Serious Performance without Compromise
So you need a daily driver… But you want so much more than the normal cars you see every day going to and from work. You want speed! You want power! You want your morning commute to be an adventure! You could do one of two things. First, you might consider getting a car, putting some modifications on it, and doing it that way. After you realize that might be more of a pain than what it’s worth, you probably consider the second option: Listening to us and getting one of these serious daily drivers!
Here’s our top ten list of the best daily drivers that you could just as easily take to the track over your lunch break:
Honda Civic Type R
After years of missing out on Honda’s coveted European offering, America finally got it! The Civic Type R has graced our shores with its presence, and despite the incredible amount of hype, it hasn’t disappointed. It’s an enthusiast’s dream while being super practical as well. It’s a hatchback. That means you have plenty of room in the back to haul everything you need, and all the people that need to be transported as well. Rest assured that wherever you need to go, you will get there on time, in style, and with so much excitement that you’ll take the long way on purpose.
Ford Raptor
I wouldn’t say that the Raptor is super-fast just because it’s still a pretty heavy pickup truck, but it does have the performance to get you anywhere you need to go, even if you have to get to work in the blizzard of the century. It also doesn’t really matter if you have to go to work in a hurricane… or in flooding rains… or if you have to drive through a hailstorm… Ok, so it doesn’t make any difference what Mother Nature throws at you, you will be able to get to work. The F-150 Raptor also has four doors so you can also take your family to their everyday activities too! Of all the vehicles on this list, it would probably be the least likely to be taken to a track, but the Raptor packs 450 horsepower and over 500 lbs/ft of torque which is plenty to propel you to your destination in plenty of time.
Ford Focus ST
The Focus ST is a small car, it’s true. But it does have four doors, it’s a hatchback, and it’s one of the most fun cars you can buy. It’s also affordable! With a 250 horsepower engine, it’s plenty fast for everyday driving. Even though one of the chief complaints about the car are the stiff Recaro seats, they are also said to mellow out with time. A true performance-minded car with practicality to boot, you will never regret your decision to buy this pocket rocket, and it won’t break the bank either.
Cadillac CTS-V/Wagon
What happens when you take a car brand that’s known for making supremely comfortable, sluggish, and “floaty” vehicles made for the aging population, take a car from that brand, and drop a V-8 Corvette engine in it? You get a Cadillac CTS-V! What happens when you create a station wagon version of the CTS-V? Well, of course, you get the CTS-V wagon, but you also get one of the most insane and yet still practical cars ever conceived. You can see the natural progression of things… right? It is kind of one of the most insane things GM could have done, but the result is awe inspiring. I love the CTS-V and its wagon brother! 600 plus horsepower has never been cooler in a family sedan, wagon, or really, just about any other car.
Dodge Charger Hellcat
The Charger Hellcat is kind of like the cousin to the CTS-V that hogs the spotlight because it’s better, even though it’s really not. The Charger Hellcat has a bit more power than the CTS-V, but it just goes about the same kind of business with a little more flair. It’s more well-known. It’s availability is a bit more widespread, and you still get a four-door sedan that can produce tire smoke for miles on end. The car also comes with two separate keys. That means you can use the key that limits horsepower – only in the Hellcat is 500 horsepower “limited” – to get you to your everyday activities. Then, on the weekend, you can break out the red key, giving you access to the full 707 horsepower the engine produces. Take the Hellcat to work, then take it to a track day after you’re done and wipe the floor with your “competition.”
Jeep SRT Grand Cherokee
The only SUV on the list gets Dodge’s famous SRT treatment. Dodge, as you can clearly see from the entry above, has a propensity toward the outlandish and the completely unnecessary. Clearly, it would be a brilliant idea to put one of the largest production engines available today in an SUV that’s also capable of climbing Pike’s Peak… completely off-road. The head honchos at Dodge thought it was a fantastic idea… so they did! The result is the SRT Grand Cherokee, capable of 160 miles per hour from the 475 horsepower the engine produces. Of course, the suspension is tuned to handle all the power and attempt to reduce the risk of rollover, but you still may want to be careful. On the other hand, you could just settle for dusting people at the traffic light on your way to the office every morning.
BMW M3
I love a good BMW. I’ve stated before that the BMW’s line of “M” cars has worried me a little lately. They’ve seemingly lost some of the magic they’ve become known for through the years. Nevertheless, the line of “M” cars has continued to set the bar for performance cars as they push the boundaries of what a car can be. The M3 is no exception. BMW split the four-door and two-door variations of the car into the M3 and M4 respectively, but even the two-door M4 isn’t insanely impractical as a daily driver. The M3 gives you four doors to work with and all the performance goodies that have made the M3 a great car with some extras to boot. Believe me, if you ever get bored driving the M3 around all day, you either need to have yourself checked at the doctor, or you may just have a CTS-V Wagon in your garage.
Porsche Panamera
Everyone knows the rich tradition and heritage that Porsche has built. Everyone also knows that as far as supercars go, the Porsche lineup tends to be better suited for daily driving than other comparable exotics. After Porsche came out with the first Panamera in 2009, critics thought it looked ugly, frumpy, and odd. Indeed it did! That’s kind of what you get when you take a 911 and give it two extra doors and an elongated body. Despite it’s odd looks, it didn’t disappoint anyone in the performance category, and with the addition of all that extra length, the added practicality gives it even more daily drivability than just about anything else capable of doing 180 miles per hour on the Autobahn.
Infiniti Q50 Red Sport
The Q50 2.0T made our list of the top cars that look faster than they are. It’s not really an honor that’s very flattering. The Q50 Red Sport is a different story. With a V-6 producing 400 Horsepower, the Red Sport makes twice the power of the 2.0T. It has looks to match its performance. It’s also a great daily driver. The Q50 is considered a small luxury sedan, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fit what you need into the car. Weight prevents the car from being all that it could be, but that doesn’t slow this thing down enough to keep it off our list.
Subaru WRX
The WRX is a legendary car with a legendary name. There’s almost nothing that needs to be said of the WRX except that its performance capabilities are world renown. It’s a popular enthusiast car because it’s seriously modifiable. It’s a great family car because of its safety, reliability, and toughness. In essence, it is every car to every man. With 268 horsepower on tap and an all-wheel-drive system to put all that power down, rest assured that you can go anywhere quite quickly. Subaru now offers the WRX with a continuously variable transmission, but make the smarter choice and go with the manual. You won’t regret it.
Now you can go to and from your daily business in style and with some performance to back it all up. I know that some of these cars are a bit pricey, but there a few that aren’t. Everyone needs a car they can be proud of that also does just about anything they need. It doesn’t matter if you own your own company or if you work part time at a grocery store. There’s something here for everyone!
–SWF
