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Tough Crowd Comparison Test
$20,000 can buy performance--or a poseur. We figure out which is which.
By Dave Coleman
Photography: Josh Jacquot, Les Bidrawn


This test is long overdue. More than a year ago, the Honda Civic Si, Ford SVT Focus and Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec-V hit the market within months of each other. In an instant, the number of fun, fast, tweakable performance cars that cost less than $20,000 went from zero to three. We warmed up our radar gun and prepared for battle.

Then we hesitated. What was zero and then became three, would soon be four with the unexpected new Hyundai Tiburon, bowing in with a solid chassis, a 2.7-liter V6 and six-speed transmission. And, if we opened our eyes a bit, the total should be more like five. The GTI, which created the modern econo-rocket class in the early '80s, had wandered off our radar screens, thanks to its modern bulk and sloppy suspension. But recent tweaks to the ECU have pushed stock output to a very convincing 180 hp. Suspensions can be changed, you know.


Prepared for a five-car battle, our plans were again foiled when the Mini Cooper S turned out to be a real driver's car. Then we learned Mazda's new Mazdaspeed team was putting the finishing touches on its turbocharged Mazdaspeed Protegé, and Daimler Chrysler's Performance Vehicle Operations crew was about to roll out a turbocharged Neon dubbed the SRT-4.

It seems our thirst for cheap speed has suddenly reached some market viability threshold. The rice-rocket demographic that was once regarded as nothing but a bunch of used-car-buying hooligans is suddenly the darling of at least eight product planning teams. But which of these rides are the true driver's cars and which are more suited to the "dope wing, yo" carpet racer?

That was the question when we gathered all eight for a tires-be-damned battle. What was once a friendly, three-car boxing match is now an eight-car brawl. Performance, both in raw numbers and the far subtler real world, is all that matters here. Practicality, styling and mass-market appeal are, for the most part, wadded up and stuffed in the cupholders. It's how well it works at the limit that really matters.

We ran all eight cars through our standard barrage of acceleration, braking, handling and dyno tests. During these tests, an order began to appear. Then we sorted out the details with a series of hard-charging road trips through the local mountains. The car that generated the biggest smile won.

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Eighth Place: Honda Civic Si
By Dave Coleman
Photography: Josh Jacquot, Les Bidrawn


The irony here is inescapable. The last Civic Si was responsible for convincing the rest of these automakers that the tuner crowd buys new cars.

When the B16-powered, double-wishbone Civic became an instant tuner favorite, Ford, Nissan, Mazda and DaimlerChrysler all locked onto its target. When the new Si, Spec-V and SVT Focus arrived within months of each other, we were witness to an incredible game of cat and mouse, as Ford delayed introduction and Nissan zipped its lips on the price, waiting to see what Honda would do.


They needn't have worried. The Si has been completely outgunned. Not only is the new car less exciting to drive and far less easy to tune than the old one, but the competition has moved forward while Honda is backpedaling. The Si is so out of place in this group it placed last in every performance test but the slalom.

It starts with the engine. Despite matching the old Si's power, and having the second highest redline of the group, the Si's 2.0-liter goes about its duties with little excitement. Driven gently, it's responsive and relatively torquey, but the Si's power delivery is like a slightly healthier 1995 200SX SE-R, although the Honda K20A lacks the internal fortitude of Nissan's SR20DE. Unfortunately, what passed for performance in 1995 doesn't work in 2003.

It's the chassis that feels most out of place in this crowd, though it's difficult to tell how much blame lies on the soft shoulders of the all-season 15-inch Michelin MXV-4 tires. Perhaps real tires could awaken the chassis, but as it is, turn-in is slow and the steering is vague and confidence-sapping at the limit.

The brakes, too, feel completely overwhelmed by hard driving. They start with a relatively mushy pedal and get worse as they quickly overheat. The 60 to 0 stopping distance of 140 ft was the longest in the test, longer even than the non ABS-equipped SE-R Spec-V. The tires are the culprits here, but no tire could keep the diminutive 10.3-inch front discs from glowing after a good thrashing. Luckily, numerous brake upgrades are available in the aftermarket.

