The Consumer Guide to 2009 Sporty/Performance Cars
by Ed Piotrowski
2009 Sporty/Performance Car Lineup
Dodge Challenger Base Price Range: $22,220-$40,220 EPA MPG Range: 13-25 Body Style: 2-door coupe Challenger may not be an ideal choice for those looking to save on gas, at least in V8 form. That said, Dodge's muscle machine comes off as more practical than Chevy's Camaro or Ford's Mustang. With the addition of lower-priced SE and R/T models, this fun-to-drive retro-themed machine becomes an easy Recommended pick. | |
Base Price Range: $20,430-$47,950 EPA MPG Range: 14-26 Body Styles: 2-door coupe, 2-door convertible Our Recommended label applies primarily to GT versions, but V6 Mustangs also have some bang-for-the-buck appeal. They rival some sporty imports on price, though not on agility, refinement, or overall quality. GTs deliver great "go" for relatively little dough. GT500 offers even higher performance at a reasonable price, but its interior isn't as special as the rest of the car. Convertibles blend value, verve, and nominal four-seat practicality. Mustang's main letdowns are low-rent cabin appointments and occasional workmanship lapses. | |
Base Price Range: $34,995-$37,995 EPA MPG Range: 18-25 Body Style: 2-door convertible It's a bit stiff riding and noisy, and the Mazda MX-5 Miata is a little more practical and a lot less costly. The spicy S2000 beats the comparably powered Pontiac Solstice GXP for refinement and overall motoring fun. It even rivals the far more expensive Porsche Boxster. | |
Base Price Range: $21,750-$29,290 EPA MPG Range: 21-28 Body Style: 2-door convertible This Best Buy delivers as much driving enjoyment--if not outright power--as two-seat sports cars costing thousands more. Note, though, traction control and an antiskid system, safety features we highly recommend, are only available on the top-line Grand Touring, and then only as part of a pricey option package. Still, the MX-5 Miata combines open-air driving fun with surprising practicality, including a remarkably well-engineered retractable hardtop. | |
Base Price Range: $26,435-$31,930 EPA MPG Range: 16-23 Body Style: 4-door coupe RX-8 delights for its exceptional handling ability and slick-shifting manual transmission. The rotary engine that makes this car unique is its biggest liability, however. It feels underpowered and delivers subpar fuel economy. Interior comfort also fails to impress, and somewhat lofty sticker prices further diminish this sporty car's appeal. | |
Base Price Range: $18,550-$30,800 EPA MPG Range: 19-37 Body Styles: 2-door hatchback, 3-door hatchback, 2-door convertible Minis may look like economy cars, but they're actually sporty driving machines that brim with character and are available with a dizzying array of personalizing accessories. The Base models have no surplus of power, but S and John Cooper Works versions are jackrabbit quick. All handle with the agility of sports cars that cost thousands more. Ride is a sore point on most models, as is rear-seat room on all but the Clubman. The JCW model offers the best performance but at a stiff price premium. Thus, the more reasonably priced Base and S Minis are our Best Buy picks. | |
Base Price Range: $20,249-$30,149 EPA MPG Range: 16-28 Body Styles: 2-door coupe, 2-door convertible Cramped, noisy, and difficult to see out of, Eclipse sacrifices much for the sake of style. No version possesses the handling poise of rivals that benefit from lighter weight and/or rear- or all-wheel drive. Still, Eclipse's sporty character, powerful, available V6, and a convertible model hold some appeal for buyers who favor youthful exuberance over balanced performance. | |
Base Price Range: $36,870-$42,570 EPA MPG Range: 17-24 Body Style: 2-door convertible The Nissan 350Z convertible is solidly engineered and delivers pure sports-car satisfaction. It's not without typical sports-car vices; namely a rough ride and high noise levels. All models are pricey, but you must purchase the top-end Grand Touring version in order to get an antiskid system, an important safety feature we highly recommend. | |
Nissan 370Z Base Price Range: $29,930-$35,760 EPA MPG Range: 18-26 Body Style: 2-door coupe The 2009 Nissan 370Z replaces the 350Z coupe as Nissan's two-seat sports car. Along with a new engine, the 370Z gets freshened styling and new features. Though smaller on the outside than the 350Z it replaces, the latest generation of Nissan's iconic "Z car" feels more grown up. While it's on the noisy side, its strong acceleration, potent handling, and refined interior more than make up for that deficit. It might seem expensive, but for all its performance, 370Z is actually something of a bargain. | |
Base Price Range: $24,275-$29,485 EPA MPG Range: 19-28 Body Styles: 2-door coupe, 2-door convertible The base Solstice and its Saturn Sky sibling match Mazda's MX-5 Miata for performance, handling, and style but not for practicality or powertrain polish. The turbocharged Solstice GXP and Sky Red Line are notably faster but suffer the same drawbacks as the base versions. Still, Solstice and Sky are affordable, fun-to-drive American sports cars--even if they don't always impress for refinement, decor, or design detail. | |
Base Price Range: $27,595-$33,110 EPA MPG Range: 19-28 Body Style: 2-door convertible Like its Solstice sibling, Sky offers affordable sports-car fun, but feels unfinished. The base model rivals Mazda's MX-5 for performance, handling, and style, but not for practicality and overall polish. The punchy Red Line compares more with Honda's S2000 on price and performance, but has the same drawbacks. For now, Saturn (Pontiac, too) gets an A for effort, C for execution. | |
Base Price Range: $17,000-$17,800 EPA MPG Range: 20-29 Body Style: 2-door coupe The tC is a solid hatchback that combines sporty performance, surprising space, and lots of standard features--all at bargain prices--which earn it a Best Buy rating. Dealer-installed accessories provide ample scope for personalizing, but can fast inflate delivered prices. | |
Base Price Range: $23,230-$24,930 EPA MPG Range: 21-31 Body Styles: 2-door hatchback, 4-door hatchback GTI is a Recommended pick for offering many laudable standard safety features and some uncommonly upscale conveniences. But options can lift sticker prices to the top of the class. Still, this is a practical hatchback with near premium-compact build quality and serious driving-enthusiast appeal. | |
Base Price Range: $18,290-$26,990 EPA MPG Range: 20-29 Body Styles: 2-door coupe, 2-door convertible The retro styling has its drawbacks and the 5-cylinder engine is no prize. New Beetles are entertaining and reasonably practical funmobiles. Convertibles sacrifice some of the hatchback's passenger and cargo space, but reward with a particularly expansive open-air feel. They're extremely pricey, however. |
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