Curated list

The 12 best hot hatches of the 2000s

The 2000s were the hot hatch's second golden age. Power went from 150 bhp to well over 200, turbos came back, and Renault, Honda and Ford spent the decade trying to out-do each other. Most of these cars are now cheap enough to buy on a whim, and the best ones are starting to climb in value.

All 12 were sold new in Ireland. For each one we show what it costs to tax today and the year the first cars turn 30 and qualify for €56 vintage tax.

01 · The benchmark

Renault Clio Mk2 Renaultsport 172 2000–2004

A 2.0-litre, 16-valve engine that loves revs, in a small, light shell. The Clio 172 set the standard every other small hot hatch of the decade was judged against. The later 182 and the stripped-out Cup versions are sharper still, but the standard 172 is the one to start with.

Motor tax now: €710 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2030 (€56 a year)
Engine: 1,998 cc, 169 bhp, 0–62 7.2 s
Guide price: €3,500–€10,000 (our estimate)

Watch for: Cambelt and aux belt, rear axle, crash damage, many modified.

Compare every Clio in the filter → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

02 · VTEC, built in Swindon

Honda Civic Mk7 Type R 2.0 i-VTEC 2001–2005

Built in Honda's Swindon factory, the EP3 Type R paired a 200 PS i-VTEC engine with a gear lever mounted high on the dashboard, a few inches from the wheel. It needs revving to give its best, and when VTEC engages high in the rev range it's addictive.

Motor tax now: €710 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2031 (€56 a year)
Engine: 1,998 cc, 197 bhp, 0–62 6.8 s
Guide price: €6,000–€14,000 (our estimate)

Watch for: Synchro wear on 2nd/3rd, rear arch rust, theft history, modifications.

Compare every Civic in the filter → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

03 · The cult hero

Ford Focus Mk1 RS 2002–2003

Ford's first Focus RS had a 212 bhp turbocharged 2.0 and a Quaife limited-slip differential, and it fought its driver over every bump. It came only in Imperial Blue and was built in small numbers, so good ones are now collector's items.

Motor tax now: €710 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2032 (€56 a year)
Engine: 1,988 cc, 212 bhp, 0–62 6.4 s
Guide price: €18,000–€35,000 (our estimate)

Watch for: Clutch/DMF, Quaife diff wear, rear arch rust, check for modification and theft history.

Motor tax by year and full specs → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

04 · A V6 in a hatchback

Alfa Romeo 147 937 GTA 2002–2005

Alfa squeezed its 3.2-litre 'Busso' V6, one of the best-sounding engines ever fitted to a road car, into the 147. With 250 PS going through the front wheels it was a handful, but nothing else in this list sounds like it.

Motor tax now: €1,809 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2032 (€56 a year)
Engine: 3,179 cc, 250 bhp, 0–62 6.3 s
Guide price: €12,000–€25,000 (our estimate)

Watch for: Cambelt (engine-out risk if missed), torque steer/wishbones, Selespeed, rare body parts.

Compare every 147 in the filter → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

05 · The GTI comeback

Volkswagen Golf Mk5 GTI 2.0 TFSI 2004–2009

After the soft Mk4, the Mk5 GTI put Volkswagen back on top: a 200 PS 2.0 turbo, tartan seats and a golf-ball gear knob that nodded to the 1976 original, and a chassis that was quick and comfortable at the same time. It was also the first GTI offered with the DSG twin-clutch gearbox.

Motor tax now: €710 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2034 (€56 a year)
Engine: 1,984 cc, 200 bhp, 0–62 7.2 s
Guide price: €4,000–€10,000 (our estimate)

Watch for: Cam follower wear on high-pressure fuel pump, coil packs, DSG mechatronics, PCV valve.

Motor tax by year and full specs → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

06 · Peugeot finds its form again

Peugeot 206 Mk1 GTi 180 2003–2006

The 206 GTi 180 put a 180 PS version of Peugeot's 2.0 16v in its supermini, with a close-ratio gearbox and firmer suspension. It didn't match the 205 GTI's legend, but it was a big step up from the standard 206 GTi.

Motor tax now: €710 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2033 (€56 a year)
Engine: 1,997 cc, 177 bhp, 0–62 7.4 s
Guide price: €3,500–€10,000 (our estimate)

Watch for: Rear axle bearings, cambelt, variable inlet, crash damage.

Compare every 206 in the filter → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

07 · Supercharger whine

Mini Hatch R50/R53 Cooper S 2002–2006

BMW's first new Mini Cooper S used a supercharged 1.6, and you can hear the supercharger whine every time you accelerate. It handles like a go-kart, a lot of personality in a small package. John Cooper Works kits raised power further.

