These Are The Best Driver's Sedans For Less Than $50,000

If you have a kid (or two), but still want something fun to drive, buy one of these.

It's starting to become more expensive than ever to buy a new car. In fact, the average price of a car in 2016 was $34,077, the highest that it has ever been. $50,000 really doesn't buy you as much as it used to. Back in the 1990s, an E36 M3 started at under $40,000. Today, it's hard to find a new M3 for under $70,000. Plenty of used cars offer a ton of driving pleasure, but some people want a brand-new sedan to haul their family around in. And it is with these buyers in mind, we have chosen our favorite new driver's sedans for under $50,000.

Even though it didn't make our top five, we wanted to start this list with an honorable mention for the Chevy SS. The SS didn't make our list because GM has already stopped building this car, and we didn't want to include a discontinued model on a list of brand-new cars. We wanted to take this opportunity to mourn the loss of an incredible car that would have easily topped our list if it had lived on for another year. The SS is powered by a 415 hp 6.2-liter V8, which would have easily made it the most powerful on the list. It is sad that cars like this don't seem to have a future in the automotive industry, but we would highly suggest going out to find one of the last of these cars still sitting on a dealer lot.

The M3 may cost well over $50,000 today, but the mid-level 340i is available starting at $47,900 with a no-cost manual transmission and RWD. The 340i comes with a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with 320 hp, which is far more than a E36 M3. We'd order a 340i with the stick to make it the best driver's package, but there won't be much room left to make it a great luxury daily driver. BMW charges a lot for options that don't come standard. A base 340i doesn't even come with real leather on the interior. The 340i is still a nice driver's sedan with the six-speed manual transmission, but the competition has grown over the years and there are some less expensive options out there with plenty of power and plenty of luxury.

The Jaguar XE is a direct competitor to the BMW 3 Series. The XE is a huge improvement over Jaguar's last attempt at an affordable sedan, the X-Type. For true driving pleasure, we'd recommend the most powerful 3.0-liter supercharged V6 with 340hp. This engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic and starts at $41,700. For those who like to row their own gears, Jaguar does offer a six-speed manual on the 2.0-liter turbocharged car with 240 hp starting at just $34,900. Either engine is a great option for a well-balanced driving sedan with elegant British style and charm.

The Audi S3 is the smallest sedan on this list. The S3's small size makes it great at handling back roads, but it may be too small to pull family duty for some people. In other markets, the S3 is available as a hatchback or convertible, but the US only receives the sedan with the six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The S3 shares its 2.0-liter 292 hp four-cylinder engine with the Volkswagen Golf R, but comes in a more executive-looking package with a nicer interior. The base S3 starts at $42,900, which is a bit more than the Golf R with the same transmission. This is the only sub-compact sedan on this list, but its small size doesn't stop it from being huge fun on a back road.

The Subaru WRX is the least expensive model on this list with a starting price of $26,695. The base WRX comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four with 268 hp and a six-speed manual. There is an optional CVT, but we don't have to tell you which we'd recommend. The WRX STI brings the power up to 305 hp and the price up to $35,195. We like the added power of the STI, but the 2.5-liter flat-four is actually older and more outdated than the 2.0-liter unit in the base car. We expect to see an updated WRX and WRX STI soon, but these rally cars for the road are still some of the best driver's sedans on the market.

Our final choice is the mind-blowing Alfa Romeo Giulia. The base Giulia comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder with 280 hp. In the US, the Giulia is not available with a manual transmission, but this doesn't stop it from being extremely fun. The Giulia really has to be driven to be believed. After driving the Giulia, we can tell you the it feels more like a sports car than just a "fun sedan." Alfa Romeo has really managed to build something special here, and we'd gladly sacrifice reliability for the opportunity to drive this amazing sedan.

These Are The 5 Best Car Interiors On Sale Today

These cars blew us away with their phenomenal interior design.

Every year, a bunch of surveys get released that show the best car interiors for the current year. However, these lists usually factor in things like price, so that they aren't just full of exotic supercars. We decided that we wanted to make our own list of best interiors with some of the more recently updated models. Our list has no restrictions, just interiors that we absolutely love. We have decided to include sports cars and more practical models on this list, although the reasons why we love each might be a bit different depending on the type of car.

The new Mercedes E-Class wowed us in more ways than one. The exterior is understated and extremely elegant, but the interior really blew us away. The new E-Class borrows the all LED screen configuration from the S-Class, which looks very futuristic. The E-Class also has the wonderful machined aluminum speaker grills that we have obsessed over. The blue mood lighting makes the interior seem welcoming and the metal air vents that look like a string of pearls really makes the dash seem expensive. This E-Class interior can go toe-to-toe with much more expensive models like the Audi A8, Jaguar XJ and even the BMW 7 Series.

