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Sport Compact Cars: New Car Reviews
Until recently, being a sport compact driver meant you had bought a Honda Civic for around $10k and poured another $10-20 thousand into it to make it a race-worthy machine.
It was, despite those who criticize the "Fast and Furious" look and anything with less than 8 cylinders, good old-fashioned hot rodding.
The theory was sound: Take a small, light car and put as much raw horsepower under the hood as humanly possible.
Now the auto manufacturers are finally responding. Just as Detroit in the '70s began to produce factory-prepped muscle cars, auto makers across the globe are now beginning to see the neon light of the sport compact market.
We have hand-selected 11 of the best and brightest of these sub-$30k mini powerhouses and offer the stats for your review.
The cars listed below are listed in order of invoice price, with the cheapest vehicle being displayed first.
List order does not imply preference.
For more information on any of these cars, or to compare them side-by-side, click on the hyperlinked vehicle name or photo.
To get a free dealer price quote, click on the "Get a Free Quote" button.
Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V
Arguably the most sedate looking sedan of the bunch, the Spec V offers a lot of punch for the price.
The torquey, normally aspirated 2.5 liter is just barely kept under control by the limited-slip front wheel drive setup.
The 6-speed manual is a bit tricky at first, but overall this is a great car for going fast without attracting a lot of negative attention.
| Invoice |
MSRP |
Curb Weight |
Horsepower |
| $15,726 |
$17,199 |
2,743 lbs |
175 @ 6000 rpm |
Ford Focus SVT
Still suffering from love it or hate it Focus styling, the SVT made its debut this year to mixed reviews.
It's a contender, though.
The Focus is light enough to make good use of 170 horses, and the price tag is in the right range.
All I can tell you is to take a look at one in person and give it a spin.
You might love it, but you might hate it.
| Invoice |
MSRP |
Curb Weight |
Horsepower |
| $17,339 |
$18,585 |
2,593 lbs |
170 @ 7000 rpm |
MINI Cooper S
Don't let the HP fool you.
Even though 163 isn't all that impressive, this is more a street-legal go-kart than it is a car.
The Cooper S offers a 6.9 zero-to-sixty time thanks to the addition of a supercharger, and cornering capability that has made it a dominant player at SCCA Autocross events.
John Cooper would be proud.
| Invoice |
MSRP |
Curb Weight |
Horsepower |
| $17,567 |
$19,425 |
2,678 lbs |
163 @ 6000 rpm |
Dodge Neon SRT-4
I have to admit; I was very, very surprised to see Old Detroit come up with such a potent Neon.
215 hp pushing 2,588 lbs of steel puts this in the same class as the Lancer Evo, but it costs almost $10,000 less!
The styling is aggressive (maybe a bit too aggressive - that hood scoop is as fake as a Mustang's).
But in terms of raw numbers, Dodge is king of the hill.
| Invoice |
MSRP |
Curb Weight |
Horsepower |
| $18,060 |
$19,450 |
2,588 lbs |
215 @ 5400 rpm |
Mazda MAZDASPEED Protege
Pushing the Protege envelope, Mazda has produced a quite capable machine - the first street legal vehicle in North America to feature the MAZDASPEED name.
Designed to compete with the SE-R Spec V, this little rocket boasts a turbo 2-liter cranking out 170 hp.
MSRP on the 2003 1/2 (mid-year release) is around $20,000.
| Invoice |
MSRP |
Curb Weight |
Horsepower |
| $18,927 |
$20,480 |
2,843 lbs |
170 @ 6000 rpm |
Subaru Impreza WRX
The WRX is a standout in this showdown.
This rally-bred AWD turbo beast has won numerous awards, and it's clear that the engineers at Subaru will not be satisfied with second best.
Though currently offered as a wagon or sedan, keep your eyes peeled for the 300 hp STi edition due out later this year.
| Invoice |
MSRP |
Curb Weight |
Horsepower |
| $22,263 |
$24,295 |
3,085 lbs |
227 @ 6000 rpm |
|
WRX STi Update:
We now list the 2004 Subaru WRX STi!
Weighing in at 3,263 lbs., with a 2.5 liter, 300hp turbo engine, Subaru Technica has built a killer car.
Dealer invoice price on the STi sedan is $28,580; MSRP is $30,995.
Get yours today by filling out our simple, no-haggle price quote request form!
Get a free price quote!
|
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Gem or dud... It's such a tough call.
The AWD Lancer Evo shares an almost identical power-to-weight ratio with the SRT-4, but with a much stiffer price tag.
Of course, all wheel drive makes a big difference when launching these cars...
So if you have the money and like the styling, this just might be the car for you.
| Invoice |
MSRP |
Curb Weight |
Horsepower |
| $26,891 |
$28,987 |
3,263 lbs |
271 @ 6500 rpm |
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