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JHZR2, go drive one, they are very impressive handling vehicles, despite the fact that their main competators are your stereotypical economy car. I've driven one and was very impressed with how performance minded this little car was. Good price tag too... it's not your ordinary economy car. If you want the 2.3L in an orginary economy car, go look at the Ford Focus with the 2.3L
I spent a LOT of time and miles driving a focus 2.0, and sure, its not the same car, per se... but in many ways it is. Ive driven the 6 and the 3, just on a highway in a test drive, but don't deny that they are nice to drive, tight and well-controlled, etc.
I do not deny thatin the world of economy cars, the 3 is the car that I'd surely buy... but having so-called peformance oriented economy cars, i.e. we own an acura intega and a BMW 318i, I know that they are enjoyable to drive, and make the daily grind chugging along in traffic, or cruising down a backroad, OK to do.
That said, whether you have 130 hp or 150 hp, youre not going THAT fast, and the key to having a decent economy car that is nice to drive is not the extra 0.3L or extra 10 hp or extra 0.2 seconds in scooting to 60 MPH, but rather the ability to have perfect feel in the transmission, gearing that is suited perfectly for the daily grind, a engine that is merely willing to move, and an engine that is not absolutely raucous when you drive at 70 MPH.
Anyone elses' mileage may vary, but as far as Im concerned, if I want a car that will really haul and deliver good performance, Ill either be buying a mazdaspeed 3 type car, which likely isnt that well suited for a daily driver (likely too high strung, but correct me if Im wrong), or Ill actually buy a real 'performance oriented' vehicle, and not pretend that Im a race car driver scoting around. And, if I'm really into auto-xing, I darn well better be really sharp in terms of my driving skills, because its driving ability that gets good times and wins in auto-xing, not an extra 0.3L and 10hp.
Just my opinion... shoot me if you wish, but thats how I see it.
JMH