Comparison review: five compact sporty sedans (Conclusion)

There's a lot that goes into what makes a good car. In this particular comparison, of compact sporty sedans, it came down to which car was the most enjoyable to drive.

However, practicality, comfort, refinement, price, and gas mileage do matter, too. Had the car that won here, the 2010 Mazda3 S, failed miserably in these areas, good acceleration and handling alone would not keep it in first place.

But beyond the overall ranking order, which particular cars shine in which particular areas? Check out the summaries below, and check back to each full review for more details on any particular car:

Comfort and luxury: How does the refinement level of these cars match their prices?

5. Subaru Impreza: C-
The Impreza isn’t uncomfortable, but it’s purely utilitarian in its ambiance. The engine is noisy and the interior looks and feels downscale.

4. Kia Forte: C+
The Forte is spacious, but its seats lack long-distance comfort, its ride can be too stiff at times, and some of its interior details are lacking.

3. Honda Civic: B-
Honda nailed the front seats on this Si, giving it a big boost in this category, and cloth inserts also help dress up an otherwise basic interior. This car has the stiffest ride of these five, and the engine is noisy if you want any performance from it (though quiet in gentle driving).

2. Mazda3: B
The Mazda3 has comfortable front seats and a well-assembled interior, but the engine gets raucous easily and there are few soft-touch interior materials.

1. Volkswagen Jetta: B+
Comfort and luxury are the primary focus of the Jetta, so it should lead here. But it should lead by more. The engine should be smoother and quieter and the suspension should handle bumps with less fuss. Nonetheless, the car is generally comfortable and quiet, and its interior quality – while not flawless – leads this group.

Practicality: Which of these cars is the best for daily non-sporting use or when you need to carry extra people or cargo?

5. Honda Civic: C+
A thirst for premium fuel is a killer for an economy car, sporty or not. A stiff ride also counts against it in daily use. It does have plenty of space, at least.

4. Mazda3: B-
The Mazda3 is generally pleasant to drive, even if its ride isn’t the smoothest. However, its rear seat and trunk are tighter than the class norm.

3. Subaru Impreza: B
Acceptable ride quality and decent space, but nothing remarkable. Gas mileage is low, but you do get the capability of being able to commute easily through a blizzard.

2. Kia Forte: B+
The ride quality could be better, but the car offers plenty of passenger and trunk space. It’s geared right for excellent highway gas mileage, too.

1. Volkswagen Jetta: B+
There’s not as much rear seat space as in some compact cars, but the Jetta does well by this group’s standards and the trunk would be big even for a midsize-class car. Better gas mileage and a more settled ride would boost this car significantly.

Driving enjoyment: Which of these cars manages to be the most fun?

5. Subaru Impreza: D+
The Impreza is easy to drive, but it is in no way sporty in the vein of Imprezas past. The shifter is vague, the steering is overboosted, and the engine lacks pep.

4. Kia Forte: C
The Forte’s frustratingly touchy throttle takes the enjoyment out of the car. It’s otherwise powerful and agile, and the shifter itself is relatively slick even if the overall shifting process is lacking. However, it would need sharper steering to challenge the class’s best.

3. Volkswagen Jetta: C+
As in the Impreza, the Jetta’s engine feels weak for its size. The car handles well enough, but feels bigger than it is and needs more responsive and precise steering.

2. Honda Civic: B+
Push the Si, and it delivers excellent engine performance and sharp handling. But if you don’t keep your engine always revving high and risk racking up speeding tickets, you’ll get very little out of this car that a standard Civic can’t give you.

1. Mazda3: A-
With strong power, agile handling, and responsive steering, it’s always either willing to play or willing to settle down. Sharper steering would bring this car closer to ideal.

Price: What features do these cars offer for the money?

5. Mazda3: C-
At over $22,000, the Mazda3 is the most expensive car of these five. Mazda's pricing setup puts buyers into the top-of-the-line Grand Touring model if they want leather seats -- this does also include unusual goodies like rain-sensing wipers, but even taking that into account, this car is no bargain.

4. Honda Civic: B-
The Civic Si doesn't offer leather seating, and its $20,659 out-the-door price is a bit steep. But the Si does include upgraded seat fabric and redesigned -- and excellent -- front seats, and is otherwise well-equipped for significantly less than the 3.

3. Volkswagen Jetta: B+
Among these five cars, the Jetta isn't too expensive at just over $19,000, nicely equipped -- though its leather is actually convincing vinyl. This particular ranking does not account for the fact that the Jetta drives more like compact sedans that are significantly less expensive but were excluded from this comparison for not being as upscale or sporty as the Jetta pretends to be.

2. Subaru Impreza: B+
The Impreza has a low price by this comparison's standards, selling for just $18,419. But it offers no leather seating, and like the Jetta, it feels like a much cheaper car.

1. Kia Forte: A
The Forte's $18,027 out-the-door price includes most every feature that could be expected of it while undercutting the other five cars in this group.

Overall:

5. Subaru Impreza: C-
The Impreza is neither fun to drive nor refined, so it fails at both the basic goals outlined for the cars of this comparison. However, with its top-notch safety and capability, it at least offers something to separate itself from the other four cars – even if its strengths are not what would have been required of a winner.

4. Kia Forte: C-
This Kia brings attractive looks and attractive pricing, but some details in the throttle calibration, the suspension, the steering, and the interior would need to be worked out to make this car the winner it may appear to be on paper.

3. Volkswagen Jetta: C+
The Jetta puts most of its efforts into comfort and luxury, but comes up short in ride quality and engine refinement, and its interior feels more “pretty nice” than luxurious. It winds up midpack not so much by its own virtue but for the failings of some of its competition.

2. Honda Civic Si: B-
The Si offers a higher level of performance than other cars in its price range. But that performance isn’t easily accessible, and a stiff ride and premium fuel requirement leave this car for those who are willing to make sacrifices to get something more than the others offer.

1. Mazda3: B+
The Mazda3 is quite expensive and could still offer more handling precision and more interior space. But it's the best of this breed for now.

Other cars to think about:

The five cars that make up this comparison were selected for the combination of power, handling, practicality, and refinement that their specifications and marketing promise. But there are other cars on the market that meet these individual goals. 

-The base "I" version of the Mazda3 is much less expensive than the powerful S. It's acceptably peppy, similarly refined, and preserves the S's handling abilities.

-Higher-performance versions of the Subaru Impreza and Volkswagen Jetta are quite nice, if you're willing to pay a big price premium for them.

-The Subaru Impreza, Mazda3, and Volkswagen Jetta are also available as hatchbacks and station wagons, adding practicality over a sedan.

-The least-expensive midsize sedans are similar in price to the cars in this comparison. If you are looking more for comfort and refinement than sporty handling and compact dimensions, give a look to the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima.

Compact sporty sedan comparison: