In the past, family cars were specifically designed to be safe, comfortable, and reliable – which mostly meant that they were slow and dull. The only way to get some excitement was to buy a sports car, which was easy twice the price.
Today, most cars are built in the same way, and many share engines, drivetrains, and transmissions, resulting in a generic family sedan being able to keep up with a dedicated sports car. We live in a world where a relatively basic Toyota Corolla can go nearly as fast as a V8-powered Ford Mustang – it might take some time to get there, but it will. This is a common phenomenon. A Ford Taurus SHO sedan can be just as fun as a proper sports car like the Ford Focus RS. Thanks to normal cars becoming more and more powerful – especially electric cars, they should be quite a treat to thrash around a track.
So, while there are still some pretty boring and slow family cars on the market, most of them have evolved into relatively cool and exciting sports cars with good engines and features. With that, here are 10 family cars we’d love to take on the track and see what they can do.
10 Genesis G70 3.3T
The Genesis G70 is a premium to luxurious sedan built to take on the Germans – such as the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class – at their own game. The G70 range starts with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4, but the sportier version to go for is the 3.3T. As indicated, the G70 is powered by a 365 hp 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6.
While the G70 may have luxury and comfort as its main attributes, it is still an athletic vehicle. It would be quite fun to see what the most powerful version is like on a track. The G70 is also available with all-wheel drive, which improves the traction, making it even quicker around a circuit.
9 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo
The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is a fancy name for saying Panamera wagon – which is what it is. The Sport Turismo shares most parts with the normal Panamera, except the rear end of the roof and the tailgate. The Sport Turismo also shares its engines with the Panamera but gets all-wheel-drive as standard.
The Panamera has always been promoted as a four-door 911 – except for the engine which is in the wrong place – and has exhibited excellent driving dynamics since it was introduced in 2009. The current Panamera and Sport Turismo models are the best yet and taking them around a track would be interesting.
8 Kia Stinger GT
The Kia Stinger GT took everyone by surprise when it was launched in 2017. It was a model aimed squarely at the German leaders, but cost much less and offered most of the same features and almost the same performance.
The highest trim is the Stinger GT, which is fitted with a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6, producing 365 hp. Power is sent through an 8-speed automatic transmission to either the rear wheels only or all four via Kia’s AWD system. It is a surprisingly good vehicle that should be lots of fun on the track, especially the rear-drive-only version.
7 Dodge Durango SRT
The Dodge Durango is a practical family SUV with ample space for five adults, their cargo, and the family dog. Dodge did the typical Dodge thing and fitted it with a series of awesome engines, including the standard 5.7-liter HEMI, the big 6.4-liter HEMI and the ridiculously powerful 6.2-liter Hellcat V8.
While the Hellcat has been discontinued now, the SRT is still available in all its grumbly glory. The SRT produces 475 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, with power going to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic. The Durango SRT is a proper muscle SUV and while it is great on a drag strip, it would be interesting to see on a track.
6 BMW X5M
The BMW X5 is the mid-range option from the German automotive giant. The X5 was the start of the powerful SUV trend, which is still going strong in the current market. The X5 is now in its fourth generation and the current line-up includes engines as small as a 2.0-liter turbo diesel, to a mighty 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8.
The top-of-the-range X5M is fitted with the V8, producing either 590 hp or 617 hp – depending on the trim – and can accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. This SUV is fast and powerful enough to embarrass proper sports cars in a straight line. Just imagine what it could do on track!
5 Audi RS7
The Audi RS7 is one of the coolest RS cars in Audi’s line-up. The first generation RS7 looked fantastic with its slightly more aggressive stance over the standard A7 and even the S7, but the new RS7 has taken it up a notch.
Where the current A7 is relatively sedate and stands out only because of the awesome light bar at the back, the RS7 features a properly aggressive body kit with intakes, vents, and canards. The rear diffuser is more prominent and the tailpipes stick out to be noticed. All-in-all, the RS7 is an awesome-looking car that must be a beast on the track, thanks to its 600-hp 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8.
4 Hyundai Elantra N
The Hyundai Elantra N is the sportier version of the regular Elantra sedan but doesn’t compromise on practicality. The Elantra N still features a large trunk, enough space for five adults, and a comfortable ride. Yet, it has nearly 300 hp courtesy of a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder in the front – available with either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The Elantra N stays front-drive only but gets a limited-slip differential to keep all the power from going to one wheel and ruining lap times – or creating understeer. While the Elantra N has some more aggressive styling and larger wheels, it can still easily be used to take the kids to school.
3 Mercedes-Benz E63S AMG Estate
The Mercedes-Benz E63S AMG Estate is one of the best blends of utter performance and practicality on the market. It offers enough space in the back to fit products from the furniture store, yet it produces 604 hp and 520 lb-ft of torque going to all four wheels via AMG’s 4MATIC+ system.
This awesome performance results in a 0-60 mph time of just 3.5 seconds and tops out at an electronically limited 155 mph. The E63S AMG Estate is not only fast, but it can also turn into a complete hooligan when the traction control is turned off – in true AMG fashion.
2 Lexus IS 500
The Lexus IS 500 was another car that surprised many within the auto industry. Most automakers are busy downsizing their engines to be more efficient and emit fewer toxic gasses, yet Lexus came along and put their 5.0-liter V8 in their smallest sedan.
The IS 500 may not be the full-on IS F we’ve been waiting for, but it is nonetheless a great car. Some of its features may be a bit old-fashioned, but then there is nothing to complain about when you put your foot down and hear the bellow coming from the Yamaha-tuned V8. The IS 500 will also give some sports cars a run for their money on track.
1 Alpina D3 S
The Alpina D3 S may be a souped-up BMW 3-Series, but it is one of the best versions on sale. Even though it is fitted with a diesel engine, it has been tinkered with and the 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six now produces 355 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque. All this diesel power is sent to all four wheels via a tuned 8-speed automatic transmission.
The D3 S is the more interesting version of the Alpina range as it provides all the power one would ever need, packaged in a comfortable and spacious vehicle. The model features all the same drive modes as the standard BMW M340d it is based on but adds a Comfort+ mode when not thrashing around a track – which the D3 S can do.