What do I do?

[Scott]

I mean what else is there really?

an MX5 yes is a great alternative but imo theyre not powerful enough out the box
205 - getting rare now, cheaper ones have rust etc
106 - fairly small, not the most practical, still holding value above the 306 for a good gti. But good engines, and respond well to mods!
Clio - still a lot of money for what it is. and a bit luke-warm engine-wise.
DC2 - still on the pricey side. VTEC (Yoh!) is over-rated.
Golf GTI - mk4s are shyte, mk5s are still pricey
celica - Vvti the only one worth having, but as you well know CAR you have to be right at the top of the revs to get anywhere.
mr2 - dont know much about the prices of these, but if you can get a good un they're apparently a lot of fun..?
Fiat punto - dont even go there
Saxos - ditto
Fiat Bravo HGT - as old as the '6, slower, softer
Polo valver - small, slow
Seat Leon - understeery on the limit, cupra r still fairly pricey, quick and refined, but again pricey for what it is...
Scooby - image. ill say no more. and still pricey for one that's not been ragged to death
Teg dc5 - still holding value as they're good cars. £8k+ for a good one...
Civic ep3 - about as quick as a '6, ~£4k for a good one, and not the best handling cars out the box
Ford Focus st170 - slower than a '6, not as good to drive.

I'm struggling to think of any others?

This sums up my opinion really on what's out there in the hatch market at the moment. I'd love a DC2 but at the same time in my opinion it's not really a step up on on a GTi-6 but more of a sideways step.

One car you missed though is the RS Megane, which you can find for about the same money as a DC2. I've not driven one but I've heard they're a lot of fun and a similar experience to driving a 6 or teg, but you will end up going a fair amount faster before you end up feeling the limits of what it can do, and at that point you're well above legal speeds and it it's very unforgiving.

Hero. Looking forward to getting a good look at this over the weekend!