Topic: Comparison Test: Affordable Everyday Fun Cars

[Noto]

Jonathan hates the Juke so much he refuses to get its stats right. It's like how my mother-in-law always calls me Joshua....

I find it amazing that although you lads didn't publish who wrote what part of the article, I can tell.  Clearly I spend too much time on here.  I'd suggest hiring me as an editor before your articles go out, but you get my services for free here in the forum!

I can't say I disagree with your (autos.ca's) results - in fact, I'd probably say they're spot on.  In MY books, "every day" requires AWD, but I know I'm not speaking for everyone when I say so.  Hell, the torrential downpour I drove through yesterday in the AWD RX400h never once showed the rear wheels putting any power down - FWD was more than sufficient.  With that being said, the Forester on worn, inferior tires still felt VASTLY more stable in the same conditions and I can't for the life of me stop buying Subarus from now on.  WRX for the win for me.  ...with a CVT. 

The Golf R400, on the other hand, may be able to dissuade me if/when it comes to our shores.
http://blog.caranddriver.com/watch-vws-golf-r-400-concept-sounds-positively-filthy/

[Snowman]

I had to think for 3 seconds because there is no WRX hatch....but for me its still the WRX.

[aquadorhj]

I had to think for 3 seconds because there is no WRX hatch....but for me its still the WRX.

Really?   i thought you would be saying "GTI FTW" along with me!

hard ride aside, interior appt between the two seem so stark.

[dragonfly]

I did not,and cannot now see these dumass plaid seats. What's with a German car with them?  Is it the tartan of the Dinkleschmidt clan??
 Otherwise,I guess the car has an appeal to some..not I...(although I  like the engineering in VWs).I had an '88 Fox wagon which I loved..Jack

[lebowski]

How come the Fiat Abarth didn't make the cut? Seems like it would be a shoe-in for pure fun.

I had to think for 3 seconds because there is no WRX hatch....but for me its still the WRX.

Argh! You beat me to the "I wish the WRX had a hatch" comment 

Having only driven a new Forester XT with a CVT, and how ridiculously responsive I found that 2.0T, I can only imagine how awesome the WRX is.

[Brendan McAleer]

I had to think for 3 seconds because there is no WRX hatch....but for me its still the WRX.

Argh! You beat me to the "I wish the WRX had a hatch" comment 

For the two-pedal crowd, I pick up a DSG GTI today, and will have a CVT WRX vs DSG GTI comparo coming soon.

Also, I conversed with - no, berated the head of the WRX program about the lack of hatch at the launch event for at least 30 minutes. If/when it comes out, next stop my driveway.

[Blueprint]

"Everyday" should have included a stint on the 401 in rush hour. If the WRX clutch is that heavy, it migth have dropped a rank or two.

Base MX-5s are regularly incentived down to 25-26k$, so not that expensive, but still very much a 2nd car compared to the others.

[lebowski]

For the two-pedal crowd, I pick up a DSG GTI today, and will have a CVT WRX vs DSG GTI comparo coming soon.

Nice - l was pretty impressed with the CVT's I tried in the Crosstrek and Forester XT's, looking forward to your impressions.

Also, I conversed with - no, berated the head of the WRX program about the lack of hatch at the launch event for at least 30 minutes. If/when it comes out, next stop my driveway.

Haha, good man. A 30 minute dressing-down is *just* the right amount of time. Did he have anything substantive to say about the possibility of a hatch?

[Weels]

"Everyday" should have included a stint on the 401 in rush hour. If the WRX clutch is that heavy, it migth have dropped a rank or two.

Base MX-5s are regularly incentived down to 25-26k$, so not that expensive, but still very much a 2nd car compared to the others.

I drove the WRX from TO to Guelph & back through lots of stop and go.  The clutch is heavier than the others in this test, but it isn't uncomfortably so. 

[JacobBlack]

"Everyday" should have included a stint on the 401 in rush hour. If the WRX clutch is that heavy, it migth have dropped a rank or two.

Base MX-5s are regularly incentived down to 25-26k$, so not that expensive, but still very much a 2nd car compared to the others.

I drove the WRX from TO to Guelph & back through lots of stop and go.  The clutch is heavier than the others in this test, but it isn't uncomfortably so.

I did the 401, Gardner and DVP run all in peak hour during our time with the WRX. I actually appreciated the clear definition of the clutch bite point - the heft was no issue for me.

[Fozee]

For "everyday fun" cars, shouldn't the Mini's peak torque being at only 1250RPM bump it up quite a few notches? You can have a whole lot of fun with that and break fewer laws in the process. It's what you're going to notice when it comes to city driving. The Mini's far more usable torque and HP ranges make commending the Golf's turbocharger totally absurd, the numbers say the Golf's implementation is inferior.

The Mini doesn't win hands down, no, but it's the only marque here that has been THE everyday-fun car for over 50 years. It's the whole name of their game.

[Weels]

Post your cliff notes up Weels, they're always good. I'll whack mine up this arvo when I dig them up.

