Compact Sport Sedan Comparison Vedict & Conclusion

Conclusion
It's truly remarkable how much performance and sophistication $20,000 buys these days. Each of these hot sport-compacts offers its buyers mean-streets looks, superlative road-holding, and plenty of power to keep life from getting dull. What we have here is a choice of gnarly, gnarlier, or gnarliest.

The new-for-'03 SVT Focus five-door is just as wonderful as was last year's three-door version. But the competition's turned up the wick, especially in the power department. While we still love the SVT's spirited locomotion, hatchback functionality, world- class handling, and overall integration, newer, turbocharged entries from Mazda and Dodge offer better all-around performance for the same or slightly less money.

Mazda's first toe dipped into the sport-compact ocean is going to make a big splash and is a great taste of things to come from the talented folks at MazdaSpeed. This Protege hits a sweet spot in the market, delivering fantastic handling, spirited performance, fine balance, great audio, and that signature sport-compact look without compromising the everyday useability of the car. With a few more ponies under its turbocharged hood, the MazdaSpeed Protege would be the hands-down winner of this contest.

One trip around the block will tell you the SRT-4 is immensely more entertaining to drive than the MazdaSpeed Protege or SVT Focus. As good as the Mazda and Ford are, this unexpected entry from a carmaker with zero sport-compact presence just delivers maximum grins and giggles for minimum coin. With acceleration, braking, and handling numbers akin to a Nissan 350Z and a price close to a four-cylinder Camry, the SRT-4 brings excitement to the just-under-$20,000 hot sedan segment.

It boils down to this: The world-class at-the-limit handling of the MazdaSpeed Protege isn't something you're likely to use often in everyday traffic, while the unexpectedly delicious power of the Dodge SRT-4 is a force you'll have a hard time resisting time and again. Game, point, match: Dodge--at least for now.