To be fair to the mk3 they did have to stick a cat on it (abit like ramming a pair of socks up your exhaust pipe), however that doesn't excuse the sloppy handling and the weight gain. Do think the back end on the mk3 is alright but they got the front end wrong.
Now the mk2 handles well is nice and light, with 16v is no slouch and I reckon for a car of 15 years plus it doesn't do to badly again the modern competion, and it is a car that with stands alot of abuse. After all how many 205 gti do you see now, apart from if you work at a breakers.