Having had both over the years, and now owning one of each, I would say the Sapphire drives much better than the mk4.

The mk4 will always feel more nimble, and arguably handles better but the Sapphire is a great driving car with a better spec.

2wd Saff is the best driving, closely followed by the 4x4. I'd say you are looking at £15k upwards for a nice tidy car with a decent spec these days but its a bonus if you can do bodywork.