Cars have been around for decades. Hundreds of different makes and models have rolled out to the point that it’s hard to keep track of all of them. It’s natural that the public has overlooked a few classic and modern bangers over the years.
Whether because a more popular vehicle stole the show that year, or because they didn’t launch with flying colors, we think it’s high time a few of these models get some time in the spotlight.
Here’s our list of underappreciated cars that we think deserve more love.
Let’s start with the classics. Cars have been around since the 1800s, which is more than enough time for an impressive backlog of underappreciated classic cars to form. While we couldn’t include all our underrated favorites on this list, here are our top five:
The Buick Roadmaster Wagon was available from 1991 to 1996, just a smidge too early for the retro craze of the late 90s and early 2000s.
The Roadmaster is a gorgeous old-school station wagon with a classic body-on-frame construction that Buick pulled straight from the 70s. Its interiors match the 60s despite being manufactured well into the 90s. The Roadmaster also has a plush, spacious cabin, fantastic suspension, and excellent power steering abilities.
Unfortunately, the early 90s weren’t the best years for the vehicle.
The Roadmaster’s original target audience was families who needed to haul kids and vacation luggage across the country. However, these families were already transitioning from station wagons to minivans and pickups. The Roadmaster sold relatively well, but not enough for Buick to continue production past 1996.
The Ford Fairmont (1978-1983) is a bit of a sleeper on this list.
While this classic muscle car certainly has a retro look and feel, it does little to separate itself appearance-wise from the other vehicles in the 70s era. If anything, it looks a little bland in comparison. But looks can be deceiving.
The Fairmont is the first of Ford’s Fox-chassis vehicles, predating even the famous Fox Body Mustang. The roomy and bright interiors made the Fairmont an instant hit in its day amongst working-class families. It successfully served as a transition vehicle for Ford towards roomier, less bloated vehicles overall.
That roominess extends past the cabin as well. The Fairmont’s slightly longer body gives a bit more space to enthusiasts looking to upgrade their own Fox-body classic.
Fairmonts and Mustangs have a load of interchangeable parts thanks to sharing the same body. What’s even better is that the Fairmont’s sleeper status has earned this model a lower price tag on the secondhand market. If you’ve always wanted to work on a Fox Mustang but don’t want to break the bank, look into buying a Fairmont instead.
GM A-bodies are becoming more popular in the automotive enthusiast space, but given how long they flew under the radar, we figured they deserved a place on this list.
GM’s A-body vehicles, specifically the GM Colonnade cars of the 70s, are those with midsize intermediate chassis. In other words, they had a body-on-frame design with both the suspension and driveline assembled on a perimeter-frame chassis before the body.
GM Colonnade cars provided better roll-over protection than previous A-body vehicles, and many came with V8 engines and rear-wheel drive.
A variety of cars fall into the GM Colonnade category because they all use the A-body chassis. Special mentions include the 1974 Chevy Laguna, which appeared in The Cannonball Run film in 1981, and the sleek and speedy 1973 Pontiac Grand Am.
The Ford Thunderbird was a heavy hitter in the 1950s, beating out the Chevy Corvette on the sales floor and carving out the new personal luxury car market segment.
Unfortunately, the line took a hiatus after the tenth-generation Thunderbird Super Coupe (SC). The Thunderbird SC still has desirable traits aplenty though.
To start, the Thunderbird SC packs a supercharged V6 engine under the hood. The V6’s configuration means the engine runs smoothly, giving this classic a good kick of power when it needs it. The Thunderbird also has adjustable shock absorbers, anti-lock disc brakes on all its wheels, and a fully independent rear suspension, all of which were rarities in its era.
Unfortunately, the Thunderbird’s appearance might have puzzled its audience at the time. Given its luxurious legacy, the new, sportier look caused some confusion. Today though, it shines as a charming, more robust skin on a premium and comfortable ride.
The Porsche 924S might not be as popular as the 911 or the 944, but that doesn’t mean it deserves to be overlooked.
This Volkswagen-designed speedster has a pointed body that cuts through the air and makes handling a dream. This is thanks to the 924S’s near-perfect weight distribution and lighter weight. The original 924 held an underpowered VW EA831 2-liter engine under its hood, but Porsche gave the 924S a beefy upgrade.
The turbocharged inline-four engine under the 924S’s hood makes it absolutely perfect for rallying and endurance racing. These aggressive-looking performance vehicles were eventually eclipsed by newer 911 versions, but they’re worth a look for any Porsche enthusiast.
While there are a ton of underrated classics out there, let’s not forget some modern vehicles that we might’ve missed in recent years as well.
Launched in 2008, the Tesla Roadster was the first production vehicle to use lithium-ion batteries. This alone marks it as a milestone car that will likely go into the history books.
The Tesla Roadster’s limited run of only 2,500 units guarantees that this machine will be a collector’s item before too long if it isn’t already. It’s rarely mentioned today, but give it a decade or two and we’re pretty sure the Tesla Roadster will make a comeback whenever someone mentions influential cars of the 21st century.
The Nissan Juke is a unique little crossover that many deemed “ugly.” However, the Juke is known to be fun to drive and has a boatload of personality that many modern crossovers lack.
This Nissan was built to be memorable and stylish first and foremost. While many might argue against the second point, it’s more difficult to counter the first.
In the world of underrated sports cars, having a more popular sibling is one of the factors that can haunt an entire line.
The Lotus Evora GT is in the unfortunate position of being sold alongside the famous Lotus Elise. The Elise is a powerhouse with a $30,000 price tag, so it’s a little hard to compete. And yet the Evora competes nonetheless.
The Evora GT might not win any popularity contests against the Elise anytime soon, but it looks and runs like a dream, sounds fantastic, and might even match Elise prices on the secondhand market.
And there you have it, our pick of the most underrated cars out there. While we couldn’t cover every forgotten and hidden gem, we did cover our favorites. Hopefully, you spotted one of yours on our list.
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