Sporty cars: small vehicles that are big on fun.(CARS)(Product/service evaluation)

WITH SPLENDID HANDLING, a punchy engine, and an overall fun-to-drive quality, the BMW 135i outpaced all of its competition to become our top-rated sporty car. Moreover, the 135i doesn't cede much in fun and capability when compared with the pricier Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette Z06, which are performance/luxury cars.

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This demonstrates that as car buyers migrate to smaller or less expensive vehicles, those looking for driving fun don't need to give up performance or handling prowess. Several of the cars in this group also deliver real sports-car thrills without costing you an arm and a leg in the showroom or at the gas pump.

Premium performance

For this month's test, we gathered nine small, sporty cars with a wide range of prices and driving characteristics. The top-rated cars, the BMW 135i, Subaru Impreza WRX STi, Volkswagen R32, and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, commonly called the Evo, deliver true sports-car acceleration, cornering ability, and braking. They range from $33,630 for the R32 to $38,078 for the Evo.

BMW began selling the 135i in the U.S. this year, but the 1 Series line has been sold elsewhere since 2004. Among this test group, it had the quickest 0-to-60-mph acceleration time, at 5.2 seconds, the shortest braking distances on dry and wet surfaces, and the highest speed through our avoidance maneuver, which measures at-the-limit handling. In addition to this standout performance, the 135i's high rating also reflects its decent overall fuel economy of 23 mpg. Its excellent front seats, quiet cabin, and comfortable ride make it easy to live with.

The WRX STi and Lancer Evolution are high-performance versions of the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer, respectively, and they reflect the companies' World Rally Championship cars. The R32 is a further souped-up version of the Volk-swagen GTI, which, in turn, is based on the Rabbit hatchback.