Here we go.  Feast on:

Juke:
-    The worst ride & handling… combined with the most aggressive seats
-    Notchy shifter, my least favourite, and I like notchy shifters
-    High rock hard bolsters make entry/exit a challenge.  You better be of narrow ass to fit in here
-    Feels a bit underpowered based on the ratings
-    Suede on dash, seats & armrest feel nice – rest of interior is ok, except for:
-    Those frigging floor mats.  Sole purpose apparently is to bunch up under the clutch.  Shred these into tires or something please.
-    All the other cars in this comparo are better.  All I can think when driving is ‘who would buy this thing’ when there are so much better choices… I guess there are enough that love the froggy looks because I see a few around… in fact there are two on my street, including one that looks identical to our tester.  I have funky neighbours.

WRX:
-    Favourite car of the bunch.   Put the biggest grin on my face
-    Shifter needs a deliberate shove (which I like) into its notchy gate (which I also like) , leaves no doubt whether or not you’re in gear, although if it did feel a bit more like the FRS I wouldn’t complain
-    Heaviest clutch of the group, but not uncomfortable
-    Awesome turbo rush.  Great engine
-    Really nice steering wheel, nice & meaty.  Feels really good
-    Interior still feels a bit cheap, but improved.  No nav or leather, so a bit down on features.  This mattered to me not one bit.
-    Seats could be better

FRS:
-    Nice clutch & shifter action.  Very precise, smooth & easy to drive.  Tied with the MX5 as my favourite
-    Down on power, but best corner carver.  If it hasn’t been mentioned before… could use more power
-    Big fan of the boxer growl
-    Difficult entry/exit, but to be expected when your rear-end is 4 inches off the ground
-    Interior feels a bit cheapy, but OK
-    Back seat useless

Civic SI:
-    Nice clutch & shifter – found it easy to drive
-    Handling not quite on par with the best in this group, feels too light and didn’t inspire confidence, however to be fair, this was first car I drove on our loop
-    I am a torque fan, so the lack of it here is noticeable.  Brought back memories of my old TSX… a smooth operator, but feels a bit slow in this group
-    Didn’t like the seats
-    Still not a fan of the two-tiered dash, but at least the quality is now decent, and finally an updated nav

MX5:
-    My first time behind the wheel of a Miata – ever!  Yes, it is bags of fun with that top down
-    Favourite clutch & shifter.  More power of course would be nice
-    No usb, or any technology whatsoever from after 2000 or so.
-    Expensive for what it is, but easy to get many thousands off that msrp
-    Would be my first pick for “fun to drive”, but unfortunately for it, the WRX showed up,  that being said, I’d still happily own one.

Cooper S:
-    Wow – what a fun to drive little rig – this one was a surprise that I liked it as much as I did… in fact I think I’d take this over the GTI.
-    Like the looks of it too… but I’d take mine in BRG
-    Buttery clutch & shifter… easiest car to drive.  Rev matching here too
-    Too quiet!  Needs more attitude, especially  at launch, you can’t hear a thing
-    Nice steering wheel.. one of my favorites
-    Very nice graphics on nav… interior has an upscale/premium but still funky feel
-    Kick butt stereo
-    Really liked the seats

GTI:
-    Shifter very smooth – nicest feeling of the bunch.. in fact, even sitting still I was rowing through the gears just to feel the lovely snickety-snick
-    That being said… curiously the GTI was the only car I stalled.  Twice.  Also a bit too easy to select reverse instead of 1st
-    Nav very dated & small screen.   
-    All materials very nice, interior very nice, shifter very nice, road manners very nice….
-    Overall very polished and smooth… because of that I would choose the DSG here instead of the 6 speed
-    Before driving anything I expected this to win (and still just might) but overall,  I was mildly disappointed…mainly because the WRX came along saying  ‘get out of the way puny german…’


SURPRISES:
-    Liked the Cooper way more than I expected.  Today I think I’d buy this ahead of the GTI, but I’d want a thorough test of a DSG equipped GTI first.   
-    Didn’t expect to fall head over heels for the WRX.  Looks like I am a new Subaru slappy.
-    Came in fully expecting to love the GTI.  I just didn’t.


Favourite Engine:
-    WRX.  No contest, then  GTI and Cooper S.

Least Favourite Engine:     Juke.

Favourite Clutch/Tranny:
-    Tied – FR-S and MX5, with the WRX just a tick behind.  I only pick the FRS & MX5 ahead because they are just a bit easier to live with.
-    The Cooper is nice, but prefer the more ‘raw’ feel in the other three

Least Favourite Clutch/Tranny:
-    Had the hardest time getting the feel for clutch in the GTI, though the shifter is very nice.  Dis-honourable mention here also goes to the Juke.

[Fozee]

-    The Cooper is nice, but prefer the more ‘raw’ feel in the other three

For what it's worth there, if the 3rd generation has the same transmission linkage that gen2 has, which is likely as it has gone from R56 -> F56, in a year or so that shifter is going to be the notchiest bastard you could dream of. It's sad that they're not that way by default, and it's probably a design flaw that they get rough and notchy, but they do and it's superb. Minis have a habit of eventually giving up on life and just becoming as much of a sports car as possible.

