At speed, the quick steering and short wheelbase mean changes in direction happen a bit too rapidly to hold a consistent line. Under power, the Mini loses directional stability and the steering wheel fights its operator with bump steer and torque steer. Pushing the car hard, though, reveals how twitchy the chassis is. In normal driving, the JCW feels planted, direct, and, well, downright good. ItвЂ™s just not the kind of feedback we like.

It is difficult to see from the results, but the MiniвЂ™s steering has tons of feedback. Both the GTI and this Mini John Cooper Works hatch are this testвЂ™s backmarkers, but the fact that these two are even on our short list is an accomplishment in its own right. Okay, so it would appear as if front-drivers just arenвЂ™t the best handlers. It may not be the best handler, but the GTI would win our congeniality award, were we to offer a congeniality award, which we donвЂ™t. And the stability control cut in at a few places at Grattan, diminishing the GTIвЂ™s fun-to-drive quotient. Plus, its undefeatable stability-control system, while not hurting the GTI on the skidpad (it circled at 0.88 g), is a serious buzz-kill through the slalom, where the GTI posted an unimpressive, 45.9-mph speed. Ultimately, though, the VWвЂ™s body control, transient behavior, and understeer-heavy balance are also subpar. If it werenвЂ™t for the spongy brake pedal, the GTI wouldnвЂ™t have finished in the cellar.

The brakes worked just fine but lacked feedback and feel, two components required to maximize speed in any corner. We noted a vague, long-travel brake pedal on the road portion of the test. In the GTI-indeed, in general-steering feels natural because effort climbs in lockstep with increases in lateral acceleration. The Mini, Miata, and Evo respond well initially, but all plateau and run out of feel when they reach roughly 0.4 g of lateral load. We canвЂ™t argue the data, but the systemвЂ™s heft may be masked by the rackвЂ™s supreme linearity. Which is why Cayman surprised us with results that had the GTI sitting atop the steering-effort pile. One tester called the GTIвЂ™s steering вЂњmedium effort.вЂќ That applies to road and track alike.

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