Comparo: 2010 Kia Forte SX/Mazda3 GT/Toyota Corolla XRS

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A Trio of Semi-Poorman's Sports Sedans

Sporty editions of three popular compact four-doors vie for your enthusiast dollars

By John LeBlanc New car buyers like compact sedans because they can carry a family of four comfortably, and are cheap-to-buy and cheap-to-run. But what if you are looking for a bit of driving fun from behind the steering wheel of your practical ride? As it happens, Kia, Mazda and Toyota all have new fun-to-drive versions of their compact five-passenger, front-drive sedasn for 2010: Forte, Mazda3 and Corolla. Which one, though, offers the best combination of refinement and driving fun from the driver’s seat? THIRD PLACE: 2010 Toyota Corolla XRS - You have to go back to the mid-1980s and the SR-5 models to find a Corolla for drivers. Since then, the Japanese automaker has been pushing out one milquetoast compact sedan after another. As such, the new XRS is virtually a first attempt by the Japanese automaker in this segment. At least the $22,550 Corolla XRS arrives with a stereotypical sports compact checklist. A firmer suspension, larger and grippier tires, bigger, more powerful engine, sporty interior trim and body kit all help separate the XRS from your great-aunt’s Corolla CE. Yet, out of a Toyota showroom, the sportiest XRS isn’t so sporty. Against the Mazda and Kia, the Toyota shows up with the least amount of power and torque (158 hp and 162 lb.-ft.) and one less gear in its manual gearbox (five.) No surprise then, the XRS’s 2.4 L four moves the Corolla from rest to 100 km/h over a half-second after the 3 GT and Forte SX pass by in only 7.5 seconds. Once on the road, the Corolla XRS is a drive on the mild side, with little feedback to let the driver know you are in Toyota’s idea of a sports compact sedan. All the hardware the XRS driver interacts with — steering, suspension, clutch and shifter — are as anodyne in their feel as a base Corolla. And while there’s nothing inherently “wrong” with its suspension, there’s more body roll than the Mazda3 GT or Forte SX, which doesn’t exactly encourage drivers to flog the Corolla XRS down a twisty road. WHY BUY: The sportiest model for dedicated Corolla fans. WHY NOT: Rivals are quicker, roomier and better driving dynamics. SECOND PLACE: 2010 Kia Forte SX - “Kia” and “fun-to-drive” has been a rare sentence to read in the past. But the Korean automaker’s first genuine crack at a sporty compact sedan should make it anything but a rarity on Canadian roads. For starters, the $22,295 Forte SX comes with a six-speed manual gearbox hooked up to the most powerful engine of this group: a 2.4-litre inline-four that pumps out a generous 173 hp and 168 lb.-ft. The Kia is no faster to 100 km/h than the Mazda, but the big motor is backed up with a playful chassis, sharp reflexes and quick steering that allow it to nip and tuck into curves. And where the Toyota would lean too much, the Kia corners flat through tight corners. However, some of the Forte SX’s overt athleticism can cause a harsh ride. And its front seats could use more side bolstering. But compared to the sensory-deprivation-chamber-XRS, the Kia is a much more engaging small sedan to drive when “fun” is called for. Don’t think we picked the Forte over the Corolla for its high fun factor alone, though. The Forte SX’s crisp, Audi-like exterior lines make it arguably the most attractive of this trio. And its cabin’s build quality and use of materials is a step up from the Toyota. Plus the Kia compact offers the roomiest interior, largest trunk and sports the lowest fuel consumption numbers (9.2 city L/100 km/31 mpg, 6.2/46 hwy. ) of this group. WHY BUY: Athletic steering and suspension, roomy accommodations and trunk. WHY NOT: Firm ride, flat seats. FIRST PLACE: 2010 Mazda3 GT - The first generation Mazda3 always ranked at the top of fun-to-drive small cars. And this heavily updated version of 2010 continues with the original car’s mini-sports sedan reputation. For 2010, the GT sports a larger, 2.5 L four-cylinder from the mid-size Mazda6, producing a competitive 167 hp and 168 lb.-ft. As the heaviest car here, its fuel economy suffers though: 10.1 L/100 km/28 mpg city, 6.9/41 hwy. Yet, if you’re the type of driver more concerned with a car’s driving fun meter than its fuel gauge, the Mazda3 GT’s greater sophistication over the Corolla XRS and Forte SX move it to the top of this trio. Overall, the Mazda comes across as a more mature, refined and sophisticated sports sedan than either the antiseptic Toyota or less-refined Kia. Like the last model, back seat occupants aren’t treated to as much room as in the Toyota or Kia. But the Mazda’s driving position and cabin controls are spot on and easy to use. New shocks and anti-roll bars give the 2010 GT even more body control than the already sporty outgoing model. Its steering rack is now bolted to the chassis in three instead of two spots for an even tighter feel over pockmarked roads and its body structure is stiffer. And its brakes felt the most sure-footed of this trio. The price you pay for all the Mazda3 GT’s sporty habits is in the comfort department: There’s more road than the quieter Toyota. WHY BUY: Sports sedan steering and handling. WHY NOT: Questionable styling; relatively thirsty at the pumps.

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