If you are only two people in your family, getting a sexy sports car seems like a perfect idea. But that will only work until you bring someone in the form of a child on board. As the family grows, you will realize that a fancy sports car does not cut it anymore. You will need something more spacious.
But when you go to the showroom, you will also realize that a spacious sports car is not as affordable as the two-seater ride you've been enjoying with your better half. You don't want to give up the sports car experience, the speed, the comfort, and the fun. What you do not know yet is that there are some family sedans and station wagons that come with all the features of a sports car, except, of course, the sexy looks.
So, are you looking to replace your sports car experience with something that can accommodate the family without sacrificing the fun? Read on. These ten family cars can challenge most sports cars on and off the track.
10 Volkswagen Golf R
If it is a Golf, then you know it can do almost everything you need. The special part of this trim is that it will do it very fast. The large compact draws its power from a 2.0L turbocharged engine that produces 310 horsepower.
It is an all-wheel-drive coupled with either a six-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. The car can accelerate from 0 – 60mph in 4.5 seconds. And it is spacious enough to take your family to that road trip you have been dreaming about.
9 Ford Taurus SHO
When you hear of a Ford, you most probably think of a muscle car or an off-road truck. The Ford Taurus SHO is not so far from that description. And it is a perfect replacement for the heft priced performance cars that you might be dreaming about.
One of the advantages of the SHO is that it will not only give you the performance of a sports car, but it will also give you the exclusivity of a rare performance muscle. They are exceptional vehicles with a large trunk and boast of a turbocharged V6 engine with 365 horsepower.
8 Kia Stinger
The 2018 KIA Stinger comes with two surprisingly powerful engine options – a 2.0L 4-cylinder and a twin-turbocharged 3.3L V6. The two options are just as good as a sports car, but the V6 comes with some exclusive features – it produces 365 horsepower and 376 lb.-ft of torque and accelerates from 0 – 60 mph in 4.7 seconds.
The KIA Stinger performs much better than some big German sports cars, with a base price of a standard family ride. And it has a top speed of 167mph.
7 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
The most significant difference between the Dodge Challenger and the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is that one is a two-door. And that is not the Charger. That is to say that with the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, you've gotten yourself a family ride with the power of performance machine.
The Hellcat comes with a massive engine that produces a whopping 707 horsepower. The price is a little higher than most family cars but much lower than the standard sports car price. The Charger handles pretty well and can challenge most sports cars out there.
6 Mercedes-Benz CLS
The Mercedes-Benz CLS leans to the Mercedes performance DNA, although it has some unfavorable features. The back seats are a little tight for a long journey, and the infotainment system is not so welcoming.
The twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 engine, however, covers all other shortcomings and makes the CLS one of the best and fast family "sports" cars in the market today. The engine produces 550 horsepower and comes in the AMG CLS63 S 4MATIC. That is way more than you should expect for a family car.
5 Hyundai I30N
If you think Hyundai is still making tin cans on wheels, then you are all wrong. And the i30N is a perfect example to prove you wrong. The i30N is a front-wheel-drive with a manual transmission and four doors. It comes in two trims of 2.0L turbocharged engine that produce either 250 horsepower or 275.
It is not as spacious as many station wagons, but it is always good to have options to choose from. It has a digitally limited top speed of 250kmh and accelerates from 0 to 60 in 6.4 seconds.
4 Hyundai Genesis 5.0
Hyundai Genesis received an overall redesign for the 2015 model, and it now is an all-new sports sedan that you cannot afford to overlook. And if you pick the one with a 5.0L V8 engine, you will never regret it. Its 420 horsepower, combined with the rest of Hyundai's newest sedan tech will give you a riding experience that you will always remember.
The 5.0L option comes with a driver-adjustable suspension that makes the driving experience even more fun. And if you are going for a family trip, you do not worry about your family; the Hyundai Genesis 5.0 is one of the highest-rated safe family sedans in its class.
3 Audi A7
Here is another performance family car, the Audi A7. It is a luxury sedan that comes with a V6 supercharged engine that produces 333 horsepower. Inside is a state-of-the-art interior that has no competition in the family car class, and one of the best large family cars in the market.
But, if you are looking for massive power packaged in Audi, you might want to look at the RS6 below.
2 Audi RS6
The Audi RS6 Avant is the perfect, 600 horsepower family wagon of your dreams. The fourth-generation RS6 Avant is the accurate representation of the original RS formula. It is one of the most visually aggressive Avant so far and packs some real good secrets under the hood.
It comes with a massive 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine that pumps out enough power to propel the RS6 from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.6 seconds. The Audi RS6 is powerful and quick, and a perfect family car with a sports car driving experience.
1 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4MATIC Wagon
This is the kind of car that would leave any sports car driver with an embarrassed look on their face after trying to show you that he's got speed. They will not know what you have under there until you unleash that 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 beast of an engine. And it is a wagon, so you have enough space for a family weekend getaway.