Now that spring has arrived in most of North America, thoughts turn to the pleasantries of the summer driving season. It's not only temperatures that are on the rise, but also people's desires to get behind the wheel and take on the open road. What better way to express that desire than with a vehicle that's built for spirited driving: we're talking about sporty/performance cars.
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Cool Sporty/Performance Car Features |
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Volkswagen New Beetle offers a
turbocharged diesel 4-cylinder engine that has an EPA
estimated fuel economy rating of 37 city/44 highway. |
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A Diverse Crowd
The entire sporty/performance car spectrum is one of the most
diverse categories of cars rated by Consumer Guide (r). 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.
Hot Hatchbacks
Hatchbacks make up the
largest group of sporty/performance cars. They include the Acura
RSX, 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 RSX, 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 or a turbodiesel 4-cylinder.
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. At the same time, it's among the most powerful with a choice of V6 engines producing 287 or 300 hp. Its handling and resale values put it among the head of the class.
Front-drive hatchbacks range from 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, with either 5 or 6 speeds, depending on model. If you'd prefer not to shift for yourself, most of these hatchbacks are available with automatics. Some, like the Mini and Beetle, offer a 6-speed automatic.
The 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, with the RSX, Mini, and 350Z as Recommended picks.
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Best Buys |
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Recommended Pick |
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Dropping the Top
Open-air, open-road
motoring is part of the spirit of the summer driving season.
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? You can get them both.
If a small convertible strikes your fancy, there are several choices. The Mazda MX-5 (Miata) was redesigned for '06 with more power and added features. Honda has a high-powered convertible it calls S2000. General Motors got in on the game with the shapely Pontiac Solstice. Later in calendar 2006, Saturn will get its own version of the Solstice dubbed Sky. MX-5, S2000, Solstice, and Sky are all two-passenger convertibles powered by 4-cylinder engines.
Other small convertibles are companions to their coupe counterparts, including the Mini Cooper and VW New Beetle. Those convertibles seat four, though we wouldn't recommend trying to squeeze four adults into these, or any, similar sporty/performance car.
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 MX-5, Solstice, and Sky are the only ones that do not offer a power-folding top.
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 Ford Mustang and MX-5 as Best Buys and Honda S2000, Mini Cooper, and Nissan 350Z as Recommendeds.
Muscle Machines
These sporty/performance cars are all about horsepower. They may
not have the handling finesse of other cars in this class, but they
can't be beat in pure, straight-line acceleration. The Ford
Mustang and Pontiac GTO are modern interpretations of classic
nameplates.
With 40 years of heritage under its belt, the Mustang is a popular choice for its retro styling, high performance, and reasonable pricing. Indeed, the GT model, with its 300-hp V8 engine, is the enthusiast's choice. The 210-hp V6 base models are not to be taken lightly either, especially taking into consideration its base price of $19,115. While its appointments and cabin materials trail the sporty/performance car pack, the price/performance and style of the Mustang is unbeatable. That makes it a Consumer Guide (r) Best Buy, and a car where Ford sells every one it can build.
The Pontiac GTO bears absolutely zero resemblance to its 1960s predecessor. The modern "Goat" comes courtesy of Holden, General Motors' Australian subsidiary. The only American thing about the modern GTO is its engine, and it's a doozy. It's the 400-hp V8 that's shared with the Chevrolet Corvette. That engine is packaged in a vehicle with a well-appointed cabin and a sticker price that's about $10,000 less than the Chevy.
Unfortunately, the GTO isn't available with several safety features that we highly recommend, including side airbags and an antiskid system. These drawbacks, combined with a comparatively high sticker price and slow sales, have caused GM to drop the GTO after the 2006 model year.
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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Acura
RSX |
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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
GTO |
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Pontiac
Solstice |
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2007
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. |
| Acura RSX 2-dr hatch. | 101.2 | 172.4 | 2734 | 16.0 | 13.2 | 37.8 | 43.1 | 34.1 | 29.2 |
| Ford Mustang2-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 | 142.8 | 2524 | 23.7 | 13.2 | 38.8 | 41.3 | 37.6 | 31.3 |
| 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 GTO 2-dr coupe | 109.8 | 189.8 | 3725 | 7.0 | 18.5 | 37.3 | 42.2 | 37.3 | 37.1 |
| 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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