Latest News
Identifying the First-Gen Ford Mustang10 Practical “Fun to Drive” Cars
Who says you need to sacrifice driving enjoyment in the name of practicality? We list ten vehicles that make thrilling daily drivers.
Perfect Balance
For those who love to drive, it feels almost inevitable that one must sacrifice performance and fun in the name of practicality. The necessities of ferrying kids to and from, jobs requiring hauling, and vacations requiring towing mean balance against what makes a vehicle fun to drive like litheness of handling and speed of acceleration. And yet there are plenty of vehicles that manage a respectable, even laudable balance between practicality and fun.
You’ll notice from our list below that we’ve entertained a wide range of definitions of both fun and practicality as needs and expectations vary from person to person. Some will lean heavily on the practical side while others deliver more than their share of thrills along with daily drivability.
Honda Odyssey
Yes, we’re starting off a list of “fun to drive” cars with what most of us think of as the exact opposite, a minivan. While indeed the Honda Odyssey isn’t your best bet for track day or canyon carving it does deliver a stout 280 horsepower from its 3.5L V6 and handling is surprisingly compliant. A 6.4 second zero to sixty run makes the Odyssey the quickest gas-powered minivan on the market and only just behind the all-electric VW ID.Buzz. Of course, the Odyssey is also the epitome of practicality with its three-row seating and cavernous cargo capacity.
Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ
On the opposite end of the practicality spectrum lies the Toyota GR86 and its mechanical twin the Subaru BRZ. With over 200 horsepower, a six-speed manual, and a track-ready suspension, the “Tubaru Twins” are boatloads of fun. Unlike other sport coupes like the Mazda Miata and Chevy Corvette, the GR86/BRZ has a back seat. Practical, in a pinch; those seats can be folded down to supplement the 6.3 cu.-ft. of trunk space. Is the BRZ/GR86 what most people think of as practical? No. But even the minor differences between it and dedicated two-seaters make it a much more realistic daily driver.
Ford F-150 Raptor
People’s definition of a “fun” vehicle naturally varies and where some seek a sports car experience others get more satisfaction from bombing down dirt roads at speed. Enter the F-150 Raptor. Its second-generation swapped out the V8 for a detuned version of the Ford GT’s twin-turbo V6 making 450 horsepower. The Raptor sports 13 inches of wheel travel, 35-inch all-terrains, and Fox shocks making it a compelling off-the-shelf baja truck that can pull double duty on the weekdays with its 5.5 ft. bed and the Super Crew seating up to five.
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger’s legacy was one of a classic 2+2 muscle car. When it returned in 2006 as a muscle sedan eyebrows were raised. But with a bevy of hearty V8 options, the new four-door Charger proved to be as potent as ever. Our recommendation is to shop the mid-seventh-generation Charger and its R/T and Scat Pack trims which feature either a 5.7L or a 6.4L Hemi V8, respectively and fall between the upper $20,000 and $50,000 range. The Charger balances high-octane excitement with the practicality of a roomy sedan.
Kia Stinger
The recently discontinued Kia Stinger is another sport sedan that splits the difference between fun and practicality. Under the hood of the Stinger GT2 lurks a 3.3L twin-turbo V6 making 368 horsepower capable of rocketing the car from zero to sixty in a mere 4.6 seconds. A rear hatch rather than a traditional trunk offers 23.3 cu.-ft. of cargo space which jumps to a crossover-like 40.9 cubes with the rear seats folded down.
Subaru Outback Turbo
It doesn’t get much more practical than the Subaru Outback. The rugged lifted wagon provides utility and off-roadability that beats out many SUVs while maintaining a level of drivability taller, less planted vehicles can’t match. The fifth generation Outback’s turbocharged 3.6L flat-six offered just over 250 horsepower while the newer sixth-gen Outback’s optional 2.4L turbo makes 260 horsepower. That’s a lot of pep, especially compared to a lot of equivalent crossovers that make do with less than 200 horsepower and often struggle to keep up with highway traffic. The turbo-charged versions of the Outback solves for the vehicle’s one weakness, a lack of power.
Porsche Macan
Sports car dynamics and crossover utility aren’t easy to find in equal abundance in a single vehicle, but the Porsche Macan is the rare exception to this rule. The spritely Macan provides the ride height and cargo capacity you expect from a small crossover but blends that practicality with Porsche’s superb handling. We recommend looking for the Macan S or GTS (pre-2021 update) with their 3.0L twin-turbo V6 (335-355 horsepower) for a good balance of power and affordability.
Mazda CX-5
We like to say that Miata is always the answer. But for the purposes of this list, the Miata does not remotely qualify as practical as it lacks a back seat, offers only 4.6 cu.-ft of trunk space, and the current ND generation doesn’t even have a glove box. The answer might not be Miata this time around, but we’ll still recommend a Mazda, in this case their compact crossover, the CX-5. The CX-5 sets itself apart from its direct competition, the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Ford Bronco Sport, by offering a taut suspension and peppy 2.5L turbocharged engine (250-259 horsepower) that make for a spirited driving experience the rest of the pack don’t come close to. For the Porsche Macan experience on a budget, consider the CX-5.
Mercedes-Benz AMG E 63 S Wagon
If you asked an automotive journalist five-to-ten years ago what their Platonic ideal of a fun yet practical car would be, nine out of ten would have said the Mercedes-Benz AMG E 63 S wagon. The wagon takes care of the practicality part of the equation (up to 57 cu.-ft. of cargo capacity) while the AMG part provides the fun. In this case an AMG-tuned 5.5L twin-turbo V8 offers 577 horsepower worth of rocket-like propulsion. This Teutonic grocery getter (roughly 2016 model year) can be had on the used market for between $40,000 and $50,000.
Volkswagen GTI
There really isn’t a vehicle that more perfectly exemplifies the ideal of practical yet fun than the Volkswagen GTI, the hot hatch version of the Golf. Consider the 2015 model year, part of the Golf’s seventh generation. The GTI’s 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder produced 217 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. A 6.1 second zero to sixty time and playful handling plus a rear hatch and a comfortable interior make the GTI one of the most attractive all-around vehicles … well, ever. If you’re done compromising in the name of practicality, consider a used GTI.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October 2016 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
