THINK of a Mitsubishi performance car and only one springs to mind: the Lancer Evolution. Sadly, this rally-bred rocketship is not cheap to run, and certainly out of the budget of most user-choosers.

However, all is not lost. For the funky new three-door Colt has a hot hatch version which will more than fit the bill for many drivers.

The Colt CZT also has a small but powerful turbocharged engine like its high profile stablemate, but is much less in-your-face: there’s no aircraft wing bolted to the back, and it isn’t festooned with scoops and skirts like the Lancer Evolution.

But it has its own style, and where the five-door Colt is not far off a mini-MPV, this three-door car is wedgy and sharp, and in the black of the test car, reminding me of a very thick chunk of rich chocolate cake.

In fact, everything about the Colt CZT has a chunky feel. The seats are thick and supportive, the steering is weighty, the brakes meaty. It’s not often that hot hatches feel this solid. That’s not to say that the Colt is heavy and slow. Far from it. The engine produces 148bhp, which is around the same as the excellent Fiesta ST.

It will do 0-62mph in just over seven seconds, and with the little engine and turbo screaming away, it’s a fun little car, which will fizz about like all the best hot hatches. Mitsubishi has turned its skills to tuning the suspension, stiffening the springs and fitting low profile 16-inch tyres. And a price of £12,999 on-the-road is £500 less than the Fiesta, while residual values are a healthy 37%/£4,950.

For those with the dreams but without the funds, the CZT is a great first step on the road to Japanese rally hypercar glory.

Factifle:

Engine: 1,468cc
Power (bhp/rpm): 147/6,000
Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 155/3,500
Max speed (mph): 131
0-62mph (sec): 7.2
Fuel economy (mpg): 41.5
CO2 emissions (g/km): 161
Price (OTR): £12,999