The Si feels far more at home in the daily grind than on the track, offering all the build quality and refinement Joe Consumer would expect of a Honda. The little subtleties, like the consistent feel of all the controls, the smooth takeup of the clutch, and the flawless fit and finish stand out even in this crowd. The hatchback bodywork is also endlessly practical. But for the enthusiast driver, there is, sadly, little soul. Ignore the racy looking seats and it's clear this car was built for someone else. Like the Mitsubishi Eclipse, the Si has gone off in search of different buyers.

Base price:$19,000
Measured horsepower at the wheels: 138 hp @ 6800 rpm
Curb weight as tested: 2,730 lb


Best Feature:
The big-bolstered suede seats and small, fat steering wheel scream "driver's car."

Worst Feature:
Throw it into a bend and the Si flops over, the steering goes numb, and the tires squirm. The Si's behavior at the limit is very un-Honda.

First three things we'd modify

1: The entire suspension
This chassis can work well, as many a tuner car has proven, but don't think you'll get away with a set of lowering springs. You'll need shocks, bars and tires if you want this one to turn.

2: RSX drivetrainDrastic?
Yes. But if you want a Honda-flavored Honda, you need the screaming revs the Si's engine can never deliver. See last month's "Hybrid How-To."

3: Limited-slip differential
The RSX needs this already, but put its powerband into an even taller chassis and the inside tire is history. Save some labor and install it during step two.

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Seventh Place: Volkswagen GTI 1.8T
By Dave Coleman
Photography: Josh Jacquot, Les Bidrawn


VW's GTI is a darn nice car. It's got a terrific stereo, gorgeous interior and more luxury amenities than a Lincoln Town Car. In other words, the original hot hatch has lost touch with its roots. Remember when fun to drive meant back-to-basics control feel, a simple engine with adequate power and a not-so-embarrassing price tag? Those days ended long ago at VW.


We enjoy a nice interior as much as anyone, but function follows form so closely, it hurts the GTI's performance. We'll start with the seats, which could use some bolstering to save the white knuckling we experienced during hard driving. The steering wouldn't be bad, except it contacts the road through long-wearing Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 tires. And the throttle. Oh, the throttle. Drive-by-wire is more often a curse than a blessing and the calibration used in the GTI is terrible. The throttle is slow to respond and has a general feeling of disconnect and vagueness. Combine that with an easily heat-soaked intercooler and getting the GTI moving on a hot day is a choice between stalling and wheelspin (or bogging if the electronic stability control isn't disabled).

The engine is certainly respectable, delivering the group's second highest power rating (although we've yet to see a stock customer car make this much power). The GTI scored high marks for power delivery and the tunability that comes with a turbo engine. The power helped the GTI tie with the Mazdaspeed Protegé for third quickest quarter-mile elapsed time but the GTI was slightly faster (91.8 mph vs. 89.4 mph) through the traps.

The luxury theme continues through the GTI's suspension. Carefully increasing the GTI's damping, spring rates and roll stiffness would go a long way toward making the car truly fun to drive. As is, it wallows through hard driving with the grace of a water buffalo escaping a starving crocodile. Turn-in leads immediately to the front tires washing out, followed by a stubborn reluctance to rotate. Throw even the slightest bump into the mix and the whole car will bounce from bump stop to droop stop with sometimes frightening results. Throw in some serious body roll and you end up with the slowest slalom speed of the group. In all, the GTI is a fundamentally good package taken to new lows by an overabundance of luxury.

Best Feature: Power. In a way, it's good the stock tires are so bad. You'll want to replace them anyway, and the GTI's big wad of turbocharged torque will help you destroy them.

Worst Feature: The suspension is so soft and wallowy, we would have sworn the GTI was 300 lb heavier than it really is. The ride quality, of course, is excellent.

First three things we'd modify

1: The entire suspension
Leave no stone unturned. Springs, shocks, anti-roll bars, bushings, tires. Look for a kit that has the first three or four tuned together; there are plenty of them. This chassis can be made to handle well if you try.

