Can Front-Wheel Drive Actually be Fun?

Every car purist you speak to will tell you this isn’t possible at all.  The will state that a car needs to be made much the way the original Porsche 911’s were built with rear-wheel drive, a rear engine, a manual transmission and no power steering.  We are well beyond the time of no power steering and the manual transmission is making its way quickly toward extinction, but the difference between front and rear-wheel drive usually depends upon the performance expectations of the vehicle.  While RWD is perfect for sports cars, there are some seriously fun FWD models on the market as well, here are seven of them for you to check out and enjoy.

Hyundai Veloster Turbo – This is a great little car especially the Rally Edition.  The Veloster was supposed to be a sports car from the jump but it typically was made at the base model which isn’t very exciting at all.  Move up to the Turbo with the Rally Edition and you have a really nice hot hatch that offers the R-Spec sport suspension and a much better drive than the base model to be a car that is a lot of fun.

John Cooper Works Mini Cooper – The Mini Cooper is pretty cool to start with as a retro cool car that offers great handling and a dynamic drive.  Moving up to the JCW model you will add more power and even better control.  When it comes to FWD fun this car has it for you and can only be beaten out by the GTI from VW.  Overall this is the most powerful and fastest Mini that has ever made it to market and appropriately it carries the name of one of the most important people in its history.

Volkswagen GTI – This one gives you a tossup with the Golf R, but the R is AWD while the GTI is FWD and we are talking about the FWD models on this list.  The GTI is certainly a choice you should consider as it has the performance, the power, the build and the features you want to have on a hot hatch that will give you the drive on any road that can be exciting.  With the GTI as your choice you will find yourself looking for some of the best roads in your area to test the mettle of your driving and your car up against.

Mazda 3 – We know the Mazda 3 to be one of the most impressive compact cars on the market today. To be tagged as a great car and sit on dealer lots next to the MX-5 Miata this car has to carry some clout and it does so extremely well.  This car is engaged with the driver in a way that others in its class can’t be and only leaves us asking when we will see the new Mazdaspeed3 on the market to be the sports version of this car that has been so much fun for so long.

Fiat 500 Abarth – On this list the 500 Abarth is not the most powerful car, it isn’t the quickest car and it’s not the best looking car.  The Abarth is well-styled to be a good looking car and features a plethora of great equipment for you but what it is mostly is a great city car.  This is the Fiat you want if you need a small car in the city and want a way to make those drives much more enjoyable from the style and the maneuverability of the car.  This little beauty is great for whipping in and out of the traffic you find in large cities.

Ford Fiesta ST – The name says it all, we are going to have a party in this car.  The ST is the performance model of the Fiesta and it comes at a price you will love.  With close to 200 horsepower this car that is under 3,000 pounds can really rocket down the road and have a great way to get you where you need to go.  This car adds in a sport tuned suspension that will make your friends jealous when they see the car you have chosen for your daily driver.

Ford Focus ST – The Focus RS makes some records shudder, but once again, like the VW Golf, the RS is an AWD model and we are looking at the FWD versions.  This leaves us with the ST which is no slouch at all.  This car is quick and fun to drive and appears to be a larger version of the Fiesta with similar driving features to make it one of the best drivers you will enjoy.  The added size doesn’t hurt at all and simply gives you more room for those who want to ride along.

These seven cars are not the top performers on the market by any means, but all of them are fun and active FWD models that can be a lot of fun for you to drive and enjoy.  All of them have their own characteristics that make them great, but the one thing they have in common is the ability to give you a ride that you will enjoy.  These cars will have you coming back for seconds, thirds and so on; making it so you have a vehicle you know you want to drive every day on any road in your area.  If you thought FWD cars couldn’t be fun, think again.