If you’re going for the full hot hatch, then you might well go for a Ford Focus ST or a Leon Cupra. But if you want most of the looks and much of the excitement for a lower budget then these two might well fit the bill.

The more flamboyant looking Ford clocks in with a turbocharged 1.5-litre engine, which manages to produce a whisker more power than the 1.8-litre turbo in the Seat Leon. But about 180bhp can be delivered in very different ways.

The Seat has a decent mid-range punch that gives it the sort of acceleration that feels like a true hot hatch. The power is there pretty much throughout the range, giving you an eager response. The Focus is giving away 300cc and it feels like more. It’s a smooth power delivery but you just have to work it very hard to get that power out.

That can feel quite exciting in isolation but it’s tiring over time and, if put against the Leon, it simply feels lacking. But we know that the Focus handles really well, even more so in this guise using the Zetec S chassis. It’s firm, taut, poised and eager to go.

The surprise is when you get into the more restrained-looking Leon FR and find that it handles every bit as well, but actually has even more front-end grip and even better steering. Ride in both is pretty firm, but that’s what you’d expect.

The Seat has a slightly larger cabin and it’s put to good use. The boot is bigger, there’s slightly more room and its infotainment system is better than the Ford’s – although neither are remarkably good. The Focus has the better supported driving seat but otherwise trails in second.

Despite the Ford Focus having a higher list price, haggling should make them about the same which, with similar depreciation, means there’s nothing much to choose between them on price. The Ford is slightly cheaper to tax, lease and run than the Seat but it’s the Seat that includes more kit as standard. If you’re a private buyer they’ll throw in the attractive Technology Pack which otherwise costs just over £1000. Add in as standard dual-zone climate control and sensors front and rear and the Seat tips the balance its way.

Of the two, the Seat Leon FR takes the chequered flag here for being a more rounded, better equipped and faster car. However, in reality we’d recommend shopping a touch lower down the list. The Ford Focus 1.5 150 Zetec S or the Seat Leon 1.4 TSI 150 FR would be just as much fun but would save you useful sums of money.

Specifications: Ford Focus 1.5 Ecoboost

Engine size 1.5-litre petrol, turbo

Price from £22,770 (list)

Power 180bhp

Torque 177lb ft

0-60mph 9.3 seconds

Top speed 138mph

Fuel economy 39.6mpg (True MPG)

CO2 127g/km

Specificaions: Seat Leon 1.8 TSI

Engine size 1.8-litre petrol, turbo

Price from £21,565 (list)

Power 178bhp

Torque 184lb ft

0-62mph 7.9 seconds

Top speed 140mph

Fuel economy 37.7mpg (True MPG)

CO2 138g/km