What's the best petrol hatchback?

I will be changing from an estate to a hatchback as the space is not used. Top choice at the moment is a Golf. My preferences are petrol (annual mileage 10k), automatic and a bit of grunt so around 150ps. What else should I consider with a budget of £15k - £20k? Thanks.

Asked on 2 February 2021 by

Answered by Andrew Brady
A Volkswagen Golf is a good choice. Take a look at the Mazda 3, too – it's a very stylish hatchback and the Skyactiv-X petrol engine should have enough grunt (avoid the Skyactiv-G). You could also consider a hybrid Toyota Corolla. It'll be very reliable and sounds like it'd suit your mileage well.
Tags: hatchbacks
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