In the past, Porsche interiors were often a weak point of the brand. They didn't look particularly bad, but the technology was often old and outdated. With the newest range of models, Porsche has decided to finally compete on the technology front. The new Panamera is the perfect example of this transformation. The old Panamera was a button-covered mess, but this new one looks straight out of the future. Touch sensitive buttons aren't our favorite alternative, but the way that Porsche has laid out the new Panamera is simply stunning. The back seat also finally looks like a nice place to sit that isn't just relegated to whichever passenger you like the least.

Lexus knew that it had to give its new flagship car an impressive interior, and it has certainly succeeded. The new LC500 has an amazing interior thanks to hand-stitched leather and real materials throughout the cabin. Almost every touch-point in the car is exactly what it looks like and there is practically no plastic anywhere in the cabin. The LC borrows the awesome sliding tachometer from the LFA, which is a nice, sporty touch. Even in the "baby diaper brown" color, we can't get enough of this interior. Lexus may have stolen the unofficial best interior design crown from Aston Martin with this amazing design.

Many of the cars on this list are geared towards luxury, but crafting a sporty interior is also a difficult feat. We love what Audi has done with the new TT, especially the TT RS. The TT borrows a lot of elements from the R8 and the Lamborghini Huracan. The interior is extremely driver-centric and doesn't even have a screen for the passenger to look at. Instead, all of the important controls are handled by the Audi Virtual Cockpit in front of the driver. This frees up the rest of the interior to be minimalistic, but still very interesting. We love how Audi integrated the climate controls into the actual vents to free up space, even if that is an idea that it stole from the Corvette and F-Type.

Just being expensive wasn't enough to get on this list. There are plenty of expensive cars with interiors that did not impress us. Mazda has always managed to make the Miata the perfect sports car, and the interior is a big part of that formula. The new Miata brings the recipe into the 21st century with modern features like a navigation system. Yes, the NC generation didn't even have navigation as an option. The new Miata stays true to the formula of Jinba Ittai by having the shifter (as well as the other controls) fall perfectly into the driver's hand. The Miata has a wonderful interior, and the RF model makes it feel even more special.

Audi Will Let You Drive These Models For $1,395 A Month

The monthly fee will provide access to the A5 convertible, S5 coupe or Q5 or Q7 crossover.

Audi is the latest automaker to join the car subscription service bandwagon in the US, following the likes of BMW, Volvo, Porsche and Cadillac. Dubbed Audi Select, the new subscription service lets customers swap a selected range of vehicles and provides access to Audi rentals in two dozen domestic markets. There is a catch, though – the service is currently only being trialled at five dealerships in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

For a fee of $1,395 a month, customers will have access to an A4 sedan, A5 convertible, S5 coupe or Q5 or Q7 crossover. According to Automotive News, subscribers can swap vehicles up to twice a month and hold any vehicle for up to six months.

Like other similar subscription services, the monthly fee includes taxes, maintenance and insurance, but does not cover fuel costs. You also have to be at least 25 years old and hold a valid driver's license free of major moving violations to be eligible.

Audi’s first US subscription service also entitles customers to up to 25 days of Audi rentals annually through Silvercar in 24 markets including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Denver. Reservations can be booked through the Silvercar app before the car is delivered to you.

While the service is currently only being trialled in Texas, the automaker plans to roll out Audi Select in other markets in the future if the trial is successful. “We do want to do this in other markets, but we need to learn what we need to learn before we move to other markets,” said Audi of America CFO Matt Carpenter. He went on to describe the program as a "new interaction" and said he expects the expansion to be announced by the end of the year.

These Are The Best Paint Colors That We Saw In 2017

Manufacturers finally decided to get a bit different in 2017.

Last year, we came up with a list of our favorite car colors that were available in 2016. Now that 2017 is almost over we wanted to look back on the interesting paint colors that wowed us over the year. Only one car from last year's list made it onto this year's. The rest of the paint colors were found on brand-new models that weren't even available last year. We like to see the turnover because it shows that the industry isn't just content to do the same thing over and over.

When McLaren first revealed the configurator for the new 720S, it showed off a bespoke model from McLaren Special Operations. This bespoke model was called the 720S Velocity, and it blended Nerello Red carbon fiber bodywork at the front with Volcano Red at the back and sides. This combination creates a truly unique looks that really makes the 720S pop. The 720S comes in a variety of amazing colors that could have made our list, but sadly we could only choose one.

Our second color also comes from a British automaker that could easily have had more than one color appear on this list. Aston Martin made headlines this year by releasing the new Vantage in a blinding shade called Lime Essence. While this color certainly grabbed our attention, it wouldn't be our first choice for a gentleman's sports car. That is why we decided on Ocellus Teal, a lovely shade of blue on the DB11. We think that this color is very vibrant, but it doesn't stick out too much on what is meant to be a low key grand tourer.

