Before I made my purchase I test drove several cars: all 2007′s by the way–as a point of reference.

–wrx –si –mini –mazdaspeed 3 –gti –audi A3

The most fun car that I drove hands down was the wrx–bare bones pure driving machine for the driving enthusiast. This car was insane AWD 250 hp, total utilitarian cockpit, Subaru clearly spent the money, in the suspension, and the engine, and shows. They might as well just put in racing seats, throw the backseat, put in rcing bars, a fire extinguisher, and buckles that hold you in.

The best value for your money? The Mazdaspeed 3 or the honda civic si. By far, I could have walked out of the dealership with either one of these cars for less than $20k (US). Under 20k for a similar 200 hp enigine that is fun to drive and low to the ground can’t beat the cost.

The Audi A3–It is fun to drive, the finishings on the car made it the most comfortable, coupled with the 3.2L 250 hp engine made it fun, plus the AWD. It stuck to the road, handled nicely around the corners, but I felt like I had to drive it gently because of the cost, and the comfort factor made it seem very delicate. With wrx I felt I could beat that thing up and it would keep driving no matter what.

Mini coupe, I always loved the mini couper, in fact this is the one car that my wife and always wanted to buy–We figured we would have one practical car a 2003 Toyota Matrix; great for IKEA crap, moving, and bringing home the x-mas tree and little maitenance–and a fun sporty car for hitting the town in. I test drove the mini and fell in love instantly, incredible handling, extremely responsive, lots of options. The car is a bit small, cannot fit much into it, but that’s why you have another more practical car. However, every once in while we like to take road trips, and of course we rather take the sportier car, but difficult to do, if you need space for stuff that you might need to bring, pets, kids, and the kitchen sink.

GTI–fun car, not as responsive, but responsive enough to make this a fun car to drive, not as fast as the new wrx with the 250 hp, or the audi A3. This car was one of the most comfortable besides the Audi. I liked the dark interior, and the nicer materials. Most of the other interiors were lined with cheapish light colored carpet similar to what is in our toyota except for the audi. The GTI also had the most options with exception to the audi–onboard computer, all radio and cell phone controls are on the stearing wheel, including a mute button to mute the stereo in case you get an incoming call, it also has a direct mp3 jack for your iPOD–now the AUdi has all this plus a few more features mostly the 3.2 L 250 or HP enigine and AWD but at 40,000 this put it out of my price range. The mini cooper, I think has the best the lines, and design, besides the audi a3, followed by the gti. I do not like the 2dr design of the gti, the 4dr design does makes it look hella better. I probably then would have to say the mazdaspeed 3 the subaru wrx, then si.

Honda si, fun little car. I must admit, I was surprised by the fun factor, maybe it is because I have only known honda for their accords and limited hp civics that my dad use to drive.

OK, so I had determine my needs:

–cost –reasonable reliability –safety –gas mileage –fun –style and design –wife and kid

For cost, the Audi was out of my league, or what I am willing to pay for a car at this point. Also the cost in fuel would have been expensive and more than what I also want to pay–but probably the most comfortable car out of all of them with the DSG as well, which still makes it fun.

WRX more in price range, would not want to pay for the gas per week. It would be very difficult to be conservative in this car, it just wants to go. Not practical or comfortable for wife and kids, but if I were single, I would seriously consider this as one of my options.

Mini is too small for a family of three, child seat and all the other crap you beed to bring, even for a day trip–stroller, diaper bag etc . . . Incredible handling though!

So that leaves me with the GTI, Si, or the mazdaspeed 3

si, I ruled out, because it is a honda, it was my dad always drove, and he annoys me, plus it is two doors.

So I had to decide between the mazdaspeed 3 and the gti

In my mind there was no comparison! The gti hands down! It is a fun car, the four door i think is very stylish design wise, the materials are far superior to that of any of the other with the exception of the Audi A3. The sterring wheel can be adjusted vertically, and you you pull it out or push it in, the onboard computer is nice item tells you distance travelled, mpg, avg speed, time travelled from point a to b, miles before you run out of gas, the radio station, as well as satelite radio station, blue tooth, mute and radi controls all on the steering wheel.

But the determing factor, 8 airbags, including side curtain airbags, which drop over the windows on side impact collisions, supposedly catching all the glass from cutting their face. when you have a kid, and wife that you care for dearly, to imagine an impact like this and possibly being able to prevent serious injuries like this because of technology–I was sold. None of the cars has this technology–maybe the audi, but none of the other cars did.

