Cadenza VS Q50 VS 328i
Interesting, a full size car, a midsize car (albeit borderline, really), and a compact car here, in that respective order. The 328i is out, because while I'm a fan of the F30 3-Series, I'd prefer the six cylinder 335i. The Kia's a pretty nice car, even with that odd grille it has. The interior's very nice as well, while definitely a conservative design compared to other modern interiors, actually reminds me of an Infiniti interior. Funnily enough, the Q50's interior reminds me of that of a Hyundai Sonata's, which isn't good because I don't like the styling of the Sonata's interior. Sure the Q50's a pretty attractive car exterior-wise, but I'm gonna be sitting inside the car most of the time, not looking at it from a distance, and as such, I want a nice interior. For that reason I'd take the Cadenza, with its nicer interior and classy exterior. Sure it's not as interesting to drive, but as a daily driver, it'd do very well.
Cayman VS 911 Turbo
The 911 would be hella fun to drive, but it's just not a very exciting car outside, or inside as far as looks go. The new Cayman is very strong in the looks department, and like any new Porsche, it has a beautiful interior. Combine this with a mid engined layout that's sure to make things more lively, as well as steering that's regarded as the best in the business by more than a few, and you've got yourself a very attractive sports car.
Mazdaspeed Protege VS Neon SRT-4
I like the first generation Dodge Neon. Safe, luxurious and refined it was not, but if you're looking for a quirky, fun to drive little runabout, the original Neon was and still is (albeit for much less money now) a great choice. Much like the Ford Focus, the Neon lost its original flare and became more muted in its second iteration. Sure it was safer, more luxurious (relatively), and more refined, but you don't see car guys looking back all misty eyed on second generation Neons. You could say that the SRT-4 brought back the fun to drive factor, but it was a much faster, much more serious car in a way that the original wasn't intended to be. Unlike the old Neon R/T, the SRT-4 looked downright ricey from the factory. The Protege's never been a car that I've looked at and said "hey, that's cool", but it's also not something I've ever wanted to point and laugh at in the streets. I have a very neutral opinion of it. Neutral's always better than negative, so I'll take the Protege.
1995 Acura Legend LS Coupe (3.2 V6, 230 horsepower, 206 lb-ft, 6-Speed M/T or 4-Speed A/T, ~3500 lbs, FWD)
1995 Lexus SC300 (3.0 I6, 225 horsepower, 210 lb-ft, 5-Speed M/T or 4-Speed A/T, ~3500 lbs, RWD)
1997 Acura CL 3.0 Premium (3.0 V6, 200 horsepower, 195 lb-ft, 4-Speed A/T, ~3200 lbs, FWD)
