Compact Sedan Comparison - Acceleration, Brakes, Exterior & Interior - Road Test Review

The scrappy Mini Cooper S drove into our hearts on the first impromptu rally stage: "Have you driven this car on that road yet? Holy guacamole!" With a test-topping 105-horsepower per liter on tap and a comparo-commanding 15.8 pounds of car to haul around for each supercharged horse, the revised-for-2005 Cooper S literally ran away from the rest of the field--then disappeared around a corner--and was finally seen again refueling at the gas station. The last time we tested a Cooper S, it ran to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds. This time, we were shocked when the computer recorded just 6.4 yee-haw seconds.

More than anything here, this is the car you just want to drive--and then get out of with an ear-to-ear grin. The Mini's shifter is precision controlled compared with anything else in this test. Its steering (though an electrohydraulic setup), is the most communicative and quickest by a bunch. And, despite its 60-to-0-mph stop landing midpack, the feel and fade resistance of the Mini's brakes are superior. Within a hundred yards, it's obvious that this car is intended to elicit a reaction from the driver--sweaty palms, elevated heart rate, and a Cheshire Cat smile are what we got; your results may vary. Forget how cute it is. We don't care that the back seats are small. And, yes, a yellow one might be confused for a Botts dot by a trucker. But there's no way to deny how much fun this car is to drive.

Ford claims the interior and exterior stylists rejigged the Focus to "echo cues from Ford's new flagship sedan, the Five Hundred." Inspiration from the Taurus replacement? That's just wrong. And the lukewarm powertrain proves that plucking the V out of SVT wasn't such a good idea.

The Scion tC is like the guy in the office who can do a bunch of things reasonably well, but no single thing exceptionally well. He doesn't offend, nor does he impress. He's a bit of a wallflower who dresses well and says "please" and "thank you." The tC is a safe first date for your daughter--apart from that slightly snappy temper during quick cornering--not the guy you'd find at Lake Havasu on spring break.