[quote name='Guest1321']Is the vita version the same game as the the console version? and if so, since it using origin to support the cross platform leader boards does it also carry progress across systems? (I realize the second question would be a real long shot but was curious nonetheless)[/QUOTE]
Yes, the Vita version is the same game as what you're playing on other platforms...it's pretty impressive, actually. There's a little less traffic in the Vita version (which, considering how many times traffic kills me in the console/pc versions, is not a bad thing at all) and there are fewer cars per race but the city is pretty much identical.
Any Speed points you earn in one version carry over to all other versions, Vita included. This means you keep your online speed level between different platforms, and any most wanted races you unlock in one version are also unlocked in all the others. However, single-player progress and multiplayer customization unlocks are not saved cross-platorm, so you'll have to earn those entitlements again.