The Dodge Challenger/Charger is the only model on this list that carries over from 2016. Dodge has been known to offer some of the most badass colors on the market that go well with badass models like the Hellcat. For 2017, Dodge offered a new color on the Charger and Challenger called Destroyer Grey. This is a flat grey color that is very much like Ford's Avalanche Grey or Audi's Nardo Grey. Flat grey is a very popular color right now, because it stays clean, looks cool, but isn't too outlandish. Of course, Dodge also gave its color an awesome name to go along with some of its best color names like Plum Crazy Purple.

In almost every press photo that we saw for the Alfa Romeo Giulia, it was painted red. This quickly became the signature color for the car. When the company revealed the Giulia Veloce, it showed it off in a lovely color called Misano Blue. This color has quickly become one of our favorites this year. Misano Blue is now available on the standard Giulia as well as the Quadrifoglio for just $600 extra. This lovely hue can also be ordered on the Stelvio, so even your SUV can look gorgeous.

The final color on our list is called Sonoma Green, and it comes on the new Audi RS5. Audi has come up with dozens of cool colors over the years, many of which can be special ordered for a cost. Many automakers have been making cool shades of red, blue and grey, but hardly any companies have been focusing on green. A few supercar companies like to use bright greens, but Audi has created a lovely dark green for the RS5. We think that Sonoma Green looks fantastic and we'd order it in a heartbeat. What were your favorite colors of 2017? Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments.

View the original article here

Don't Pay A Markup For The Civic Type R: Buy One Of These Instead

We can't believe that all of these awesome cars are cheaper than a Civic.

We really like the Honda Civic Type R. It's cheaper than the competition with a semi-affordable base price of $33,900 for the 2018 model, which is even less than the previous year. Unfortunately, most Honda dealerships are charging a markup on the Type R, which means that people are paying well over $50,000 for them in some cases. We knew that we could find plenty of cheaper alternatives to the Type R on the used market. Our only requirements were that the cars had to cost less than the Type R's MRSP and have some kind of hatch.

Mercedes-AMG GLA 45

When we came up with our cheap alternatives for the Kia Stinger, we were surprised that a used AMG Mercedes was actually significantly less expensive. Likewise, you can also get an AMG Mercedes for less than a Civic Type R. Unfortunately, Mercedes doesn't sell a hot hatchback in the US, but is does sell the slightly raised up GLA 45 AMG. This mini-SUV packs 355 hp from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo. This is around 50 hp more than the Civic and you are getting a Mercedes with a hand-built AMG engine. We found 2015 models for less than the Civic's roughly $34,000 price, with low mileage of around 20,000 miles.

Audi TT RS (Mk 1)

The Audi TT isn't technically a hatchback, but it does have a rear hatch, so we wanted to include it on this list. We knew that we could probably find a TTS, which shares a drivetrain with the Volkswagen Golf R, for less than the price of a new Type R. However, we discovered that it is actually possible to buy a first generation TT RS for less than $34,000. The first generation TT RS was only sold in the US in 2012 and 2013. The car produced 360 hp from a 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo and only came with a six-speed manual transmission. Like the Type R, the TT RS was a limited edition model that is extremely rare to see on the road.

John Cooper Works Mini

People who buy a Civic Type R want to know that they are purchasing the most exclusive and most powerful version of a fun-to-drive economy car. That is why we have recommended the John Cooper Works Mini. The JCW is the most powerful and exclusive version of any car the automaker offers. JCW models come with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 228 hp. This may not be as powerful as the Type R, but these cars are mostly lighter and can be more fun than the Civic. Buyers can even choose which body style they'd like, because Mini sells JCW versions of the Cooper, Clubman and Countryman SUV.

VW Golf R32

If exclusivity is what you are after, look no further than the Volkswagen R32. Like the Type R is to the Civic, the R32 was the most powerful version of the Golf before it was renamed the Golf R. Only 5,000 units of this car were built in the US for 2004 and 2008, making it quite collectible. Both models were powered by VW's wonderful 3.2-liter VR6 with 240-250 hp. VW kept the options list simple for these cars in the US. If you want a manual transmission, you have to buy the 2004 model because the 2008 model was DSG only. Despite their rarity, both generations of the R32 can be had for well under $20,000.

Acura RSX Type-S

The Acura RSX may be the least powerful car here, but it is our budget option. In the last model year of the RSX, Acura built a Type-S model with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 201 hp. It may not give the same performance as a modern day Civic, but the Type-S does have the slick manual transmission that Honda is known for as well as a high-revving VTEC engine. A nice example will set you back around $10,000 to $12,000, making it our most affordable Civic Type R alternative.