Research cars
Get to know a model, compare your shortlist, or find a starting point for your budget. Friendly research for the cars you might actually buy.
15 articles
Generations, trims, and ownership checks for a car you already have in mind.
AP1 / AP2 (U.S.) · 2000-2009Model guides
A small roadster with a big personality. Choose the version that fits your driving and your budget, then spend more time checking its history than chasing a chassis code.
Z33 · 2003-2009Model guide
The 350Z puts a naturally aspirated V6, rear-wheel drive and two seats into a simple package. The important question is which version—and how it has been treated.
Mk3 RS · 2016-2018Model guide
A manual gearbox, turbo power and all-wheel drive make the Mk3 RS very different from a Focus ST. It is practical, but its sharper personality comes with trade-offs.
S197 · 2005-2014Model guide
The S197 mixes simple rear-wheel-drive fun with one of the biggest engine upgrades in Mustang history. Here is where the generations split—and why the 2013–2014 GT is such a sweet spot.
Fifth generation · 2010-2015Model guide
The 2010–2015 Camaro SS is fast, dramatic and often priced below newer muscle cars. The trick is understanding the LS3-versus-L99 split and shopping around its visibility compromises.
Z34 · 2009-2020Model guide
Compact, naturally aspirated and rear-wheel drive, the 370Z stayed in production long enough to become both familiar and surprisingly easy to misunderstand.
Mk7/Mk7.5 · 2015-2021Model guide
The Mk7 GTI combines real pace, adult-friendly comfort and hatchback practicality. A good one is easy to recommend; a neglected or badly tuned one is not.
VA · 2015-2021Model guide
They share a body and an all-wheel-drive identity, but the VA WRX and STI use different engines, transmissions and personalities. Shopping them as the same car is a mistake.
Mk3 · 2013-2018Model guide
The Focus ST turns an ordinary hatchback into a lively 252-horsepower daily driver. It is affordable fun, but modifications and maintenance deserve a close look.
BK and BL · 2007-2013Model guide
With 263 horsepower, a six-speed manual and real cargo room, the Mazdaspeed3 is still a bargain performance car. Finding a careful owner is the hard part.
C6 · 2005-2013Model guide
The C6 delivers a lightweight body, a large naturally aspirated V8 and everyday highway comfort. Understanding the 2008 LS3 update helps narrow a very broad market.
F87 · 2016-2021Model guide
The first M2 brought rear-wheel drive, a turbocharged straight-six and genuinely usable size back into one package. The original, Competition and CS versions each have a different case.
A90/A91 · 2020-2026Model guide
The modern Supra is compact, fast and far more usable than its shape suggests. The 2.0, early 3.0, later 382-horsepower cars and manual models create four distinct shopping paths.
LA · 2015-2023Model guide
The Challenger Scat Pack combines a naturally aspirated 6.4-liter Hemi with real rear-seat space and long-distance comfort. It is simple to understand, but easy to buy badly.
FK8 · 2017-2021Model guide
The FK8 pairs 306 horsepower, a brilliant manual gearbox and real cargo space with styling that refuses to disappear. Here is how to separate a cared-for driver's car from a tired one.
3 articles
Two good choices, explained around the way you actually drive.
B8.5 (U.S.) · 2013-2016Head to head
Compare the 2013–2016 S4 sedan and 2013–2017 S5 coupe. The engine is a shared attraction, but body style, gearbox and maintenance history should decide your shortlist.
Early sixth gen vs early S550 · 2016-2017Head to head
A focused comparison of the 2016–2017 Camaro SS and 2015–2017 Mustang GT. Both bring V8 character, but the right daily driver depends on more than horsepower.
Mk7 vs VA · 2015-2017Head to head
The 2015–2017 GTI offers hatchback flexibility; the WRX brings a turbocharged sedan and all-wheel drive. Here is how to choose around your actual commute.
1 articles
Shortlists by asking price, with room for the costs of ownership.