda Civic Type R, I love that it looks a little bit different and unique, it has track warranty if you get a relatively new one.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to do a stack of track stuff with the N guys, and out of all of the Hyundai N products, the i30 N Fastback just grabbed me the most, both on the road and on the track. Living with it is wonderful, the tech is good, it’s super reliable, and a phenomenal support network.”
Whilst the Hyundai i30 has been a common sight on the roads since the first-generation model was introduced back in 2006, the N was only launched in 2018, offering a more striking appearance than the standard family model.
Sporting a 2.0-litre ‘Theta’ petrol engine under the bonnet, the i30N will accelerate from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds whilst also achieving a top speed of 155mph. Yet, the Hyundai still offers plenty of equipment as standard, including audio control with voice recognition, an eight-inch touchscreen, and wireless phone chargers.
Used car buyers will need around £20,000 to get behind the wheel of a Hyundai i30N, but motorists who are willing to sacrifice some performance could save money by choosing the i30 N-Line, with good examples available from around £12,000.
Later in the video, Jim recommended that hot hatchback buyers consider an Audi RS3, stating that the sound of the unconventional engine alone helps to give it a good driving experience.
He added: “This might surprise people because I often rag on European cars, but I’m quite fond of the Audi RS3. I’m such a hypocrite, but it’s there because you can do everything in it, and what gets it over the line to me is that five-cylinder engine.
“That sound just gives me goosebumps, I love it. I know a lot of people will be surprised that an Audi is my favourite car, but I’m OK being wrong!”
The sporty version of the otherwise conventional A3 premium family hatchbacks and saloons, the Audi RS3 typically uses a five-cylinder 2.5-litre engine with a turbocharger for additional power.
In addition to sounding good when revved, the latest Audi RS3 is capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in a blistering 3.8 seconds and can achieve a maximum speed of up to 174mph if the Carbon Vorsprung pack is included.
Given the RS3 has been produced since 2011, drivers can get an early example from around £14,000, with a £20,000 budget enough for motorists to buy a clean eight-year-old example.