2: Limited-slip differential
Yes, every car should have one, but especially every car with 179 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. This car is where Quaife got started in the United States. Call Quaife.

3: Bigger intercooler
It's alarming how many tuned 1.8Ts use the stock intercooler. We heat-soaked that tiny little thing in just a few minutes of hard driving.

Base price: $18,910
Measured horsepower at the wheels: 171 hp @ 6300 rpm
Curb weight as tested: 2,890 lb


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Sixth Place: Hyundai Tiburon V6
By Dave Coleman
Photography: Josh Jacquot, Les Bidrawn


In this crowd, the Tiburon feels very different. After driving a bunch of stubby sedans and hatchbacks, the long, low Tiburon has a refreshing sports car feel with a long, low hood with well-defined creases running down its sides. The feeling is reminiscent of Japanese sports cars of 10 years ago. That feeling goes deeper the more you look. The 2.7-liter V6 looks like 10-year-old Japanese technology. No returnless fuel systems, no drive-by-wire throttles, just the good old stuff the aftermarket knows how to tune.


Having a V6 gives the Hyundai a unique character. It's smooth, refined, and makes great sounds, but the engine was really designed for sedans and SUVs, and that original intent shows in its powerband. After a brief surge of torque, output plummets. Taking it to redline is pointless. Thankfully, the six-speed gearbox has well-spaced ratios that make short shifting worthwhile. While the displacement argument is a strong one, having a V6 is not necessarily an advantage in this market. Modifying a V6 is much more expensive than a four. Want to change cams? You'll need four. A header? Two. Plugs, wires, injectors? You'll need six of each.

Then there's the weight. The Tiburon is by far the heaviest of the group. Blame the V6 for part of that. Attempts at stiffening the inherently flexy hatchback structure are responsible for the rest. Weight is felt everywhere. In acceleration, the Tiburon is near the back of the pack, the brakes overheat quickly, and the sticky Michelin Pilot Sport tires feel overworked.

Despite the weight, the Tiburon is loaded with promise. The suspension is very firmly damped, seemingly a rear anti-roll bar away from being brilliant. In stock form, however, understeer is relentless, with the front tires carrying nearly all the handling burden.

Interior quality is a huge step forward for Hyundai, easily on par with the best Japan can produce at this price. The seats are comfortable and well bolstered, and the shifter feels great. Take note, Nissan: This is the Spec-V's transmission, but Hyundai does the shifter better. The sole control problem is steering that's overboosted and numb.

The answer to the Tiburon question depends on how far you want to go. Our first three modifications should make a very rewarding car, but what about the engine? Will the aftermarket figure out how to package affordable, effective V6 performance parts? A supercharger would make this car brilliant, but if we're stuck with an intake and big exhaust tips, the Tiburon will be doomed to be another also-ran.

Base price: $18,849
Measured horsepower at the wheels: 148hp @ 5200 rpm
Curb weight as tested: 3,040lb


Best Feature: We could have said styling, but our self-loathing would be unbearable. Mechanically, the part that stands out from a sea of good features is the impressively firm shocks. This might be the only car you could ever add lowering springs to without changing the shocks.

Worst Feature: That smooth, sonorous V6 sound makes you want to rev for days, but try to and you'll find the engine gasping for air. There is no high-rpm power here.

First three things we'd modify

1: Rear anti-roll bar
The Tiburon's suspension is surprisingly firm and well damped, but it's not very well balanced. The front wheels are doing all the work, and a nice, big, adjustable rear anti-roll bar should help a lot.

2: Brakes
This is a heavy car that likes to be driven hard, but the brakes fade immediately. Maybe high-temperature pads, brake fluid, and braided steel brake lines would be enough, or maybe you'll have to step up to Brembo, Stoptech or Wilwood brakes.

