The question usually asked when a new model arrives for testing is, "What do we throw into the ring with it?" After some head scratching we decided to be a little different this time around, which in turn resulted in a surprise or two.

What caused this was throwing the hot Alfa 147 GTA against the new BMW130i to see how an older warhorse would rank against it, and to confuse matters even more throw in the VW Golf GTI that is not a true rival in every sense of the word.

But it was Cars in Action's runner-up in our Performance Car of the Year awards. Result? A red-faced scribe or two who had to eat their words after I tested the 130i and realised it would have a hard time when the performance results were tallied.

It should be kept in mind that cars of the calibre of the Audi A3 3.2 Sportback, Alfa Romeo 147 GTA, Subaru Impreza 2.5 WRX are on the top of the pile in terms of true, hot, medium-sized performance saloon cars.

The GTI was considered by some to be, well, not in the same league due to its far lower price. I thought it would be a fight between the 130i and the new Subaru Impreza.

But the results and prices tallied in our tried and tested Top-20-based schedule proved the situation to be much closer. In fact it was to be the WRX at 19 points that took the honours just ahead 130i at 21 with the Alfa 147 GTA and, surprisingly, the VW GTI at 22. A quick glance at our new and latest schedule will shed more light in indicating how they all compared. Sadly the A3 Audi Sportback A3 did not touch sides in this part of our shootout.

If there was one aspect of the test that stood out, it was the lightning-quick throttle response of the 130i, GTA and A3, proving that big under-stressed and powerful engines in small bodies are easier to drive than the same sized bodies with force-fed, high-stressed smaller 2-litre engines. However, that said, you have to stand back in surprise at the results achieved by the GTI.

A quick glance at the torque to weight ratios does give an indication of how impressive the GTI's 226Nm per tonne is when compared to the 213 of the Sportback, 221 of the GTA and 224 of the WRX, with the Bee-Emm at the top by some way at 235. These figures may cause some raised eyebrows but it does show that the Sportback at 1505kg and the WRX at 1430 are overweight by comparison, with the 147 GTA much lower at 1360, the Bee-Emm at 1340 and the GTI at 1254. And it's to do with the extra weight added by the AWD set-up more than anything else.

Parked next to one another for the photo shoot the distinctly unattractive shape of the BMW130i is evident - that curved, 'broken-back' sill-line under the doors is a really ugly design-feature. The GTI instead has the most well balanced shape of the five - and those rims! They must surely rank as one of the best designs around at present! The Sportback is good looking too, but in a smart way, while the WRX's new aircraft style nose from the '60s is becoming and adds much character. The GTA instead now seems outdated.

The 130i is surprisingly taut and perhaps will be considered as bit of a downside by many buyers, but it offers a great upside - superlative road holding that gets better the faster you go! Steering wheel inputs are quickly and precisely responded too offering a fine sense of security and poise at high speeds. I for one can accept the tautness when such rewarding results are achieved.

The WRX is just as responsive. Though softer in ride than earlier models it still comes out tops. But when driven with vigour on smooth road surfaces you can't do as much with it as you can with the 130i. Though the GTA has aged some, its FWD has always mitigated against it especially when compared to the almost faultless behaviour of the 130i and to some degree that of the WRX. The A3's all-wheel-drive set-up is not as precise but the GTI instead is vastly improved over any of its predecessors but still not in the class of the 130i or the WRX.

Inside the cabins the 130i scores well and an area that seems to be the faltering Chris Bangle's strongest attribute. Its flowing lines seem to better replicate his intent on outside design of the car but is still very cramped in the rear. Both Audi A3 and the GTI have well designed interiors but that Teutonic conservative-smart style is still evident while the WRX's interior instead is, how should I put it, retro-strange and rather confusing though enormously better than the Toyota-like interiors of yore. However the enveloping front bucket seats are still one of its highlights with those of the GTI and 130i almost as equally enveloping, with the GTA showing some of that Italian flair with its sporty ribbed treatment.

As mentioned the smaller wildcard GTI, which initially seemed out of its depth in such 'hot' company, came out of it with flying colours proving that new models do not always seem as advanced as they really are. After all, my standard, pristine, low mileage 1998, 2-litre Subaru Impreza Wagon GT that weighs a paltry 1270kg achieves 6.7 seconds for the zero to 100km/h dash, fractionally slower than the new 2.5 WRX.

Strange as it may seem, and for reasons that are rather nebulous, the 2.5 WRX is limited to a 210km/h top end. To be fair we believe it should be close to 235km/h, as it seems that due to the high revolutions of the side shafts this spoilsport feature is there for safety purposes. A Subaru Impreza with limited top end? Where is Subaru going?

Another question is why the 2.5 WRX should weigh so much? My GT weighs 1270kg offering a power to weight ratio is 125kW per tonne with torque to weight ratio of 228Nm per tonne - both better than the new Impreza 2.5 WRX! At the start of our tests we believed that the wildcard GTI was there to prove how good it was and not actually challenge the thoroughbreds. Instead it turned the tables - especially when being the quickest between 120 to 160km/h in 4th gear. And all this for R240 000!

Top speed, it may be stated, is its only downside but does that really count when you check its overall standing among such top class opposition? And surprise, surprise! My mind's been made up. I'll take the VW Golf GTI that slipped in through the back door . . . and then buy a Chev Spark for my wife - all for around the same selling prices of the other four on test here.