If you can find a decent, honest mk2 XR2 then that is the one to go for if you want something classic, but value for money the mk5 Zetec-S models take some beating. They handle nicely, go reasonably well too for a modern 1600 n/a and return decent MPG.

You'll get a better mk5 then you will an xr2 for less money put it that way, all depends on what you want, how long you plan to keep it, what you want to do to it/use it for etc...