3: Limited-slip differential
Bet you didn't know this: The SE-R Spec-V's limited slip will fit. The six-speed gearbox is the same one used by Nissan. Nissan part number 38411-8000 retails for $545

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Fifth Place: Sentra SE-R Spec-V
By Dave Coleman
Photography: Josh Jacquot, Les Bidrawn


The Spec-V in this test had seen better days. The gearbox was full of crunch and the engine full of ping. On the dyno, we had to roll onto the throttle gently to avoid a strange, transient knock problem. Regardless, power output was among the healthiest we've seen for a Spec-V. The crunchy gearbox added a lot of time to the quarter mile, however. We saw 15.9 seconds with this car, but have seen 15.5 from healthier examples.


Despite numerous personality faults, the SE-R Spec-V continues to be a favorite. It is, in many ways, clumsy, but it tries so hard, we can't help but like it. The

B15 Sentra chassis' inherent limitations start with its non-adjustable beam rear suspension that has 0.25 inch of toe-in. The design makes the rear very stable, and big tires, aggressive spring rates, and a large rear anti-roll bar, which is integral with the rear beam, do a good job of making the Spec-V rotate, but the shock valving makes it all feel very clumsy. The Spec-V sometimes bobs and pitches, and sometimes just sticks. Learn the suspension's quirks, however, and there's a lot of grip and a confidence-inspiring demeanor to the Spec-V.

The piece that makes the schizophrenic suspension workable is the standard helical limited slip that lets the front wheels claw around the corner every time. With the substantial torque of the QR25DE, you throw the Spec-V into a corner and simply mash the gas.

All the Spec-V's personality is under the hood, where the big, smooth 2.5-liter and very short-geared six-speed make the car explosively torquey. First and second gears are so short, accidental burnouts are possible, and starting in second is a realistic alternative (rumor has it first and second will be taller on 2003 models, which will be available as you read this). All that torque, however, leads to disruptive torque steer.

As enjoyable as the big 2.5-liter's torque is, the aggressive fuel-cut rev limiter at 6200 rpm smacks you at every shift. The SRT-4 handles its 6000-rpm limit much better, closing the electronic throttle first and only smacking you with a fuel cut if you still refuse to shift. Unlike the German drive-by-wire cars, there's no throttle lag and no vagueness to the throttle action on the Spec-V. Use the gas and the brake at the same time, however, as left-foot brakers tend to, and the ECU drops to a maximum of 25 percent throttle. This makes the brakes feel extra grabby when left-foot braking. None of the other drive-by-wire cars do this.

Best Feature: With gobs of torque and really short gears, this would be a peg-legging slob without a limited slip. The smooth, seamless helical LSD does a brilliant job of putting the power down under any conditions.

Worst Feature: We could have put the Frontier-meet- potato styling here, but we're not fashion critics, so let's talk suspension. It feels like the ride and handling guys got in a brawl and everybody lost.

Base Price: $17,199
Measured horsepower at the wheels: 146hp @ 5700 rpm
Curb weight as tested: 2,750 lb

First three things we'd modify

1: Header
The close-coupled cat is so close to the exhaust ports that all the pre-production cats disintegrated from the heat. Production cars weren't supposed to have this problem, but we know of a few that have. That's enough to make us want the stock manifold and cat replaced with a header. Getting more than 10 hp would be nice, too. Hot Shot and Nissan Motorsports both have headers (same one); AEBS has one enroute.

2: Balance Shafts
The QR25's balance shaft assembly sits in the oil pan thrashing about at up to 12,000 rpm. Removing them frees about 9 hp, adds a quart of oil capacity, reduces oil frothing, and has remarkably little effect on the smoothness of the engine. Jim Wolf Technology has a kit that replaces the assembly with a windage tray.

3: Cams
There aren't any in production yet, but we've tested some JWT prototypes and they're impressive. With these three mods, you can make as much power as any naturally aspirated SR20 could hope to, and vastly more torque.

