These Cars Are Surprisingly Fun To Drive, According To You

Earlier this week we asked you to share with the class an unsuspecting car that turned out to be surprisingly fun to drive, and I’m relieved to report that the responses were more playful than I expected. It’s easy, as a car nerd, to develop tunnel vision that blocks out all the more mundane cars that have under 300 horsepower, over a six-second 0-to-60 time or are commonly seen on public roads. It’s easy to become jaded and brush off these cars that are unremarkable on paper, but one of the best things about them is when you slide behind the wheel expecting to feel nothing, and as you set off you realize they’re actually quite enjoyable. 

I’m a firm believer in the philosophy that it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than it is to drive a fast car slow and gauging from most of the responses, the audience agrees. I said that I was surprised by how fun the 2026 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring was to drive, which I stand by. Yes, I might have had more fun driving up Angeles Crest Highway in something more purpose-built for driving enjoyment, but I was truly tickled by how well the Accord took a good flogging. I love being impressed by mundane cars with a secretive wild side, and it sounds like you all do too. These are some of my favorite answers, but there were plenty more that aren’t included, so feel free to go back and read through the other answers. These are some of the cars that are surprisingly fun to drive, according to the Jalopnik audience.

A few years back, the Wife and I rented a Fiat 500c cabriolet (with a standard shift, of course) while staying in Sicily. When we walked through the rental car lot, we saw fellow travelers rejoicing over their Audi cabrio rentals, making us wonder whether we would regret our choice of a Fiat.

We were convinced we made the right choice as soon as we cleared the airport and reached an open road. The car was so fun to drive that we had to take turns at the wheel. Also, drivers in Palermo are adept at turning a two-lane road into four. Having a subcompact car allowed us to go with the flow.

Submitted by: Kidney Grille

I had a 1988 Plymouth Horizon 4 door with a 5 speed and not much else. That car actually ran pretty good and was fun for what it was. My brother had the same car with an automatic and it was pretty hard to believe a manual transmission could make that much of a difference. That car with an automatic couldn’t get out of its own way.

Submitted by: Bruno

2002 Mazda Protege5 5-speed manual. I put over 130k miles in 5 years commuting to work and school. 18k on the road; not fast, but it towed my jet ski (in 3rd gear up steep grades). And with winter tires it handled snow routes to ski slopes just fine. This car was a blast to drive in corners while handling Home Depot runs without complaints. Trule the most flexible and honest car I’ve ever owned.

Submitted by: Igor Getsin

The first Gen Scion xA and xB on paper were roller skates. 105-hp 1.5L engine and no discernible reason for getting a second look, but at barely over a ton in weight, they could be tossed around on their skinny little tires.

They were truly the fun of Slow Car, Fast.

The real champion of that time was the first Ford Focus ZX3, not even the SVT, which I think we all expected to be fun, considering the badge, but it was a lot more fun than your typical economy car of the time.

Submitted by: potbellyjoe

My sister drives a 2013 Scion xB that she bought new. Just ticked over 130,000 miles and still running strong. That thing is actually a hoot to drive – nimble, handles well, and feels very zippy on city streets. The Camry 4-cylinder that they put in those things is a little gem of an engine…torquey and has plenty of passing power. You wouldn’t know it by the looks of it!

Submitted by: JonRob951

1994 Dodge Neon with a manual. I got one in college and loved carving the backroads of southern Ohio. They went on to an SRT version and an ACR club racer version.

Submitted by: trailbilly

I’m aging myself here as I’m going a little while back. My license was brand new and a friend of mine got one of those little Mazda MX-3 V6 coupes. And while the power numbers weren’t stellar, I remember that little sprite wanting to be tossed around with a slick shifter and the V6 was buttery smooth, especially compared to the 4-cylinder engines of that era. That was (to me) Mazda’s fearless, perfection era with the Miata, MX-3, MX-6, RX-7, and even their sedans had a bit of Japanese BMW DNA in them.

We look back now and wonder why they put a 1.8L V6 in a tiny sport coupe, but my reply is why not? Bubble-era Japan gave us some interesting cars

Submitted by: Xavier96

I was really surprised to drive my mom’s Chevy Cruze. A little car with a tiny engine yet a lot of pep. It was actually a fun drive and handled in a sporty manner.

Submitted by: MMOSB

My uncle bought a Base Mini in ’03. That was the most fun manual transmission car I’ve ever driven. You could push it in corners as it had amazing handling. Smiles for miles

Submitted by: T A

I have a gen 2 Chevy Volt…the weight is down low and the torque is instant when running off the battery, making it a lot of fun on the twisty roads behind my house. On the boring roads in front of my house I get to play the video game of “how many miles can I get from this charge”, which isn’t as fun but still better than nothing.

Submitted by: dug_deep

I once owned a 91 Saturn SL2. This thing was loaded for what it was, all leather interior, power windows, locks, and sunroof, the optional sport steering wheel, and a 5 speed manual. That DOHC engine was only good for around 120hp, but between the manual transmission and the lightweight plastic body panels, it was really all you needed.

Submitted by: [email protected]

A 1968 VW Bus. I mean…of course it’s fun to cruise around in due to the nostalgia/vibes/aesthetic but it can actually be fun to drive too. Figuring out the weird long throws, hitting the apex on windy roads for maximum comfort/minimum threat to life, etc. Dialing in the drive on that thing (really anything) really is an enjoyable experience.

Submitted by: SantaCruzin

Wranglers. There is noting quite like driving such a short wheelbase vehicle, top down, doors off. They are in a class of their own in that regime. Everything else, though, hard pass.

Submitted by: Lucky 13

My old 1991 Geo Metro 2-door 5-speed.

It would fry those little 12-inch tires in 1st and 2nd, and even chirp them in 3rd.

It could go (an estimated) 100 mph with 4 people in it.

It got 50+ mpg, no matter how I drove it.

It was just a fun little 55hp, 1,650 lb. bundle of joy.

Submitted by: Anonymous Person

Way back when, my dad got a 1971 Caddy that needed some work. I borrowed it when it had vacuum leaks and faded paint. My normal car was a Fiero, which was a BIG a switch in how a car drove you could find.

That Old Caddy was fun as hell. The brakes were touchy as hell so a gentle touch and the only thing I could see was the pavement as the old Caddy stood on its front bumper. The acceleration was shocking. Stomp the gas.. do a peg-leg burn out for 3-4 seconds. Teleport to 35.. do a 6 second shift to 2nd.. teleport to 70.. then start shifting even slower into 3rd. All while looking at the sky from the soft suspension.

The handling was “interesting” The steering wheel didn’t turn the car, but tip it. Turn steering 20 degrees, car tilts 20 degrees and a couple beats later, starts to turn. It felt like it had super slow steering, but the listing was instant.

Highway cruising was insane. Nothing but a steady hiss from dozens of vacuum leaks and a whisper of frost heaves. If you wanted to pass someone, you turned the steering wheel, Waited for the car to turn and correct while gently pushing the gas. The car would sink down a bit and the sounds of the frost heaves would increase in tempo. A couple seconds later, you would hear a ticking noise from the dash that was the speedometer hitting the peg. Absolutely no sensation of speed at all.

It was stupid, it was silly and it was fun as hell. It was a land yacht and showed why people bought them.

Submitted by: hoser68