Everyone has a different definition of “cool,” but there are some universal traits that most people can agree upon. For example, cool cars must look good, perform well, feature innovative technologies, signify something in the context of its time, or better yet, some combination of all of these. Based on these factors, the following are five of the coolest cars you can buy today — excluding ones that cost over six figures, because that would be cheating.
Audi e-tron GT
The Audi e-tron GT is neither the fastest nor most efficient all-electric car you can buy, but in the words of Top Gear’s Chris Harris, “It’s the best-looking electric car on sale. It’s gorgeous.” That’s not to say the e-tron GT is slow or inefficient. Riding on a cutting-edge 800-volt electric platform it shares with the Porsche Taycan, the e-tron GT develops up to 637 horsepower, offers 273 miles of real-world range[1], and can charge from 5 to 80 percent in just over 20 minutes. It’s the ultimate grand touring electric car.
Chevrolet Corvette C8
The Chevrolet Corvette has always offered great value, delivering performance on par with Europe’s best sports cars at just a fraction of the price. Now in its eighth generation, the C8 is the first Corvette with a mid-engine configuration, looking even more the part of a European exotic. It accelerates from 0-60 mph in only three seconds, and with the Z06 model just on the horizon, it’s only going to get faster. “Everyone loves the new C8 Corvette — it's extremely stylish and performance-oriented,” writes John Neff, editor-in-chief at Motor1. “But the best thing about the new C8 Corvette is that it offers the best bang for your buck in the entire class.”
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 has long set the standard for driving performance among sports car aficionados. Offered in about two dozen variants including the Targa, Turbo S, and GT3, the 911 is a two-door coupe with rear-wheel drive and a wonderful array of high-revving engines sitting on that rear axle, giving you all of the traction in the world. “With transcendent driving traits and terrific twin-turbo flat-six engines, the 2022 Porsche 911 is a nearly flawless sports car,” writes Eric Stafford, editor for Car and Driver. True, every model has looked about the same since, seemingly, the beginning of time, but it’s a style that never goes out of fashion.
Maserati MC20
As the brand’s first true supercar since the mid-2000s, the MC20 represents the future of Maserati. There are two things that make the MC20 cooler than its peers: The first is its twin-turbo V6 that uses F1 engine injection technology never before seen in a production car, which will be followed up by a hybrid powertrain. The second is its design. Unlike many modern supercars, the MC20’s exterior style is clean and understated — in other words, timeless. “The MC20 makes us wonder about all the supercars Maserati didn't build when it was in the shadow of the prancing horse,” says Car and Driver’s Greg Kable. “Now that it's unfettered by team orders, Maserati is poised to show what it can do.”
Hyundai Veloster N
The Hyundai Veloster N proves you don’t have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to drive a cool car. Sharply designed and available in a beautiful red-and-blue exterior color, the Veloster N is one of the only cars in its price bracket to offer a dual-clutch automatic transmission. “But don't neglect the rest of the Veloster lineup so quickly,” says John Neff. “Even the base $18,000 Veloster is a fun car, while the 201-horsepower Turbo model offers many of the same thrills as the Veloster N, but at a fraction of the price.”
Though cool cars aren’t necessarily expensive, it would be naive to ignore the correlation between price and cool factor. Still, there are many more cars within reach of average folk, like the Veloster N — and with the right modifications, any car can become cool.
[1] According to Edmunds.com.