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Third Place (tie): Mini Cooper S
By Dave Coleman
Photography: Josh Jacquot, Les Bidrawn


It's tempting to dismiss the Mini Cooper as just another attempt to turn nostalgia into cash flow. It's that, but the supercharged Cooper S is also a blast to drive. Our test car was heavily optioned, coming with a huge, two-panel sunroof, self-adjusting HID headlights, and hefty 17-inch wheels with run-flat tires. (Run flats are standard, because the S has no room for a spare.) So much luxury had been piled onto this poor little car, it crushed the scales to the tune of 2,710 lb. It was still the lightest car of the test, but by only 10 lb--not what we expected from such a tiny package.


The Cooper S had locked itself solidly into fourth place until we happened to drive another S with the standard 16-inch wheels. It was so much faster, the Mini ended up tied with the SVT Focus.

Forget the supercharger, the unique packaging, the surprising grip. It's the steering that's most striking in the Mini. It's incredibly precise, very solid, and full of feedback. The trick is the total absence of rubber. Most cars mount their steering racks in rubber, but the Mini's is bolted directly to the front crossmember, which is bolted directly to the chassis. Even the front lower control arm bushing, which can also add slop to the steering, isn't rubber. It's a ball joint. The result is steering that gives incredible confidence.

The Cooper S suspension is nearly on par with the Mazdaspeed Protegé, but less performance-oriented tires and the absence of a limited slip make the Mini harder to drive fast. The brakes, while strong enough, have a disconcertingly soft pedal, which only adds to the frustration of a cramped pedal box. Supercharged power delivery is delightfully linear, and strong enough for the Cooper S to post the second fastest quarter-mile time. Considering there are six ratios to choose from, the gearing feels too tall around town, but the upside is comfortable, high-speed cruising. This would make a surprisingly good autobahn car.

The Mini's throttle is annoyingly laggy, making stop-and-go traffic frustrating and erasing some confidence at the limit.

The little Mini is actually a normal height and width. And its wheelbase is less than 2 inches shorter than the GTI's, so it's the Cooper's complete lack of overhang that makes it small. These proportions keep weight nearer the center of the car, reducing its polar moment and leading to a nimble feeling you can't get with a longer car.

As dramatic as the difference was between the 16- and 17-inch wheeled Minis we drove, a stripped, lightweight Cooper S should be a blast. It may take a special order to get one, but a 16-inch wheeled Cooper S with no sunroof should be a very rewarding performance car. n

Best Feature: We would say the styling, but that would belittle the Mini's true capabilities and make us look like a bunch of superficial sissies. No, instead we'll go with the impressive handling, sharp steering, and nimbleness only a car this size can have.

Worst Feature: Tall gearing, sluggish throttle response and an intercooler prone to heat-soak combine to make the simple act of pulling away from a stoplight a challenge.

First three things we'd modify

1: 15-inch wheels and a AAA card
The 17-inch wheels on our test car are stupid. They look silly, weigh a ton, and slow the car remarkably. The brakes are small enough for 15-inch wheels, which, with well-chosen rubber, could save close to 100 lb. Without the run-flats, however, bring a cell phone.

2: Intercooler sprayer and water injection
The stock intercooler is small, sees limited airflow, and is surrounded by hot engine parts. We'd suggest a front-mount if the bumper wasn't so jam-packed already. Instead, a re-purposed windshield washer system could be used to spray the intercooler, and an Aquamist water injection system could cool things from the inside.

3: Limited-slip differential
Quaife should have a diff for the Mini's Getrag six-speed by the time you read this.

Base price: $19,300
Measured horsepower at the wheels: 157 hp @ 6800 rpm
Curb weight as tested: 2,720 lb


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Third Place (tie) Ford SVT Focus
By Dave Coleman
Photography: Les Bidrawn, Josh Jacquot


After a thorough pounding in the mountains, the SVT Focus left us impressed and somewhat confused. It's not shockingly good like the Protegé and SRT-4, but the SVT Focus is largely free of vices, which left us staring at it in a befuddled state of satisfaction.

