What's the best handling front wheel drive car without modificaitons? (auto, traction control)

[sailordave]

With cars like the MazdaSpeed3, Civic Si, Cobalt SS and others, what are the or some of the best handling front wheel drive cars out there? Which ones strikes the best balance between cornering and smoothing over the bumps in the road?

[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by sailordave

With cars like the MazdaSpeed3, Civic Si, Cobalt SS and others, what are the or some of the best handling front wheel drive cars out there? Which ones strikes the best balance between cornering and smoothing over the bumps in the road?

From personal experience, my 1998 Ford Contour SVT that I had owned. I could not believe how well that car handled, especially for a four door front wheel drive car.

[GTOlover]

wht do you plan on doing with it?
the cobalt SS is not as expensive as the civic and the 05-06 came with supercharers and had 205HP and the 08-09 were turbo charged and had 260 HP both were able to get 300HP with a few bolt on mods also check out the SRT-4 neon they were also great bang for the buck FWD performace cars.

http://www.ridelust.com/car-pictures/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/2004-blue-dodge-srt-4-angle.jpg (broken link)

[PokerMunkee]

I like the V8 Grand Prix GXP's. Over 300hp on tap and lots of fun options (paddle shifters, heads up display, etc). They can be easilly modded to be a 13 second flat family sedan. Right now most of them are in the high 13's/low 14's stock.

Just go with a 2005+ Subaru Legacy Limited GT. AWD+2.5L Boxer turbo engine = FUN! Lots of mods to make these faster (like 5.5 0-60 stock isn't fast?)

[GTOlover]

Officially Official: 2008 Chevy Cobalt SS Turbo with 260 HP bows at SEMA


Click image to enlarge

After biting our tongues for the last few days while (accurate) speculation surrounding the successor to the Chevy Cobalt SS Supercharged bounced around the web, we're finally able to come clean. This is the turbocharged 2008 Chevy Cobalt SS, and it's being introduced to the world at SEMA this week. Chevy went to great lengths to ensure that the SS badge means more than what it had become in recent years.

Coming in at 260 HP / 260 lb-ft, the SS/TC gains a full 55 horses over the now-defunct SS/SC. Power, of course, is sourced from the same 2.0L direct-injected, turbocharged, intercooled sledgehammer found under the bonnets of the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Saturn Sky Red Line, and forthcoming Chevy HHR SS. The GM Performance Division was tasked with making sure the improved Cobalt SS is well-sorted, and John Heinricy and company dialed in the FE5 sport suspension on the undulating twists and turns of the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The result, says GM, is a track-capable suspension that's still comfortable on the street, and which helps mitigate FWD performance foibles like torque steer.

Follow the jump for more, plus all the official GM press materials.
The standard transmission is the GM Powertrain Sweden F35 short-throw 5-speed manual with a "no-lift shift" feature. This, combined with the punchy turbo four, helps propel the Cobalt SS Turbocharged from 0 to 60 in a scant 5.7 seconds. In fact, GM set a Nürburgring class record for FWD sport compacts with the turbo Cobalt, lapping the Green Hell in 8:22.85. Better braking accompanies the added power with 4-piston fixed-caliper Brembos in front and vented discs with single-piston calipers in the rear. A driver-selectable competition mode with launch control can be enabled from the cockpit. Beyond that, the traction control system can be completely disabled.

Appearance-wise, the Cobalt SS Turbocharged sports a unique front fascia, model-specific rocker panels, forged 18" alloys, a polished exhaust outlet, and a choice of rear wings (low or high). Inside, a boost gauge peeks at the driver from the A-pillar while SS-exclusive sport seats and interior trim dress up the cabin. The Chevy Cobalt SS Turbocharged goes on sale in Q2 of 2008, and if the coupe doesn't strike your fancy, no worries: a sedan version will follow a couple of months later. Honda, Mazda and all the rest are now on notice. There's a new player at the table, and that SS medallion he's rocking is no longer costume jewelery.


PRESS RELEASES:
2008 CHEVROLET COBALT SS FAST FACTS

* Engineered and developed by GM Performance Division
* 2.0L Ecotec turbocharged and intercooled engine with 260 horsepower (194 kW)
* GM Powertrain Sweden five-speed transmission with short-throw shifter
* Nürburgring-tuned FE5 Sport suspension delivers 0.9 g grip
* Brembo fixed-caliper front discs and vented rear disc brakes
* SS-specific appearance with unique fascias and rear spoiler – including available high wing
* 18-inch high-polished forged aluminum wheels and Y-rated performance tires
* SS-specific interior with new sport seats, A-pillar boost gauge and more
* On sale: second quarter of 2008

[DailyJournalist]

Cobalt SS by far.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Too easy.

[Soccer25]

While I love the civics, cobalts, and speed3s, when it comes to handling you just cannot beat a MINI Cooper. Those cars are built to be driven hard in the curves and pretty much dominate their categories in Auto X, where handling and maneuverability are more important than overall HP and 1/4 mile times.

Also the Honda Fit is pretty darn good at handling for being an econobox.

[Egobop]

This is a really tough question being that there are not many people that can answer this who have driven every front wheel drive car made. On top of that everyone has a different opinion of what good handling and ride are due to the fact that people have different driving styles and comfort zones so a car that one person finds to be the best can be not as good to someone else.

[samyn on the green]

The 2008 Saturn Astra is right there with the GTI as far as handling. There is no front wheel drive car that can take curves like the Astra.