Image via Complex Original
Intro
We all need cars, and most of us seem to buy horrible beige appliances like the Toyota Camry. What we want is a car that will make us smile every morning when we go to work, or at least every time we look out to the driveway. Here are 25 cars guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Ford Fiesta
25. Ford Fiesta
Complex Says: The Ford Fiesta is a surprisingly fun car. We swear you can feel just a hint of that rally-bred handling ability even in the untuned factory Fiestas. Anything even remotely associated with the phrase "rally-bred" is cool in our books.
Hyundai Veloster
24. Hyundai Veloster
Complex Says: Because of the light weight, the Veloster is tossable and fun. Because of the styling, it won't be mistaken for anything else. Because of the hatch, it's a damn practical car too. The Veloster will not only make you happy by virtue of its dynamics, but by virtue of not pissing you off with impractical BS, either. That's worth its weight in gold.
Ariel Atom
23. Ariel Atom
Complex Says: So it's not road legal without some modification. Buy this and a truck to get it to a track. The Ariel Atom is the closest to driving a Formula One car that the likes of us will ever get, so we love it. If you do manage to modify one for street use, just imagine the looks you would get driving around town in one of these.
Fiat 500 Abarth
22. Fiat 500 Abarth
Complex Says: The Fiat 500 is a great subcompact, but it's just a tad girly. The Fiat 500 Abarth, on the other hand, is like Jose Aldo, the top-ranked featherweight in the UFC. This tiny beast will embarrass a lot of other cars that simply won't see it coming from something that looks like a Dualit toaster with a racing stripe. Sounds like fun to us.
Maserati Granturismo
21. Maserati Granturismo
Complex Says: Pure sex. Yup, the Granturismo is just sex with an engine...a Ferrari V8, no less. The thing about the Granturismo is that it isn't so ostentatious that getting groceries in one would be an enormous hassle, with people mobbing you and taking an obscene number of pictures. If you've got six figures burning a hole in your pocket, there's no Italian exotic that will be more fun to own every single day.
BMW 335is
20. BMW 335i
Complex Says: Get the coupe for chassis strength or the convertible for sex appeal, and you'll be thrilled to have the legendary dynamics of the BMW 3-series with the fantastic N54 engine at your beck and call. The 335is is a killer all-rounder. It will do everything from brief runs around a road course to crosscountry drives with aplomb.
Mazdaspeed3
19. Mazdaspeed3
Complex Says: The torquesteer may be a little much, but you knew that was coming. The tires may go bald a bit fast, but you knew that was coming too. All that matters is having 265 horsepower in a hot hatch. WHEEEEEEE!
Porsche Boxter
18. Porsche Boxter
Complex Says: When you were a kid, you probably told yourself that you would have a convertible sports car. Most likely this decision was made after seeing one of these. The sports car market is largely based on childhood fantasy, so just go with it.
Jaguar XF
17. Jaguar XF
Complex Says: It might not be the practical choice when it comes to mid-sized sedans, but it sure as hell is the coolest. What's more fun to you? Being able to say, "I made a rational, conservative decision," or "I've got the coolest car on the block and it has a supercharged V8." Do tell.
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
16. Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Complex Says: The cheap Asian sports car was saved by an unlikely company a few years ago: Hyundai. While the company's cars were once nothing more than crap, plastic, and poor engineering, Hyundai has really stepped up its game. Since the demise of the beloved Honda S2000, there's been very little sporty fun coming out of East Asia. Hyundai made this little number, though, and it's an absolute blast to drive in any of its trims.
Jaguar XK
15. Jaguar XK
Complex Says: It doesn't matter that you can't afford it. It's a Jaaaaag. Sell your other car. Sell your house. Sell your family. Sell your kidney. The Jag will make you feel cool, even though you're a homeless man with one kidney.
Nissan 370Z
14. Nissan 370Z
Complex Says: The 370Z closely follows the archetype of the sports car: front engine, rear-wheel drive, sexy roofline. And this is why it's a must have. So many automakers are trying to fill a niche of sports car that it seems like the simple option is becoming rarer and rarer. Take a 370Z for a spin and enjoy the manual transmission's down-shift rev-matching.