Around town, the SVT engine seems gutless and low on torque, an impression caused in large part by the tall gearing. But drive it hard and it's free-revving and strong. It's as if a Honda engine got bolted to a Ford gearbox. The gearing that seemed too tall in town happened to fit our test road perfectly, letting us hang onto second gear where most cars needed constant shifting between second and third.


Cornering grip in the Focus is surprising. It still has a fair amount of body roll, which feels like it should kill grip, but the front tires just hang on. The missing limited slip turned out to be less of an issue than we expected, thanks to big tires and relatively little torque.It's a good thing the Focus' 11.8-inch discs are the biggest of the bunch, because the caliper is partially integrated into the upright, so it's impossible to bolt on larger rotors without cutting apart the upright. Sure, the brake pedal started to get soft after extremely hard use, but it's likely more aggressive pads would cure the problem.


The Focus' odd ergonomics bugged most testers. The seats are mounted too high for tall drivers. Though headroom is still sufficient, the driving position is odd and your passenger is put on a pedestal, whether they like it or not.Overall, the SVT treatment is exactly what the Focus needed, turning a cheaped-out econobox into a well-rounded car with a genuine quality feel and all the performance hardware you'd never be able to bolt onto a Focus yourself. The lack of wings, scoops and fake carbon fiber makes it a refreshingly adult performance car.

Best Feature: The SVT Focus is so thoroughly well-rounded that no one feature stands out, except the price. Finishing this high with the second lowest base price is impressive.

Worst Feature: Gearbox. Sure, the shifter's great,but the gear ratios are way too tall. If you can break every speed limit in California in second gear, what are the other four for? The lack of a limited slip puts the last nail in the gearbox's coffin.

First three things we'd modify
1: Limited-slip differentialOur imitation of a broken record: Quaife should have a diff for the SVT's Getrag six-speed by the time you read this, SVT is also working with Tochigi Fuji Sangyo (maker of the Protegé's diff) on one.

2: Turbo
We don't know any way to put shorter gears in that box, so making enough torque for the gear ratios to make sense seems like the best solution. We're not really sure of the best way to do this, but we'll be figuring it out on our new project car.

3: Driving school
Step 2 was big enough, don't you think? Besides, the SVT doesn't really need anything else. Spend a few days in school learning how to handle it. Tim O'Neil's rally school is a personal favorite, even for street driving.

Base price:$17,480
Measuredhorsepower atthe wheels: 150 hp @ 6600 rpm
Curb weight as tested: 2,780 lb

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Second Place: Mazda Protegé
By Dave Coleman
Photography: Josh Jacquot, Les Bidrawn


The Mazdaspeed Protegé gives up 73 hp and a 100 lb-ft of torque to the overendowed SRT-4, and yet it was surprisingly close to nudging the Dodge out of the top spot. The fact is, none of this car's test numbers, not even its winning handling numbers, do justice to the Protegé's true capabilities. This is an amazingly well-sorted car with surprisingly few compromises. We've heard more than one automotive engineer jealously question how Mazdaspeed managed to sneak such a low, tight suspension past the corporate ninny brigade. The only possible answer: Mazda's ninnies get it.


The key to appreciating the Mazdaspeed Protegé is to take it as a whole. Don't expect overwhelming power, staggering grip or retina damaging brakes. Instead, this car lets you blend acceleration, handling and braking into one seamless and very fast dance. Hustling the Mazdaspeed Protegé down a twisty road elicits the same slack-jawed amazement once reserved for the Integra Type R. A suspension with this kind of unflappable poise and consistent controllability is very rare. Add nearly perfect steering feel, well-balanced brakes and just enough power and you're almost there.

The Mazdaspeed Protegé's crowning jewel is the Tochigi Fuji Sangyo conical ring torque-sensing limited-slip differential. Despite the long, clumsy title, the diff is a subtle, invisible piece of the puzzle that makes the whole package work. Mazdaspeed's suspension tuning, developed with the help of Racing Beat, is unconventional, pairing relatively soft springs with huge anti-roll bars. The result is surprisingly good ride quality over most surfaces. The ride only feels stiff on offset bumps, which allow the big bars to toss the car around a bit. In the corners, drop throttle or a little left-foot braking allow the nose to drop noticeably and the front end to tuck in. There always seems to be more front grip available than you expect.

