Sporty, yet affordable cars

There is no point buying a very expensive car, just to drive and show off on the road. There's an economic recovery happening somewhere, but this Great Recession has shown us the folly of spending frivolously and has soured our appetite for expensive autos. The slump reveals something else: In good times or bad, the need for speed endures.



This is the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Volkswagen invented the idea of the hotted-up compact car back in the 1970s, and the GTI remains true to the original idea, providing tight handling and enthusiast styling. It's a shame that the engine hasn't improved with the latest-generation GTI. The 200-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-banger has plenty of pep, but it seems positively wimpy next to some of the other cheap hot rods in this segment. Still, you don't necessarily miss the horses when you're behind the wheel. The GTI has exceptional road manners and two marvelous transmission options in the 6-speed manual and the paddle-shift, dual-clutch DSG sequential manual.



This is very common on the road - Subaru Impreza WRX. Subaru's rally-bred Impreza WRX has always been a noisy, undisciplined tin can of a car, but its raw athleticism has always turned what would be drawbacks in any other vehicle into virtues. The current iteration somehow seems a bit less visceral; the hood scoops and spoilers are still there, but are less egregiously in your face. The WRX's mechanics have not been tamed; this is still a tremendously powerful and capable car.



Consider this: A Porsche Cayman has a 265-horsepower 2.9-liter 6-cylinder engine, does zero to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and costs $51,400. A Nissan 370Z has a 332-horsepower 3.7-liter V6, does zero to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds.

The Porsche's engine is obviously more efficient, but we're willing to rile the Stuttgart purists and say that the Z gives you Porsche-like performance at a 20 grand discount. Plus, the Z offers an optional SynchroRev Match manual tranny that blips the revs for smooth downshifts at speed and an angry-looking exterior that will scare the lederhosen off of most German yuppie speedsters.

Last car will be...



This! The 2010 Mazda 3. Mazda's hottest "hot hatchback" has been restyled for 2010, ditching the car's previously ho-hum looks in favor of a maniacally grinning front grille and a combination of smooth, sharp lines that suggest a gust of wind caught fire. It carries over its predecessor's 263-horsepower 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and front-wheel driveline — and you'll get no complaints from us about that, since the little powerplant scoots the car from zero to 60 mph in around six seconds. In addition to its new skin, the suspension was also upgraded, so the car won't be the only one smiling during fast cornering.