Thinking about a hot hatch? Here are three left-field alternatives instead

As car enthusiasts, we all love a good hot hatchback. And there's plenty of reasons why hot hatches hold so much appeal. They deliver sporty performance at a relatively reasonable price point. They look youthful and exuberant (even if the driver may not). They are generally still practical enough to serve the needs of a small family. And, you know, they appeal to the boy racer in all of us.

And hey, if you wanted a hot hatch, you have plenty of options nowadays - the Hyundai i30 N, the MINI John Cooper Works, the Renault Megane RS, the SEAT Leon Cupra, and of course, the Volkswagen Golf GTI, arguably the class-defining hot hatch of them all, which is why we have decided to use the GTI as the benchmark.

But, what if you pined for the performance and practicality of a Golf GTI, but wanted something a little more unordinary (and cheaper, too)? Something a little out of left field? Well, here are three cars you might want to consider.

1. Skoda Octavia RS245

This might seem an obvious choice, because the RS245 shares the same EA888 engine with the Golf GTI (perhaps the most famous hot hatch of them all). However, the Octavia delivers similar performance, while being much more practical. It's 590-litre boot is even bigger than some small SUVs.

Price: $126,900 or 73.8% of a Golf GTI

2. Kia Stinger 2.0

Yes, the bombastic 3.3-litre variant is the headliner, but the 2.0-litre model is arguably the better daily driver. Compared to the GTI, it's also a much more family-friendly car, with more rear cabin room. It's also got an unmistakably unique design. No one's going to mistake you for a 1.4 Golf, that's for sure.

Price: $161,999 or 94.2% of a Golf GTI

3. Hyundai Kona EV

For something truly unordinary, how about the Kona EV? You might be thinking, it's neither a performance car nor even a hatchback, but hear us out. It's electric motor produces 201bhp and 395Nm of torque, figures that are comparable to that of the GTI. And, it's not half bad to drive, either. Best of all, you can wave your 'saving the earth' trump card at all those ozone-killing hot hatches racing off at red lights.

Price: $163,999 or 95.4% of a Golf GTI