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These 5 new performance cars are fantastic but I would never buy them
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These 5 new performance cars are fantastic but I would never buy them

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By  Tyler Dupont
Published Aug 18, 2026, 3:00PM EDT
Tyler is an automotive journalist and content contributor at How-To Geek with over three years of experience covering the automotive industry. His work focuses on delivering clear, well-researched, and engaging content that helps readers better understand the vehicles they drive and the technology behind them.

Before entering automotive media, he spent five years as an academic editor, developing a strong foundation in research methodology, factual accuracy, and structured analysis. This background informs his journalistic approach today, ensuring that every article balances technical insight with accessibility for a broad audience.

Tyler specializes in automotive journalism, content strategy, and SEO-driven publishing, with a particular interest in performance, reliability, and the cultural role of cars. He approaches automotive writing with a distinct philosophy: vehicles should be engaging and expressive, not merely functional tools. This perspective shapes his coverage and allows readers to connect with cars beyond basic specifications.
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There are plenty of new cars on the market that I would have absolutely no hesitation recommending. Some are practical, some are incredibly fast, and others offer an impressive amount of luxury for the money. That doesn't necessarily mean I'd want to own them, though. Personal preference matters a lot when you're spending your own money, and sometimes a seemingly minor flaw can completely ruin an otherwise fantastic car.

These five cars are all objectively excellent in their own ways, and I'd happily recommend them to the right buyer. However, whether it's a styling quirk, a lack of character, or simply an unreasonable price, each has something that would keep me from taking them home.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources.

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By  Tyler Dupont

5 2027 Toyota Prius

Driving made simple

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If you're someone who just wants a stress-free car that isn't going to cost a ton to run, then the Prius is one of the best options out there. It has always been a car for people who don't want something complicated. Its biggest flaw used to be that it was excessively dull, but the most current iteration features sleek styling and a genuinely enjoyable experience behind the wheel. While it checks all those boxes, one of its competitors is just far more appealing to me.

The Civic Hybrid does most things better

Yes, the Prius stands tall as the king of efficiency, and new models come really well-equipped, but the reason I wouldn't get one is that the Civic Hybrid is just a far more appealing choice. For the same amount of money, the Civic Hybrid offers a much more practical interior, with more space in the back, a much nicer dashboard layout, and a driving experience that is far more entertaining. It does all of this, and still manages up to 49 miles per gallon combined.

4 2026 Ford Mustang GT

An almost perfect American sports car

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American muscle cars have taken a lot of flak over the years from fans of European cars, with the main critique being that they are good in a straight line but not fantastic around a track. Cars like the Ford Mustang GT, however, prove that this isn't the case anymore. By just about every metric, it is a brilliantly successful sports car, with sharp driving dynamics and excellent performance for the money that you pay.

An image issue I can't shake

There are two problems with the Mustang GT in my mind, with one being mechanical and one being superficial. First, for such a strong sports car, it has absolutely no steering feedback, meaning that while it is quite athletic, it isn't as engaging as it should be. The other issue is that I just can't bring myself to own a muscle car. At the end of the day, styling is important, and it wouldn't feel right looking out my window and seeing a Mustang.

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3 2026 Volkswagen Golf R

Hot hatch royalty

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The Golf R is one of the defining vehicles of the hot hatch segment, and it always has been. Its performance is something that simply can't be argued with, and it has put many sports cars in their place. The 2026 model packs a massive punch, with tons of power under the hood and a well-tuned all-wheel drive system. It also comes loaded with luxuries on the inside. To me, though, it just doesn't have enough character.

Priced too high in a segment of great options

Volkswagen has achieved everything that they set out to achieve with the R. It is a great hot hatch that delivers extremely impressive performance, and it is really easy to live with. Starting at $49,445, though, it is just so hard to justify. For that money, there are so many other excellent cars you can buy. On top of this, while its specs are impressive, it lacks the character and engagement that cheaper rivals do, such as the Hyundai Elantra N or the Civic Type R. It doesn't help that VW stopped offering a manual transmission in the R either.

2 2026 BMW M2

The best modern M car

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The M2 has been the center of as much controversy as it has praise. This can be said about BMW as a whole, though. In terms of performance, though, the M2 is phenomenal. It delivers acceleration that will pin you to your seat, it is nimble and athletic, and it comes with that flair of insanity that used to feel so prominent in all cars that wore an M badge. I just wish that it wasn't styled the way that it is.

It just isn't nice to look at

A lot of people have piled on the current generation of the M2 for its styling, so I won't harp on too much about it. The front end has actually started to grow on me, but the side profile and the rear are unfortunately so unappealing that I couldn't ever find myself buying one. It is particularly sad because the last generation of the M2 looked brilliant.

It also doesn't have much in the way of steering feedback, which is an issue a lot of modern BMWs suffer from.

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1 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S

The benchmark for performance cars

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The 911 is easily one of the most iconic and easily recognizable cars in the automotive world. The Turbo S is widely considered to be a benchmark for performance cars in a lot of ways. It is exceptionally well-balanced, in a way that only a German supercar can be. It gets moving off the line at unbelievable speed, yet delivers world-class comfort in its cabin. The reason I would never buy one, though, is the same reason that most people would never buy one.

Porsche pricing falls further into the realms of absurdity

There are few brands that get away with charging a badge premium the way that Porsche does. Starting at $270,300, the 911 Turbo S is one of the worst offenders. For that price, it comes quite sparsely equipped, with the German brand asking you to shell out thousands more for luxuries that, in my mind, should come standard in a car like this.

While price is a big issue, my main problem with the Turbo S is its lack of drama. It is a very German car in that its performance is mind-boggling, but every part of the driving experience is streamlined and effortless. In this price bracket, there are other supercars that just feel more theatrical, such as the Aston Martin Vantage. As superficial as it sounds, that sense of drama is important to me in high-octane sports cars.

Small things can make or break otherwise brilliant cars

I've driven my fair share of vehicles, and something that I have come to learn is that even the most appealing of performance cars can be taken down by the smallest of things. While some things might sound a bit superficial, when it actually comes down to spending the money, you want your car to be as close to perfect as it can be. Any driving enthusiast will be able to tell you that a car's identity and soul trumps any figure on a spec sheet.

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