My summer drives are a 1990 classic red and a 2006 Suzuki DL650 VTwin motor cycle- The VStrom

My partner has a 2001 Miata – she drives it harder than I dare to drive mine on the street. On the auto cross track its different however. The 90 with ultra high performance tires and a fresh used imported Japanese motor is magic.

Interesting. As background, I currently have a TSX whose lease is up, and the leading contender for replacement is the A4 Avant.

The way you describe the TSX, sounds like your wife’s is an automatic? In my test drives, I found the front-heavy A4 to feel both nose-heavy, and overall heavy as well. Neither is out of the parameters of fun everyday driving, though, and I am considering A4 because it is “close enough” to the TSX in driving dynamics and interior fit and finish (and interior design), but I really want the utility of a sportswagen, and after last winter in Montreal, I want AWD.

The TSX is still one heckuva value play. Audi (and VW) is getting a bit overconfident in their “pricing”.

I also think the Fit’s practicallity is appealing. I also like the Scion xB for the same reason-the old one not the larger new one.

Off the top of my head, here are the cars that you can get for less than the base Mazda3 (the 3i): Ford Focus, Chevy Aveo, Chrysler PT Cruiser, and Kia Rio. None of these cars exactly excites the senses. Even the Mazda3i will out run them and feel and sound better doing it IMO. I’ll admit right now to never having driven any of these except a Kia Rio, however; so, my opinion is based mainly on what I have read about them and a test drive in a Mazda3i.

There are of course other cars that are int he same price range as a Mazda3i, but I was addressing the assertion that all the cars on the list are only for rich people.

By the way, as an engineer, I am in the middle class segment of America, and I could “afford” any one of the cars on the ist if I wanted to pay on time like most people do, rather than pay cash for my car and save my money for other fun stuff-I don’t consider interest paid to someone else to be all that fun for me. Even then, I could afford to buy any car under $40k with cash, but I don’t plan to. That’s how I ended up in a $17.5k Mazda6s, bought at the end of the calendar year when they were dealing to move the previous years models off the lot.

My comment was directed at AKILEZ, who claims that large numbers make these better than any car on the list. I don’t agree with that simply because of what you said… context. It just makes them the best vehicles in the context of “cars-as-an-appliance” marketing and selling… although I did vote for the Accord and Fit simply in recognition of the fact that they can actually appeal to both enthusiasts and the practical man.

RE: What people are driving: The thing is… the average American may drive a Corolla or Camry, but do they actually dream about one? It doesn’t make them the best cars in America… just the most common.

Camry and Corolla are the best, for the price. It’s doesn’t make sense to talk about good or bad without a context in value.

Even the beautiful Cayman can be a bad car, if it’s priced at $1,000,000. The Chevy Aveo can be a good car, if it’s priced at $1000.

Of course, it’s very hard to compare cars of different price segment. So, why not just rate their relative strength? For instance, VW Phaeton is a very weak model, weaker than Jetta in their respective segments. You get the idea.

Cars for the rich?? The best part about this list is they are fun performance cars that most of the buying public can afford. Asside from the two Porsches and the Audi, all of the cars are within reach. Looking at the prices, the Mazdas are both on the low end of the new car market prices. There aren’t many new cars out there that you can get for less than the price of a Mazda3i, and none worth owning, IMO.

That I do not agree.

The best selling sedans in the United States are Camry/Accord/Corolla/Civic. That’s about $20k +/- $3k. The only two cars from the 10 best list that would fit into this price segment are the Mazda 3 and Miata.

You need to be substantially better than the American average, or use your home equity to afford anything else. Also consider here in Canada the top selling sedans are Civic and Mazda 3. Try tell an average person that he can afford a BMW 3 series. Even the very weak base 323 with fake leather starts at CND$35600 (=USD$32958).

The discussion is not of track it is matter of being practical. And by the way I am not a kid I am 40 yrs old high performance mechanic and SCCA member from New England.

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That’s funny. You don’t talk like you’re 40…

Yes, we do get opinions from reading magazines, but we also formulate our opinions from driving, tuning, breaking, repairing, retuning and racing our own vehicles. I do informal automotive reviews for a local site (going pro, hopefully, later this year), and I read TTAC occassionally, for reference (and enjoyment).

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And it’s ironic that the only Mazda you actually have respect for is the one with the Wangsta.. errh… Wankel engine… and a particularly oil-thirsty, gasket-hating version of the Wankel, at that.