Motor tax now: €514 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2032 (€56 a year)
Engine: 1,598 cc, 170 bhp, 0–62 7.2 s
Guide price: €4,000–€10,000 (our estimate)

Watch for: Supercharger oil/rebuild, power steering pump, head gasket, Getrag six-speed and clutch.

Compare every Hatch in the filter → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

08 · Formula One flavour

Renault Megane Mk2 Renaultsport R26 2007–2008

Built to celebrate Renault's 2005 and 2006 Formula One titles, the R26 added a limited-slip differential and 230 PS to the Mégane Renaultsport. That turned a fast car into one of the best-handling front-drive cars of its time. Many came in Liquid Yellow.

Motor tax now: €710 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2037 (€56 a year)
Engine: 1,998 cc, 227 bhp, 0–62 6.5 s
Guide price: €6,000–€13,000 (our estimate)

Watch for: Turbo, cambelt, LSD wear, crash damage.

Compare every Megane in the filter → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

09 · Five cylinders

Ford Focus Mk2 ST-2 2.5 2005–2010

The Focus ST used a Volvo-sourced 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo with 225 PS and a distinctive warble. It's more grown-up than the RS that came before it, easy to live with every day, and the Electric Orange paint is the one people remember.

Motor tax now: €1,294 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2035 (€56 a year)
Engine: 2,522 cc, 225 bhp, 0–62 6.8 s
Guide price: €6,000–€14,000 (our estimate)

Watch for: Coolant expansion tank/oil filler cracks, clutch and DMF, turbo oil feed.

Motor tax by year and full specs → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

10 · The small one

Volkswagen Lupo Mk1 GTI 2000–2005

Volkswagen made only a small number of Lupo GTIs. It's a tiny city car with a 1.6 16v, a central twin-pipe exhaust and a chassis that rewards being driven hard. It's light, simple and an early classic.

Motor tax now: €514 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2030 (€56 a year)
Engine: 1,598 cc, 125 bhp, 0–62 8.2 s
Guide price: €6,000–€15,000 (our estimate)

Watch for: Rear axle bushes, clutch, 6-speed (2002+) gearbox, electrics, modified examples.

Compare every Lupo in the filter → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

11 · Honest and cheap

Ford Fiesta Mk6 ST 2.0 2005–2008

The Fiesta ST of the 2000s never got the attention of the later turbo models, but it's simple: a 150 PS 2.0 with no turbo, a slick gearbox and a lively chassis. It's one of the cheapest ways into a proper hot hatch.

Motor tax now: €710 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2035 (€56 a year)
Engine: 1,999 cc, 150 bhp, 0–62 7.9 s
Guide price: €3,000–€7,500 (our estimate)

Watch for: Clutch and dual-mass wear, rear arch lips, coil pack misfires.

Compare every Fiesta in the filter → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

12 · Brembo brakes, 225 PS

Seat Leon Mk1 Cupra R 2002–2006

The first Leon Cupra R used Volkswagen's tough 1.8 turbo, tuned to 225 PS in later cars, with Brembo brakes. It was faster than the Golf GTI of the same years, and the engine is a favourite with tuners.

Motor tax now: €636 a year (engine size)
Vintage tax from: 2032 (€56 a year)
Engine: 1,781 cc, 225 bhp, 0–62 6.9 s
Guide price: €4,000–€10,000 (our estimate)

Watch for: K04 turbo, coil packs, clutch/DMF, originality.

Compare every Leon in the filter → For sale on DoneDeal ↗

What they cost to tax in Ireland

Almost all of these cars were first registered before July 2008, so they're taxed on engine size, not CO2. Most have a 2.0-litre engine, which puts them in the 1,901–2,000 cc band at €710 a year. The 3.2 V6 Alfa 147 GTA and the 2.5 Focus ST cost far more. A car registered from July 2008, such as a late Mk5 GTI or Focus ST, is taxed on CO2 instead, and the band is on its registration certificate.

When they turn vintage

Once a car is 30 years old it can switch to the vintage class at €56 a year, a big saving on €710. The first cars on this list turn 30 in 2030. Insurers' classic policies often start from 20 or 25 years, so cheaper classic insurance can arrive sooner.

Guide prices and 'watch for' notes are our own estimates and haven't been independently checked. Motor tax figures are worked out from Department of Transport rates; check the exact figure for a specific car at motortax.ie.

More lists

Motor tax rates: Department of Transport schedule (unchanged in Budgets 2025 and 2026), checked 2026-09. CO2: official UK type-approval figures from the Vehicle Certification Agency; Irish-market versions can differ slightly. Your car's exact CO2 and band are on its registration certificate, and motortax.ie shows the rate for a given registration. Pre-July 2008 cars are taxed on engine size; July 2008–2020 on NEDC CO2; 2021 on, on WLTP CO2.