The following write-up is by Baraza JM and was first published in the Daily Nation.

Whether or not the Civic Type R is a better car on the highway than a WRX STi or Mark X is a matter of conjecture. The STi might be quickest from start, the Mark X might be the most relaxing and least intrusive — which is what you really want from a highway cruiser, rather than the twitchy  nervousness of the two smaller cars — but the Civic is something slightly different.

I know where the Civic will be  better, and that is when being used as intended by Honda engineers: during competitive driving in general, and in tight corner situations in particular — like a gymkhana course, for instance.

There is not much to be said about a compact, front-drive platform with just the right amount of power and a trick front differential that completely eliminates understeer.  Apart from that, it makes for a formidable track weapon.

Corner stability would be best in the Civic Type R. The STi is notorious for understeer, while the Mark X goes in the exact opposite direction: it over steers very easily and will ensnare the unwary.

The LSD fitted in it (if any) allows for a very small speed differential, so wheelspin galore will be the enthusiastic driver’s lot.

Not so the Civic Type R. It will not understeer (a common front-drive failing) unless you do something foolish and uncalled for, such as entering a corner too fast or while hard on the power.

It will not torque-steer either (pulling to one side under hard acceleration, a common front-drive trait too, prevalent in powerful cars).

Reliability: Choose any, but  note  this: the Mark X has a huge engine, which is a bit complex, keeping in mind it is a large-capacity V6.

Injector problems might occur once in a while, and there are six of those to consider. It might or might not suffer starter problems. It is a Toyota, after all, and maintenance will determine what happens during its lifetime of operation.

The STi is a Subaru, meaning it was engineered with a farmer in mind (a throwback to the days of the Leone). However, it has things like a turbocharger, intercooler, water-spray and other things thrown in alongside the 4WD system to enable these farmers to achieve terminal velocity in a vegetable crop, and also to make the car win rallies.

The introduction of a turbocharger to any engine obviously contributes to lots of power, but it also broadens the perspective across which gremlins can traverse and wreak havoc on the farmer/rally driver’s peace of mind.

This is particularly true of the Legacy, which no longer rallies, not so much the Impreza STi, which can be called “reliable” (the calling is best served with a hint of delicacy and tact as an engine knock is always one redline shift away from introducing an under-bonnet clatter owing to low octane fuel.

There is also something called safe-mode that is helpful in preserving engine life but undesirable when going flat out across your own vegetables or when trying to win a rally in a non-works car).

The Civic looks like the most likely candidate to fail. The Type R concept calls for hand-building and fastidious fettling of a high-strung, high-revving engine (you have to wring it up to 8500 rpm to reach the top shelf where all the power is).

Anything hand-built in the motoring world is rarely reliable.

These engines also have the insanely complicated Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) systems for earlier models and i-VTEC (intelligent VTEC, i.e VTEC with added processors) for newer units.

Clearly, this sounds like a recipe for disaster, but oddly enough, it isn’t. Such is the engineering that Honda puts into its engines that there has never been a single VTEC failure since 1989, and with an output of 20 million or more engines.

Not. One. Failure.

Who said Toyotas are reliable? They should try Honda.

For high spec levels, you are best looking at a Mark X. It is more of a fancy executive with plenty of kit, while the Subaru and the Honda are essentially stripped-out racers with number plates.

This also applies to comfort.

Key points boil down to taste. Some might  prefer the Mark X for its class, which is fast becoming a cliché. Others might go for the Impreza simply because their friends have one or they saw one going really fast  and they thus assume nothing goes faster.

I would go for the Type R: 9000rpm is a heady experience, the vehicle is rare so exclusivity is guaranteed and once the VTEC gets boiling… well, there will be a lot of surprised road users.

You decide: if it is raw power you want, get the Impreza. If you prefer comfort, get the Mark X. If you like economy, try the Type R, though this lot of cars was not designed with frugality in mind.