Best Cars For Single Guys

Best Cars For Single Guys

Drive Your Age: The GQ Car Buying Guide

From boy bankers to seniors on a budget, find the right car for every age and income bracket with our expansive list

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  1/31

  First Car

  The Slacker: Honda Civic

  Maybe your slacker self (or shiftless progeny) will be inspired by the Big H. Or maybe not. Either way, there's a good case for keeping a novice driver's ambitions realistic, i.e. nice and low.

• 2/31

  First Car

  Trust Fund Brat: VW Golf R

  Thirty-four grand for a Golf? Pricey, yes, but it's the ultimate hot hatch, with 260 horsepower, all-wheel drive, a dual-clutch gearbox, and the sort of Euro cred that other hot hatches can only dream of.

• 3/31

  First Car

  The Jock: Ford Mustang V6

  Just as the trustafarian would never stoop to an American muscle car, Jockstrapus Americanus must never drive a foreign hatchback, no matter how potent. While he could save up for the V8, for just under $23k, the high school quarterback can have a 307-horsepower, rear-drive muscle car that will still hit 60 in a hair over 5 seconds.

• 4/31

  First Job

  The Pizza Delivery Boy: Scion FR-S

  These brave young men who work for free slices and drunk over-tipping frequently put all their earnings into their own project cars, and for them, there is no better car than the Scion FR-S, heir to the slip-slidey throne long held by favorites like the Nissan 240SX and various rear-drive Toyota Corollas of yore. One double-cheese, double-pepperoni, all-meat pie on the way—very, very, quickly.

• 5/31

  First Job

  The Band Geek: Ford Transit Connect

  The Ford Econoline van has long been a mainstay of budding bands, but what struggling artist can afford those fuel bills? The newer Ford Transit Connect Wagon offers a solution, with enough space and power to haul four skinny rockers and their gear. Fuel-efficient four-cylinders mean less money for gas and more for grass, and maybe those delinquent student loans.

• 6/31

  First Car

  The Hipster: Hyundai Veloster Turbo

  For the young person who cherishes the weird and obscure: seminal Louisville punk bands, or, just maybe, the Veloster Turbo. The styling stands out in a crowd, and yet it has a practical side, with a useable backseat and plenty of room for cases of Leinenkugel and all your Grizzly Bear and Slint vinyl. Also, opt for the matte paint. It's authentic, at least for now, just like you.

• 7/31

  First Job

  The Mailroom Neophyte: Fiat 500

  Most small cars are penalty bos. Luckily, Fiat has built a small car we truly like. The turbocharged 500 Abarth has a positively satanic soundtrack, while even the lowliest 500 Pop will dart in and out of dense traffic better than anything. (Shamelessly, we'd recommend this one.) And Olympic-level parkability is standard across the range.

• 8/31

  First Job

  The College Grad: Ford Fusion

  The only thing worse than student loans is seeing the tool in your Psych class drive away in a brand-new BMW, financed by the First Bank of Mom & Dad. But there's still hope: The Fusion looks like an extreme Aston Martin tribute, but its friendly price tag, touchscreen stereo system, and turbocharged engine will have you feeling like a boss, even if you're the polar opposite.

• 9/31

  The Working Man

  The Creative Type: Audi A4

  Audi brand has become the ride of choice for those of the young, hip, and premium persuasion, and BMW has loosened its grip on its perch as the world's sharpest precision instrument. (Has anyone trademarked "The Penultimate Driving Machine" yet?) The A4, a creamy smooth driver's car, merits a long look in a segment where style increasingly eclipses substance.

• 10/31

  The Working Man

  The Work Truck: 2013 Ram 1500

  The 2013 Ram is a clear warning to both GM and Ford that Chrysler's truck division will no longer settle for third place. Available with an eight-speed automatic transmission, rear air suspension, and active aero shutters to improve fuel economy, the Ram 1500 is finally a serious threat in the full-size truck segment. And its 3.6-liter V6 is so good for everyday driving, a V8 option is obsolete.

