5 sporty hatchbacks you can buy in Malaysia that won’t break the bank

You're in the market to buy a new car, and you want something fun, somewhat practical, and preferably manual.

You've got your eyes set on one of those fancy turbocharged hot hatches like the Renault Megane RS or VW Golf GTI. But reality struck and you realise those cars are more than double what you're willing to spend.

So you turn to the used market and let someone else bear the depreciation. What are your options? Here are my top picks for the best fun-to-drive hatchbacks that won't break the bank. 

1. Proton Satria Neo

Satria Neo has no shortage of limited editions & variants like the 2008 R3 Satria Neo, R3 Clubsport, R3 Satria Neo Lotus Racing, and the 2011 R3 Satria Neo. Limited editions like the ones mentioned costs a pretty penny because... they're limited. 

So the next best thing is the 2009 Satria Neo CPS H-Line. The Neo CPS H-line came with the new CamPro CPS engine and had a slightly narrower track than lower variants. Later in 2013, Proton launched the Satria Neo R3 which is basically the Neo CPS with cosmetic bits to look like the 2011 R3 Satria Neo.

The Neo is a pretty decent car if you want to dip your toes into the world of car modifications as aftermarket performance parts are aplenty.

On paper, the standard 1.6L CPS engine produces 126 PS and 150 Nm at 6,500 rpm and 4,500 rpm respectively.

Early examples of the Satria Neo H-line starts as low as RM 13,000 and up to RM 30,000 for the later Satria Neo R3 models.

2. Honda CRZ

Marketed as a 'sports hybrid', the CR-Z was the spiritual successor to the CR-X.

With its sports-car-like 2+2 seating configuration, sleek coupe body & available with a 6-speed manual transmission, the CR-Z was an instant hit.

But it's a hybrid, how reliable can it be? We went more in-depth into running cost & common issues here. TL;DR things can get a little pricey but fret not as most of the issues are wear & tear related instead of anything caused by unreliability.

If you plan on getting one, aim for the facelift version that was launched locally in 2013. It gets some new bits and power is now up to 136 PS and 190 Nm compared to the previous model’s 124 PS and 174 Nm.

Unfortunately, not many facelift models are out there as Honda Malaysia discontinued the CR-Z just a year after the facelift was launched. This is because the tax incentive for fully imported (CBU) hybrid cars have ended. 

A facelifted CVT model can be yours for as low as RM 43,000, while the manual starts at about RM 52,000.

3. Suzuki Swift Sport

It's a great little car with nippy handling and a rev-happy engine. So great that my colleague & my friend both bought one. Even I was considering it at one point in time, but prices were still high.

Under the hood lies the M16A 1.6L 4-cylinder producing 136 PS & 160 Nm. That might sound a little underwhelming, but because it's so eager & characterful, combined with the 6-speed manual, the driving experience more than makes up for it.

Prices for a used Swift Sport starts around the RM 50,000 mark and go up from there. Manual variants are few and far between, they also command a higher price than the CVT ones. You can delve deeper into buying a used ZC32S here.

4. Renault Clio RS200 EDC

Now we move on to my personal favourite, the Renault Clio RS 200 EDC. 

Powered by Nissan's MR16 1.6L turbo-petrol engine, the Clio's 200 PS & 240 Nm with its 6-Speed 'Efficient Double-Clutch' auto will complete the century sprint in 6.7 Seconds.

Shortly after its local debut, Renault Malaysia posted a video of the Clio setting an impressive lap time of 2:48.001 around Sepang.

The Clio RS200 was the first RS model to come with an automatic. There's always going to be that person who complains about the lack of a manual transmission, but honestly, I don't really care too much.

Other than the lack of 'driver engagement', the EDC gets the job done and isn't offensive in any way. If anything it makes the car more bearable to be used as a daily driver.

My favourite feature of the Clio is the R-Sound Effect. Some will say its a gimmick but I think it's cool. Basically, its a synthesiser that can make your Clio to sound like a Clio V6, a Nissan GT-R, or even a spaceship.

If that's not your cup of tea, an aftermarket exhaust could make the Clio sound like a baby A45, especially during launch control.

When it was launched in early 2014, the Clio had a price tag of RM 172,888. But you can get one for as low as RM 65,000.

5. Megane III RS250

Of course, we can't talk about hot hatchbacks without talking about the legend that is the Renault Megane RS.

Famous for beating the record for the fastest front-wheel-drive car around the Nordschleife over and over again, the Megane RS was really a car for enthusiasts by enthusiasts.

The first of the many editions to launch in Malaysia was the RS 250 Cup in 2010, followed by the RS 250 Cup Special Edition in 2012.

Not long afterwards the RS 265 Cup & RS 265 Trophy made its way here as well. There was also the RB7 & RB8 edition which was limited to 5 and 10 units respectively.

Things get a lot more simple for the facelift car, there was just the RS 265 Sport & Cup. Finally we have the Megane III RS’s swansong – the RS 275 Trophy-R.

All variants are powered by the F4RT 2.0L turbo-petrol with varying power outputs and the sole transmission option was a 6-speed manual. Barring the RS 265 Sport, a limited-slip differential was also standard on all models.

In the used market meanwhile, the RS 250 starts at about RM 70,000 and can go up from there. At the time of writing there wasn’t any RS 265 variants for sale but these cars come and go pretty quick. So if you’re keen on getting one, you gotta keep your eye’s peeled.

So which of these hatchbacks would you take home? Personally, I'd pick the Clio RS.