Comparo: 2009 Audi A3 3.2, BMW 135i, Mitsubishi Evo, Subaru WRX STi

Story and photos by John LeBlanc CALABOGIE, ONT.–Essentially a gussied up Volkswagen Golf, Audi's A3 started the premium compact genre in Europe 12 years ago. Today, almost every automaker has a compact car with a big car price in its stable. With all the features and performance of larger cars – but in a more urban friendly package – premium compacts present an interesting, if not inexpensive, alternative to larger cars. Power everything and navigation packages aside, Wheels brought four examples to Calabogie Motorsports Park, just west of Ottawa. Both road and track evaluations ensued to find out which under-$50,000 premium compact was the best from the driver's seat: FOURTH PLACE: Audi A3 3.2 S Line Though $43,700 may sound like a lot of toonies for a car based on a $20,000 Volkswagen Rabbit, the Audi was actually the least expensive model in this quartet. On the road, the A3 is a sweetheart. Its well-appointed interior, six-speed dual-clutch automated S Tronic gearbox, all-wheel-drive and smooth V6 deliver a quiet and refined driving experience. Once the driving got serious on track, though, the Audi felt like an Ottawa Senators fan in the Air Canada Centre. With the least amount of horsepower (250) and torque (236), humping around a porky 1,660 kg curb weight, the A3 was the slowest car in a straight-line (almost 6.0 seconds from 0-to-100 km/h) and in the curves. Here's a hint as to the A3 3.2 S Line's mission: It was the only one of this quartet to show up with all-season tires – and it showed on the track, plowing through turns and squealing its tires during aggressive braking. WHY BUY? Classic good looks and well-built interior; S Tronic; comfy ride WHY NOT? Extra weight smothers any driving fun; non-performance brakes and tires THIRD PLACE: Subaru WRX STi On paper, the highly anticipated $44,995 2008 WRX STi looked intimidating. From its 2.5-L turbocharged flat-four banger, the Subaru pumped out five more horsepower than the 300 hp BMW. No surprise, then, the STi ended up being the quickest car here to 100 km/h at 5.1 seconds. As a daily driver, the Subaru is more refined than the Mitsu. On public roads, its long travel suspension and supportive front sport seats made it a doddle to drive. Yet getting the most from the AWD Subaru's high-tech hardware on Calabogie's long 5.05 km outer track was a challenge. An inaccurate six-speed manual gearbox, tentative clutch and "wait...wait, for it" turbo boost created a car that felt unfinished and uncooperative when pushed. The Subaru's performance rubber grips well. But its suspension was relatively soft for on-track work. In many of Calabogie's decreasing radius turns, the STi had a surprising amount of brake dive at entry, followed by too much lateral roll at the front end of the cars when cornering hard. WHY BUY? Straight-line performance; long-travel backroad suspension WHY NOT? Turbo boost lag; sloppy shifter; soft suspension SECOND PLACE: BMW 135i As the only premium compact here with rear-wheel-drive, two doors and only four seats, the $44,100 BMW stands out for its impracticality. If driving pleasure, though, ranks higher on your wish list you'll quickly rationalize the 135i's typical BMW qualities. "Typical" in the sense that the 135i drove like a slightly smaller version of its big brother 335i that shares its 3.0-L twin-turbo inline-six – easily the smoothest mill of this group. Its six-speed manual slides easily between cogs. And the car is fast: only 0.3 seconds slower to 100 km/h than the leading STi. Smooth and easy to drive – even when bombing around on the track – are the two qualities that defined BMW's smallest car. Why second, then? Despite its well-balanced RWD configuration, there's still a bit of understeer when pushed. And despite earlier prognostications that BMW had created a successor to the respected 2000-2006 M3, the 135i (even when equipped with the $1,600 M Sport package) doesn't react as quickly to the driver's inputs as our winner. WHY BUY? Easy to drive fast; a pocket rocket 3 Series WHY NOT? Not an M car; coupe impracticality FIRST PLACE: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR As much as the Audi felt out of place on the track, the $47,498 Mitsubishi felt right at home. A combination of nearly flat cornering and tactile steering was aided by the Evo MR's key party trick: an AWD system that swaps torque at the rear wheels to aid cornering. Where the others would understeer, the Evo quickly made amends by applying torque to the outside wheel, bringing the car around aiming it to the next corner. The Mitsu was no slouch under the hood, either. Its 300 hp turbo 2.0-L four had the most torque here (300 lb.-ft.) and allowed the Mitsu to be only 0.2 seconds behind the Subie and the Evo MR. You can save $6,000 by opting for the base GSR Evo with a five-speed manual. But the MR's twin-clutch sequential transmission addresses the complaint the GSR needs another gear. Plus, it matches revs perfectly on downshifts with aurally delightful throttle blips. Is the Mitsu the perfect under-$50,000 premium compact for drivers? On the road, it's a bit loud and raucous compared to the more refined BMW or Audi. And you get Recaros and a leather steering wheel, but the Mitsubishi's cockpit won't be mistaken for the more luxurious German brands. If neither one of these debits bother you, get the Evo. WHY BUY? Unflappable handling; a pocket rocket 3 Series WHY NOT? Manumatic pricey; low-rent interior

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