Massive oops moment there for me - me bad. Dunno why I got that wrong.

Thats excellent mpg for a car that size (now I know which one it is :P )

Hmm, I'd have to disagree about it being the best handling hatch out there, the Golf to me feels a better handler, so I guess these claims are very subjective

They always are

A few years ago I had a large executive Citroen, the predicessor of the C5. Yep, I had an XM in SE spec. Very nice car and a very smooth drive and loads of gizmos, when it worked that is. I called out the RAC 3 times in the 8 months I had the car, sold it in the end because I got fed up of sitting on the hard shoulder of the M25. Even the day I sold it, the hydraulic system sprang yet another leak. I drove it onto the Ford dealers forcourt with green fluid leaking out at a fair rate of knots.

I used to have a Saxo VTR (2002) before my E30 M3. The Saxo had a much better turn in than the M3 and carried more speed around the bend than the M3. It was skittish but I managed to get used to its handling and predict every move. I managed to out run my mate in his MZ3 roadster in the VTR around the '13 bends' between Baslow and Bakewell in Derbyshire. You can't really get above 50-60 between the bends but the saxo was able to inch away from the M roadster.

So 10/10 for a budget sports hatch - and maintained 33-37 mpg whilst being driven like a stolen vehicle.

Performance was ok. Not sure about actual 0-60 or whatever, but it wasn't too bad. It was similar to 100hp TDI Fabia, and as quick is my brother in laws MK2 16v Golf......

I had a saxo VTR I bought from new, and ran to 150,000 miles.... and all your comments on here seem fair.... paul: you golf probably is faster in a straight line, the vtr isn't a very fast car in a straight line at all, but as a load of people have said the handling does excell! it does bite on the limit too, the VRS is more friendly in that respect, the saxo will suddenly oversteer without warning if your not careful, you have to be ready to turn into the skid and nail the gas or spin! I was scared a few times I can tell you! most hatches are set up to understeer, to mke them safe, the VTR isn't set up like this, thats why it has SUCH impressive turn in! (but the back will break away...)

I don't think the lack of acceleration hinders it too much as long as you have corners! , I was driving along the mosborough bypass (andy will know this road) approaching a roundabout (single carrige way) going ahead, and up a hill on a dual carrigeway...) was following a nissan 200sx (0-60 in about 6.5 seconds) in the POURING rain... he was giving a load trying to go fast, he went on the left of the roundabout, I passed him on the right, now the nissan is much, much faster than the saxo, but I was SO far ahead with the speed carried around the roundabout, that he only just cought me by the end of the straight! the cornering ability of this little car is great, it really is! I truley beleive what andy says above about kicking the Z3 ! (I wouldn't have another though, given up on the citroen build quality!)

IPerformance was ok. Not sure about actual 0-60 or whatever, but it wasn't too bad. It was similar to 100hp TDI Fabia, and as quick is my brother in laws MK2 16v Golf......

The Mk2 16v is meant to do 0-60 in 7.5 seconds which would make it a lot faster than a VTR

The Mk2 16v is meant to do 0-60 in 7.5 seconds which would make it a lot faster than a VTR

Well it wasn't