We review the Top 5 warm hatches from price to economy and all its features

SUNDAY Times Driving has created their brilliant Top 100 Cars of 2016 guide. Read excerpts here or the full list at .

1.

5

This car defies all business sense. It’s great to drive, economical and above all, desirable — yet it starts at less than the price of a humdrum, mid-spec Ford Focus.

The rev-happy 1.6-litre turbocharged engine easily thrusts the ST towards the next bend where beautifully precise, direct steering works with the driver to slice through the corner and onto the next one.

There are three versions, all powered by the same engine; buy the cheapest, equipped with alloy wheels, Recaro seats and a dual exhaust.

2.

5

It’s not normal to introduce a sporty model by talking about its build quality, but that’s what sets this Mini apart. The cabin — with just the right amount of retro — is as solid as it is stylish.

The car is calm and quiet, but offers plenty of driving fun: the engine has a sporty burble when revved and the power to send the car zooming away; the gearstick requires just a flick of the wrist. It might not have the engagement of the Fiesta but it’s the better car away from a B-road.

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3.

5

Every modern Peugeot GTi fails to live up to the memories of testers who once owned a 205 GTI. It casts an unwarranted shadow over the 208 GTi — a car that’s a hoot to drive and also passes emissions and safety tests that barely troubled engineers 30 years ago.

Shame about the silly steering wheel that forces you to either break the speed limit or run out of fuel (many drivers can’t see all of the gauges at once).

4.

5

This might look slow on paper, and in the metal too, but get in and you won’t want to release the steering wheel. The Swift’s non-turbocharged 1.6-litre engine is a gem: smooth, revvy and full of heart.

The car grips tenaciously and steers with energy. The subtle go-faster tweaks mean nobody else is likely to realise the fun you’re having, particularly if you opt for the five-door version. The three door is a sub-£14,000 bargain.

5.

5

Big rear wing? Bonnet scoop? Gaping air intakes? Vauxhall is unashamedly repeating the recipe of the 1980s with its Corsa VXR, which behaves like a bit of a racer too. It’s quick and feels it, as the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine’s full torque comes low down the range.

But that can make it a handful: on rough public roads the wheels can be unsettled, causing the steering wheel to try to gain control of the car. If this sounds like fun, the VXR is for you. If not, it still makes a great car on the track.