The entire sporty/performance car class is one of the most diverse categories of cars rated by Consumer Guide. While all are designed to provide maximum driving enjoyment, they all go about this mission in different ways. Some are performance hatchbacks, others drop their tops for open-air fun, and still others are full-blown muscle cars.
They also encompass a wide range of prices, from about $15,000, all the way up to over $30,000. Some are front-wheel drive, others send power to the rear wheels. Most offer seating for four passengers, though the less-than-spacious rear seats in these cars can hardly be called backseats. That's a shame, too, because these cars can provide a lot of enjoyment, not only for drivers, but also for those who come along for the ride.
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Cool Sporty/Performance Car Features |
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- Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky are the first 4-cylinder, two-passenger, rear-wheel drive convertibles ever produced by General Motors. |
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Most sporty/performance cars carry over to the 2007 model year from 2006. Hyundai's Tiburon gets some new sheetmetal. Nissan's 350Z will have a new engine when it goes on sale in calendar '07. Though it looks the same, Mini's Cooper hatchback is completely redesigned with a new platform and powertrains; the convertible carries over unchanged into 2007. Acura's RSX bites the dust, as does the Pontiac GTO.
Hot Hatchbacks
Hatchbacks make up the largest group of sporty/performance cars. They include the Hyundai Tiburon, Mini Cooper, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Nissan 350Z, Scion tC, and Volkswagen New Beetle.
It's hard to come up with a group of vehicles that have such similar body styles, but are so different otherwise. The Mini and tC come only with 4-cylinder engines. Tiburon and Eclipse are available with 4- and 6-cylinder motors, while all 350Zs are V6s. The New Beetle has a 5-cylinder. It lost its diesel engine for 2007 due to new emissions requirements.
The 350Z is the lone rear-wheel drive hatchback, and it's among the largest and most expensive vehicles in the entire sporty/performance car class. For '07, 350Z has a subtle front-end-styling tweak and a new, 306-horsepower V6 engine.
Front-drive hatchbacks range from a 115-hp 4-cylinder in the base Mini Cooper, up to 263 hp in the V6-powered Eclipse GT. For maximum driving fun, pick any of these cars with a manual transmission. If you'd prefer not to shift for yourself, most of these hatchbacks are available with automatics.
Front-drive hatchbacks are among the most affordable sporty/performance cars. Most have starting prices below $20,000. Though prices are reasonable, these cars don't skimp on safety features. Most have standard front side airbags and curtain side airbags. Antilock 4-wheel disc brakes are standard or optional across the board, and most offer traction/antiskid control, a limited slip differential, or a combination of these features.
Among the hatchback coupes, we pick the Scion tC as a Best Buy.
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Best Buys |
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Mazda MX-5 |
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Recommended Pick |
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Ford Mustang |
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Dropping the Top
Sporty/performance convertibles are just as diverse a subgroup as the overall category itself. Want a small, two-passenger roadster? How about something with ferocious V6 or V8 power to really whip the wind through your hair? They're all here.
If a small convertible strikes your fancy, there are several choices. The Mazda MX-5 has a large enthusiast following. Mazda added to this popular convertible's appeal for 2007 by offering it with a power-retractable hardtop roof. Honda has a high-powered convertible it calls S2000. General Motors has the shapely Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. All these models have their own platforms, seat two, and have rear-wheel drive and four-cylinder engines.
Other small convertibles are companions to their coupe or hatchback counterparts, including the Mini Cooper and VW New Beetle. Note that the '07 Mini Cooper convertible doesn't get the hatchback's redesign. It continues with the same platform and powertrains of the 2002-2006 generation. Mini and New Beetle seat four, though we wouldn't recommend trying to squeeze two adults into the back seats of these, or any sporty/performance car. They typically have little leg and head room, making anything but short jaunts very uncomfortable for rear passengers.
The retro-styled Ford Mustang, curvy Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, and powerful Nissan 350Z fit the bill for those who want something with more scoot without sacrificing style.
All these convertibles use fabric tops with heated glass rear windows. The soft tops in MX-5, Solstice, and Sky must be raised and lowered by hand. Other convertibles have power tops. For '07, Mazda fitted the MX-5 with an available power-retracting hardtop, which is a plus for those who live in rainy and/or snowy climates.
A common issue associated with convertibles is a shaky body structure prone to flexing and creaking over bumps. While this happens with any convertible, the representatives in this class have a surprisingly small amount of it. The desire to retain sharp handling while still offering wind-in-your-hair fun makes such feats possible.
For sporty droptops, we choose the MX-5 as a Best Buy and Ford Mustang, Mini Cooper, and Nissan 350Z as Recommendeds.
