The is300 will be more comfortable over bumps because the suspension is more advanced(from what I've found). when the prelude is set up for the track it can be fast, the rear wheels can rotate(the car can oversteer) if you get stiff springs or a big sway bar. It will be rougher but the handling can compare from I have found.I know little about the wrx other than its sick.. I wouldnt buy a used one! Think about the average user.. they must have driven it like a jerk! The same goes for an evo. Its goofy, but consider the mini cooper. The "john cooper works" or the new performance model have 200+ hp, handle great, make decent power in low revs considering the 1.6L displacement, and are still economic. They are only about 2600lbs. If you need a car thats a wrx/evo size.. then that will change things. I was looking into smaller cars for my own use.