WHAT'S THE BEST DRIVER'S CAR? AUTOCAR'S 2021 HOT HATCH SHOOTOUT!

If you want a fun car for not loads of money, what's your best option? That's what Autocar's contest, Britain's Best Affordable Driver's Car, intends to answer every year. Welcome to the 2021 edition.

We've got six driver's cars to test. Five are practical everyday hatchbacks that also aim to please while they're at it, and they're all new for 2021.

The newest of them all is the Hyundai i20 N. It takes on the Ford Puma ST, the latest Volkswagen Golf R, a Cupra Leon 300, and a BMW 128ti.

Then there's our wildcard, the Caterham Super Seven 1600.

The cars' prices run from under £25,000 to nearly £40,000, and we've driven to the greatest roads in Britain to help us decide. We're in the Highlands: but there can be only one (see what we did there). Full specifications below!



Hyundai i20 N

£24,995
201bhp at 5500-6000rpm
207lb f t at 1750 -4500rpm
1220kg
0-62mph 6.2sec
Top speed 142mph
40.4mpg
CO2 158g/km

Volkswagen Golf R

£39,270
316bhp at 5200-6600rpm
310 lb ft at 2100-5350rpm
1476kg
0-62mph 4.7sec
Top speed 155mph
35.3-36.2mpg
CO2 176-182g/km

Ford Puma ST Performance Pack

£29,460
197bhp at 6000rpm
236lb ft at 2500-3500rpm
1283kg
0-62mph 6.7sec
Top speed 137mph
41.5mpg
CO2 155g/km

Cupra Leon 300 VZ2

£35,125
296bhp at 5500rpm
295lb ft at 2000-5200rpm
1420kg
0-62mph 5.7sec
Top speed 155mph
35.8-37.2mpg
CO2 171-179g/km

BMW 128ti

£33,885
261bhp at 4750-6500rpm
295lb ft at 1750 -4500rpm
1445kg
0-62mph 6.1sec
Top speed 155mph
38.2-40.9mpg
CO2 157-170g/km

Caterham Super Seven 1600 SV

£39,665
135bhp at 6800rpm
122lb ft at 4100rpm
565kg
0-62mph 5.0sec
Top speed 122mph



Autocar, the world's leading motoring magazine and website, delivers industry-leading news, the most in-depth car reviews and opinion from our team of experts. Our presenters include some of the world's top motoring journalists who have unrivalled access to the world's fastest, rarest, most exotic and most exciting cars on some of the world's best roads and race tracks.

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[longtailgt]

My outright favourite here is the Golf R, but considering they cost more than 40K with options, the i20N is the moral victor. Looks good, drives great and has a manual! That's the kind of 'hot hatch' you'd want to daily.

[HRHTim]

Analogy of the the Puma ST was brilliant!! "A Fiesta ST that's had a few pints"

[NH-bzjv]

I’ve owned a Golf R, driven a Fiesta ST that I had for 2 months, and test drove the i20N yesterday. The i20N is the best all round without a doubt. I placed my order there and then, cannot wait🤘

[SChapps]

Came here for the i20N, and was not disappointed. I want to get a test drive in one as soon as possible

[pauliboo]

Just about to read your write up in this weeks magazine, thought I’d search and watch this first. I always leave reading your magazine to read on a Sunday!

[xNightWalkeR]

When you start comparing FWD to Four wheel drive and RWD cars to each other as in a “same class” for handling driving and other features, its becomes annoying to watch

[albertkang]

The N is for sure my Next car. Pretty N-thuastic about it!

[rootsmanuva]

Based on the thumbnail and only being able to read "Whats the best drivers car?" I thought this collection of hatchbacks and a Caterham Super Seven was all Autocar could get get this year 😂

[colinw]

I20n looks like a cracking little hatch, and blessed with a manual gearbox too. If I couldn't afford the extra £9k for a Yaris (if you can get hold of one), looks like a great choice to

[kramnam]

I used to run a 1700 cross flow on Webber’s.. they’ve got the sound similar.. but 40£k??? That’s taking the piss.. if it was 20k then perhaps..ps good film! Good reviews!

[rob_lightbody]

Love that you're testing on a stretch of road that I've driven hundreds of times in a variety of interesting cars.

[tractorboy]

The Golf R starts at just over £40k which I think stretches the limits of "affordable"; in my eyes at least and it's not even available as a manual as far as I can tell. Others may argue that anything is affordable on PCP...

[davidhayes]

Good video but only the I20N at £25K is ‘affordable’. Even the Puma is £30K plus.

[michastalmach]

Do you prefer I20N before I30N for the city driving? Please consider than I30N offer DCT Clutch which will be useful in traffic jams.

[antslim]

Cupra for power outputs and handling but I'll take the I20N for best allrounder.

[NuggetMaate]

Is the i20n better than the i30n for the price difference. Would be an interesting comparison back to back. Whether or not it is justifiable.

[seinsmeld]

Unfortunately a lot of these cars are not available here in Canada. We get way too many SUVs. If I had my way there would be none allowed on the road wasting petrol!!!! Thanks for the excellent review.

[mr_glasgow]

Love my i20 N - first one in Scotland and even after my Type R, I’m still smiling!

[jamescollins]

If the i20N is the best affordable drivers car why is it rated 2nd to the Fiesta ST in your road test this week?

[djmandrick]

Strange comparison with so many levels of apples to oranges. Almost every car was a different use case and price? Reviews a fat Fiesta ST, then verbally talked about the Fiesta ST throughout the whole i20 section as being it's direct competitor yet no sign of a Fiesta. As a viewer, that's odd.