Editor’s choice9/10BMWM135i£22,790 – £35,980BMW performance hatch that is also a bit of a bargain. It's not quite a 1M, but it's close.
8/10VolkswagenGolf GTI/R£18,325 – £35,065Overlook the fact it’s so good that it’s almost joyless: the latest Golf GTI is very desirable indeed.
8/10SeatLeon Cupra£17,645 – £33,040Not as cheap as you’d expect, but still one of the best hot hatches on sale.
7/10Mercedes-BenzAMG A45£22,855 – £38,905An immensely fast and capable car to drive. But Golf R remains better to drive.
7/10AudiS3/RS3£20,170 – £38,850Incredibly competent, deceptively fast, but needs to be at warp speed before it gets interesting.