March 2007
What to look for in a sporty car or coupe
Sporty cars are available in an array of models, ranging from two-seat roadsters to small sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks.
There is also a variety of coupes on the market, ranging from the small Saturn Ion to the luxurious BMW 645Ci. While two-door
coupes are designed to be sporty looking, not all are fun to drive. (See our complete test results and Ratings for reliability, owner satisfaction, safety, and more, available to subscribers.)
Why buy a sporty car? A sporty car has little to do with practicality and everything to do with driving fun. While most models have relatively little cargo space, some sedan and hatchback models have ample trunk or rear cargo space for many people.
Engines and transmissions. Your engine choices in this category range from four-cylinder engines to powerful V8s. Six-cylinder engines typically provide the best balance of power and fuel economy. Four-cylinder engines usually get better fuel economy, but they lack the power or refinement of larger engines. Similarly, V8s provide more power than six-cylinders, but at a sacrifice in gas mileage. Turbocharged and supercharged versions of these engines pay an additional fuel-economy penalty for the extra power they provide. Many cars in this segment require more-expensive premium fuel. Virtually all sporty cars are available with an automatic transmission. Five- or six-speed manual transmissions are also typically available for sporty models. Manuals usually provide better fuel economy than automatics, and many drivers find them more fun to drive because of the extra shift control they provide. Many automatics now provide a manual-shift mode that works similar to a manual transmission, but without a clutch.
Front-, rear-, or all-wheel drive? Although many models come with front-wheel drive, most of the sportiest models use rear-wheel drive because it typically provides better handling and steering. Front-wheel drive, on the other hand, provides better traction than rear-wheel drive in slippery conditions. Some models are available with all-wheel drive (AWD), which provides significantly better traction in slippery conditions than either two-wheel-drive system. Traction control, available on many two-wheel-drive models, also helps provide extra traction in slippery conditions, but it isn’t as effective as all-wheel drive. For more information about drive systems, see our traction-debate report.
Fuel economy. Even within the same categories, the fuel-economy of different models can vary significantly. (See our comparison of real-world fuel-economy results for all tested models, available to subscribers.)
Convertible tops. Convertible models with a soft top are less secure from theft and less insulated from road and wind noise and outside temperatures. Higher-priced models have layered headliners, which add insulation. Some also offer removable hard tops. Those reduce the compromises of a soft top, but they can be heavy and cumbersome to get on and off and require a storage space when not in use. Some luxury convertibles have a power-operated hard top that retracts like a soft-top. This provides the best of both worlds, but they are relatively pricey and tend to take up more space when folded than a soft top would.
Access. Many sporty cars sit very low and have little head room and small doors, which can make entry and exit awkward. Some coupes have wider doors and more head room. Sedans and four-door hatchbacks typically provide easier access than low-slung two-door models. The Mazda RX-8 coupe has two small rear-hinged rear doors.
Seating. Depending on the model, a sporty car can have anywhere from two to five seating positions. Even with a five-seat design, the middle rear position is often tight and uncomfortable for adults. Sit in each seat to gauge its comfort. Look for a center rear seat with a three-point safety belt rather than a lap belt. Some coupes employ a seating arrangement called 2+2, which provides so little room in the back that it could even be uncomfortable for small children.
Cargo space. If cargo space is even moderately high on your list of priorities, this may be the wrong type of vehicle to be looking at. Only a few models provide decent trunk or cargo space. If you have any large items like golf clubs or luggage that you’ll often need to carry, you may want to bring them with you when you shop.
Towing. As a group, sporty cars and coupes are not intended for towing. There are only a few cars in this class that offer towing capabilities, and their maximum tow ratings are about 1,000 pounds.
Safety features. All new vehicles have standard dual front air bags, three-point safety belts in the outboard seating positions, and top-tether and LATCH child-seat attachments in the rear seats. Some models offer side air bags. Head-protection side bags, which protect passengers in a side impact, are often available on nonconvertible models. Antilock brakes are standard or optional on most models. Other safety features to look for include electronic stability control (ESC), traction control, tire-pressure monitors, safety-belt pretensioners, occupant-sensing air-bag systems, and daytime running lights. If you're considering a two-seater, make sure it has a switch to disable the passenger air bag so you can take a child with you. See our Guide to safety features.
