HATCH DELIVERS HANDS-ON THRILLS
THE QUESTION
My cherished 2004 Mini hatchback manual has perished and I’m after a replacement – something small, fun, loaded with kit and preferably manual. It’s just for two people and the budget’s up to $40,000.
Louise Hanrahan, email
ANSWER
For an involving, engaging drive, you don’t need a supercar. Light weight, a decent chassis and manual gearbox make the ideal recipe for cheap thrills. Three-pedal cars are going the way of the dodo, but here are some gems for you to consider.
CHOICES
FORD FIESTA ST, ABOUT $36,000 DRIVE-AWAY
Will go down as one of history’s greatest hot hatches. Its 147kW/290Nm three-cylinder turbo engine has superb character and pull, while the exhaust pops and crackles will have you buzzing. The manual gearbox is a treat, while its limited-slip differential, smart electronic torque vectoring and performance Michelin tyres bring physics-bending grip. Goodies abound, including heated Recaro seats trimmed in leather and suede, Bang & Olufsen audio, an 8-inch screen, heated steering wheel and excellent active safety. Seats are tight fitting, while the ride is crashy where roads are poor. There’s a five-year warranty and the first five services are a reasonable $1840. Fuel use is acceptable at 6.3L/100km, although it demands premium.
SUZUKI SWIFT SPORT, $30,990 DRIVE-AWAY
For $5000 less, the Swift Sport delivers a tamer alternative to the Fiesta. It’s about 200kg lighter so is incredibly nimble, but it feels less solid and there’s noticeable wind noise on the highway. The 103kW/230Nm from its turbo fourcylinder is ample for such a lightweight, so it has excellent zip, but could use a bit more exhaust theatre. Not as limpet-like as the Fiesta in corners but its still superb fun with great balance and grip. It’s easier to live with day-today as the suspension’s not too firm. The cabin has racy red bits, but isn’t as plush as the Ford with narrow cloth seats and too many hard plastics. Radar cruise control, satnav, a 7-inch screen and long list of active safety features are standard. It comes with a five-year warranty and costs just $1475 over five services but the intervals are short at 10,000km. It needs premium fuel, but returns a decent 6.1L/100km.
2018 MINI HATCH COOPER, ABOUT $30,000 DRIVE-AWAY
You adored your old Mini, so how about a newer one? Criminally, new Coopers don’t come with manual gearboxes – and are a smidgen over budget – but $30k will buy you a 2018 model, hopefully with some warranty remaining. The look is very similar to your old one and you’ll get a lot more standard equipment. A 6.5-inch screen and satnav are standard but prioritise used models with safety packs and other goodies. There's only 100kW from the three-cylinder turbo, but who cares? It’s a fun-packed motor atop an excellent chassis, while the ride is easier to live with dayto-day than a hot hatch. Fuel use is 5.3L/100k – but you won’t return that – while no capped price servicing and a skimpy warranty means running costs could get expensive.
WILDCARD
MAZDA MX-5 ROADSTER, ABOUT $39,800 DRIVE-AWAY
The MX-5 offers a drive experience like nothing else at this price; roof down, manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive and a pure 1.5-litre engine singing away. One of the few cars I genuinely get excited about driving. It looks stunning, is well built and comes with a 7-inch screen, satnav and wireless Apple CarPlay. The roof is simplicity personified, dropping or rising in a couple of seconds. There’s next to no space in the cabin or boot, though, and you have to work the 97kW engine hard to extract meaningful performance. On the right bit of road, you won’t be able to keep the grin off your face. There’s a five-year warranty and it costs $2049 for five services. Premium fuel is required and it uses a claimed 6.2L/100km.
VERDICT
Crazy used prices make the preloved Mini look too dear. The Ford Fiesta ST wins if you can handle its hardcore nature.