NEW HEROES

NOT IN THE MOOD FOR SPENDING £20,000 on a used evo icon? Don’t worry, we won’t hold it against you. Much. Seriously, though, we understand that a used car, especially a used performance car that requires more than just a regular service and an MOT every 12 months, isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Especially so when you don’t actually have £20,000. A monthly payment of one per cent of that amount will get you into all manner of motor cars, however. Question is, are any of them worth your direct debit?

In today’s new car market, £20,000 will buy you a lot of dreary and worthy four-wheeled devices that would struggle to raise the pulse of a Tizer-fuelled toddler. But there are still some gems to be plucked from the dross.

With evo’s esteemed The Knowledge (see page 160) laid open, the process starts promisingly, because under ‘ A’ we discover Abarth’s 595 Competizione (pictured above right), for £19,090. Of course, this would require conversing with a Fiat dealer and for many, public transport is a less stressful option. But as a car the Abarth 595 is more than a marketing exercise – just. Its 155bhp per ton power-to-weight ratio is usefully muscular, and its four-cylinder turbocharged motor spins with spirit, as all good superminis’ should. It also looks neat and has some nice details, too, but there is always a sense that more time was spent on the design and finishing than tuning the dynamics to match the engine.

The DS 3 Performance (£20,495) steers a similar path, sharing some of the ingredients of the 208 GTI by Peugeot Sport but falling short in serving up the same feast of fun. We suspect over time, though, the DS 3 could offer more than it suggests on first acquaintance. As for the 208 GTI (pictured below), we would always favour the aforementioned ‘by Peugeot Sport’ version. It’s will worth the £3100 premium over the standard £18,895 GTI model.

Ford’s Fiesta ST Mountune – £18,144 – is an evo favourite, and our pick of the sub-£20k new cars, but it’s ageing now – the new Fiesta has recently been revealed – and struggles to hide it. (This does mean, however, you may find bargains on regular Fiesta ST base cars at dealers keen to move remaining stock, leaving you with more to spend at Mountune.)

It’s not as sharp or involving as the Fiesta, but Mini’s Cooper S (above left), for £18,840, has become a default choice for many in the supermini sector. Shame that we’d always have a nagging doubt about not stretching to a JCW Challenge, the model that unlocks the F56’s true potential.

The ubiquitous VW Group struggles at this price point. The Polo GTI (£19,235) leaves us feeling flat after every drive, and somehow SEAT’S Ibiza Cupra (£18,100) doesn’t have the excitement of its Leon Cupra big brother. Hopefully the forthcoming VW Up GTI will solve this issue.

If you’re thinking long-term, Kia’s Proceed GT (£20,205) may be too sensible for some, but we rate the Korean warm hatch for its honest approach to doing things: well built, clean design, strong engine, honest chassis and a nicely rounded first performance car package. But we’d be inclined to buy a used example, strip some weight from it, find some more power from the 1.6-litre turbocharged four and build our first road and track car.

And that’s your lot. No sports cars, coupes or roadsters – a 1.5-litre MX-5 is within budget but the 2-litre is a sweeter steer in our view and costs £22,000.

While the likes of the Fiesta ST Mountune and Mini Cooper S are evo staples, when you’re lining them up against a TVR Tuscan or Mitsubishi Evo VI or V8-engined RS4, they can feel a bit below par. If ever there was a time for car makers to stop getting aroused by the thought of another niche SUV, it’s now. New performance cars shouldn’t be prohibitively expensive and exclusive, and there aren’t enough used icons to go around.

‘ There are some gems to be plucked from the dross’