Here Are Some Performance Sedans You Probably Forgot About

The Type S trim made an appearance on the third-generation Acura TL in the mid-2000s, and it was a legit sport sedan. Power came from a 3.5-liter V6 with 280 horsepower, 28 more horses than the previous-gen model. That power got routed to the front wheels via either a standard five-speed automatic with manual shifting (a feature Acura called SportShift) or a six-speed manual transmission. It also gained unique style elements like dark chrome wheels and quad exhaust tips, and stopping power came from four-piston Brembo front brakes.

On paper, the last Regal GS Sportback read like an enthusiasts special: It was a five-door liftback with a 310-hp V6, sport-tuned suspension and all-wheel drive. The problem was that it had a Buick badge. If you’re like me and live outside the midwest, you’ve probably never seen a Regal GS of this generation on the street because no one bought them. After just two years on the market, the Regal was dropped in 2020.

There were Fusion Sports before this, but the 2017 debut of the Fusion Sport was the first time Ford actually went and tried to make one fun to drive. Power came from Ford’s twin-turbo 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 with 325 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, and that power got routed to all four wheels. Other enhancements included unique styling and a suspension system Ford called Continuously Controlled Damping.

Unfortunately, despite the specs, the Fusion Sport was underwhelming to drive. Former Jalop David Tracy called the Fusion Sport “a family sedan first and a driver’s car second.”

By its last generation the Ford Taurus had grown into a big, full-size sedan with an interior that was strangely smaller than its proportions led on. After being absent for two generations, Ford decided to bring back the SHO for this Taurus in the 2010 model year. Ford described it as a sleeper, with power coming from an EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 with 365 hp routed through an all-wheel-drive system and a six-speed automatic transmission. Other enhancements included optional high performance tires, 20-inch wheels and upgraded brakes.

Back before Genesis became its own luxury brand, it was two models under Hyundai: The Genesis sport coupe and the Genesis luxury sedan, which was a competitor to cars like the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. For the 2012 model year, Hyundai decided to get a bit serious and coincide the introduction of the brand’s new 5.0-liter V8 engine with a performance version of the Genesis sedan. Called the 5.0 R-Spec, it paired the 429-hp Tau V8 with 19-inch wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 summer performance tires, and sport tuned suspension, steering and transmission.

Tougher CAFE standards started coming into effect around 2012, and Nissan and Infiniti were feeling the heat. In a move to keep the automaker’s average MPG up, Infiniti decided to drop a smaller V6 into the G sport sedan. Nissan brought its VQ25VHR V6 engine from overseas, and the 2.5-liter unit was the smallest V6 the brand offered in North America.

Power was equally small at just 218 hp and 187 lb-ft of torque. You could pair that with rear or all-wheel drive. Fuel economy was a bit better, but performance was lacking as it was nearly two seconds slower to 60 mph than the G37. It’s probably best this one stay forgotten.

Back when Mazda was still testing the waters with the luxury market, it gave us the Eunos, also known as the Millenia in North America. While it was a perfectly fine mid-size luxury sedan, the drivers’ Millenia was the Millenia S. Power came from the sophisticated supercharged 2.3-liter Miller Cycle V6. Sadly though, that was the only bit of performance the Millenia S came with.

The sixth-generation Nissan Sentra SE-R would ultimately be the last iteration of this sport compact sedan. Nissan actually tried a bit more with this generation, like tuning the suspension on the Nürburgring and documenting it. Power came from a 2.5-liter inline-4 that made either 177 hp, or 200 hp in Spec V guise. Of course the one you wanted was the Spec V, as the standard SE-R got stuck with Nissan’s CVT but the Spec V came standard with a six-speed manual transmission.

While Pontiac heavily marketed its GXP performance brand, the GTP trim sitting right below it got lost in the sauce. Powered by a 3.9-liter V6 with 240 hp, you could get the GTP with either an ancient four-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. It also came with sport-tuned suspension and 18-inch wheels. The problem was the price. At nearly $28,000, it cost nearly the same as more capable cars like the Ford Mustang GT at the time.

The 9-3 Turbo X was an extremely limited version of the 9-3 sedan with its performance dialed up to 15. The heart of the Turbo X was a 280-hp turbocharged 2.8-liter V6, with power routed to an all-wheel drive system called XWD that had an eLSD. A six-speed manual transmission was standard, or you could option a six-speed automatic. Just 600 were ever made between the sedan and the SportCombi wagon, and all were painted black.

The Legacy GT was the driver’s version of Subaru’s mid-size sedan. It came with a 250-hp 2.5-liter engine, a six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive. You could even option it with a short-throw shifter, complete with a Momo shift knob. It was essentially a more grown-up and luxurious WRX.

Back when Polestar was still a performance engineering arm of Volvo, it managed to get its hands on the S60 sedan (and V60 wagon). The result was the S60 Polestar. Initially, power came from a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 with 345 hp. That power was routed through a Haldex all-wheel drive system with a rear torque bias and a six-speed automatic. Six-piston Brembo brakes, manually adjustable Öhlins dampers and bright blue paint rouded out the performance changes.

Later, Volvo went and ditched the relative simplicity of the I6 for a more complicated and smaller yet more powerful engine, Volvo’s Drive-E four-cylinder power plant. The supercharged and turbocharged engine made 365 hp. Sadly, the S60 Polestar was expensive at over $60,000 to start. And rare. Just 750 S60 and V60 Polestars were brought to the U.S. in 2015, and just 274 came for 2016. Later model numbers are a bit hard to come by.

For 2018, VW gave the U.S. market an exclusive in the Passat GT. Nearly a Passat GLI, the Passat GT paired sporty, GLI-like styling with a 280-hp 3.6-liter V6, a six-speed DSG transmission, slightly lower suspension, retuned exhaust and 19-inch wheels for just $29,995.