back in the day the answer was vauxhall cavalier, so in this day and age something like a mondeo or vectra would be a good bet. small cars tend to have a premium whereas the large hatchbacks are usually much cheaper and in better condition as well - extra points if you can get a saloon version. Expect there would be plenty choice in the focus and astra space as well.
Failing that, a rover 620Ti.
Failing that, a rover 620Ti.