Was the 2000s-2010s the peak for engaging sporty cars, before electric steering and driver aids? Or has the newer technology in the late 2010s and 2020s improved cars overall while keeping them as fun to drive as their predecessors?
I'm looking for a new sedan as a daily driver and I'm asking for help to compare apples and oranges. When luxury sport sedans came out years ago, I could never afford them nor test drive them. Now that 2000s and 2010s luxury sport sedans are affordable but difficult to find to test drive, I have wondered how some of the new hot hatches (Elantra N and Civic Type R) compare to those older and well liked sport sedans.
My personal collection is a NC Miata track car, FD RX7 weekend car, Yukon Denali tow vehicle, and Malibu Maxx daily driver. I used to have a Mazdaspeed3 that I really enjoyed, but it was loud and rough due to the koni shocks stuck on full stiff. The new car will replace the Malibu as my daily driver. I kinda want to replace the Yukon Denali as it has several issues, but whether I can do that depends on how much I spend on the new fun car. I've been looking at newer Yukon's, LX570, and Sequoia, along with the more irresponsible Cayenne Turbo/GTS.
Preferences
- 4 door sedan/hatch/wagon (I know there are a lot of 2 door 4 seat coupes that are great to drive, but not really practical as a daily driver)
- No strong preference of FWD vs RWD, but less interested in AWD
- manual transmission (DSG or ZF 8hp might be acceptable)
- moderately quick (250+ hp)
- not terrible gas mileage (no CTS V, SS, etc)
- not too loud or rough, but I don't think I have been in a stock car that has been a problem other than wind noise and rattles that bother me.
- relatively reliable, I already have enough project cars
- Might autocross/track it. So it would be a plus if it was competitive almost stock in Solo or NASA/SCCA/Grid Life Time Trials.
- anywhere between $5-30k, though I might stretch the budget for a new car like the Elantra N or Civic Type R. Spending less would leave more for a better tow vehicle.
Current Options
- f30 340i - Haven't driven one yet. B58 seems like a great engine and can make a ton of power. The F80 m3 got a ton of attention and the f30 got overshadowed with barely anyone reviewing them especially with the b58, m-sport, and track handling package that really improved the car. These hard to find, especially with a manual and RWD.
- FL5 Civic Type R - I really liked the Si, but it was a bit slow and didn't feel like the right price/performance ratio. Another 110 hp over the Si, and being more fun to drive could change that, but its crazy to spend $45k for a Civic and $15k over the Si. Considering how well they keep their value, I could justify it, but I would definitely not have money left over for upgrading the Yukon. These are plentiful at dealers.
- Elantra N - haven't drive one. probably 80% of a type r for $11k less. Based on reviews, my choice over the 11th gen Civic Si. Availability is poor due to the 2024 refresh, and overall seems like production is low. I really prefer how the Civic Type R looks over the Elantra N, even after the refresh.
- e90 328i - Haven't driven one yet. Bigger and heavier version of the well liked 128i. definitely want manual and RWD only. Hydraulic steering is a plus. They are a bit rarer and really only see these on Marketplace so I haven't bothered someone to go kick tires.
- Acura 1st gen TSX/3rd gen TL - These seem pretty decent and the k24 or J32/35 engines are great. The TL Type S seems the best of all of these with the J35, but its hard to find one with a manual, reasonable price, and not 200k+ miles on it. Though that is probably a testament to the reliability of the TSX and TL, that they can be worth $4-7k with that many miles.
- MK7 GTI/Golf R - Rented a Mk7 GTI DSG for 2 weeks and it had competent handling, nice interior, decent space, etc, but it was just not exciting to drive like some other cars. Maybe it was too well engineered. Haven't driven a golf R, but the extra horsepower and AWD might make it more compelling. They are cheap and plentiful at dealers with both the DSG and manual transmission.
- WRX - not a huge subaru fan because of the older WRX/STI reliability issues, but the new FA engine in the WRX seems reliable. I could consider a 2015+ WRX. I will say I don't really need AWD.
- Focus ST/Fiesta ST - Driven both of these, FoST was very similar to my MS3. FiST was modified and still felt pretty slow comparatively but handled better. I am a bit worried on the reliability of these as I have had friends with issues on both of them.
Cars that aren't a great fit
- 11th gen Civic Si/Interga A-Spec - Drove both of these new. Its a great car, competent handling, and just adequate power, but for the price doesn't seem great compared to the other options.
- 10th gen Civic Si - Ugly exterior and they barely have depreciated so I'd pay extra for the 11th gen if I had to get an Si.
- Infinity G37 - didn't drive one, but they are really hard to find one with a manual transmission, especially a sedan. Also not a huge Nissan/Infinity fan.
- Accord 2.0T - Nice power, decent handling, but never felt fun to drive with the 10 speed auto. Haven't driven the 6 speed manual yet, but it won't change the handling
Overall, the f30 340i seems the best combination of characteristics, but the praises of some of the other options make me thinking to get a more common and popular car. I really love the Civic Type R other than the price. The Elantra N seems almost as good as the CTR (other than the exterior styling), but I bet it will crash in value after a couple years. I also like the idea of spending <$10k with the e90/TSX/TL, but its hard to find a nice one that isn't very high mileage or overpriced.
Any thoughts on how these car compare on handling, driver engagment, and enjoyment?