Save for the new five-door Saturn Astra, four-door sedans dominate this year’s COTY entrants.

Want the utility of a hatchback? Both the Subaru Impreza and Suzuki SX4 are also available as five-doors.

If you don’t need an overabundance of room or power, these five-passenger, small cars beg the question: how much car do you really need?

FORD FOCUS SE
Price as tested: $19,648

Fundamentally, this is the same platform as the first front-drive, Focus four-door sedan from 1999.

Improvements for 2008 include a quieter cabin with upgraded materials, and a much cushier ride. Traction control and satellite radio with a six-month subscription are also new standard equipment.

Ford’s much-hyped SYNC package ($495 on the SE) wasn’t available for the COTY event.

A loose chassis and slow steering made it difficult to be accurate in placing the Focus accurately when driven hard. The Ford also had the longest braking distance of the group, taking 47.9 m to stop from 100 km/h.

The carryover 2.0-litre 140 hp four-banger drags the Ford from naught to 100 km/h in 10 seconds. Its combined fuel consumption rating is the best here at 7.1 L/100 kms.

Comparatively, the “new” Focus does little to move the compact class forward in any significant way.


MITSUBISHI LANCER GTS
Price as tested: $23,698

Immediately, the Mitsubishi’s aggressive exterior styling gives it a very upscale look.

Inside, the cabin design is functional if not luxurious in feel. The relationship between the steering wheel, gear shifter and floor pedals was designed for aggressive driving.

But the optional, EVO-wannabe rear wing blocks vision.

The front-drive Mitsubishi’s five-speed manual transmission is well matched to the 2.0L 152 hp four-cylinder engine (a $1,100 CVT is available). The Lancer was the quickest here from zero to 100 km/h, taking only 8.9 seconds.

The Lancer’s big-for-this-class P215/45R18 rubber also helped it achieve the best braking number at 41.5 m.

Fuel consumption, at 8.35 L/100 km, is relatively average.

As the sport sedan of this group, the GTS’s steering was accurate with plenty of feel. Its chassis was well balanced with a rear-end that could be pitched through the track’s tight chicanes with confidence.


SATURN ASTRA XE
Price as tested: $18,049

Like it’s badge, the front-drive, five-door Astra’s crisply styled exterior and functional interior has been imported from its Belgium factory virtually intact.

Its steering wheel is the only one in this class that also telescopes, adding to the Saturn’s outstanding cabin ergonomics.

The Astra’s excellent balance of ride versus handling seems swiped from a Saab. Its balanced suspension and quick steering made for no surprises on the COTY test track. Although, at 43.5 m, its braking distance was average.

Negatives? The 1.8L 140 hp four-banger obtains a miserly 7.3 L/100 kms, but at the expense of quick throttle response, and a 9.2-second 0-100-km/h time. Also Saab-like was the five-speed manual’s ropey shift action. And the Astra was also the nosiest small car here.

That said, the lowest pried car here certainly didn’t feel like it.


SUBARU IMPREZA SEDAN
Price as tested: $21,795

Despite dated exterior styling, the Impreza has much more room for back seat passengers compared to last year’s model. And its interior has been upgraded as well with a design and quality similar to the mid-size Legacy.

On the road, it’s now nearly as quiet and refined as said Legacy. However, on-track, it’s noticeably softer in its reactions than the model.

The carryover 2.5L 170 hp flat four, and standard all-wheel-drive, pulled the heavy Impreza to 100 km/h from zero in 9.5 seconds. Its braking distance of 42.9 m was average, but fuel economy, at 9.1 L/100 kms, is fairly thirsty.

A five-speed manual is standard. The $1,100 manumatic transmission in the COTY entrant had wide gaps between its four gears.

The new Impreza lacks novelty. But if you need an AWD sedan, and think the $26,995 Legacy 2.5i is too big or too pricey, the Impreza makes sense.


SUZUKI SX-4 SEDAN
Price as tested: $18,995

Except for the awkward double-A-pillar design (a leftover from the SX-4 hatchback the sedan is based on) there’s a real feel good factor in the tightly fitted panels and use of high-quality materials in the small Suzuki sedan’s interior.

The tall roomy cabin is complimented with lively and willing driving characteristics.

It starts with a smooth clutch and snickety-snick action of the five-speed manual (a $1,100 four-speed slushbox is available).

Then there’s the sweet-revving 2.0L 143 hp four-cylinder engine.

It scoots the Suzuki from zero to 100 km/h in a reasonable 9.3 seconds. With generous P205/50R17 tires, the SX-4’s braking distance from 100 km/h almost matched the Mitsubishi at 41.9 m.

The Suzuki’s tall body did make it top heavy at the track. Other than that, handling was predictable, front-drive understeer.

Under marketed in Canada, the Suzuki’s European flavour and value pricing make it this year’s Best New Small Car sleeper.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher