C&D Small Sports Sedan Comparo [Renamed]

[sikuya]

from the CARandDRIVER oct.2004 issue:a comparison among four small sports sedans priced at $30,000.who came out on top among a quartet of quick-reflex 4-doors that score high on the fun-for-gallon curve?

the players
acura TSX
audi A4 1.8T
subaru legacy 2.5GT
volvo S40 T5

look ma,no BMWs!not even a Merc?the reality is BMWs are expensive and so are Mercs.and so the 3-series and the C230 kompressor are out for costing much higher than $30K

fourth place
audi A4 1.8T 1.8L I-4 170hp 166torque $31,220

highs: still a great looker,handsome interior with an unflappable stide over the road
lows: noisy and feeble engine,gritty shifter action,slow-tempo shifts dictate lazy decay of engine revs
verdict: a longtime favorite struggles to make the cut

third place
subaru legacy 2.5GT limited 2.5L flat-4 250hp 250torque $29,070

highs: 3 bags full of squirt,super-readable instrument display,low cowl lets the sunshine in
lows: rather heavy clutch,junky sound when the doors close,lots of obvious plastic around the interior
verdict: a getaway Subie for bank jobs

second place
volvo S40 T52.5L I-5 218hp 236torque $29,395

highs: plenty of horsepressure when the boost finally hits,refined cabin noises,lots of styling subtlety in the dash
lows: big foot needs more space around the pedals,gauge markings are too-grayed out for legibility,grabby clutch
verdict: your basic 85%-scale volvo

first place
acura TSX 2.0L I-4 200hp 166torque $29,035

highs: the quick reflexes of a knife fighter,the big and rev-happy VTEC four,the perfect 6-speed shifter
lows: the M+S tires are disadvantageous for performance comparisons,seat cushion a bit shy of padding,throttle too goosey in traffic
verdict: another jewel from acura's box

[empy]

the new legacy is VERY intriguing...impreza wrx powerplant in a near-luxury sedan

can you say....MOD POTENTIAL? :D

[ssaloon]

damn, ganda ng TSX talaga :drool:

[sikuya]

a typing boo-boo--the TSX has a 2.4L engine, not 2.0.
wonder where the lexus IS300 is?it's priced at $29-31,000

[jeff]

pogi ng s40 at nung legacy! :drool:

[niky]

Where's the Mazda6? Where's the Altima? Those are two four doors that kick ass!

[karlbo]

speechless :speechless:

[mbt]

the accord, camry, altima, and mazda 6 don't really play in this near-luxury class that's pushing $30,000... although the BMW 3-series does i think (considering that the A4 does)

[baiskee]

wow! :D

[kyle618]

yeah for me TSX din pipiliin ko... ganda tlaga ksi e...

[sikuya]

where's the mazda6?where's the altima?

you're thinking about 4-door cars, which is a very broad range. the comparison tested small, luxury-branded cars that cost about $30,000. the altima and mazda6 (and so does the accord,camry,galant,passat,etc) are mainstream midsize family cars.

although the BMW 3-series does i think

you're right mbt, but the 3 series and MB C230 ended up way above the $30K price limit.

[sikuya]

in road and track 's oct. 2004 issue, a different result. they compared the acura TSX and the subaru legacy GT limited and the result:

acura TSX won in the following:
braking,fuel economy,gearbox,steering,brakes,handling, interior styling,ergonomics/controls and luggage space(tie).

subaru legacy won in the following:
acceleration,slalom,skidpad,driving excitement,engine,ride, handling,exterior styling,seats and luggage space(tie).

performance ratings: acura 187.7 pts, subie 197.1 pts
subjective ratings: acura 191.0 pts, subie 188.1 pts
winner: subaru legacy GT limited

[mbt]

the new legacy looks very sharp!

[niky]

Originally posted by sikuya
you're thinking about 4-door cars, which is a very broad range. the comparison tested small, luxury-branded cars that cost about $30,000. the altima and mazda6 (and so does the accord,camry,galant,passat,etc) are mainstream midsize family cars.



you're right mbt, but the 3 series and MB C230 ended up way above the $30K price limit.

But still, the Legacy and TSX are in the same size range as the 6... but Legacy... luxury? Weird.

You're right about the BMW, though... They could have put a 3series in there, but at the price range, the model they would've gotten wouldn't be competitive...