AJAC TEST FEST 2005: Sport Sedan

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy respective manufacturers

On the complete opposite spectrum from the SUV category, the Sport Sedan group was tight and fairly singular in its purpose. The four contenders were the 2006 Audi A4 3.0, BMW 330i, Lexus IS350, and Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan.

While three quarters of the group were clearly aimed at the same crowd, the black sheep of the family – the Impreza – was quite shockingly different. The facelift and bigger engine ensured its entry into the class, but despite five years of tweaking, the same basic shapes and interior materials remain.



That’s not to say that the WRX is outclassed – far from it. In fact, while more than capable on road or on track, the Scooby delivered its performance loud and ‘in your face’, unlike the other contenders. And really, that’s the WRX’s appeal as a rally car for the road.

On track, the bigger brakes and revised suspension inspire confidence and are able to cover up for ham-fisted mistakes. But for some reason Subaru insists on equipping most of its models in horrible Bridgestone all-season tires, which are neither sporty nor sticky. They’re most likely cheap, which helps explain their appeal, I suppose.



Moving up the ladder, the Audi A4 was similar to the Subaru in a couple of aspects – all-wheel-drive and a facelift over an older body. Other than that, where the Subaru was loud, the Audi was quiet. Where the Subaru was agile, the Audi was slightly ponderous. You get the idea… On track, the Audi really felt out of its element. The S4 proves that Audi can do sporty, but this regular A4 just didn’t quite cut it.

From my perspective, it was quite obvious who the two real contenders were: the Bimmer and the wanna-be Bimmer. Erm, the Lexus. While that might sound a tad harsh, no one at Lexus would deny who their bulls-eye rests on. The original IS300 was a direct Japanese clone of BMW’s 3-series, right down to the straight-six engine.



Now into its second generation, the IS350 takes the fight straight to the Germans, even out-powering them with over 300 horsepower from a 3.5-liter V6. Unfortunately, that engine is not available with a manual transmission, which automatically drops them down a notch in my book… On the high-speed Fabi track, the IS was a good performer, but not perfect. The brakes were a little spongy and the steering a shade light, but the car’s computer allowed a surprising amount of rude behaviour before reeling the driver in.

The 330i is what you’d expect from BMW: stiff chassis, direct steering, wonderful balance and good brakes. I’ve driven the less powerful 325i for a week, and its higher-octane brother just adds more good stuff to the pile. The same criticisms about a not-quite-there exterior and so-so interior remain, but as a driving tool, the BMW is unmatched.

The Lexus comes so close that it’s scary, and remains the better looking of the two, both inside and out. The materials used are also of a better grade, but the radio and HVAC controls do look a little Corolla-ish. No matter…



It really came down to the nitty gritty with the BMW and Lexus, even to such things as which had fold-down rear seats (BMW) to which had more rear legroom (Lexus). Really nit-picky stuff. If you’re interested in one, you’d do yourself a disservice by ignoring the other. And that’s as close as I can call it.

Keep your ears perked during early December as the category winners will be announced. From there, the Car and Truck of the Year will be voted on and revealed during the Canadian auto show season in 2006.

So that wraps up another year at Test Fest, which both Bond and I were very grateful to be a part of again. Hopefully, we didn’t cause enough damage to have our invitations lost in the mail come next October. It’s just a good excuse to get out of the office… but don’t tell my boss that!