What car under $30K is most fun to drive?

[HAL9000]

Yes, it was called Miata in the U.S. until the most recent generation when they started using the global name of MX-5. However, most of us still call them Miatas.

Weird... OK, ta.

 

[Fenixgoon]

doesn't make it more fun



you find it funny that I think that having the power going to the right set of wheels is more fun?

seriously, I am sure whatever you drive is pretty sweet and all, but maybe venture out and try out a legit RWD car

or maybe he likes blowing by RWD cars in his FWD SRT-4?

jesus christ, as much as FWD is performance limiting, there's no need to drink the kool-aid of RWD either.

unless you are putting down more than 300hp, and unless you are really that good a driver, chances are you will never hit the limits where the differences between FWD and RWD become appreciable.

both mazda and ford have shown that with a trick differential, you can make FWD cars with incredible handling (MS3 and Focus RS).

i enjoy my RWD genesis coupe 2.0T R-spec, i really don't care if some guy in an MS3 can kick my ass around a track, because i like the way my car looks, handles, and performs (i might get a stage1 kit, but nothing more than that.. too much $$$ involved) and i have a good time driving it. i don't like hatches, and i have a bike to go really fast if i want.

 

[AdamK47]

I've been wondering what a miata is for some time I googled it and found an MX-5???

I find this when I do a Google image search for Miata.

 

[HybridSquirrel]

the FWD and RWD debat is kind of a moot point. as people have said before, unless you're pushing 300hp and drive on the track 24/7 you won't see a difference. That said, FWD is kind of limited in the amount of power an engine can put down, anything more than 300 is really overkill (as they've shown on many different road tests). I drove a FWD Integra for a while that had bawlin suspension set up and basic bolt ons and I can safely say it was a lot more fun than my dads 02 mustang just zipping around town and driving through the mountains. but the mustang was way more fun to haul ass off the line on.


tl;dr they are about equal and the OP should get a Mx-5

 

[Throckmorton]

the FWD and RWD debat is kind of a moot point. as people have said before, unless you're pushing 300hp and drive on the track 24/7 you won't see a difference. That said, FWD is kind of limited in the amount of power an engine can put down, anything more than 300 is really overkill (as they've shown on many different road tests). I drove a FWD Integra for a while that had bawlin suspension set up and basic bolt ons and I can safely say it was a lot more fun than my dads 02 mustang just zipping around town and driving through the mountains. but the mustang was way more fun to haul ass off the line on.


tl;dr they are about equal and the OP should get a Mx-5

That's ridiculous. I could notice the difference with a 155hp 240sx and a 133hp Miata. Oversteer doesn't require a lot of hp

 

[Zivic]

or maybe he likes blowing by RWD cars in his FWD SRT-4?

jesus christ, as much as FWD is performance limiting, there's no need to drink the kool-aid of RWD either.

unless you are putting down more than 300hp, and unless you are really that good a driver, chances are you will never hit the limits where the differences between FWD and RWD become appreciable.

both mazda and ford have shown that with a trick differential, you can make FWD cars with incredible handling (MS3 and Focus RS).

i enjoy my RWD genesis coupe 2.0T R-spec, i really don't care if some guy in an MS3 can kick my ass around a track, because i like the way my car looks, handles, and performs (i might get a stage1 kit, but nothing more than that.. too much $$$ involved) and i have a good time driving it. i don't like hatches, and i have a bike to go really fast if i want.

Both of my 'fun' cars make into the 500's. if either were FWD, they wouldn't be much fun other than "from a roll" on the highway at 60+. from my experience 300 hp is about the most a fwd is good for before it just becomes too power biased.

I think cars like the MS3 can be fun.... relatively speaking

 

[careless]

Wow! I didn't think my simple question would create such a schism between the FWD and RWD camps. I'm actually not in the market... yet 🙂 Just curious what others thought and was apparently successful in initiating some discussion. For me, I'd would probably like something like a WRX, but since I'm a big guy, there isn't much legroom. I have a Forester and feel cramped. It's actually kinda fun to drive, for a shoebox with wheels, but lots of road noise and lagging on acceleration. I had driven a Miata before, fun, but felt like I had to pull it on like a pair of pants rather than climb into it. Ridden in 325s and 525s, but haven't driven them. Concerns with the BMWs are high maintenance costs. Never took out a Genesis. Guess I have to stop by a Hyundai dealer some Saturday. Friend of mine had an original GTI (~1984?). He loved it, and drove it for ~12 years. I would imagine that the new ones are even more of an improvement. Also haven't driven a new Mustang, Camaro, or Challenger. How do they compare with the ~67-70 classics (the age of the REAL muscle cars!)? As for FWD vs RWD, I grew up in Erie, PA, so I learned how to drive in two feet of lake effect snow every winter. RWDs are OK in winter, as long as you have the right snow tires and some weight in the back end. Bit of a challenge going up a steep hill though. I myself have become kinda partial to AWD. If Subaru made a Legacy version of the WRX STI at a decent price, I'd take a hard look at it.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Both of my 'fun' cars make into the 500's. if either were FWD, they wouldn't be much fun other than "from a roll" on the highway at 60+. from my experience 300 hp is about the most a fwd is good for before it just becomes too power biased.

I think cars like the MS3 can be fun.... relatively speaking

yeah, i would guess any FWD would torque steer like a mofo with 500+ hp 😛

 

[Imported]

Miata or a base 370Z. I remember seeing 2010 370Zs (and a couple with the sports package) for around 28-30k towards the end of the year.

 

[HybridSquirrel]

That's ridiculous. I could notice the difference with a 155hp 240sx and a 133hp Miata. Oversteer doesn't require a lot of hp

What is ridiculous? I didn't talk about oversteer at all.

 

[Fritzo]

They added legroom in the 2008+ models. I'm gettin me one now 😀

It'll be a few years first though. I need to pay off my wife's damn van first 🙁