Can you recommend a good hatchback?

I am in the market for a medium sized hatchback. The car must be fun to drive and offer a good balance between power and economy. I'll be doing 9000 miles a year, mainly 30 mile round trip a day on mixed roads, so petrol is my prefered option.

However, I am struggling to decide between a used plate Mazda 3, SEAT Ibiza FR or a Volkswagen Polo. Which car would you buy?

Asked on 11 March 2014 by kidsteruk

Answered by Honest John
Forget the Polo straight away. Bad engine with known problems. The Ibiza 1.2TSI 105 FR might be okay, but the Mazda 3 (I guess 1.6) is better built to higher standards.

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