Muscle Machines
With more than 40 years of heritage under its belt, the Ford Mustang is a popular choice for its retro-flavored styling, high performance, and reasonable pricing. Enthusiasts will want one with a V8 engine. With either manual or automatic transmission, Ford says the 300-horsepower Mustang GT can go from 0-60 mph in about 5.2 seconds. Faster still is the Shelby GT500. Channeling the super-high-performance Shelby Mustangs of the late 1960s, the GT500 has 500 horsepower and Shelby's trademark Cobra badging. Mustang's base model, with its 210-horsepower V6 engine, is no slouch either. One model did 6.9 seconds 0-60 mph in Consumer Guide testing. Especially appealing about the base versions is its $19,250 starting price. Though its cabin isn't richly appointed, Mustang is a solid performer, especially for the money. That's what makes it a Consumer Guide Recommended pick.
Decisions, Decisions
Being that the sporty/performance car class is so diverse, it's hard to say which is the "best" or "right" vehicle. It all depends on your interests, whether you want a compact coupe or an open-air convertible. Just be prepared for the compromises that these cars entail, including limited passenger and cargo room, potentially heavy fuel thirst, and higher insurance premiums. But one thing is for certain, any one of the vehicles in this category will provide more pure driving enjoyment than your typical car, truck, or SUV.
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Ford Mustang |
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Honda S2000 |
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Hyundai Tiburon |
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Mazda MX-5 |
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Mazda RX-8 |
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Mini Cooper |
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Mitsubishi Eclipse |
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Nissan 350Z |
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Pontiac Solstice |
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Saturn Sky |
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Scion tC |
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Volkswagen New Beetle |
| Vehicle | Wheel base, in. |
Length, in. | Curb Weight, lb. | Cargo Volume, cu. ft. | Fuel Capacity, gal. | Front Head Room, in. | Front Leg Room, in. | Rear Head Room, in. | Rear Leg Room, in. |
| Ford Mustang 2-dr coupe | 107.1 | 187.6 | 3373 | 13.1 | 16.0 | 38.6 | 42.7 | 34.7 | 30.3 |
| Ford Mustang 2-dr conv. | 107.1 | 187.6 | 3476 | 9.7 | 16.0 | 38.8 | 42.7 | 36.3 | 30.3 |
| Honda S2000 2-dr conv. | 94.5 | 162.2 | 2855 | 5.0 | 13.2 | 34.6 | 44.3 | NA | NA |
| Hyundai Tiburon 2-dr hatch. | 99.6 | 173.0 | 2898 | 14.8 | 14.5 | 38.0 | 43.1 | 34.1 | 29.9 |
| Mazda MX-5 2-dr conv. | 91.7 | 157.3 | 2441 | 5.3 | 12.7 | 37.4 | 43.1 | NA | NA |
| Mazda RX-8 4-dr coupe | 106.45 | 174.3 | 3045 | 7.6 | 15.9 | 38.2 | 42.7 | 36.8 | 32.2 |
| Mini Cooper 2-dr hatch. | 97.1 | 145.6 | 2546 | 24.0 | 10.6 | 38.8 | 41.4 | 37.6 | 29.9 |
| Mini Cooper 2-dr conv. | 97.1 | 143.1 | 2700 | 4.2 | 13.2 | 38.4 | 41.3 | 38.1 | 27.7 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse 2-dr hatch. | 101.4 | 179.7 | 3274 | 15.7 | 17.7 | 38.5 | 42.8 | 34.6 | 29.2 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse 2-dr conv. | 101.4 | 179.7 | 3472 | 5.2 | 17.7 | 39.6 | 42.8 | 35.7 | 27.7 |
| Nissan 350Z 2-dr hatch. | 104.3 | 169.8 | 3339 | 6.8 | 20.0 | 38.2 | 42.6 | NA | NA |
| Nissan 350Z 2-dr conv. | 104.3 | 169.8 | 3578 | 4.1 | 20.0 | 39.2 | 42.6 | NA | NA |
| Pontiac Solstice 2-dr conv. | 95.1 | 157.2 | 2860 | 3.8 | 13.0 | 38.5 | 42.7 | NA | NA |
| Saturn Sky 2-dr conv. | 95.1 | 161.1 | 2892 | 3.8 | 13.0 | 38.5 | 42.7 | NA | NA |
| Scion tC 2-dr hatch. | 106.3 | 174.0 | 2905 | 12.8 | 14.5 | 37.6 | 41.6 | 36.6 | 33.6 |
| VW New Beetle 2-dr hatch. | 98.7 | 161.1 | 2884 | 27.1 | 14.5 | 38.2 | 39.4 | 36.7 | 33.5 |
| VW New Beetle 2-dr conv. | 98.8 | 161.1 | 3164 | 5.0 | 14.5 | 40.7 | 39.4 | 37.2 | 31.5 |
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