The Mazda MX-5 ST is affordable, with a starting price around $33,000, and fun to drive.Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail
Do you want a vehicle that’s fun to drive and costs less than $40,000? Here are five we recommend.
Mark Richardson: The obvious first choice for me is a Mazda MX-5, or what Americans still call a Miata. But this doesn’t need to be just second vehicles, or summer cars.
Petrina Gentile: I love the MX-5. It’s affordable with a starting price around $33,000, fun, and the perfect little two-seater summer car.
Richardson: That’s $33,000 before Freight and taxes, so actually about $40,000 out of your pocket. It’s far from perfect, though. Luggage space is limited and if you have creaky knees, like some older people who buy one in their retirement, it’s a long way down to get in and out of the seat.
Gentile: Forget about old people – it is a dream car for the single, young and hip who don’t care or need luggage space.
Richardson: Maybe, but the average buyer of an MX-5 is a married guy in his 50s. These days, a young person’s dream car is something that drives itself. We need to remind them how driving can be fun if you have the right vehicle.
Gentile: Point taken. MX-5 is a blast to drive, especially with the manual transmission and the top down with the sun’s rays on your skin. It hugs twisty, windy roads beautifully.
Richardson: Part of that is because you’re so low down, so the centre of gravity is low. And because it’s so small, the car really does feel like it’s an extension of you. I’m looking forward to owning one someday.
The Jeep Wrangler's four-wheel-drive system is rugged enough to take on the toughest terrain.Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail
Gentile: What about something bigger and more adventurous? I’m thinking a Jeep Wrangler?
Richardson: That’s a whole different kind of fun. That’s top down, doors off, drop the windshield, go anywhere, feel the heat. The cheapest Wrangler starts at $38,445 so it’s really easy to go well over the $40,000 budget, but they don’t fall much in value as they age.
Gentile: They don’t. Wrangler has one of the highest resale values of all vehicles. It’s fun to drive on and off the road. Driving off the beaten track with the roof and doors off is like nothing you’ve ever experienced. While it does take time and patience to have some open-air fun, it’s worth it.
Richardson: There are any number of local Jeep clubs that will welcome new members, and that really is the best way to discover the fun you can have in a Jeep. They’ll introduce you to safe and legal trails, and offer all kinds of advice for getting the most out of your Wrangler.
Gentile: And don’t forget some amazing festivals across North America, like the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival in Slippery Rock, Penn. I’ve attended before and it’s a dream weekend for off-roading and trailing adventures with a real sense of community.
Richardson: My cousin has a two-year-old Wrangler that’s never been off-road. She was going to buy the Rubicon version because she heard it was the best, but it’s only the best for gnarly off-road. For on-road comfort, the Sahara version is much better, but both those editions are well over the budget. It’s important to be honest with yourself when you choose a Jeep.
The Ford Mustang is a great summer car, either in coupe or convertible trims.Supplied
Gentile: Let’s move on to American muscle cars. There’s no denying a Ford Mustang or Chevy Camaro screams fun – affordable fun, too.
Richardson: And get ‘em while you can. Muscle cars and their gas engines are on the way out. The Mustang is already being usurped by the all-electric Mustang Mach-E, rebranded as an SUV.
Gentile: And don’t forget Mustang is the last car in the Ford fleet, too. It could be a collector’s item one day. Besides, it’s a great summer car, either in coupe or convertible trims. The starting price of $32,295 for the coupe won’t break the bank either.
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Richardson: Last month, the Mach-E outsold the gas-powered Mustang in North America. The regular car might hold its value well. I prefer it to the Camaro or even the Dodge Challenger because it feels more refined to me, but after all these decades, it’s really a question of brand loyalty.
Gentile: True. I prefer the Mustang over the Camaro and Challenger, too. But if I had my choice for a fun vehicle, I prefer the go-cart handling of a Mini.
The MINI Cooper 3-door is peppy, but it's held back by the Mini’s poor reputation for reliability, and the high price of repairs if they’re needed.Bernhard Filser/Supplied
Richardson: It’s fun to drive, for sure, and it’s small enough and peppy enough to just wrap itself around you, like the MX-5. It’s a great car for the city, but I don’t like the Mini’s poor reputation for reliability, and the high price of repairs if they’re needed.
Gentile: And they’re a bit on the pricey side, starting at $36,790 for the 3-door Mini. Compare that to a Subaru WRX, which starts at $30,995. The WRX is a way better deal and just as fun to drive, especially with a stick.
Richardson: Now you’re talking. The WRX is a rally car at heart, not as hardcore as the more expensive STI that’s been discontinued, but plenty of fun to drive on all kinds of roads, smooth or bumpy. The best thing about it, probably more than any of the other cars we’ve mentioned, is that it’s every-day practical. Comfortable for passengers and room for luggage.
The 2022 Subaru WRX is a rally car at heart.Emily Atkins/The Globe and Mail
Gentile: I’m not sure I would call it practical – it can be a little rough around the edges and not the most comfortable or refined. But it’s a blast to drive thanks to its rally racing history.
Richardson: It has reasonable space for four and you can soften the road manners for cruising on the highway. Or firm everything up for taking on gravel roads.
Gentile: So out of these five, what’s your favourite fun ride?
Richardson: Hmm. The Wrangler for off-road, hands-down. The MX-5 for travelling somewhere and enjoying the journey. And for an everyday car, the WRX. I guess I need a three-car garage. You?
Gentile: MX-5, hands down.
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