Special to the Star

The Small Car Over $21,000 category (and under, too!) is where the real fun is at the AJAC Car of the Year TestFest. Wickedly competitive and close in pricing, manufacturers work fiendishly to make cars that are practical but fun to drive.

Two titans, Mazda and Volkswagen, set the standard but plucky outsiders Kia and Mitsubishi keep the pressure on with good design and spirited driving experience.

Mazda3 Sport

(676.1 points)

With a glued-down driving performance, solid brakes, a polished sensible interior and a fine sound system, the Mazda3 Sport leaves little room for criticism. It won Small Car Over $21K but just by one point over the Volkswagen Golf. It's a matter of preference: do you prefer the light spirit of the Mazda or the solid charge of the VW?

Price as tested: $25,248

Volkswagen Golf

(675 points)

The VW Golf drives just a tad more mature than the Mazda3 Sport, with steering not quite as quick and an overall feeling of heft. The six-speed Tiptronic is willing to please though, and on the track the Golf was a nimble companion.

The bolstered seats should be in a hall of fame, the steering wheel is good and grippy and, by adding some aluminum accents, VW brightens its oh-so-serious interior. The backseat space is kinder than the Mazda provides.

Interesting how both companies make comfortable, fun-to-drive cars without 18-way, power-seat adjustments and custom-suspension settings. I preferred the Golf, but just by a smidge.

Price as tested: $25,725

Kia Forte

(647 points)

The Kia Forte is getting so many things right. I noted good brakes and steering, careful interior finish, simple controls, big buttons and backseat space that felt airy.

The exterior design makes all the right moves. My test car was packed with a lot of extras.

It finished third in the voting and I had it neck and neck with the Lancer Sportback.

Price as tested: $22,195

Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback

(633 points)

The fun-to-drive Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback got a lot of positive checkmarks from me, starting with sharp steering and handling and good visibility.

The Sportback finished out of the top three but not many points separated the also-rans. Priced on the high side for this group, it lost marks for value.

Price as tested: $26,095

Honda Insight

(632 points)

The hybrid Honda Insight may sip fuel, but it also shoots itself in the foot. Driving it at TestFest, my notebook would have been full of red ink had I had one: buzzy console, slippery steering wheel, driver's seat like a marshmallow, steering wheel blocks speedometer readout, throttle response elderly, disconnected driving experience.

Other than that, the Insight has a roomy backseat and scored fuel economy of 4.7 L/100 km (59 m.p.g.) in combined driving.

Price as tested: $23,900

Kia Soul

(631 points)

The Kia Soul is one good-looking machine, but it has the feel of a work in progress, once the driving experience catches up with the design Kia should have a hit.

The ride in the test vehicle was hard, there's some buzzing and vibration through the body, and the engine tends to drone, but headroom is lavish, cargo loads with ease, and the backseat is spacious.

I know Kia wants to keep it simple, but the Soul looks to me like it wants to be all-wheel drive.

Price as tested: $23,095

Nissan Cube

(631 points)

The Cube was an also ran in the category, hurt by its Cialis delivery van image, upright seats, windage potential and CVT transmission that is all foreplay and no finish.

It turns on a dime so it's great for around town, it's easy to get in and out of, and the interior feels like a great place to sit and write poetry. I don't mind driving it but you'd need a tough skin for the wisecracks.

Price as tested: $21,633

Toronto Star