VW GTI
13. VW GTI
Complex Says: Do you need a car that is fast, fun, compact, efficient, and capable of transporting a love seat? If so, take a good long look at the VW GTI. The 2.0L turbocharged engine is a blast to play with and still returns a healthy 34mph highway. This is having your cake, eating it, and losing weight too.
Porsche Cayman
12. Porsche Cayman S
Complex Says: If the tradition at Porsche wasn't hanging the engine precariously over the rear axle, this would be the basis of the 911. It's light, tossable, powerful, and mid-engined. The Cayman S even beats most 911s around most tracks. This is one of the best driver's cars on the market right now, and it should not be ignored.
Audi TT
11. Audi TT
Complex Says: Here's a car that is simply fun to play with. In the base trim level, it's not that fast, but it is engaging to drive. Once you start getting into the TTS and the TT-RS, there's some serious zoom to be had too. That's never a bad thing.
Lotus Elise/Exige
10. Lotus Elise/Exige
Complex Says: Although they're way too impractical to even think about using as a daily driver, the Elise and the Exige are the best-handling cars money can buy. Used ones can be had for reasonable amounts of money, and it might just be worth saving up to afford a second car. These Lotuses are just that awesome.
Ford Mustang
9. Ford Mustang
Complex Says: The Ford Mustang is a powerful, capable muscle car in any of its trims, from V6 to Boss 302. Just buy whichever one you can afford, demand a manual transmission, and put down some elevens. It's a surefire recipe for happiness.
Mitsubishi Lancer EVOLUTION
8. Mitsubishi Lancer EVOLUTION
Complex Says: If you don't give a flying shit about interior quality or road noise, and you just want to go fast on tarmac, dirt, and snow, buy a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO. The EVO is one of the fastest sedans on the market and one of the best performance cars available for the money. It's so cheap for what it can do because it's all go-fast bits and cheap Bob the Builder-grade plastic, but we don't care. The go-fast bits are that good.
VW Jetta TDI Cup
7. VW Jetta TDI Cup
Complex Says: It's a diesel race car with four doors and a sizable trunk. This means that you don't have to worry about sports car levels of impracticality. But you do get razor-sharp handling and, due to the turbo diesel engine, 42mpg. If you can find one of these 2010 special editions, buy it.
Porsche 911
6. Porsche 911
Complex Says: The price of entry may be very high, but people love these. Statistically speaking, this is one of the most satisfying cars in existence. So if you've got the green, go for it.
Subaru WRX/STI
5. Subaru WRX/STI
Complex Says: The WRX and STI are two of the best performance-bang-to-buck ratios out there. They're practical enough not to get irritating in daily life, and the go-anywhere-fast and do-anything-fast attitude is awesome. The rex is a killer car that is not to be overlooked.
MINI Cooper S
4. MINI Cooper S
Complex Says: With its cheeky personality and go-kart-like handling characteristics, the MINI Cooper S is a blast to drive. Mini knows that the car's selling point is the fun factor too--that's why there are so many accessories. People like to customize these, and that's always a good sign. People don't customize things they hate.
Mazda MX-5
3. Mazda MX-5
Complex Says: Yes, there will be jokes. However, the Miata is one of the best-handling cars out there. It might not have that much power, but it's still quick, due to a featherweight body. And it corners like little else. If you can't have fun in this Mazda, you should seek professional psychiatric help.
Dodge Challenger
2. Dodge Challenger
Complex Says: Consumer Reports says that a Dodge Challenger with a V8 is likelier to make you happy than any other car. It's easy to see why too. You get the sexy, retro-modern sheet metal of one of today's muscle cars, along with a comfortable, roomy car. We might sometimes knock the Challenger for being too big and built on a sedan platform, but for day-to-day life, this is probably better.
An Old Baja Beetle
1. An Old Baja Beetle
Complex Says: In all honesty, the car you will be happiest with is the one you can afford. If paying $450 per month will make you stress out, you won't be happy with a car that costs you that, even if it does go 760mph and sings softly to you when you go to sleep. Because of this, we present this option: an old Baja Beetle. It's over the top, tons of fun, and cheap to buy. If a Baja Beetle won't put a smile on your face, you're probably dead. Better than cheap to buy is the fact that the Beetle was designed to be maintained by a single person with limited access to spare parts.