Cars That Don't Get the Respect They Deserve

People love to complain about these cars, but they shouldn't.

The Magnum wagon never really got a chance to shine before it was discontinued. Based on the Charger, it got a high-performance SRT version, but didn't live long enough to receive a Hellcat variant. A Hellcat wagon: How cool would that be?

The Forester, to most, is a economical family car with all-wheel drive, and not much else. But opt for the XT trim, and you get the turbocharged drivetrain from the sportier WRX sedan. Combine that with the Forester's additional ride height, and you get a rallycross-dominating machine.

When people think about fun, affordable roadsters, chances are they're not thinking about the Pontiac Solstice or Saturn Sky - but they should be. Although they often lose out to cars like the Miata and S2000, they remain a fun, unique choice for those looking for some top-down smiles.

Much of the car world dismisses the G35 as a bro-y tuner car, but really, they shouldn't. It uses Nissan Z power, but with more luxury, more seats, and great looks. Plus, aftermarket support is limitless.

On the outside, the Ford Flex just seems like a box on wheels with an engine attached - and that's exactly what it is. It looks unique, and has plenty of room inside. The best part is, you could get it with the 3.5-liter 365-horsepower Ecoboost V6 from the Taurus SHO.

The fact that a hardtop convertible hotrod pickup truck is a niche product and its subsequent low sales lead people to write off the SSR as a terrible idea. Whether you like the styling or not, you have to admit there's something awesome about a rear-wheel drive ute with a 390-horsepower - eventually 400 horsepower - V8 and a manual transmission.

If you want to stick with Honda, but need something a bit bigger, the Accord is another fantastic choice. It drives great, both with the base 1.5-liter turbo engine or with the Type-R derived 2.0-liter. Of course, if you want the full experience, you'll have to option the six-speed manual transmission. Here's one with the 2.0T and the manual listed for under $30,000.

Yes, it's a minivan, and no, it's not going to drive like a sports car, but other than maybe a Mercedes-AMG E63 wagon, minivans are about as good as family transportation gets. They're incredibly versatile, can hold an absurd amount of stuff, and are one of the best ways to transport more than four people in comfort over long distances. For that, the Odyssey is about as good as it gets.

It's often called a fake BMW 5 Series and is hard to differentiate from the more-expensive K900, but why should that matter? For people who aren't concerned about a sport driving experience, the Cadenza offers most of the luxury materials and features they want at a good price. With a better warranty than what BMW offers, why should people pay more for a car with capabilities they aren't going to use?

Nissan hasn't updated the 370Z in years, and since it was introduced, the competition in its price range is much more fierce. Its interior is dated, and you won't be able to get all the latest options, but if you stick to the basic, manual transmission version of the car, you'll get a car that's still quite quick, sounds great, and loves to be thrown into corners.

The Pontiac Aztek is widely regarded as one of the worst vehicles of all time and regularly get compared to the Edsel when people talk about failed cars. Really, Pontiac's biggest problem is that the Aztek was too far ahead of its time. It was an all-wheel drive crossover SUV with no pretensions of going off-road and unconventional styling . . . just like most of the best-selling CUVs today.

There probably aren't many people out there who would be willing to say the F-body Firebird is the best Firebird ever, but it's also not nearly as bad as a lot of people say it is. If you're going to build a car with a huge engine and more of a focus on straight-line speed and burnouts than handling, there's no reason to use restraint in the design. The Firebird is wonderful at doing exactly what it looks like it can do.

People who say things like, "Oh, you couldn't afford a real Porsche?" or "The Boxster isn't a performance car," have clearly never driven a Boxster or a Cayman on a winding mountain road. There's a reason the 911 is considered one of the best sports cars of all time, but for the money, you aren't going to be able to beat the Boxster for poise, balance, and refinement.

Like the Miata, the BRZ and 86 put enjoyment over pure speed, and the result is a wonderful little coupe with tons of smile-inducing abilities. The manual is a no-brainer for anyone planning to enjoy this car to the fullest. Here's a used 2013 model with 66,000 miles on the clock that you can buy right now.

The third generation WRX and WRX STI are often chided for being bland and bearing more of a resemblance to the Corolla than Subaru fans were comfortable with. Still, the WRX got a huge boost in power in 2008 as well as better handling. The STI, meanwhile, had even more power and better handling, allowing it to chase down cars that cost much more money. Good luck doing that in a Corolla.