Econo-Sport refers to a narrow, relatively undiscovered niche of the American automotive market. To be included in this niche, a car must possess sporty handling, spirited powertrain performance and a low price tag. In short, it must be cheap and fun to drive. Europeans and Asians, who must contend with busy streets, tight parking spaces and high fuel costs, have been enjoying a wide variety of excellent econo-sports for years. Across either ocean, consumers can afford a nicer car but cannot afford the associated upkeep. Small cars aren't viewed negatively like they are here. In Europe and Japan, buying a small, sporty, and frugal car is the smart thing to do. In America, wide-open spaces and cheap gas generally relegate economy cars to buyers who are already stretching a taxed income. Fortunately, there are still a few econo-sports available to Americans who know how to have fun on a shoestring budget.

Revered (at least by certain members of the population) American econo-sport monikers from the past and present include GLH, GTI, GS-R, SE-R, and Si. Most current econo-sports are coupes or hatchbacks; few sedans are available. Exceptions include the Dodge Neon Sport, Mazda ProtC)gC) ES, Nissan Sentra SE, Pontiac Sunfire SE 2.4, and Saturn SL2. Our perennial favorite of this group has been the Mazda ProtC)gC) ES. It adheres closely to the econo-sport formula in places that count (power and handling), and deviates in places that don't matter (spoilers, flares, and other goofy crap that serves no purpose whatsoever, aside from letting the cops know you might be up to some sort of tomfoolery).

Last year we gushed about the Nissan 200SX SE-R, a somewhat dowdy coupe possessing outstanding handling and power. Several staffers even wanted to buy the car. For 1998, Nissan decided to see what might happen with the same goodies wrapped in Snoozetra, uh, we mean Sentra bodywork. Voila! The Sentra SE model is the result, and while white-faced gauges, rocker panel extensions, attractive alloy wheels, fog lights, and a decklid spoiler do make the car look better, it still ain't the automotive equivalent of Salma Hayek.

Obviously, it was time to see if the ProtC)gC) ES was still our favorite econo-sport sedan. We rounded up a Mazda and a Nissan in Southern California for several days of testing, cruising the rain-soaked freeways between Ventura and San Diego in rush-hour traffic and along vacant country two-lane highways. We lived with the cars for four days straight, driving them just as most Americans would: for errand running, commuting, and quick spins along a favorite winding road.