| Just because your car is small, doesn't
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| | Civic has been a fan favorite for over
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| mean that it has to be slow. In fact,
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| | thirty years. Its teeny 1.8L engine
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| some of the fastest cars on the road
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| | pushes out an impressive 140 horses. The
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| today are subcompacts. How so? Because
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| | new Civic is a far cry from the "pregnant
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| their owners have modified them to the
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| | roller" skate look of the first Civics.
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| point where they can squeeze out
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| | Owners are grateful.
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| additional horsepower and acceleration.
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| | Scion tC - Unlike its two boxy brethren,
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| Let's take a look at six cars that
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| | the tC is sleek looking and has a rocket
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| qualify as genuine "pocket rockets."
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| | demeanor. With a 2.3L under its hood, the
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| For the sake of argument, here are some
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| | tC has the second largest engine of any
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| ground rules for a pocket rocket:
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| | car in this class. You net 160 horses
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| The car must be a compact or smaller.
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| | with the Scion.
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| The engine must be normally aspirated; no
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| | Subaru Impreza - The biggest car in this
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| turbo charged cars - four cylinders only.
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| | class has the most powerful engine, a
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| New versions of the car must all retail
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| | 2.5L boxter engine producing 173 horses.
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| for less than $20,000.
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| | Very competitive with larger and more
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| The following six cars all qualify as
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| | powerful cars, but a favorite among
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| pocket rockets when each of the above
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| | "pocket rocket" fans nevertheless.
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| stipulations has been met:
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| | VW Golf - A 2.0L 115hp drives the Golf,
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| Dodge Neon; Ford Focus; Honda Civic;
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| | but the car's light weight allows for it
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| Scion tC; Subaru Impreza; and Volkswagen
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| | to buzz down the highway at a fairly good
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| Golf.
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| | clip.
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| Unfortunately, the Mitsubishi Eclipse
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| | Favorite ways of squeezing out additional
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| retails for just above $20,000 so it does
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| | power for pocket rocket owners include
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| not qualify. Besides, it looks too much
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| | installing the following hot selling
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| like a sports car; we are only examining
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| | aftermarket parts:
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| those vehicles that are somewhat plain
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| | Reusable air filters; top providers
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| before being transformed by aftermarket
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| | include: K&N and Green.
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| parts.
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| | Cold air intake systems; favorites
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| Dodge Neon - Technically, the Neon is no
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| | include: K&N, AEM, and Airaid.
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| longer in production as 2005 was its last
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| | Cat-back exhaust systems; leading
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| model year. Still, with a 2.0L 132hp
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| | manufacturers include: Magnaflow and
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| engine, the Neon remains an affordable
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| | Vibrant.
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| favorite of the youth set who enjoy
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| | Performance chips; Hypertech and Jet
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| customizing their vehicles
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| | Chips lead the way.
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| Ford Focus - A lemon no more! Earlier
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| | Performance level increases are measured
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| models of the Focus were problem plagued,
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| | in horsepower, thrust, and acceleration.
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| but the car has made significant strides
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| | Depending on the parts installed and
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| in the past few years and has received
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| | model selected, improvements can range
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| Consumer Report's recommended buy label
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| | from slight to significant. Regardless,
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| too. The stubby ZX3 produces 136 horses
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| | all six models have the potential of
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| with its 2.0L engine.
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| | becoming true pocket rockets and that is
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| Honda Civic - Redesigned for 2006, the
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| | part of the thrill in owning one.
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