When I read the original thread, I couldn't help but laugh because I had the real experience!!

No, not shamed because I was beaten by one, but during a recent drive up on Ortega Hwy (California Hwy 74) I came across two Rios (they were together) running up the twisty roads at a decent rate of speed through the twists and turns....

Though they were not going faster than 55 MPH I was actually impressed with how well they were performing. I know for a fact I could have blown their doors off if I could get in front of them (hard to pass on Ortega) but I'll have to admit for a car that's about a 1/3 the cost of a TSX, they weren't doing bad at all...

So who says cheap cars can't be fun...

 

ask anyone with a 19k srt4 blowing the doors of 330

 

A lot of "performance" on the road also has to do with the driver. I know a former professional race car driver who now puts around town in a Hyundai Elantra, because it keeps him from getting speeding tickets. He says the car is well balanced and when he wants to he can put to shame most 3-series,A4, etc, owners. He knows how to get everything out of his car while many of us "regular" folk have trouble handling the cars at the limit. He related a story of a young kid in a fast car that tried to race him on the highway and when he entered the off ramp at speed the kid followed. The kid lost it and went up on the median. Happens a lot he said. Thus, if the Kia Rio drivers are good they might be able to take a TSX on a twisty course.

 

Last weekend...at a track about 20 minutes from my house, i watched an SRT-4 (stock besides an aftermarket intake) blow the doors of a BMW 328ci with minor mods