- What's the best performance car you can buy for around $50,000?
- We set out to answer this question in our second round of Edmunds' performance car challenge.
- The Honda Civic Type R, Toyota GR Corolla, Ford Mustang GT and Hyundai Elantra N duke it out on our test track to see who comes out on top.
A few months ago, we rounded up four performance cars that all cost around $35,000 and brought them to our test track. The goal was to determine which was the best fun machine for the money, and we came away with a winner: The Hyundai Elantra N is a phenomenal car bargain, standing out over its competitors.
But is the Elantra N good enough to compete with next-level-up performers? We invited the refreshed Elantra N back to our track, but this time, to go against some heavier hitters: the Ford Mustang GT with the performance pack, the Honda Civic Type R and the Toyota GR Corolla. Welcome to our $50,000 performance car challenge.
Meet the contenders
Hyundai improved the Elantra N for 2024 with some performance tweaks to make the car drive even better. It has forged wheels with less unsprung weight and revisions to the steering system for more accurate feel. It has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 276 hp and 289 lb-ft of torque along with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and adaptive dampers. These are just a few of the pieces that make the Elantra N a performance bombshell.
Our test car has the standard manual transmission with one option: $470 Atlas White paint. With all fees accounted for, the Elantra N checks in at a reasonable $35,320. It’s way under our budget, but the Hyundai is also the least powerful car here with the most to prove. It’s the underdog in this test but still deserves to be here on merit alone.
The Ford Mustang GT might seem like the outlier here, and to be honest, it is. This is the only car in the test with rear-wheel drive, not to mention the only car with a V8 under the hood. The 5.0-liter V8 makes 450 hp and comes with a six-speed manual transmission. Our tester adds the Performance Pack with summer tires, Brembo brakes and some other visual tweaks. In total, the Mustang costs $56,400 as-tested making it the most expensive car here. Still, as the only bona fide pony car left these days, the Mustang offers great value for money.
Toyota’s latest GR product is arguably its best. With torque-splitting all-wheel drive and a surprisingly potent three-cylinder engine under the hood, the GR Corolla does its best impression of a rally car on the road. 300 hp and 273 lb-ft are the headline figures from the little turbocharged triple, not to mention a standard six-speed manual transmission. This is the only car here on Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, a notable step down from the PS4S rubber on the Hyundai and Honda.
We tested the Circuit Edition, the most expensive of the three trim levels and a limited-production model. It adds functional changes like hood vents and forged 18-inch wheels, as well as unique interior stitching. All in, this Corolla costs just over $46,000.
Finally, the Honda Civic Type R needs very little introduction. It has cemented its legacy as one of the greatest front-wheel-drive cars of all time with exceptional handling. It comes with a mandatory six-speed manual — the only car in the test to only have one transmission option — and a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 315 hp and 310 lb-ft. It has Brembo four-piston brakes and sticky Michelin PS4S tires to help put the power down. Honda offers some performance upgrades such as forged wheels and a bigger wing spoiler, but our test car keeps things simple. With all fees included, it costs $45,890.
Testing to pick a winner
Just like our $35K performance test, we judged the vehicles in three areas at our test track. We ran them down the straightaway for 0-60 mph times, put the cars around an autocross course to test handling, and drove them on our high-speed handling course to feel out which provided the most enjoyment. First place in each category received the most points, and last place received the fewest.
In the 0-60 mph test, we saw a range of roughly 1.2 seconds between the cars with the Mustang putting up the quickest number. Using launch control, our testing team managed 4.8 seconds in the Ford. The next quickest was the Toyota GR Corolla with a 5.4-second run to 60 mph, followed by the Honda Civic Type R at 5.5 seconds. Perhaps unsurprisingly with the least amount of power on offer, the Elantra N brought up the rear at 6 seconds flat.
In the autocross, things started to get interesting. We used our satellite tracking equipment to get an exact time on each run, and the results were insanely close. Fastest around the course was the Honda Civic Type R, with a time of 38.27 seconds, but it was hardly a definitive victory. The Mustang GT — oversteer and all — came in home second at 38.42 seconds. Credit to the Elantra N for finishing third with 38.66 seconds despite being the underdog. The GR Corolla’s trick all-wheel-drive system ended up not being super valuable in this tight course. It finished with a time of 38.72 seconds and in last place.
Going into the final test, the Mustang was in the lead with 7 points, the Civic with 6, the GR Corolla with 4, and the Elantra with 3. Finally, we got behind the wheel to shake out each car around our handling course.
This test was intentionally subjective to ensure that we took the whole picture into consideration and not just tested numbers. There is a surprising difference in the way all four cars feel, with each exhibiting obvious strengths and weaknesses. Our evaluation produced an interesting result. We ranked the GR Corolla first because of its undeniable fun factor. The Civic is arguably the better car, but it seems a bit serious compared to the laugh factory that is the Corolla.
With the Corolla taking top spot in the third test, there was a two-way tie for first between the Civic Type R and the Mustang GT.
Winner, winner
The Civic Type R and Mustang GT couldn’t be more different. From their engines to their drivetrain layouts and even their shapes, these are two very distinct machines. And yet both could be a staple of any enthusiast’s garage.
Our final decision was in part due to the way the two cars were specced. The Mustang GT did not have the optional MagneRide dampers, which are a game changer. Without them, the Mustang’s nose was ponderous and a bit unpredictable any time we put the hammer down. You can add MagneRide to the GT Premium, but that puts the as-tested price even further above our $50,000 budget.
So with that, the choice is clear: Our winner is the Honda Civic Type R. This car provides a masterclass in chassis tuning, with an almost telepathic instinct to turn into a corner without any drama. There were times when we deemed the Civic “too good,” to the point where it was less exciting. That’s hardly a critique, though. Honda has made the best FWD car on the planet even better this time around, and it’s incredibly special to drive.
from Edmunds.com Car News https://ift.tt/1sfcDg9
