Yahoo Autos Best sports cars
Sports cars can transform a mundane commute into a thrill ride. No matter the price, the cars’ dramatic styling, athletic handling, and spirited engines can bring out the aspiring race-car driver in anyone. With today’s wide choice of sporty models and genuine sports cars, you should be able to find one that delivers the right blend of performance and practicality for you. The exhilarating Porsche Boxster, for example, is all about drop-top driving fun, thanks to its great handling. But if you need something with more room, there are plenty of sporty four-doors and hatchbacks with enough practicality for you to pick up the kids from school or a weeks’ worth of groceries, and still enjoy the long way home.
Drawbacks: Sports cars force a compromise in your life. Passenger and cargo space is a secondary consideration to styling and performance. Typically, they ride more stiffly than regular cars. Access can require yoga-grade flexibility, and visibility is sometimes compromised.
Porsche Boxster
This mid-engined roadster was an instant hit at our test track. Its quick, direct steering gives it super-agile handling. The 2013 redesign brought a more-palatable ride, better noise isolation, a better-finished interior, and slightly better fuel economy. It’s now better suited to tackle the everyday grind than ever before, with two trunks and one of the slickest-operating convertible tops in the business. Some testers found the seats narrow, and the center console is cluttered with small buttons. Although it’s more affordable than Porsche’s flagship 911, the Boxster is far from entry-level: Be aware that prices climb quickly with options.
Price as tested: $59,600
Overall mpg: 23
Mazda MX-5 Miata
The MX-5 Miata defines the modern roadster, delivering a grin-inducing, open-air driving experience. It’s hard to find a car that’s more agile and fun to drive. The Miata’s agility comes from its direct, communicative steering, light weight, and lively powertrain. Although the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine might seem modest on paper, it provides spirited performance on the road. Stick with the crisp manual transmission for the pure driving involvement and thrill it delivers. The retractable hardtop operates easily, but it adds about $3,000 to the car’s price, compared with getting the standard cloth top. And it does little to reduce noise. A redesign will be introduced soon.
Price as tested: $31,350
Overall mpg: 28
Ford Mustang GT