Why buy a sporty car? A sporty car has little to do with practicality and everything to do with driving fun. While most models have relatively little cargo space, some sedan and hatchback models have ample trunk or rear cargo space for many people.
Engines and transmissions. Your engine choices in this category range from four-cylinder engines to powerful V8s. Six-cylinder engines typically provide the best balance of power and fuel economy. Four-cylinder engines usually get better fuel economy, but they lack the power or refinement of larger engines. Similarly, V8s provide more power than six-cylinders, but at a sacrifice in gas mileage. Turbocharged and supercharged versions of these engines pay an additional fuel-economy penalty for the extra power they provide. Many cars in this segment require more-expensive premium fuel. Virtually all sporty cars are available with an automatic transmission. Five- or six-speed manual transmissions are also typically available for sporty models. Manuals usually provide better fuel economy than automatics, and many drivers find them more fun to drive because of the extra shift control they provide. Many automatics now provide a manual-shift mode that works similar to a manual transmission, but without a clutch.
Front-, rear-, or all-wheel drive? Although many models come with front-wheel drive, most of the sportiest models use rear-wheel drive because it typically provides better handling and steering. Front-wheel drive, on the other hand, provides better traction than rear-wheel drive in slippery conditions. Some models are available with all-wheel drive (AWD), which provides significantly better traction in slippery conditions than either two-wheel-drive system. Traction control, available on many two-wheel-drive models, also helps provide extra traction in slippery conditions, but it isn’t as effective as all-wheel drive. For more information about drive systems, see our traction-debate report.
Fuel economy. Even within the same categories, the fuel-economy of different models can vary significantly. (See our comparison of real-world fuel-economy results for all tested models, available to subscribers.)
Convertible tops. Convertible models with a soft top are less secure from theft and less insulated from road and wind noise and outside temperatures. Higher-priced models have layered headliners, which add insulation. Some also offer removable hard tops. Those reduce the compromises of a soft top, but they can be heavy and cumbersome to get on and off and require a storage space when not in use. Some luxury convertibles have a power-operated hard top that retracts like a soft-top. This provides the best of both worlds, but they are relatively pricey and tend to take up more space when folded than a soft top would.
Access. Many sporty cars sit very low and have little head room and small doors, which can make entry and exit awkward. Some coupes have wider doors and more head room. Sedans and four-door hatchbacks typically provide easier access than low-slung two-door models. The Mazda RX-8 coupe has two small rear-hinged rear doors.
Seating. Depending on the model, a sporty car can have anywhere from two to five seating positions. Even with a five-seat design, the middle rear position is often tight and uncomfortable for adults. Sit in each seat to gauge its comfort. Look for a center rear seat with a three-point safety belt rather than a lap belt. Some coupes employ a seating arrangement called 2+2, which provides so little room in the back that it could even be uncomfortable for small children.
Cargo space. If cargo space is even moderately high on your list of priorities, this may be the wrong type of vehicle to be looking at. Only a few models provide decent trunk or cargo space. If you have any large items like golf clubs or luggage that you’ll often need to carry, you may want to bring them with you when you shop.
Towing. As a group, sporty cars and coupes are not intended for towing. There are only a few cars in this class that offer towing capabilities, and their maximum tow ratings are about 1,000 pounds.
Safety features. All new vehicles have standard dual front air bags, three-point safety belts in the outboard seating positions, and top-tether and LATCH child-seat attachments in the rear seats. Some models offer side air bags. Head-protection side bags, which protect passengers in a side impact, are often available on nonconvertible models. Antilock brakes are standard or optional on most models. Other safety features to look for include electronic stability control (ESC), traction control, tire-pressure monitors, safety-belt pretensioners, occupant-sensing air-bag systems, and daytime running lights. If you're considering a two-seater, make sure it has a switch to disable the passenger air bag so you can take a child with you. See our Guide to safety features.
