Here Are The Most Underrated Cars On Sale Today

Audi S5 power and faster than a Dodge Charger R/T (in GT trim) with a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty all while probably being cheaper to insure and repair than both. A liftback body with cargo room that rivals some small crossovers. A base engine that's no slouch. But no one cares. That's the Kia Stinger. It's simultaneously one of the best performance buys and one of the most underrated cars on the market today. A little over 12,000 found homes last year. No one buys them. In some places you can land a killer deal on one. Please, people. Go out and buy one before Kia throws in the towel.

We asked readers what they thought were the most underrated cars on sale today. These were their answers.

Large 4-door RWD NA V8 sedan straight from the factory — last of a dying breed. Decently equipped, comfortable and by all accounts quite reliable. The milquetoast 200 unfairly sullied the 300 and its flame-breathing Hellcat brethren garner all the headlines, but fantastic deals can be had for these (even in this market) and for the price, you are getting a fantastic car.

Suggested by: Sector 7G-Wagen

A few (lots!) dollars less expensive and similarly impressive is the Genesis G80 and G90 which provide decent performance and luxury at E-class prices. I would actually put the Genesis telemetry and infotainment as superior than the Japanese or German competition as it's easy to use and has all of the same bells and whistles expected. Haters say it's just an expensive Hyundai, owners say it's an understated vehicle that does all the right things.

Suggested by: Scott Pro (Facebook)

I'm slightly biased as I own one now, but damn it's an absolute hoot to drive. Has all the space you need and just rips when you step on it!

Suggested by: 2wheelmission

For about $40,000 you get a car you can drive off the dealer lot straight to the track and put the smack down on cars costing twice as much. RWD, V8, 6MT. Mag ride, electronic rear diff, great Recaros. It really is a great sports car.

Suggested by: Laststandard

The new Supra. It gets a lot of hate for being a shared platform with BMW, and the timing and price point drew comparisons to the C8 Corvette. It's an excellent car, and anyone that says otherwise hasn't driven one. The four-cylinder is still quicker than most people will use and is far nicer of a car than anything else at that price point. It's a bit more than a loaded Miata RF, and is so much more refined. The quality of materials is unmatched in the price range, IMO.

Suggested by: Idiot who sold e39 m5

The base model Impreza. It can be had as a manual hatch for under $20k brand new, has Subaru's AWD is quite comfortable even with no frills a few little mods (resonated axle back exhaust, short shifter, and pitch stop mount) and it's an absolute joy, in any weather, on my 140-mile round trip commute.

Suggested by: GXP_Addiction

I'm going to say Mitsubishi. They are generally forgotten by both the public and enthusiasts, but would hardly consider them a downgrade from any other generic Ford/Chevy/Honda CUV on the market. It's not they are more special necessarily, it's that they are no less "exciting" than the Escape, Blazer, CRV, and Rogue that litter every parking lot but are vastly less popular.

Suggested by: engineerthefuture

Kia Forte GT.

No one knows about this car yet it's brilliant to drive. It's a Jetta GLI but better made, feels higher quality especially the interior, sounds really good stock, etc.

And it's cheaper than a GLI.

Great little sporty sedan.

Suggested by: ExtraDas

Base Porsche Macan, the one with the VAG group 258-horsepower 2.0.

Everyone focuses on the S, GTS, or Turbo while ignoring the base car (which is seen as the soccer mom Porsche) yet is an absolute gem.

Lighter, better MPGs, RWD torque bias, and a lightning fast PDK, make these things essentially a giant hot hatch at a (relatively) low MSRP.

I was given one as a loaner when my S was in for maintenance and I was impressed. I would have seriously looked at the base, had I known.

Suggested by: factoryhack

Hyundai Ioniq. No, not the futuristic EV that is coming to the U.S. in the next few months, but the boring old Ioniq hybrid liftback that's been around since 2017.

It's the perfect anonymous car for anyone who wants Prius-beating gas mileage without the retina-searing hideousness of current Prius design. The Ioniq looks like... a car. My car-apathetic wife commutes 80 miles round trip every day, and this is the perfect vehicle for her and the millions of other drivers who just want a comfortable, efficient box to deliver themselves to the office.

Bonus points for 1) having a geared transmission instead of a CVT, 2) having negotiated prices around $20K brand new before the car shortages hit, and 3) being available in affordable PHEV and EV flavors for people who want to use even less gas.

Suggested by: Missing in Vlissingen

Probably the Lincoln Aviator. Honestly, most Lincolns right now, but the Aviator, in particular, stands out as a car that was pretty highly hyped when revealed, very well-reviewed when launched, and seems to have been *immediately* forgotten by everyone.

The current-gen Navigator kind of put Lincoln back into the spotlight and the Aviator was supposed to bring that Navigator panache into a more affordable price bracket. By almost all accounts the Aviator completely followed suit in terms of style, quality, and experience, but seems to sort of be languishing.

I'm not sure if it's because the new Explorer it was based on got such mediocre reception, or if people just aren't sure what its market position is, or what ... but I wish the Aviator got the type of attention and interest now that it did when it was revealed.

Suggested by: NateG

You won't like the answer. It is the Mitsubishi Mirage. It is cheap, it is reliable, and with one passenger in it — which is what most car journeys are — it has reasonable pep and gas mileage. It comes with a long warranty and a reasonable selection of gadgets. It isn't flashy, or big noise, it just does exactly what a car is supposed to do and it does it well, if boringly while taking what the consumer can throw at it. We all hate it for not being an Evo or a GTI, but that is just what makes it underrated.

Suggested by: skeffles