Advertisement

Eight Front-Wheel-Drive Cars With 300-Plus Horsepower You Can Buy Today

  • <p>The Nissan Maxima's "four-door sports car" claim is a bit exaggerated, but if you can look past that, it's got a lot going for it. You get a car with bold styling, a lot of comfort, and 300 horsepower. If only we could opt out of the CVT, the only transmission available.</p>
    1/8

    Nissan Maxima: 300 hp

    The Nissan Maxima's "four-door sports car" claim is a bit exaggerated, but if you can look past that, it's got a lot going for it. You get a car with bold styling, a lot of comfort, and 300 horsepower. If only we could opt out of the CVT, the only transmission available.

  • <p>The Lincoln MKZ is getting <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-shows/los-angeles-auto-show/news/a27377/2017-lincoln-mkz-first-look/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:a mild update soon;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">a mild update soon</a>, perhaps to change the current model's mustache-looking face. It also offers optional all-wheel drive, but you can still get the 300-hp V6 powering the front axle only. </p>
    2/8

    Lincoln MKZ: 300 hp

    The Lincoln MKZ is getting a mild update soon, perhaps to change the current model's mustache-looking face. It also offers optional all-wheel drive, but you can still get the 300-hp V6 powering the front axle only.

  • <p>Volvo's been making some big moves lately in an attempt to grab a bigger share of the luxury car market. Part of that involved developing a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that's both supercharged and turbocharged. In the S60, that engine makes 302 horsepower—straight to the front axle.</p>
    3/8

    Volvo S60: 302 hp

    Volvo's been making some big moves lately in an attempt to grab a bigger share of the luxury car market. Part of that involved developing a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that's both supercharged and turbocharged. In the S60, that engine makes 302 horsepower—straight to the front axle.

  • <p>Buick still hasn't quite shaken its image as a brand for the elderly, but it's definitely improved in recent years. We can't imagine many young people will be drawn in by the LaCrosse, but they're missing out on a comfy, quietly stylish sedan. And the fact that it comes with a 304-horsepower V6 certainly doesn't hurt.</p>
    4/8

    Buick LaCrosse: 304 hp

    Buick still hasn't quite shaken its image as a brand for the elderly, but it's definitely improved in recent years. We can't imagine many young people will be drawn in by the LaCrosse, but they're missing out on a comfy, quietly stylish sedan. And the fact that it comes with a 304-horsepower V6 certainly doesn't hurt.

  • <p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/reviews/a18247/2013-cadillac-xts-1/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:The Cadillac XTS;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">The Cadillac XTS</a> was never meant to compete directly with cars like the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class. Its front-wheel-drive layout limits its agility, but it does at least have a comfortable, high-end interior—which is part of why you see them so often in big city car-for-hire duty. It also offers a surprising amount of power—305 horses.</p>
    5/8

    Cadillac XTS: 304 hp

    The Cadillac XTS was never meant to compete directly with cars like the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class. Its front-wheel-drive layout limits its agility, but it does at least have a comfortable, high-end interior—which is part of why you see them so often in big city car-for-hire duty. It also offers a surprising amount of power—305 horses.

  • <p>This fancied-up Ford Taurus might not have particularly memorable styling—it's nearly indistinguishable from its Ford brethren from the side. But it does still offer a good bit of power for your money. Its base engine is a 304-horsepower V6.</p>
    6/8

    Lincoln MKS: 304 hp

    This fancied-up Ford Taurus might not have particularly memorable styling—it's nearly indistinguishable from its Ford brethren from the side. But it does still offer a good bit of power for your money. Its base engine is a 304-horsepower V6.

  • <p>It's not quite a luxury car, and it's no sports sedan, but the current Chevrolet Impala is still the best Impala in years. It's huge, spacious, comfortable, and will eat up the miles on the highway with no problem. That's partly thanks to its powerful 305-horsepower engine, a 3.5-liter V6 that makes more power than most of the V8s from the 1960s Impala heyday.</p>
    7/8

    Chevrolet Impala: 305 hp

    It's not quite a luxury car, and it's no sports sedan, but the current Chevrolet Impala is still the best Impala in years. It's huge, spacious, comfortable, and will eat up the miles on the highway with no problem. That's partly thanks to its powerful 305-horsepower engine, a 3.5-liter V6 that makes more power than most of the V8s from the 1960s Impala heyday.

  • <p>Not many people have been buying the Acura RLX lately; we doubt most people even know Acura still builds a large luxury sedan. But if you can get past the bland-yet-awkward styling, the RLX <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/road-tests/reviews/a6299/2014-acura-rlx-sh-shawd/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:offers good value for the money;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">offers good value for the money</a>. And in base form, you still get a 310-horsepower V6 cranking the front wheels. Not bad.</p>
    8/8

    Acura RLX: 310 hp

    Not many people have been buying the Acura RLX lately; we doubt most people even know Acura still builds a large luxury sedan. But if you can get past the bland-yet-awkward styling, the RLX offers good value for the money. And in base form, you still get a 310-horsepower V6 cranking the front wheels. Not bad.

<p>The Nissan Maxima's "four-door sports car" claim is a bit exaggerated, but if you can look past that, it's got a lot going for it. You get a car with bold styling, a lot of comfort, and 300 horsepower. If only we could opt out of the CVT, the only transmission available.</p>
<p>The Lincoln MKZ is getting <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-shows/los-angeles-auto-show/news/a27377/2017-lincoln-mkz-first-look/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:a mild update soon;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">a mild update soon</a>, perhaps to change the current model's mustache-looking face. It also offers optional all-wheel drive, but you can still get the 300-hp V6 powering the front axle only. </p>
<p>Volvo's been making some big moves lately in an attempt to grab a bigger share of the luxury car market. Part of that involved developing a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that's both supercharged and turbocharged. In the S60, that engine makes 302 horsepower—straight to the front axle.</p>
<p>Buick still hasn't quite shaken its image as a brand for the elderly, but it's definitely improved in recent years. We can't imagine many young people will be drawn in by the LaCrosse, but they're missing out on a comfy, quietly stylish sedan. And the fact that it comes with a 304-horsepower V6 certainly doesn't hurt.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/reviews/a18247/2013-cadillac-xts-1/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:The Cadillac XTS;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">The Cadillac XTS</a> was never meant to compete directly with cars like the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class. Its front-wheel-drive layout limits its agility, but it does at least have a comfortable, high-end interior—which is part of why you see them so often in big city car-for-hire duty. It also offers a surprising amount of power—305 horses.</p>
<p>This fancied-up Ford Taurus might not have particularly memorable styling—it's nearly indistinguishable from its Ford brethren from the side. But it does still offer a good bit of power for your money. Its base engine is a 304-horsepower V6.</p>
<p>It's not quite a luxury car, and it's no sports sedan, but the current Chevrolet Impala is still the best Impala in years. It's huge, spacious, comfortable, and will eat up the miles on the highway with no problem. That's partly thanks to its powerful 305-horsepower engine, a 3.5-liter V6 that makes more power than most of the V8s from the 1960s Impala heyday.</p>
<p>Not many people have been buying the Acura RLX lately; we doubt most people even know Acura still builds a large luxury sedan. But if you can get past the bland-yet-awkward styling, the RLX <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/road-tests/reviews/a6299/2014-acura-rlx-sh-shawd/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:offers good value for the money;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">offers good value for the money</a>. And in base form, you still get a 310-horsepower V6 cranking the front wheels. Not bad.</p>
Collin Woodard

Sure, these look like pedestrian family sedans. But with 300-plus horsepower going to the front wheels, they're surprisingly muscular. Tire fires may be an occurrence. 

From Road & Track