Features

Below we highlight important features for you to consider when purchasing a sports car.

Engines and fuel economy

The powertrain—the combination of engine and transmission—is a major consideration with sporty cars, because power delivery is a big part of the fun-to-drive equation. Enthusiasts often prefer a manual transmission, because a stick shift gives the driver more control over harnessing the engine's power. Shifting the transmission further engages the driver in the experience and helps complete the man-machine interface.

Many sports cars have a high-revving engine that may get a horsepower boost from a turbocharger or supercharger—devices that force more air into the engine than a "naturally aspirated" engine can draw in by itself. The more air that's available to mix with the fuel, the more power the engine can put out.

Larger sports cars and sports sedans usually offer a six-cylinder engine, either a straight-six, or more commonly these days, a V6. On the whole, six-cylinder engines have a larger displacement (cylinder volume) than four-cylinder engines, so it's easier for the maker to endow them with more horsepower and torque. Sixes are bigger and heavier, but also inherently smoother-running than four-cylinder engines.

The largest sporty cars, as well as American-style muscle cars such as the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, and Ford Mustang are offered with big-displacement, high-horsepower V8 engines. Acceleration tends to be effortless, and a brutally quick launch from a standing start goes with the territory, as does a very high top speed. The down side? Such cars tend to be heavy, emphasize acceleration over handling, and return poor fuel economy. (Check our fuel economy Ratings.)

Drive wheels

Some argue that the best sporty cars are always rear-wheel drive. While that remains conventional wisdom, there are certainly exceptions, such as the front-wheel-drive Honda Civic Si and Mazdaspeed3, and all-wheel-drive Audi TT and Subaru Impreza WRX. Supposedly rear-wheel drive takes its appeal from the power and weight distribution. In theory, a rear-drive car is easier to finesse with the throttle, enabling a skilled driver to rotate and get around a corner faster.

Access

Small low-slung sports cars, especially roadsters, can be very hard to enter and exit. Low, heavily bolstered seats, short doors, and arched rooflines favor youthful, athletic drivers. This is less of an issue with sports sedans. It can be a challenge to access the rear seat if there is one. Some models have a convenient one-hand-operation for scooting the front seats far forward. With all body styles, consider access issues. The trunk may be very small as well. Some hatchbacks have a high lift-over lip and the space may be compromised with a side-to-side brace added for rigidity.

Safety features

Sporty cars fairly beg to be driven fast, and with rising speeds the chance of a serious crash rises exponentially. Consequently, it makes sense to take all possible precautions to protect you and your passengers. It's especially important to have good brakes, and braking performance is one of the measurements we make on every car we test. We consider antilock brakes a must. We also consider electronic stability control (ESC) to be a potential life saver. Electronic stability control is a computer-controlled feature that automatically and selectively applies brakes to pull a car out of an incipient sideways slide. Most sporty cars come with ESC standard.

All new sporty cars have standard left and right front air bags, lap-and-shoulder belts, antilock brakes, and electronic stability control. However, it can be very difficult to install a child seat in the rear of a sporty coupe or convertible. (Check our road tests for an assessment of child seat compatibility.) Chest-level side air bags are common for front-seat passengers. Head-protecting side air bags, usually in the form of a side curtain that covers both front and rear side windows, are increasingly common and we recommend them where they're not standard.

Size is another safety consideration. Other things being equal, a larger car is safer for its occupants than a smaller car. Check our safety ratings, which factor crash-test results when available, and take those scores into consideration. However, since some sports models are low-volume specialty cars, there may not be crash test results available. (Learn more about car safety.)

Emerging safety technologies

The latest automotive safety advances include telematics systems that alert emergency personnel if an air bag deploys, lane-departure warning systems that sound an alert if you change lanes without signaling, rear-view cameras to prevent back-over accidents, and blind-spot warning systems that indicate vehicles driving in the blind spots to the side and rear of you. Automatic-braking systems are also spreading. These apply the brakes if you're approaching the car ahead too fast and ignore an audible warning that alerts you to the situation. (Learn more about car safety.)

Entertainment and convenience

The latest mobile electronics enable cars to deliver the fidelity of home theater, along with cell-phone connectivity and navigation guidance. There is a wide range of infotainment features available from the factory, and more so available through the aftermarket. (See our guide to mobile electronics.)

Audio system

The standard car-audio package is a stereo radio tuner and in-dash CD player with speakers left and right and fore and aft. An upgraded system typically has higher-watt amplifier power output—so you can play music loudly while minimizing distortion—and more and better-quality speakers to enhance clarity and sound separation. Top-level systems add digital sound fields, noise-canceling, surround sound, and DVD-Audio playback. Depending on the package, an audio upgrade can add many hundreds of dollars to a car's sticker price. Cars at every price level are adding a jack where you can plug in an MP3 device for playback through the car's audio system. Only stereos with a specific iPod connector, rather than a microplug port, will be able to control and recharge an iPod.

Satellite and HD radio

Subscription-only satellite radio offers broad channel selection, catering to a variety of musical and information interests, much like cable TV. Most vehicles offer satellite radio readiness in some audio systems. HD Radio is a relatively new system that allows conventional (or terrestrial) AM and FM stations to broadcast their content over digital signals with higher fidelity. It also allows stations to add more programming via several additional channels that can be broadcast "alongside" a station's main frequency, for delivering traffic or weather information, or diverse music content.

Navigation systems and connectivity

In-car navigation systems can be a valued featured if you often drive in unfamiliar territory. They typically retail for about $2,000 when offered alone but are often bundled with other features, such as a backup camera or a high-end audio system that can add another $1,000 or more. Built-in systems have large, clear screens that are centrally located in the dashboard and have generally intuitive controls. They are integrated nicely into the car, and some use touch-screen displays that make it easy to input destinations and navigate through menus. Some can also respond to voice commands, giving you the added safety of keeping your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. For a fee, many systems can provide real-time traffic reports, which can alert you to congested traffic, accidents, or road construction. However, portable units can offer most of the same abilities for much less money. (See Ratings and learn more about portable GPS navigation systems.)

Bluetooth connectivity is becoming more readily available, enabling wireless devices such as a cell phone to wirelessly communicate with the car's audio system. This can make for convenient, hands-free phone operation.

Popularized by GM's OnStar, telematics systems use a combination of cellular telephone and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to connect drivers with a call center staffed 24/7 at the touch of a button. For a monthly or annual fee, such concierge services can provide directions or summon emergency aid based on your vehicle's location.

See also:

GPS Navigation Systems

Car batteries

Car seats

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Guide to Driving Green