Some cars are sleepers, hiding incredible performance behind pedestrian bodywork. Others are simple slow-car-fast fun, economy hatchbacks like the Honda Fit or original Mini that — through simple coincidences in packaging — end up being a ton of fun to huck into a corner. Today, though, we're not here to talk about any of those. We're here to talk about the opposite: The cars that look fun, but aren't.
Earlier this week, I asked you all for the cars that look more fun to drive than they really are. Today we're looking through your answers, and there are some genuine surprises in here. The i8, sure, everyone expects a supercar, but the Audi TT? The BMW 3-series? I'm not here to judge, but, wow. Tough crowd. Without further ado, let's hop into your answers and see which cars had performance that disappointed you — cars you judged on their cover, only to come away feeling sour.
Tesla
The Tesla Model S. I know it's low hanging fruit, but after test driving one this week. Wow, I was so bored. It's ludicrously fast and the tech is amazing but compared to the Lucid Air Touring, Polestar 2 Performance, or even the Charger EV, it's not engaging at all. The acceleration is insane but it never made me want to take it on a curvey road or really push it. The car just doesn't seem to be setup for driving enthusiasts. The Air and Polestar are fantastic to drive even as an enthusiast who usually picks small, light cars. The Charger is sloppy but fun in a silly way. And compared to an actual performance car like a Camaro SS it's not even close. The Tesla doesn't communicate with you and it doesn't feel sporty in any way excluding acceleration. Great car for Ubers or people who want an A to B, not great for enthusiasts.
Submitted by: North
BMW
BMW i8
Supercar styling, supercar doors, supercar price tag, not a supercar driving experience.
Not saying it's a bad car (because it isn't), but the looks definitely write a check that the driving experience can't cash.
Submitted by: Featherlite
Honda
The Honda CRZ has to be on this list, I think.
Submitted by: Give Me Tacos Or Give Me Death
Jeremy from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
My dad has a 1981 Corvette that he refuses to part with. Admittedly, it is a beautiful car – two-tone burgundy over wine, orange pinstriping, and mirrored t-tops – wrapped up in that gorgeous C3 body with less than 50k original miles. Then you drive it and realize that it isn't good at anything other than cruising around town and looking cool. Everything feels slow and numb while the whole car becomes a cacophony of squeaks and rattles all around you.
Submitted by: Funky Dynamite
Steve Glover, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
FWD non-turbo Mitsubishi 3000GT base or SL model. I had one in the old days. Styling was top notch. It looked like it was going 80 mph just parked. I swapped out some parts to add the twin turbo brakes and wheels. Otherwise, it was 100% stock. People would always give me positive reactions. When I moved to a new house, several people walking dogs or neighbors outside would stop and talk to me because they were attracted to the car. Driving it was completely different. Even with a manual transmission it was painfully slow, sloppy shifter, very loud inside at any speed, and zero tradeoff of give up comfort for performance.
The car that is way fun to drive but looks horrible is the bug eye 02-06 Lexus ES. It zips around corners better than some "sports" cars, is reasonable fast for what it is, and so well built that you can't hear the engine running unless you really get on it. It feels way lighter than it is and simulates an EV experience over 20 years before EVs went mainstream.
Submitted by: Tex
Audi
Coming from a NA Miata in my early days and later an E46 convertible, I jumped at the chance to spend a long weekend with a 3rd gen Audi TT convertible (loaner) while my A4 was in for service. On paper, it checked all the boxes: sporty looks, compact size, and a drop-top.
But the reality was disappointing. Sitting in it felt like being sunk into a bathtub with only my head and top of my shoulders sticking out, even with the seat adjusted all the way up (I'm 5'9"). Top down or not, it was more like being in a pillbox than an open air roadster. The "convertible experience", that sense of openness and connection to the road just wasn't there.
To be fair, it had solid power and handled well, but the overall vibe never delivered what I'd expect from a car that looks so playful and sporty. It may suit some drivers' tastes, but for me it fell short of the convertible experience I'd hoped for.
Submitted by: J _
BMW
In 2017, I bought and M3. I loved that car but I had to take it in for service when I was out of state and the dealer gave me a 320i as a loaner.
It was so bad I took pictures. The steering wheel felt cheap, the iDrive screen had bezels a mile wide, and even the I-Drive knob was smaller in a way designed to make you realize you were too poor to afford a real BMW.
Driving was "fine" but felt dog slow... as would be expected when I stepped out of an M3 into a 180HP four cylinder.
Why anyone would sign up for BMW maintenance to live with an econobox interior is beyond me.
Submitted by: Leon Grossman
Lamborghini
Lamborghini Countach, hard steering, heavy clutch, back contorting seat, abysmal visibility, small pedals, but it looks great.
Submitted by: Towman
Subaru
the BRZ.
Dont get me wrong, it's good, it's fine, it does it's job. BUT, it looks about 50% more fun than it actually is. I did not like the engine or how the power was delivered in any of the three different models (toyota and subaru with various tune levels).
It just left me wanting more
Submitted by: JaredOfLondon
I have to stand up for my beloved Toyobaru here. True, yes, it's slow from the factory. Throw it into a corner, though, or kick the tail out, and I assure you it's just as fun as it looks.
Toyota
Definitely the Prius. The new styling makes it looks fun.... but it is still a Prius.
Submitted by: Sennamp4