Despite a 2.0-liter turbo, the Mazdaspeed Protegé has just enough power. Output was intentionally limited to protect the transmission and to allow the long block to remain the same as the naturally aspirated Protegé's. Sticking to parts already in production for other cars is the only way to offer this much performance for so little money. It's the parts bin curse that makes the intercooler almost uselessly tiny and the seats relatively flat. A bigger intercooler and better seats are easy aftermarket upgrades.

Best Feature: Every aspect of the handling, from the steering feel, to the balance, to the level of grip is outstanding.

Worst Feature: Outstanding except for the seats, that is. Lateral support is virtually nil. Prepare to hold onto the steering wheel.

First three things we'd modify

1: Turbo-back exhaust
The downpipe and cat on this car are serious backpressure hogs, and the rest of the exhaust is a carryover from the much less powerful MP3. Uncorking the exhaust flow will make power, and make room for more boost.

2: Front-mount intercooler
The intercooler, carried over from the European Protegé turbodiesel, is tiny and half blocked by A/C brackets. Removing it would open up an easy path for plumbing to reach a nice, big front-mount.

3: Boost controller
Turning up the boost without the first two mods is virtually pointless. With the clogs removed, however, power should be easy. Just remember: Stock output was kept low to protect the transmission. Avoid clutch dumps and hard acceleration on broken pavement.

Base price: $19,980
Measured horsepower at the wheels: 150 hp @ 6000 rpm
Curb weight as tested: 2,810 lb

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First Place: Dodge SRT-4
By Dave Coleman
Photography: Josh Jacquot, Les Bidrawn


Wow.
This was the last car to the party. In fact, we scheduled the entire test around the arrival of this final prototype. Boy, are we glad we did. Rumors had been swirling for months about an upcoming turbocharged Neon. Two-point-four liters and a turbo seemed a potent combination, but it would still be housed in a bottom-shelf, second-generation Neon chassis, a platform that failed to impress us in the past. Would the power make up for that?


One look at the enormous intercooler told us the engine would be all we hoped for and more. Power output is so far beyond anything else in this segment, it's almost embarrassing. The fact it makes 8 more horsepower at the wheels than DaimlerChrysler claims at the crank might be explained by a difference in test procedures. Since there's no specified SAE test procedure for simulating intercooler efficiency, DC measured output with a relatively hot intercooler as a conservative worst-case scenario. As with all turbo cars, we used a relatively weak fan (20 mph at best) and a spray bottle of water to keep the intercooler consistently cool on the dyno. All four intercooled cars in this test received the same treatment.


None of the other intercooled cars could come close to keeping up, however. The SRT-4's quarter-mile times are faster than a Mustang GT and within a tenth of the 350Z. The SRT-4 launches much harder than a front-driver should, especially one with an open diff and relatively narrow 205-width tires. Credit an econo-box chassis that forces the tires to stand dead straight, sticky Michelin Pilot Sports, and an unusual choice in tire sizes. At 205/50ZR-17, the SRT-4's tires are tall. The large rolling diameter makes the contact patch longer, resulting in far more rubber on the road than, say, a 205/45-16.

But that's all straight-line; we were looking for the all-around package. This is where we were really impressed. Let's start with the normally low-rent interior. It's still an injection molder's paradise inside, but the critical driver's pieces received all the right attention. The seats are big in the tall, fit, Scandinavian sense. They fit full-sized humans well, but have literally the biggest side bolsters we've seen on a production car. The Neon's steering wheel was once so painful to the eye that blowing the airbag would have improved the view. Now there's a three-spoked job with a thick rim and reasonable feel. The shifter, too, feels right, with short, solid throws and an action that clicks positively into each gear. These are the parts a driver has to touch, the rest of the interior, which remains low-rent, is irrelevant.