What made it more real, I had friend who was side swiped and now has had to undergo reconstructive surgery and 200 stitches in his face.

So, the bottom line really depends on your needs.

If I were single my choices would be different,

1–the wrx with the awd and 250 HP–not much on the design, but by far this was the most fun car to drive incomparison to the mini or the gti.

2–If I could afford maybe the audi, but then if I could afford an audi, I might consider a used porsche

3–toss up between gti and mini–gti for its technology, comfort, interior design, and the FSI 200hp engine, the mini for its handling, and responsiveness–but then again I appreciate the alfa romeo’s GTV and this would be my car of choice.

So there you hae screw all the other cars, and everyone go out and buy an alfo romeo GTV not the gtv 6, but the real GTV–that is my car of choice, myabe modify–no no no, no modifications screw that perfect they way it is!

Cheers!

p.s. he owns the b;lack magic color

the civic handles better, is lighter , more after market support , and it handles better

the mini cooper should in no way be compared to this car , the VW although cool , no LSD , 3000lbs + , no custom options at dealer , and slow in the corners

the mini cooper has a huge rally history , tons of after market support , and considered to be one of the best handling cars in the world, and the lsd kits for the S series is available now through some dealerships

the mini cooper people should be upset this car is being compared to it , that like comparing mom’s corrala to a evo lancer

anyway the only car that can be compared to this one in its price range should be a celica , which they discontinued , vw should take the hint

Other than this, love it and perfect in every way. Suppose the rattles are just a case of my car’s personal idiosyncracies??!?!?

I’m a dyed-in-the-wool manual guy, but needed an auto due to an injured left leg. I got the DSG because it was the least “auto” I could find. After living with it for a month (and now having a healed faster than I thought leg), I can say the tranny is amazing, but I do find myself missing rowing gears. Luckily I have a ’79 911SC track car for that when I’m really jonesing. The full manual mode on the GTI can be fun, but it doesn’t really send me like I thought. Regular D mode is about what you’d expect and great for heavy traffic. It will hold a gear if you really stomp on it, and even in D you can get close to redline. But “S” mode seriously rocks. The shift points are just about perfect…when driven in anger the computer shifts exactly where I would, only much faster and smoother. Stunningly good.

Worth a test drive…

MINI will out perform a GTI stock to stock only on the track, but only a nice set of springs the GTI wil do just like MINI could and more.

Of course by that rationale you could put a nice aftermarket suspension on a MINI and runs circles around the GTI.

You will need to take JCW to compete with GTI on the track and still a bit slower than a GTI….I saw it on TopGear TV.

There has never been a head to head comparison of the two cars on Top Gear. They both raced the same track. However the MCS that they tracked was the older one with less horsepower, no LSD and the slower gearing.

If anyone can answer the following question;

The one thing i really love about my mini the Harman Kardon Sound System! The thing pumps hard, i love it! Has anyone compared the GTI’s 10 speaker sound system with the HK? If so what are your thoughts on it?

Thanks

Mic

MINI look is getting old to me and I like the new GTI design a lot. I have seen people compare to a CIVIC. People were saying that MINI has a Neon headlights, but I did not care as well.

I do like both cars.

I’m just waiting to see and feel the 4 door gti. I’m not a fan of a shoe prints on the back of the front seats while people enter and leave the rear seats.

Thanks again Gabe for what seems to be a good unbiased review.

For me, driving is all about compromise – what is the best driving experience you can create for the realities you can’t avoid on a fixed budget. Having driven both the Cooper S and the GTI MKV, I bought the GTI. Bigger, safer, “comparably powerful and responsive”, but mostly bigger.

Nothing wrong with Mini. Especially if your co-workers are Oompah-Loompahs. Sorry, low blow.

Oh, and good review.

Your comment on the GTI sunroof reminded me that when I bought a new 85 (yes, 85) GTI it also had a very annoying rattle in its sunroof.

In 81 I bought a 77 Rabbit with o/a 18k miles. What a wonderful driver! But it loved my mechanic more than me and the high cost of repairs forced me to dump it after 6 months for a, gulp, 82 Celica GTS.

Reading about continuing VW quality control problems has been very depressing. But, then there is the Mini. A Cooper S convert is on my list as soon as I can convince myself that it is really worth $28,746.

Is it?

For that much $ I can replace my 01 Miata with an 06 and still keep my fun to drive 02 ZX3.