Really, they should sell a version with a bunch of the BMW niceties ripped out for those who want it extra sporty. Call it the Mini Cooper SS... or not.

[greengs]

great comparo guys!

thanks.

i would take GTI, no question.

That's what I thought too going in. 

I'm on Jeff's side with the GTI.  It is too polished & refined - if that is what turns you on, you'll love the GTI... but for me, a good chunk of the car's capability is muted out.  Because of all that, i'd choose the DSG here instead of the 6 speed.  In fact, i'd probably take the Mini over the GTI... it is more like a GTI now, and I think does a better job of it.

I fell ridiculously in love with the WRX. It is a more raw/engaging experience - the clutch & shifter take a deliberate shove & is by far the fastest car in the test.  That 2.0T engine is an awesome unit.  Easily won the fun to drive category for me.

If I could have only one do it all car, it would be the WRX.  If I were buying a second car whose primary mission is fun, it would probably be the MX-5.

I don't think the GTI is that far off the WRX pace if you were to believe instrumented testing.  A recent MT direct comparison had the GTI trap the same speed at WRX in quarter mile.  WRX gets off the line way quicker though due to AWD.  I've had 2 WRXs in the past and both times I fell in love during short test drives as the power is addicting as is the traction. 

[Solstice2006]

Reliability isn't a factor in these comparos.  I wonder how the MINI would do?  Before not so good, have looked into it in the couple of years. 

Kind of surprised at how close the Subaru and VW are priced, and the resale value is quite close as well. 

As for the upcoming CVT Subaru vs DSG VW, I suspect the VW will be more engaging.  An interesting take might be the cost of maintenance for both, any TSB? 

[tooscoops]

i wouldn't turn down any of these fun beasts... you know me though... for a fun 2nd/3rd car, my fun car would be a stripper wrangler... almost 8 grand less than the cheapest as tested price. base in soooo many ways, but a v6 and 4x4 convertible with 285 hp.

although i get the fact that the juke is not in the same class as the other cars, i do find the look appealing. just to be different. i always used to drive top end versions of cars and no one knew what it was... especially the girls (who, lets be honest.. that's why i was driving em back then).. it was just that same car that they see 10 - 20 times a day with different options.

to me that's a big part of these cars.. feeling different and cool. it's not enough to just know that i have something special under the hood, because let's be honest... it rarely gets used as it's meant to. whereas, some cars look kick ass 100% of the time.

so for that reason, wrx, gti and civic would be non starters... mx-5 is too old and boring to be considered and conveys too much (no offence), womans car or mid life crisis... juke though interesting, just doesn't have enough "cool", though it exudes "different"... so it's left to cooper or frs. due to my feeling that the cooper is too strongly aimed toward the feminine and i guess i'm left with my winner as the frs.

as i said though... i wouldn't turn down any one of these in my driveway.

[JG20]

I'm with Solstice, was reliability taken into account during the rankings?  I don't like leasing and tend to keep my cars for a long time so predicted reliability past the warranty period is important to me.  As much as I love the look, performance, etc of the FGCs, I would still be a little hesitant going with them in this category, which I am very much looking at in the next year or so.

[JacobBlack]

I'm with Solstice, was reliability taken into account during the rankings?  I don't like leasing and tend to keep my cars for a long time so predicted reliability past the warranty period is important to me.  As much as I love the look, performance, etc of the FGCs, I would still be a little hesitant going with them in this category, which I am very much looking at in the next year or so.

No. Because we have no way of testing reliability during one week of testing, and "guessing" how reliable a brand new car will be is not our idea of a good time. We did however, include the warranties available in the scoring sheet.

[Solstice2006]

I'm with Solstice, was reliability taken into account during the rankings?  I don't like leasing and tend to keep my cars for a long time so predicted reliability past the warranty period is important to me.  As much as I love the look, performance, etc of the FGCs, I would still be a little hesitant going with them in this category, which I am very much looking at in the next year or so.

Justin does the best he can and digs up the info for us, in the Used Car reviews.  Although there isn't much info on a 2010 Subaru WRX when I looked this morning, there was info on the impreza....

[JG20]

I'm with Solstice, was reliability taken into account during the rankings?  I don't like leasing and tend to keep my cars for a long time so predicted reliability past the warranty period is important to me.  As much as I love the look, performance, etc of the FGCs, I would still be a little hesitant going with them in this category, which I am very much looking at in the next year or so.

No. Because we have no way of testing reliability during one week of testing, and "guessing" how reliable a brand new car will be is not our idea of a good time. We did however, include the warranties available in the scoring sheet.

Fair enough.  I'm just thinking that for a lot of buyers, even perceived reliability based on the brand or model's history would be taken into account.  Then again, there are lots of Minis and GTIs on the road...