Gathering performance data, it quickly became clear the SRT-4 was dominating the straight-line tests, and the Mazdaspeed Protegé was being equally relentless with the handling tests. To break the tie, we took to the mountains and let real-world speed decide the winner. As you have surely guessed, the SRT-4 was the faster of the two, but not by much. It took more than three miles for the SRT-4 to pull an appreciable gap on the Protegé. While not as solid and composed as the Protegé, the Neon still showed decent balance, good grip, strong, fade-free brakes, and of course, staggering pull between the corners. This is a lot of performance for $20,000.

Best Feature:
Holy front-mount, Batman! This thing isn't just turbocharged, it's turbocharged right. Big engine; big boost; big intercooler; snortin', poppin', growlin' exhaust. Yeah, we like the engine.

Worst Feature:
It's not as sorely missed as you might expect, but obviously any car with this kind of power needs a limited-slip diff. The stock open diff is an uncharacteristic oversight.

First three things we'd modify

1: Limited-slip differential
Being a new transmission, we don't know of anyone actually making a limited slip for the SRT-4 yet. PVO is working with Tochigi Fuji Sangyo on one however, and Quaife has one in the works as well.

2: Camber adjusters
Neons have zero camber from the factory, which means relatively low handling limits and more understeer than we'd like. Handling would be greatly improved with 1 to 2 degrees of negative camber.

3: Stiffer dampers
The SRT-4 was designed in Detroit. The suspension is better controlled than most cars developed on that city's bombed-out roads, but it still feels a bit floaty and disconnected when driven with all the gusto its engine, brakes and tires can deliver.

Base price: $19,995
Measured horsepower at the wheels: 223 hp @ 5700 rpm
Curb weight as tested: 2,870 lb


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gavriil

I can only imagin how the 2004 SRT4 will handle with the addition of the LSD. Plus some better wheel/tire package instead of the 205mm OEM tires. Oh and it got more power too...

1SICKLEX

The NEON is a beast simply. I also love the Protege. The Civic Si is clearly outgunned here.

SpeedyV6

Damn! That's more whp than a modded CL-S. And they say the CL-S does well in cold weather .

bullaculla

12.9 lbs/HP?
i'd buy one.

gavriil

And that's the 2003 SRT4. In 2004 there is at least another 15HP and it does not matter if it's cold or hot out.

vinarnold

i chose srt-4

cusdaddy

The SRT-4 is sick. It's sad to see the Si get so outgunned here. It used to be at the top. Quite a quick drop

jimcol711

SRT-4 is a fucking amazing machine...id love to have one.

heyitsme

whats up with honda, are they going to fix this or they just going to make another civic nation commercial?

gavriil

I can barely sell my CLS for $20K. Should I do it?

gdubb

You know at first I did not like the SRT-4, but i saw one a few days ago in black and it looked MEAN. I think It would be one hell of a fun car for sure

Joe5.0

I agree with that review completely. It's funny how opposite the standings are now in the sport compact scene. Arguably the best 3 sport compacts are "Domestic". I drove a MS Protege, and it was fun as all hell, nearly as fun as my uncles SC'd Miata.

Chaptorial

Nice find.

I'd go with the GTI

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

ga2000

id go with the spec v or the srt-4.. spec v' are quicker than they say they are..

gavriil

Exactly!

gavriil

Spec-V = Heavy for HP.

pimpscls

that neon is pimp

Black CL-S 4-Life

The SI is a joke and a disgrace to boot.

jimcol711

yeah, when you see one of these bad boys in person, you KNOW it means business...its got nice looking stock rims, that loud dual exhaust, the big ass FMIC, the thing hardly shares any resemblance to a normal neon.

bent09

iTrader: (1)

I still have to thank "its a neon." I guess they stuck the gay ass HI commercials in my head.

mystikk

I dunno how that thing can be an STi-killer and still be called a Neon. I'd LOVE to have an SRT-4.

charliemike

ROFL ... I was just about to post something asking how old this article was then I realized you'd revived an old thread

bkknight369

I wanna see the article for best bang for the buck under $10,000

featuring the Accent TYPE S!!