When Subaru's then-rally-bred WRX first came to U.S. shores in 2001, it was a force to be reck-oned with. Though the WRX was already well-known globally in previous iterations, it didn't take long for U.S. enthusiasts to embrace the bug-eyed sedan and hatchback, what with its turbocharged 227-hp, 2.0-liter boxer four, rock-solid all-wheel-drive chassis, and impressive performance: 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, by our testing. Few other cars could touch the WRX on the smiles-per-dollai factor, with a base price just north of $20,000. Around the same time, Ford was keen on injecting a little sporting pedigree back home in the States with its global Focus platform. The result was the Focus SVT (available in three- or four-door configuration) with a Cosworth-tuned 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-banger under the hood, a Getrag six-speed transaxle, and some sporty chassis tuning to keep it all on the road. With 170 hp available to the front wheels, the SVT didn't pack quite as much punch as the day's WRX, but what it lacked in oomph, it made up for in handling and responsiveness.
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