Honda - tends to have sporty engines with a premium on insurance Vauxhall - will be worthless when you try to sell it later VW - rock solid but a premium to pay for badge Focus - I've 4 of them and not an ounce of trouble from any of them. Clear winner in my humble opinion
VW Golf hands down but it will all be down to personal experience. Superb cars for a hatchback but also heard lots of good things about the Ford Focus as mentioned above.
Not having driven any of them myself, I just looked at about 15 different ‘top hatchback’ lists across various reputable sites and the Ford Focus came top or second on basically every one. The Golf tended to be top 5 and Skoda Octavia which you haven’t mentioned featured quite highly on most of the lists. I like how easy parts are to get for Fords so that coupled with the high ratings makes me say that one.
Thing is, every Focus I look at is more expensive than the others. Plus the missus has one and I don't want the same car if I can help it.
It's between the Civic and the Golf, before I came on here and asked. I've spoke to loads of mates (I don't have any mates) and colleagues etc, got opinions and folk kept saying Fords or maybe an Astra. The Astra seems a great choice based on what I've seen/read. Nearly 40 and finally getting into cars. What a clown.
Golf, Civic and Octavia are pretty bullet proof and all hold pretty good resale value Focus generally will be cheaper and get a better spec for money
I had a civic and it was a great car. So from a personal point, that would be my recommendation. The golf is decent too though.
Golf tends to be better spec and more advanced. Overall a more premium car out of the list you had. But likely cost you more, where the value for money on the Focus is unreal - plus they run forever. Dubois just landed a KO in Round 2.
For reliability, Civic. The best to drive probably the Focus. Best all rounder, the Golf. One I'd definitely not have, the Astra.
Nobody has mentioned Seat Leon so I will, it's a new model now but I've got a 15 month old Cupra on lease and I love it. Just a VW really without the price tag and it's solid on the road