Hot hatchbacks have to be some of the most fun cars to drive on the planet. Whilst a supercar like a McLaren Mp4-12c can give you more thrills per minute, you’re constantly under threat of scraping the front bumper on a speed bump and impracticality. Hot hatchbacks on the other hand have much more attainable thrills, the speeds are lower and it’ll thump over most speed bumps and potholes unabated.

Whilst our Rand plummets the cost of these hatchbacks has soared and the likes of the BMW M135i and Audi S3 can set you back over R500k. That doesn’t sound like good punch for pound if you ask me, so we set out to find the best value for money hot hatchbacks and gave ourselves a budget of R400 000.

If you think that’s well over the top for a hot hatch, then take a look at our list of smaller sport hatches we did a while back.

Best value for money hot hatchbacks

1.Ford Focus ST

Ford South Africa has really hit the nail on the head when it comes to value for money on its hot hatches. You can step into a Focus ST at R349 900 and if you want to break the bank on the cool racer boy interior kit you can walk away with the ‘upsize’ model for R393 900. Whilst maybe not outright as fast as some of its rivals, it’s way up there on fun factor level.

2. Volkswagen Golf VII GTI

The perennial favourite amongst South Africans, VW can probably afford to inflate its prices for the GTI as it’ll still sell crazy numbers. Only the manual gearbox version creeps under the R400k ceiling though at R392 700. What the GTI does so well is combine an inoffensive exterior with a solid, high quality interior. Then Volkswagen goes ahead and makes the ride smooth for everyday driving, but keep the fun factor dialled up for that exact moment when the inner tarmac torturer exposes itself.

3. Renault Megane RS

The Megane RS is the driver’s hot hatch, it handles like an attack mosquito and has the aggressive looks to match. Both variants of the RS make it under our R400k barrier – the standard Sport model at R359 900 and the Cup 265 at R399 900. The Cup 265 has an upgraded chassis that’s tuned more for track use. The Megane is starting to age a bit despite the numerous new versions Renault keeps releasing like the Red Bull RB8 and the Trophy R.

4. Volvo V40 T5 Excel

Whilst not an outright boy-racer hot hatch, the V40 does have some good credentials. Its 2.5-litre five-cylinder motor puts out 187 kW and 400 Nm. That definitely puts it right up there as a contender, as its 0-100 kph sprint time is a claimed 6.1 seconds. However dynamically it’s not the best handler, the V40 is set up to be a family mover. That said, it’s quite a looker especially in Polestar Blue. Yours for R394 300.

5. Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio

Our left-field choice comes from the crew over at Alfa Romeo. The Giulietta is getting on in years as it’s probably due a facelift in the next year or so but that doesn’t mean the Giulietta isn’t cool or fun. The Quadrifoglio makes do with the smallest engine here – a 1.75-litre turbo and it still manages to work up 173kW and 340Nm. It’s no slouch but maybe a little compromised as it’s not a super handler and not the best comfortable cruiser. It does have a very plush interior that looks more upmarket and suave then any of the others on the list.