Well I have learned a very interesting lesson over the last month. Based on my blog stats it is obvious that my readers are much more interested in what I have to share about cars than current events of the day. Shocking as this may sound the views of my car posts is averaging nearly 5 times that of my regular business/political commentary. So who am I to argue - give the people what they want!
To that end I have had many of my younger readers ask me about cool cars below $25,000. They liked my piece on Best Cars under $30K but they want "cool". Well since I am no longer young or cool I am thrilled that they would ask for my opinion. I am blessed with four sons who are all cool and love cars so I have some guidance. With that disclaimer here goes. The List is in order of what I think are the coolest. These are my Top Ten Cool Cars Under $25,000:
This hot little Italian is selling well and turning heads. I love this model as it has the bigger engine, sexy paint options and slide back roof. It is a true Euro front wheel drive car but fun to drive. The Abarth exhaust is music to hear at full song. The mileage is excellent at over 34 mpg and it has great crash ratings for a small 2550 lb. car. Some say it is a "chick car" but what a cool chick car. If none of this sways you see the current TV ads and you might fall in love!( with the car not the hot Italian model advertising it)
So there it is - my picks for fun cool cars under $25K. I am sure there are some that would disagree with my picks but always remember cars are a very personal purchase. I think these 10 are a good variety of styles, power and functionality but the beauty of the times we live in is there are so many choices for great cars. As always I welcome your thoughts, comment and questions. Also remember two things about my reviews/suggestions - first I am a racer so that will always taint my choices and second I base a lot of my recommendations on driving these cars not just their specs.
Till next time keep the rubber on the road.
To that end I have had many of my younger readers ask me about cool cars below $25,000. They liked my piece on Best Cars under $30K but they want "cool". Well since I am no longer young or cool I am thrilled that they would ask for my opinion. I am blessed with four sons who are all cool and love cars so I have some guidance. With that disclaimer here goes. The List is in order of what I think are the coolest. These are my Top Ten Cool Cars Under $25,000:
The Scion FRS
This is the first true sports car under $30K since the Mazda Miata came out 25 years ago. This is a great looking car that is built to be fast, fun and efficient. It is rear wheel drive and handles like a race car. With 200 HP it is no slug but don't go trying to race a Porsche. It has room for two although there is a very small back seat. It has a twin in the Subaru BRZ but due to standard features the Subby is over $25K. It gives over 30 mpg on the highway and has room for small luggage. Everything on this car seems to work in harmony giving the driver great feedback and running to the limit without a complaint. This car is beautiful, well built, gives great gas mileage, and is Pure Driving Pleasure.The Ford Focus ST
Ford has perfected their hot hatchback and boy is it fun. With a turbo Eco Boost engine kicking out 252HP it is fast. Despite the power it still give over 30mpg on the highway. You can load it up with lots of tech goodies and I think the lines are superb. This car just became the number one selling vehicle in the world! For the first time Ford brought the same Euro model here to the US and what a gift it is. Take this beauty and carve up a tight mountain road - its cool.The VW GTI
Again this is a driver car. This car defined the hot hatch class and still is one of VW's best sellers. The new 2015 is coming and it is fun. While it is a front wheel drive it handles very well, communicates with the driver and can be pushed to its limit. It can be had in either 2 or 4 door and offers great mileage. All the interior touches are classic down to the cool plaid seat material. The fit and finish is probably the best on this list. With over 30 mpg highway it is light on fuel costs and I love the aggressive stance and front grille.The Jeep Wrangler
Most of you are now saying Wow where did that come from? Well I appreciate all types of cars and Wranglers are cool. First they are genetically tied to the WWII Jeeps that help us win the war. Second they are literal mountain goats in their off road ability. They are fun for summer weekends or running around with the top off. I wanted to include the Toyota FJ Crusier which is another choice for this class of car but it was just outside the price maximum. If you upgrade to the Jeep Rubicon you have climbing ability and then some. The Wrangler is highly customizable with soft and hard top options. With a strong V6 it has torque but decent mileage. It has a true off road ride and feel so it is not for sissy's.The Ford Mustang
Yes the entry level Mustang is a good choice as it offers great looks, a powerful V6 engine and the classic Pony car ride. You can load one up with tons of options and it is available in a bunch of hot colors. The car has 305 HP making it one of the most powerful on the list. The interior is better than its US rivals but still not quite equal to the GTI. As with many cars on this list the after market parts for this car are plentiful so you can make it your own. You can add the factory Performance Package to help you harness all 305 horses.The Chevy Camaro
Sure it is the Mustang competitor but it is a fine looking ride. I love the tough stance and high window sills. The base model is fun because it comes with a class leading 323 HP V6. It has standard Blue tooth and gets about 28 mpg on the highway. It is stunning sheet metal and turns heads with a futuristic muscle car look. Sadly the interior is not up to the Mustang quality and far behind the imports. A great entry into the Muscle Car world.The Fiat 500C Abarth
This hot little Italian is selling well and turning heads. I love this model as it has the bigger engine, sexy paint options and slide back roof. It is a true Euro front wheel drive car but fun to drive. The Abarth exhaust is music to hear at full song. The mileage is excellent at over 34 mpg and it has great crash ratings for a small 2550 lb. car. Some say it is a "chick car" but what a cool chick car. If none of this sways you see the current TV ads and you might fall in love!( with the car not the hot Italian model advertising it)
The Honda Civic Si
Honda has always made great reliable cars. This new Si is fun to drive with its high revving VTec engine it is racy. I like the looks but some may say it is outdated. With 201 HP it has some zip and still gives over 31 mpg. As with all Honda's it is built to last and the after market parts bin for these cars is literally limitless. This is good solid, fun transport at a competitive price.The Dodge Dart
This new car carries the name of an old classic Dodge. However, this is not your Dad's Dart. This little hot rod was designed to compete in the world market. Select the R/T and spin up the 160 HP 4 cylinder engine. The Dart is very configurable so you can make it your own - customize baby. It is again a Euro designed car and feels like it. I like the style and the pricing is very competitive in this group. You can tell the Italians own Chrysler now.The Hyundai Veloster
I can't believe I have this car on my list. It's looks are so polarizing - you either love it or hate it. Seems many young folks love it. Get the Turbo model with 201 HP. It is faster than you would think and has some added race bits that try to improve its looks. The quality is in the drive train and Hyundai has proven that. It gets 35 mpg and has lots of trunk space with its hatch (15.5 cu inches). This is another car you can customize easily and while I can't warm up to its looks I have to respect its performance and price. I would have much preferred to put the Hyundai Genesis Coupe on this list but sadly it is just above the 25K mark. if you have a bit more coin to spend sub it for this Veloster.So there it is - my picks for fun cool cars under $25K. I am sure there are some that would disagree with my picks but always remember cars are a very personal purchase. I think these 10 are a good variety of styles, power and functionality but the beauty of the times we live in is there are so many choices for great cars. As always I welcome your thoughts, comment and questions. Also remember two things about my reviews/suggestions - first I am a racer so that will always taint my choices and second I base a lot of my recommendations on driving these cars not just their specs.
Till next time keep the rubber on the road.