I'm feelin' like it is gonna be a good day for posting cheap used hatchbacks from the 80s today...and if the Grandpa's Tercel we just featured seems a bit slow for you...then maybe you'll want a turbocharged manual-gearbox equipped Chevy Sprint...yeah...what a beast. Find this 1988 Chevrolet Sprint offered for $2000 in San Francisco, CA via craigslist. Tip from Matthew.
"Cool" car guys aren't supposed to admit that they like basic economy cars from yesteryear, but I'm not cool, so I guess I'll just go out and admit that I do a double take when a clean Toyota Tercel rolls by and I'm a sucker for the hatchback version that hasn't been hacked up by some Pimp My Ride wannabe. Find this 1988 Toyota Tercel offered for $3300 in San Jose, CA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
Vintage muscle cars from the 1960s long ago became overpriced for the every-man and late model cars are still monstrously expensive, probably because they are well engineered, fast, and reliable...but where can I cheapskate find something that is fun and cool? Go west, young man, go west...and buy something from the malaise era. It doesn't get much more west than Seattle and it doesn't get much more malaise than 1981 when horsepower was low and bumpers were big. Find this 1981 Datsun 280ZX offered for $2800 in Seattle, WA via craigslist. Tip from PAH.
A high mileage complex luxury cars with scary electronic integrated gizmos should put the fear of the electron into any sane person...and I count myself in that small group. A mid 2000s Audi A8, for instance, is going to be overly complicated and certainly cheap because it is going to cost arms/legs/kidneys/children to repair...but if you step downmarket into something like a low spec Audi A3 that doesn't have all the complicated rube goldberg auto-driving features...you might just be able to drive it for a few years and sell without doing anything other than adding gas. Maybe. Got a lucky rabbits foot keychain? Find this 2006 Audi A3 offered for $5,500 in SF Bay Area, CA via craigslist.
The 2nd generation Subaru Leone was sold in the USA with the somewhat lame and confusing "GL/DL/STD" badge on the back, but it shared a chassis with the BRAT and was known for its longevity in the face of basic commuting. An 80s Subaru won't be the fastest car on the block, but it will always get you to your destination, even if you have to stop and smack the top of a carb a few times. Find this 1984 Subaru GL Hatchback offered for $1750 in Alexandria, VA via craigslist.
Find this 1984 Ford Mustang GT350 20th Anniversary with 61k miles here on eBay bidding for $6,500 reserve-not-met with $9,999 buy-it-now and a few hours to go, located in Smithtown, NJ.
It was big news when Honda released a hatchback version of the 2017 Civic. The hatchback body style has not been available over here since 2005. The fourth generation Civic was a available from 1987-1991 as a sedan, coupe, hatchback, wagon, and a two seat CRX. The DX was the no frills model that this unfancy list of optional equipment: power steering, rear wash/wipe, clock, passenger door mirror, wheel covers, and auto transmission. What the Civic lacked in luxury features it made up for in driving fun and fuel economy. The 92 horsepower4 cyl SOHC engine only had 2165 lbs to haul around. Find this 1991 Honda Civic hatch for sale in Westport, CT for $1,750 via craigslist. 
The zippy little MGB roadster was released by British Motor Corp (BMC) in 1962, followed shortly (in 1965) by the MGB GT hatchback/coupe version, but things got even more interesting in 1967 with the launch of the MGC -- an inline-6 version and the MGC GT an inline-6 hatchycoupe version. Find this 1969 MG MGC GT here on eBay bidding for $9,101 with a few hours to go, located in Stowe, VT.
The year was 2001. The place; a bit outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. My buddy Steve and I pulled a free 1983 Stanza from some guy's wood pile and got stung by yellow jackets trying to get it out. We got it running on a Carter YF carburetor from my AMC Javelin using a manifold adapter made from a 2x4 block and nails. As you may guess, we started a large field on fire during a drought and hydro-locked the CA18 motor on Mountain Dew trying to extinguish the flames which were dripping from the manifold. Then we rolled it. Find this piece of my adolescence, a 1984 Datsun Stanza, for sale in Seattle, WA for $1,590 via craigslist.
Proton is a Malaysian manufacturer which made cheap runabouts in much the same vein as Hyundai and Kia during the 1990s. Based on an old Mitsubishi Colt, the Satria was nothing special. However, the GTi badge can work magic, as it did on the Mk1 Golf and Peugeot’s 205, and the same rings true for the little Proton, with its Lotus tuned handling. Find this 2000 Proton Satria GTi for $4,400 AUD ($3,350 USD at the time of writing) in Taree, NSW, Australia via gumtree.com.au
The Cologne Germany built Ford Fiesta is generally given the dubious honor of being Ford's first successful mass market car to use a front-wheel drive layout. It wasn't the fastest thing at the dealer, but it was probably better assembled than most of the junk from Ford of Detroit in the late 70s. Find this 1980 Ford Fiesta offered for $995 in Anchorage, AK via craigslist. Tip from Zach.
During the hot hatch wars of the 80’s and early 90’s Volkswagen
Golf GTIs squared off with Honda Civic SIs in the United States each with a
dedicated following. It looks like with the Ford Focus ST now joining the two well-known
models and what seems to be and arms race of horsepower in the hatchbacks there
may be a resurgence in the market. But there are hatchback models that never were
modified by flat brimmed teens with street glow and stanced to a level where
they scrape their oil pan on the paint while changing lanes. Here is the chance to own an unmolested beauty
that was imported recently and appears to be intact and correct. Advertised on
the list that is Craig’s, located in Newport News, Virginia this 1988 Peugeot 205 GTI is yours for the mere
price of $7,500; beret and baguette not included.
For whatever reason, in the USA market, the modern Corolla is this terrible bottom feeding econobox that makes driving a Matrix look like fun. Sure, you could get the 2ZZ-GE engine in the 05-06 XRS trim, but to get the really fun stuff, you need to head across the ocean to a former British penal colony known for its deadly flora & fauna. Find this 2001 Toyota Corolla Sportivo Turbo offered for $5,400 AUD ($4143 USD) in New South Wales, Australia via carsales.com.au. Tip from Michael B.
A few weeks back I wrote about my inept ability with all things Italian featuring a mid-seventies GTV Alfa. DT readers are an educated bunch and I learned a lot about the car in question. The world of Italian cars is still a black hole for me, but I look forward to pulling up my intelligence. Shall we try this again? Find this 1984 Alfa Romeo GTV6 for sale near Los Angeles, CA for $11,900 OBO via craigslist.
This Fiat 128 Sport Coupe is up for sale after ending an eBay auction for $9,000 in June of 2014. It is still offered in the same city with some of the same photos, so the previous sale might have fallen through or this is a different seller who is looking for a considerable profit for 2 years of ownership. Find this 1978 Fiat 128 Sport Coupe offered for $19,000 in Modesto, CA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.
The 3rd generation Mitsubishi Mirage was sold in North America starting in the 1989 model year at Mitsubishi dealers, but you could also get the same exact car (albeit with different badges) from Dodge/Plymouth dealers as the Colt, and over at Eagle as the Summit. They should have imported the top of the line JDM version that was called the Cyborg, but at least you could get the hatchback version with a turbocharged engine. Find this 1989 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo offered for $3,800 in Moreno Valley, CA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck. 