Hot hatches for £2k

You’ll be amazed what it buys

FOR ALL ITS 316bhp, the latest Civic Type R is less than a second quicker to 62mph than this EP3 – the first Swindon-built Type R and the one that established the model in the UK as an affordable, reliable, practical and yet thoroughly unhinged hatch.

The EP3’S 0-62mph metric of 6.6sec (for the facelifted version) doesn’t convey the addictively bipolar power delivery of the 2.0-litre I-VTEC engine’s cam-switching mechanism and the pace it delivers when pinned between 5000rpm and the hilariously lofty 8500rpm redline. You don’t get that with the current or previous Type Rs, both of which trade instead on forced induction.

The EP3’S 144lb ft may be chickenfeed in the context of 2017’s turbocharging (you get about the same from a 1.0-litre three-cylinder Civic these days) but, if anything, its outrageous top-end responsiveness and induction howl seem even more startling now, and that tight, dashmounted, six-speed manual shifter marshals the engine splendidly.

There’s less sparkle elsewhere. Grip, body control and ride (gilded with the luxury of double wishbones at the back) are all suitably impressive, as are the brakes, but overly light, uncommunicative and borderline-vague steering and a lack of cornering adjustability blunt the drivetrain’s edge. Steering and suspension revisions made during the wide-ranging, late-2003 facelift improved engagement a bit – albeit to the detriment of ride quality – and also added further throttle sharpness. There’s nothing to be saved by choosing an older car with our £2000 price limit, so the refreshed model is the one to go for. It’s easily spotted via the splurge of clear plastic in the rear lenses, while the original sports only a small, round clear patch.

While the new Civic Type R comes only with five doors, the EP3 does with three. In fact, it’s a much smaller car all round, yet interior space is good, as is the driving position once you’ve nestled into the Alcantara-centred bucket seats. Don’t expect a glut of gizmos, though: even air-con was an optional extra.

An annual £305 VED bill stings a bit, as does a group 34 insurance rating, but servicing (required every 12,000 miles) and parts are reasonably priced, and the engine’s low-rev efficiency means fuel consumption approaching 30mpg should be possible with mixed driving.

Today, VTEC quite literally ain’t what it used to be, but the EP3 offers a cheap and practical route back to those glory days.