You’ve only driven a Mazda once and never again? Sorta like those people who’ve never been closer than fifty feet away from an Evo who think it’s a piece of “ricer crap” with those ridiculous wings and gonzo body-kit.

Or someone who tried an old Mustang and thinks the new one isn’t worth **** just because it’s still a Mustang, and they can’t be any good.

Don’t complain that all Mazdas are horrible cars if you’ve only driven one… and only once, at that.

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RE: What people are driving: The thing is… the average American may drive a Corolla or Camry, but do they actually dream about one? It doesn’t make them the best cars in America… just the most common.

But I usually tap twice the breaks than shift 3rd gear. I know it’s a little fast but it’s an evo.
Just low budget for those good racing tires.

By the way here’s a web site for Mitsu and Hyundai
performance parts http://www.rpw.com.au/shop/

I buy my parts there…
Funny… they make good parts for Hyundai too.

ciao

I am on the Solo Category but trying to get a racing license. I wish they are cheap to enroll on one of those classes but they’re pretty expensive and I need an old Honda CRX with Mugen performance parts on it. I don’t care about the expensive parts just concern driving a new Evo or
Honda on a race track. If someone hit me from behind my new car is gone and not too practical to race a new car anyways. I believe you drive an Evo because of your user name. I just recently attended a Time Attack on Red Line it was sweet.
Funny I saw a lot of Evo’s and STi’s and one Mazda RX-7 which the only car of Mazda that I have a little respect.

Have you tried changing the Damper and sway bars on the front and rear of your Evo? I noticed it has a little sway to it on sharp needle turns and especially from going up hill it intend to not grab tight when going up hill and then sudden down hill? if know what I mean

The term Hot Wheels is an old school term.
It is now called Rice Rockets,Low-Rider,Pimper and pimp etc etc…

Lumberh21 just avoid street racing it is really dangerous, If a Honda kid wanna race you, better avoid that Honda and help that kid not to blow his piston or radiator hoses. Avoid them it is not safe for other commuters. I always been telling my Kids Customers to avoid street racing.

Go to a track and race with your friends but not on the street or highways.

A true Street Rice Rocket is a Sleeper. they have cars that look junkie but inside the engine is pretty suit up. I see all of them in Jacksonville to Daytona Beach, Florida and of course Georgia.
I even saw a 1999 Acura with a whopping 500 whp on it with full body radar that cost $5,000

Yeah, I have to admit to a bit of street hoonery. It was at a stop light on a highway leading out of town. The kid was revving his engine next to me, and I couldn’t resist punching it when the light turned green. The two lanes merge approximately 0.3 miles after the signal, which is where I slowed down to a legal (nearly) speed. He probably could have done better if he hadn’t spun his wheels when the light turned green (put me in front off the start) and then hadn’t shifted at too low rpms (to my hearing). Heck, I din’t push my car past about 5,000 rpm on my shifts.

Out of touch with Average American?!!lol
AS I SAID BEFORE drive out there and tell me how many Honda’s and Toyota’s are driven by Average Americans. Count them and give me the Numbers.
How many Honda and Mitsu that I installed performance parts than can reach or dynoed for whopping 400 whp.

So Teekay so you like Corvettes and Beamers. You dish a Truly American Car the Mustang for a Ferrari that cost a fortune to buy. What kind of an American are you? Funny how people here are so Naive. especially the people who answered me back just to prove they know something about A Car.

Guys having a $35,000 it doesn’t mean it’s not gonna break. Funny Mazda change their body style and engine and people think OH!!It’s a good car let me buy it. c’mom!!! zoom zoom

Oh by the way I Can make 5.0 Mustang with a blower beat your Ferrari on 2nd gear. Oh by the way I prefer A Hyndai beat your Ferrari on 3rd gear.

Lumbergh21,
If a guy in a “tuned” Honda (or it’s nearest equivalent) doesn’t have a roll cage and a harness bar he is probably a poser. Four of the race tracks that I frequent have quarter mile traps that are used only to determine the acceleration gain from modifications before we hit the track. For the most part the traps are empty and on occasion the tuners show up. I’ll go and watch them for a while if I’m waiting to get on the track, and let me tell you some of these guys have damn fast cars. However, they all have roll cages. As for the Mazda6, is is lengths better than any of it’s direct competition. The RX-7 would also be an excellent track choice with some slight modifications.