The Fiesta went out of production in 2023, and thousands of hot hatch fans across Britain wept (probably). For years it's been our number one way to have fun for less – if you want maximum hot hatch thrills but don’t need much space and don’t want to spend a fortune, you can probably stop reading this top 10 here. The Ford Fiesta ST is simply brilliant, with handling that’ll put a grin on your face and an exhaust note that’ll make you feel 17 again.

The last-generation Fiesta ST, launched in 2013, is a bit of a hot hatch bargain today. Around £5,000 will get you a good, early example and, thanks to its turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine, it shouldn’t cost a fortune to run, either.

If you want the latest Ford Fiesta ST, which arrived in 2018, you’ll need a budget of around £10,000. That’s still an awful lot of fun for not a lot of cash.

If you long for a Ford Fiesta ST but need space for the kids, the Focus ST is the perfect substitute. The 2012 model lost the older 2.5-litre Volvo engine which graced earlier models, replaced by a potent 2.0-litre Ecoboost unit. A diesel followed in 2015.

As you’d expect, the ST is very different from a standard Focus, with a lowered chassis (10mm) and custom body styling. A facelift in 2015 saw the grille tweaked, while the front and rear lights were slimmed down.

Even when it was new, the Focus ST represented good value for money. Today, you can find a 2012 model for around £7,500.

The Volkswagen Up GTI is a proper little pocket rocket. Okay, it’s not going to win any Top Trumps contests (its 1.0-litre petrol engine produces 115PS and it covers 0-62mph in 8.8 seconds), but to judge it on this basis alone is doing it a disservice.

It’s the smallest hot hatch on sale today and arguably one of the most fun. Its fizzy little engine is punchy enough, and it feels like you’re travelling much faster than you actually are.

The Up GTI’s only been on sale since 2018 but you can still pick one up for around £11,000. In terms of fun-per-pound, that's hard to beat.

Even entry-level MINIs are a lot of fun to drive, with legendary handling and eager engines. But for maximum hilarity, you want a John Cooper Works model. The latest arrived in 2015 and, with 231PS, it’s the most powerful MINI hatch ever.

With its aggressive styling, bespoke alloy wheels and red brake calipers, the JCW is substantially different enough from the lesser Cooper S to really stand out in the car park. And that’s amplified on the move, thanks to a twin exhaust system which pops and cracks when you lift off the accelerator. Honestly, it’s addictive.

So, what’s the catch? Well, it’s not the price. A new one will set you back nearly £33,000, but an early example will cost you from around £11,000, which sounds like incredible value for money to us.

Remember the brilliant Peugeot 205 GTI? It’s arguably more iconic than the Volkswagen Golf GTI. But since the 205 GTI was retired in 1994, the French brand’s struggled to recreate the excitement of its original hot hatch.

After numerous wet squibs (we’re looking at you, 207 GTI), the Peugeot 208 GTI represented a return to form for the carmaker. It uses a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol and can accelerate to 62mph in 6.8 seconds, which is pretty decent for a car of this price.

You can pick one up for as little at £3,500, which makes it one of the most affordable hot hatches to feature on this list. It might not have the image of a Ford Fiesta ST or Renaultsport Clio, but that’s a good thing for a hot hatch buyer on a budget.

Available since 2014, the SEAT Leon Cupra combines breathtaking pace with a surprising amount of practicality. The former is thanks to a 280PS or 290PS 2.0-litre petrol engine, while the latter is because of the Leon’s sensible family car credentials – there’s even an estate version for maximum practicality.

The Leon Cupra closely related to the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Skoda Octavia vRS. It represents better value for money than the Volkswagen, though, and is more stylish than the Octavia.

Cupra models have quite a strong legion of fans, but you can pick up a early Leon Cupra for around £9000.

Proving you can have your cake and eat it, the Skoda Octavia vRS is a great value hot hatch for the family buyer. It’s huge, which means it’s got a spacious interior and a boot large enough for the biggest of food shops. Just like the standard Skoda Octavia.

The 2013 model was sold with a choice of 2.0-litre petrol or diesel engines, as well as hatch or estate body styles. Go for the petrol for maximum thrills, while the estate version makes for a quite an understated hot hatch (or, erm, hot wagon...).

The Skoda Octavia vRS shares a lot of parts with the Volkswagen Golf GTI so it’s actually more fun than you might expect for a sensible Skoda, especially if you hunt out a vRS 245 model which arrived in 2018.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI is one of the most iconic hot hatches on the market. The smaller Polo GTI is closer to the original in terms of size (and cost), though, so you could argue it’s where the sensible money goes.

It’s not quite got the cult status of the Ford Fiesta ST, but it’s still fun to drive and looks pretty sporty. We’d recommend looking at a 2015 or newer model for the 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine.

A budget of around £11,000 will get you one of these desirable models with relatively low miles on the clock. We’d recommend one with the manual gearbox for true hot hatch thrills, but the DSG transmission is fine if you’d prefer an auto.

A Renaultsport Clio is seen as the connoisseur’s choice when it comes to junior hot hatches. For outright fun, it’s almost unbeatable, with an eager engine and exceptional handling.

The 2013 model uses a 1.6-litre turbo (in place of the older naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre) and a twin-clutch automatic gearbox. Nope, you can’t have one with a manual transmission.

Around £8500 will get you a 2015 example of the Clio Renaultsport 200 although, if budget allows, we’d recommend looking for a 220 Trophy. This arrived in 2016 and provided a more focused chassis, bigger wheels and an extra dose of power, and aren't that much more expensive.

The Vauxhall Corsa VXR might be based on one of the most popular small hatchbacks on sale today, but don’t dismiss it on that basis. It’s every bit worthy of its hot hatch status – with a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 205PS ensuring it’s more than capable of keeping up with a Renaultsport Clio or Ford Fiesta ST, even if it's not quite as much fun.

With an aggressive body kit and chunky alloy wheels, there’s no danger of this souped-up Corsa going unnoticed. You’ll love it or hate it but, for its target market, we reckon the Corsa VXR is spot on.

A budget in the region of £8000 will get you a 2015 model with low miles on the clock.