• 11/31

  The Working Man

  Gordon Gekko Jr.: Maserati Quattroporte

  Everybody and their mistress has a German sedan, so why not stand out with a little sprezzatura? The Quattroporte loses a little Italian "character" in its latest 21st-century reimagining, but new engines and optional all-wheel drive make it a more realistic everyday driver, while still standing out in a morass of steely Teutonic machines.

• 12/31

  MIDDLE AGE

  Out in the Work Force

  The Newly Minted CEO: Jaguar XJ 3.0

  If the Maserati is a bold Neapolitan suit, then the Jaguar is the snappy option from Savile Row. And since "corporate responsibility" is all the rage these days, why not opt for the new 340-horsepower supercharged V6? At this stage of life, maybe someone else is driving you. If not, you're in for a treat, as no car this posh rides, steers and handles so sweetly. Jaguars are their own reward.

• 13/31

  The Working Man

  The Software Geek: Acura TSX

  If the A4 is for the dark-rimmed-glasses crowd, the TSX is tailor-made for the flip-flops-and-hoodies set. Discreet but luxurious, the TSX is the overlooked car of choice for brainiacs who like to get what they pay for and shrewdly prefer not to showcase their wealth. You could ask Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Geithner about their TSXs, if they'd talk to you.

• 14/31

  MIDDLE AGE

  Fatherhood

  The Incognito Dad Racer: Honda Accord Sport

  So the missus decides that your old Mustang is not suitable transport for your precious offspring, and most choices for family mobility are downright dreary. The Honda Accord Sport, by virtue of being an Accord, has an immediate veneer of respectability. At just around $24k, it's one of the better-handling four-doors, with great gas mileage, good horsepower, and fat, grippy tires. Just don't drive too crazy with your family on board, and your secret will be safe.

• 15/31

  MIDDLE AGE

  Out in the Work Force

  The Bank Robber: Chevrolet SS

  Yes, it looks like something you'd rent from an Avis in Orlando. That's the point. Based on Australia's Holden Commodore, the SS employs a 6.2-liter V8 good for 415 horsepower, driven via the rear wheels. We once had a similar Holden-based car called the Pontiac G8. Critics called it a BMW-worthy sports sedan. We call it the perfect getaway car. Drive it like you stole it.

• 16/31

  MIDDLE AGE

  Fatherhood

  The Safety Nut: Volvo S60 R-Design

  Having kids makes you do funny things; you start looking at crash-test ratings, rather than crucial matters like 0-60 and handbrake J-turns. But there's a way to have your cake and eat it too. The R-Design version of the safety-gadget-laden S60 has 325 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque, and can hit 60 mph in just a smidge over 5 seconds, while still giving you the appearance of an upstanding professional. Which is kind of funny.

• 17/31

  Fatherhood

  The Green Thumb: BMW 328d

  Green cars are very much in vogue these days, but a Prius is just so…lame. And its carbon footprint is a lot bigger than you'd think, because making them is energy-intensive as hell. The diesel version of the world's best and best-selling BMW gets a turbocharged four with 180 horsepower and a Prius-rivaling 48 mpg on the highway. Hold on to it forever and shrink your carbon footprint that much further. And you won't look like a wiener doing it.

• 18/31

  Fatherhood

  Kid Friendly: Honda Odyssey Limited

  On the list of things you actually desire, a minivan must rank somewhere between a Brazilian wax and a 50 Shades of Grey audiobook read by Gilbert Gottfried. But the Honda Odyssey Limited has one saving grace that should pique your interest: a built-in vacuum cleaner. The days of crumbled Cheerios, clouds of pulverized animal crackers, and errant cannabis seeds are over.

• 19/31

  Midlife Crisis

  My First Exotic: Alfa Romeo 4C

  Sticker shock is merely the first barrier to entry. This rarefied breed usually blows through tires, gasoline and fuel with the profligacy of an Italian politician. Luckily, the 4C has the looks of an exotic and the agility to match, but thanks to intensive use of carbon fiber, it weighs so little that the engine tucked underneath those curves can be a four-cylinder from Alfa's humbler hatches. So it'll be fast, but running costs should be closer to a conventional car than its Ferrari cousins.

