What makes a car fun to drive?

I'm a fan of NA motors. I like the instant throttle response and power delivery. I'm a fan of induction noise. Especially when the secondaries open on a Quadrajet. I prefer a neutral to slightly loose handling car that's very predictable. I prefer tires that have allow more slip angle and let go in a progressive manor.

RossD wrote: Having the ability to step the tail out at will or even having a nice and predictable automatic with a good torquey engine can be fun (I'm thinking 4.0 in the XJ Cherokee for the latter)

i ve had 2 xj. a 5 speed and an automatic. loved them, fun. BUT local scca (massachusetts) told me I could not ax it. Im not sure what I would need to do to make them let me. lower it i assume.

For me in a car that is fun to drive, handling is at the top of the list and a manual transmission is a must have. Car can be either turbocharged or N/A as horsepower is secondary. Must also brake well, and if the exhaust sounds good that is a major plus. The Mazda 3 I just got is all this, I would also put the Fiesta ST and Focus ST up there too. The 3 is so fun to drive that my wife who is not a car person also loves to drive it.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: In reply to scooterfrog: Consider Saabs if you're OK with FWD. They're dirt cheap and most can be made really fun with more boost.

That's is one i missed. my dad had a bunch of them. they are more practical than anything in my coup list

They should do something rewarding if pushed hard. Immediate response (which is my biggest problem with automatics - they have a bit of a delay to them), whether it's turning in as soon as you move the wheel, throttle response, or being able to climb through tough trails.

For me, it's about responsiveness and/or G forces. Manual transmissions are on the list only if the car has a small engine. My 330ci ZHP and 740i Sport are both automatic equipped and are a blast to drive fast in the twisties. My 500hp Fox Mustang was a blast to drive on the track even with the built C6 autobox. And the Volt was fun to drive even with the one speed "transmission." OTOH, I've driven a number of small engine cars with automatics that had ALL the life sucked out of them, including a couple loaner MINIs (one was an S). A Caterham would suck with an autobox, but my 400hp V8 RX7 with the built AOD would bark the tires into every gear, up or down shifting and was HUGE fun to drive, pulling more than 1 G in every direction. I'd never have a Miata with an automatic, but I'd drive a new Aston Vanquish with the 8 speed and flappy paddles.

One of the most fun cars I've ever owned was a 1988 Ford Turbocoupe. Bigger feeling but handled well. 5 speed, turbo, live rear axle, 4 wheel discs with ABS. Turbo boost and whistle in a grown-up feeling chassis.

It was hoonable when desired or comfy and sedate on the interstate. I don't know if there is a comparable car out there today but it may well be the right combination of things I'd like to have again.

What makes a car fun is different for everyone. For me, my main requirements are a nimble chassis, tight rack ratio, and smooth power band. Dynamics to me are way more important than how many pedals it has or outright horsepower. I also think it probably depends on the environment you're driving in.

For example, driving in the DC suburbs with a manual trans and a ton of HP is decidedly unfun because you have to shift all the time and can never unleash the engine. Conversely, I can imagine if someone lives in a semi-rural, mountainous area, a big engine and slick manual trans probably can really make a difference in fun factor.

I like it when they make me work a little. Not to the point of wearing you out, but enough to let you know that YOU are in charge. Kinda like taming a wild mustang. A little roudy. Willing to change direction. ALWAYS letting you know that you're doing something. If it doesn't remind me why I'm driving it, it's just a boring grocery getter.

YMMV, TWSS, WTFBBQ etc.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: Being different makes a car fun to drive- too much power, hilariously little power, great handling, atrocious handling, glorious exhaust note, awful noises, all have their place. Sometimes I think the perfect garage would include a Super 7, a 2CV, an old gasser, a completely stock malaise era Oldsmobile, an Exige... all special in their own way.

This is exactly my thoughts...for a car that I will drive.

Loved my old Wagoneers, CJs, cars with 450 or more cubes and autos all for different reasons. Cars without syncros and cable operated brakes are also entertaining or at least fun to drive.

My wife just wants it to have comfortable seats, look good, and get out of it's own way.

My friend has two 06 to 14 Mustangs, one with 400hp one with 800hp, the one with 400 gets driven way more because it is more fun.

My favorite cars to drive have been my E34 with a close ratio 5 speed and my 85 RX7, followed closely by an E30 M3, none of them had a lot of power but they all had entertaining chassis'. The M3 was only the best when pushed hard or on a track, if it had the M50 or M52 of the E34 it would have been the best car in the world. Something about a torque curve with two peaks made it not fun to drive slow.

What really gets me giggling in a car is big sedans with absurdly high power. These modern AMG with a few nannies turned off are just hilarious. The new twin turbo AMG cars with a tune are so ridiculous. You go from smooth cruiser to getting hit in the back by a train and then hitting warp speed!

Also light weight very underpowered cars. I had a crx hf that I would drive at 100% throttle through anything without breaking the speed limit. Fun little riots!

Oh and sleepers. My galant vr4 was taking out gt500's with 4 adults in the car lol.

