Over the last 20 years, average motorists started moving away from traditional gas-powered vehicles. In an effort to save money on gas and eventually be environmentally-friendly, people switched to hybrid vehicles. The trend became so prevalent that even South Park made an episode called Smug Alert. It is unclear whether hybrid cars sold in the States are more environmentally-friendly than the lawnmowers driven around European capitals, but what is sure is that they have taken over the car industry.

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While Toyota's Prius is best selling hybrid vehicle to date, it is a vehicle that is as exciting and appealing as a rotten apple. The most appalling fact about the 2022 Prius is that fully loaded, its MSRP starts at a little over $32,000. For that price, there are several high-performance luxury cars you could buy instead of a Prius. Even better, you could get a robust and respectable muscle car instead.

10 1970 AMC Javelin SST

The amount of people that remember the 2012 Fisker Karma is quite low. The Karma is a beautiful electric sedan that should have attracted most electric car fans out there. Yet, the electric car was an epic failure and ended up being overshadowed by Tesla's Model S. The same thing happened with some muscle cars during the Golden Age of the American car.

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There are several obscure facts most gearheads do not know about AMC. Most people do not know that AMC was actually good at producing instant classics. The Javelin SST is an admirable muscle car. It comes with a variety of engines, including a 304 cu in V8 that makes 210 hp and 305 lb-ft of torque. It is possible to find a '70 Javelin SST for about $30,000 in good condition.

9 1972 Ford Gran Torino Sport

When looking at the vehicles released by Ford over the last 80 years, it is fair to say that the Mustang is the Michael Jordan of Ford cars. Despite having released a plethora of absolutely mind-blowing vehicles, the Mustang remained the crown jewel of Ford. With that being said, true muscle heads know that Ford has got a couple of highly underrated muscle cars under its belt.

The Gran Torino is the child that Ford never really gave any attention to. Though it is true that the Gran Torino was never as grandiose as the Mustang, it still came with a 351 cu in Cobra Jet V8 that pumps out 248 hp and 299 lb-ft of torque. It is possible to find '72 Ford Grand Torino Sport for less than $30,000 which is well under the price of a fully-loaded Prius.

8 1973 Chevrolet Corvette

The Corvette is one of the longest-lasting nameplates in the history of American cars. Since its inception, Chevy's golden child has been captivating car aficionados internationally. Whether it is in California or in India, driving around in a Corvette will undoubtedly turn heads and trigger tree-huggers. While not all Corvettes were created equal, there is no such thing as a downright awful Corvette.

The '73 Corvette may not be among the best Corvettes ever made, but it sure is a sexy muscle car. In 1973, Chevrolet went ahead with a 350 cu in TurboFire V8 that develops 190 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. It's not the most powerful Corvette ever made, but it is still a gorgeous classic that will attract more looks than a Prius. It is possible to find 1973 Corvettes for $26,000.

7 1974 Oldsmobile Cutlass

Oldsmobile was never meant to be the sort of brand that churns out one beast after another. It was, during its hey-day, the mid-range car brand owned by GM. Unfortunately, GM failed to understand what customers were really looking for, and Oldsmobile was subject to a slow and painful death. With that said, Oldsmobile had some seriously good cars in its lineup during the late 60s and early 70s.

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Though the best Oldsmobile Cutlass ever made was the third generation, the fourth generation is far from a let-down. The trim level equipped with a 350 cu in V8 pumps out 180 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. To be fair, most muscle cars released during that era were plain disappointing. However, when looking at the latest Prius, it is better to drive around in a $19,000 slow-ish muscle car than a Prius.

6 1986 Buick Grand National

The 80s were equally awkward as the second part of the 70s as far as automobiles are concerned. Several cars from the Chrysler Group were essentially re-badged Mitsubishis. Big-block V8s had a power output of less than 300 hp. Some muscle car ended up with a turbocharger. Things were so odd that the company that came out with the ultimate muscle car of the decade was Buick.

The Buick Grand National is an absolute beast. Based on GM's G-body, the 1986 Buick Grand National is a true throwback. The real masterpiece lays under the hood. Unlike most cars of the same era, the Grand National is equipped with a turbocharged 3.8L V6 that makes 235 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. The Grand National sure is not as insane as the GNX, but it is a great muscle car that you can purchase for $22,000 in good condition.

5 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS

The Chevy Impala may not be the most popular American performance car out there, but the vast majority of American car fans know that the Impala is a great car. The older editions can be restomodded into 700 + hp beasts that can put a Hellcat to shame. When the Impala was brought back in 1994, Chevy wanted to show that muscle sedans were nothing to be messed with.

Based on GM's B platform, the 1996 Impala SS is the precursor of the Dodge Charger. It would not be a surprise if Dodge found inspiration from the Impala SS. Underneath the hood sits a massive 5.7L LT1 V8 that cranks out 260 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. These numbers may not be impressive by today's standards, but they were something else back then. The greatest part about the 1996 Impala SS is that for $17,000, it can be yours.

4 2001 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning

It is often wrongly believed that the 1991 GMC Syclone started the muscle truck craze. In reality, muscle trucks have been around since the 1960s. Dodge came out with the very first beastly truck when it released the D100 Sweptline. The fad died out over the years but was truly revived in the early 2000s. Ford seized the opportunity and made sure to give its fans something to drool over.

When Ford released the F-150 SVT Lightning, the company knew that it was about to shake up the whole industry. Fitted with a 5.4L V8 that makes 380 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, the muscle truck attracted gearheads that are fans of both muscle cars and pickup trucks. For $31,000, it is possible to get a hold of a Lightning in great condition.

3 2006 Pontiac GTO

Pontiac was once one of the most respectable car brands out there. Despite being one of the lowest GM brands, Pontiac still produced legends such as the GTO and the Trans Am. As with most defunct carmakers, Pontiac surely lost the plot circa 1975. Most of its cars lost their appeals and power. Things worsen throughout the 1990s and got to the point of no return when the infamous Aztek was released.

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The last GTO ever made never received the love it should have. Though it is true that it does not necessarily look appealing, it is still fitted with a potent 6.0L V8 that makes 400 hp. It is important to remember that most muscle cars producing 400 hp in 2006 were top-line muscle cars. It is possible to find a 2006 Pontiac GTO for $19,000 in excellent condition.

2 2007 Dodge Charger SRT-8

The Dodge Charger was the ultimate muscle car at the beginning of the 70s. The car looked mean, was fitted with serious powerplants, and could be modified to extreme levels. The second generation Charger embodied the idea of the American Muscle car. Following a hiatus of almost 20 years, Dodge brought the Charger back as a four-door sedan.

There are several obscure facts most gearheads do not know about the Dodge Charger. There are too numerous to go over each and every single one of them. What people do not know is that the original SRT-8 has become quite affordable. It is well-known that the sedan comes with a 6.4L Hemi V8 that cranks out 425 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. It is possible to find a Charger SRT-8 in good condition for $22,000.

1 2009 Ford Mustang GT Bullitt

When the original Fast And Furious came out, most gearheads lost their minds and rushed to Craigslist to purchase a Mitsubishi Eclipse. The streets were filled with souped-up Civics finished with vinyls and the loudest exhaust one could ever be looking for. When Bullitt hit the theaters, hardcore fans followed a much classier trend.

The Mustang GT Bullitt may seem like a regular GT. However, connoisseurs will notice right away that the Bullitt is not your average Mustang GT. The Bullitt comes with the same 4.6L V8 found in the GT, but the power output was increased to 315 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. On top of a power increase, the Bullitt comes with a variety of goodies, including a lower ground clearance. For $24,000, a used Bullitt can be yours.