2005 Mazda3 5-door vs. 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart vs. 2005 Mini Cooper S vs. 2005 Scion tC vs. 2005 Ford Focus ZX4 ST - Road Test - Motor Trend

2005 Mazda3 5-door vs. 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart vs. 2005 Mini Cooper S vs. 2005 Scion tC vs. 2005 Ford Focus ZX4 ST - Road Test - Motor Trend: A life less ordinary: Five ways to commute without putting your adrenal glands to sleep

By Chris Walton
Photography by Brian Vance
Motor Trend, February 2005

Congratulations. You've landed your first job with a steady paycheck. Your waiter's apron and valet jacket are now costume party props, and those paint-spattered overalls have been replaced with khakis and shirt with a collar. More important, you can unload that trusty 100,000-mile Honda CRX with cheeseburger wrappers for taillamps. Thing is, you don't want just transport. You want fun. Excitement. A life--on the road--less ordinary. And all for maybe 350 to 400 bucks a month. The good news is that there's some choice out there.