Acura ILX

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A different class of compact – the Acura ILX. When you want a compact car with performance-based bones, yet you’d rather not give up the finer things in life, look at the ILX.

It’s fun to drive, even though there’s no standard transmission option. The 8-speed dual clutch transmission pounds through the gears crisply if you want it to, or smoothly if you’d prefer. The naturally-aspirated 2.4-liter four-banger is good enough for 201 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. It won’t be winning races at the track, but you’ll love driving a sporty luxury-class car without breaking the bank. Base price is just $27,990.

Mazda3 Touring 2.5 5-door

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Along the lines of a bargain in the compact segment is the Mazda3. You might find it a stretch calling the Mazda3 an enthusiast’s car at first glance, but the specs don’t tell the whole story.

Mazda’s motto, ”Zoom Zoom”, should tell you they are committed to building fun-to-drive cars in the Miata tradition. The Mazda3 Touring wholeheartedly embraces that sentiment. It’s 2.5-liter NA 4-cylinder engine makes 184 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque, but what makes it a thrill is the G-Vectoring control and the available 6-speed manual transmission. It’s crisp and sporty to drive, which is what it’s all about, right? Pricing begins at $22,395.

Honda Civic Coupe EX-T

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The Honda Civic SI would normally slot in here, but it’s not currently available. The next best thing from Honda is the Civic Coupe EX-T, with the “T” indicating turbocharged.

Compact car enthusiasts love Honda because of the substantial bang for your buck combined with a decent amount of power. There are also a ton of aftermarket mods available, letting you enhance the appearance and performance even further. As it’s equipped from the factory, the Civic Coupe EX-T has 174 horsepower from a 1.5-liter 4-cyl turbo, and it can be mated to a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic. But since you’re an enthusiast, the manual will probably win out. Its appearance is meaner-looking than ever, but that’s not all that is aggressive. The pricing starts at just $21,600 for the Civic Coupe EX-T.

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