The answers will be different for everyone. For me, it comes down to four factors. Top priority is a good transmission, whether manual or automatic. After that are communicative steering, sufficient power, and a nice balance between handling and ride comfort.

I've rented three different cars in the last 18 months. Previous-gen Civic, current-gen Sentra, and current-gen Malibu. I hated the Civic because the steering wheel had all the feel of a living room dimmer switch, and the transmission acted like it was filled with marshmallow topping. It had sufficient power for accelerating, though because of the steering I never got comfortable with the handling.

The Sentra was far superior. The CVT adapted to my driving style, power was adequate, I could tell through the steering wheel what the front tires were doing, and 8/10ths handling was a blast. On some very curvy roads in the Santa Cruz Mountains it took everything I wanted to throw at it, to the point of nearly overheating the brakes. I wouldn't mind owning one.

The Malibu fell short with its transmission. There was an annoying delay during upshifts, no matter how hard I was accelerating. The steering, handling, and power were fine, but the tranny was a deal breaker.

My 2000 Protege has become less fun since I swapped out the transmission (failed diff bearing, I think) for one from a junkyard. The syncros in the junkyard tranny are are nearly worn out, so shifting is slower than it should be. I still have the Eibachs and Tokicos on it though, so not all is lost. I'll rebuild the tranny here soon.

I haven't had the P71 long enough to decide if it's fun or not. This is the first big American V8 car I've owned since I had to let my 65 Impala SS go way back in 1992, before I knew much of anything about cars.

I'll leave the Miata off this list since it's so obvious.

All this being said, after 22 years I still miss my old 1980 Toyota 4x4. More than the Impala, in fact. It had good steering, but the worn-out engine made maybe 60hp, the manual shifter was as slow as an M. Night Ohgodnotagain movie, and it rode like an empty Kodiak box truck. I wish I still had it.

Dang, this turned into a tome. Sorry.

My idea of enjoyable is alot diffrent then most, i like old noisy cars with lots of feedback. Torque makes me smile. I prefer a lower peak power number with a good broad torque curve. Im immature and enjoy hooning around.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: In reply to mazdeuce: Likewise, with little enough power a bad automatic is hilarious- such as a C4 attached to an anemic 70s I-6.

This is the exact combo in my zephyr and ive enjoyed it more then any car ive ever owned. Kind of weird and shows how each person has diffrent taste.

driver engagement is what makes a car fun. The Passat is requiring more out of you.

You've all left our an important option- the Bob Costas magnet.

Yes, fun to drive can come in many forms. But for me, it's a balance of feedback, responsiveness and power. Lots of power. Sorry, but I've fallen out of the "it's more fun to drive a slow car fast" camp. No, no it's not. Nothing fun about making the engine scream and having to bang out shifts just so the old lady in the tan Camry behind you doesn't run you over...or accelerating out of a corner and wondering if you left the emergency brake on. Not fun.

The loose nut behind the wheel. Badum!

M2Pilot wrote: You've all left our an important option- the Bob Costas magnet.

I've had people tell me that about certain cars I've owned in the past. I didn't buy them for that reason and to be perfectly honest, I've never had a single female talk to me because of the car I was driving. Ever. Not even close to being a consideration.

I realize you likely meant that tongue in cheek. I just have never understood that particular phrase. I've heard it many times and I don't get it.

Yeah, I certainly don't factor that into my vehicle purchases. If a car speaks to my soul and I look forward to the next drive, that's all that really matters to me.

Nick (Bo) Comstock wrote:

M2Pilot wrote: You've all left our an important option- the Bob Costas magnet.

I've had people tell me that about certain cars I've owned in the past. I didn't buy them for that reason and to be perfectly honest, I've never had a single female talk to me because of the car I was driving. Ever. Not even close to being a consideration. I realize you likely meant that tongue in cheek. I just have never understood that particular phrase. I've heard it many times and I don't get it.

You're right. It was meant tongue in cheek,just thinking of the scene in Borat. I agree with your statement I've quoted. I've had pretty much the same experience.

Hoon factor:

Granma's 72 pinto on bald tires pounding around a muddy field is wet yourself endlessly screaming fun car.

My Datsun on road course is a fun car; light, revy motor, live axle induced oversteer with snappy turn in.

A 72 Dodge Polara in wet traffic circle in a small English city is fun.

A big barge packed full of friends on a beach road.....fun

More realistically I think good feed back makes a car; nice steering, brakes that don't feel like mush, a nice manual and a motor that either oozes torque or picks up revs quickly.

I love driving a well-engineered car. Don't get me wrong, I will drive my classics and muscle cars all day with a huge grin on my face, but when I get in a newer Mercedes, BMW, or Lexus, I always marvel at how much engineering and design they put into making it quiet, and making it handle well while maintaining a smooth ride.

Ergonomics score high for me too. My F150 requires leaning my body just to change the radio station or A/C. Not cool.

Generally, I think fun is inversely proportional to size.

Rwd, lsd, mt, more power than tire, good dampers, good steering. For me that's order of importance. Too many things to list and you dont want need them all, but if you have these, it's very likely it'll be fun.