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"There&amp;#039;s growing interest in the shrunken-car segment largely due to their tidily packaged efficiencies, but manufacturers are also seeing an opportunity to capitalize on their intrinsic fun factor\u2014being small and lightweight, they also happen to handle well. Thanks to turbochargers and some additional go-fast tweaks, what was once just affordable transportation is now genuinely entertaining to sling around an autocross or a few corners at, say, the local kart track\u2014assuming you ask permission first, like we did.   Video window may take a few moments to load...          Chevy&amp;#039;s Sonic LTZ may look like a bit of an outlier in this group but that&amp;#039;s because the upcoming RS model, which benefits from suspension upgrades, revised gear ratios and aesthetic treatments, wasn&amp;#039;t available at the time of testing. Despite having the least power, the most weight (carrying two extra doors) and wearing H-rated tires, it posted some pretty respectable numbers. Its softer suspension allowed more body roll than the other two, though it understeered less than the Abarth. But what hindered it most around our 0.8-mile circuit was its lack of inner wheelspin mitigation (electronic or mechanical), which puts your patience to the test at corner exits. Its interior is tastefully functional and the most ergonomically friendly of the bunch, and with its as-tested price tag under $19K, the Sonic may prove to be the no-brainer choice for some.        2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ    The Mini Coupe S sports styling that only a mother, or ardent Mini fan, could truly adore. Like it or hate it, the improved dynamics from a stiffened chassis paired with the boosted 1.6-liter and snappy gearbox makes for a winning combination\u2014especially around any tight circuit. As the sticky Continentals gradually came up to temp, there was oversteer to be had, which is a boon in anything slow and decreasing in radius. While the decisive dynamic victor of this test, the Coupe does falls short of cargo space, user friendliness and rear visibility. If we stripped this car of every non-performance-related pleasantry, it would still command a price slightly over $26K.        2012 Mini Cooper S Coupe    The long awaited Abarth version of the Fiat 500 has arrived with much of its Italian charm intact. Unfortunately, this also means a classically tall and upright driving position with a steering wheel column that won&amp;#039;t meet you halfway. Get past these oddities (and the busy analog gauge cluster) and it&amp;#039;s nothing but amore from thereon. There are audible hisses of turbo-spool and a wonderfully raspy exhaust note produced from its hydraulically valved MultiAir engine\u2014not to mention twist that puts it neck and neck with the Mini. As mentioned before, there&amp;#039;s a surprising amount of understeer given its weight and wheelbase (90.6 in.), but I suspect that conservative alignment settings were implemented to avoid what could&amp;#039;ve been precarious high-speed twitch. On a strictly utilitarian note, the Abarth has more usable space than the larger Mini Coupe.        2012 Fiat 500 Abarth    Each candidate has its strengths, and none is perfect, but I was most impressed by the Abarth&amp;#039;s attitude, style and enthusiasm behind the wheel. All three, however, deliver on the concept of big fun in a small package.      2012 Chevy Sonic LTZ 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth 2012 Mini Cooper S Coupe   List price $17,235 $22,000 $24,600   Price as tested $18,695 $26,050 $32,150   Curb weight 2825 lb 2590 lb 2760 lb   Weight dist, f/r % 62/38 63/37 62/38   Layout front engine/front drive front engine/front drive front engine/front drive   Engine 1.4-liter turbocharged dohc 16V I-4 1.4-liter turbocharged sohc 16V I-4 1.6-liter turbocharged dohc 16V I-4   Transmission 6-sp manual 5-sp manual 6-sp manual   Horsepower 138 bhp @ 4900 rpm 160 bhp @ 5500 rpm 181 bhp @ 5500 rpm   Torque 148 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm 170 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm 177 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm   Tires Hankook Optimo H428, 205/50R-17 88H Pirelli P Zero, 205/40R-17 84W Continental ContiSportContact 3 SSR, 205/45R-17 84V   0-60 mph 7.8 sec 6.6 sec 6.6 sec   0-100 mph 23.6 sec 17.9 sec 17.1 sec   0-1320 ft (1/4 mile) 16.2 sec @ 86.9 mph 15.1 sec @ 92.5 mph 15.0 sec @ 93.8 mph   Top speed 125 mph 129 mph 139 mph*   Braking, 60-0 mph 126 ft 129 ft 119 ft   Braking, 80-0 mph 223 ft 234 ft 208 ft   Skidpad 0.84 g 0.85 g 0.92 g   Slalom 69.4 mph 70.2 mph 70.7 mph   **Lap time 1:11.4 1:09.6 1:08.1   Our mileage 29.4 mpg 29.2 mpg 26.7 mpg   EPA city/hwy 29/40 mpg 28/34 mpg 27/35 mpg   *Electronically limited. **Grange Motor Circuit.   "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-comparison-tests/reviews/a18146/tiny-turbo-track-terrors-1/>