• 20/31

  Fatherhood

  The School Run Superstar: Cadillac CTS-V

  This is the swan song of the ultimate Cadillac, the six-speed manual CTS-V wagon. It's hard to imagine Cadillac sold too many CTS wagons, but take our word for it, this is a rocket ship of a medium duty-hauler—think BMW M5 in wagon form—and it's well worth slipping past the wife. The CTS-V's blown V8 may not be long for this world, but its truth will keep marching on.

• 21/31

  Midlife Crisis

  The Blue Collar Racer: Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

  Folklore holds that "the Vette gets 'em wet," but as far as we know, that only happens when it gets your girlfriend sick, as this thing can pull the lateral G's like you wouldn't believe. The latest Vette is lighter, faster, and better built. The taillights may have become square, but make no mistake, the new Stingray is a cool, fast mode of transport.

• 22/31

  Midlife Crisis

  The White Collar Racer: McLaren MP4-12C

  The Ferrari 458 tends to get all the attention in the latest crop of supercars, but performance-wise, it's neck and neck with the McLaren's first ever "volume" offering. But we give the tie to the Macca, if only for its dihedral doors that swing upwards in a dramatic fashion. And McLaren's very pure racing heritage—unsullied by memories of too many cynical road cars—allied to its underdog status are statements we can get behind, too.

• 23/31

  Midlife Crisis

  The Contrast-Collar Banker: Ferrari F12

  Even though mid-engine Ferraris are what capture the public's attention, the company made their name and their best profits on front-engine V12 coupes. The F12 is the latest in the lineup, replacing the legendary 599. The 730 horsepower V12 is the most powerful engine ever fitted to a road-legal Ferrari, which will be nice to know as you tool around the suburbs of Connecticut doing 20.

• 24/31

  Midlife Crisis

  The Slow Collar: Mazda MX-5

  Ok, so despite having 170 horsepower, the MX-5 isn't really that slow anymore. It can hit 60 mph in a hair over 6 seconds, well ahead of most hot hatchbacks. While most sports cars are uncomfortably dull at lower speeds, the MX-5 makes even a 35 mph drive feel like 65. And on the highway? Like warp drive. Enjoy it now, because as cars get increasingly isolated from the road, this kind of tactile experience will become a thing of the past.

• 25/31

  The Outdoors Years

  The Skier: Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel

  You're finally at the age where buying new ski gear for your growing kids each year is burning a hole in your pocket—ain't parenthood grand? No surprise that most vehicles capable of getting up icy hills have a bad drinking habit. Luckily, Jeep's got a new diesel V6 Grand Cherokee is said to go 730 miles on one tank of diesel, which means no stopping for gas there or back. Though, now that you're getting on, you'll probably have to stop anyway.

• 26/31

  The Outdoors Years

  The Woodsy Type: Mazda CX-5

  If the Subaru Outback was the car of choice for the L.L. Bean crowd in the last decade, the Mazda CX-5 is next in line. Don't let the vaguely svelte crossover looks fool you: A class-leading 35 mpg takes it easy on Mother Earth, while the unbelievably sharp driving dynamics will have you thinking you're piloting a station wagon. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder isn't the quickest, but not being in a hurry means you get to enjoy the majesty of Nature that much longer.

• 27/31

  The Last Car You'll Ever Buy

  The Early Bird: Lexus ES300h

  You did everything right: put in 30 years at your company, got the gold watch, bought a place in Florida. You want to reward yourself, but you know your IRA won't regenerate itself like the orange tree in the courtyard of your Sarasota condo. The Lexus ES300h gets the fuel economy of a car half its size, and the legendary Lexus reliability means that your grandkids might inherit this car someday and think more fondly of you than if you'd bought a Taurus.

• 28/31

  The Outdoors Years

  The Snow-Belt Racer: Mercedes-Benz E63

  Take everything you love about AMG products—the bellowing V8s, the sumptuous interiors, the (usually) understated visuals—and now add all-weather capability. North Americans will exclusively get the all-wheel-drive 4Matic version of the E63, and quite rightly: Most buyers can't handle this much power through only two wheels, especially when the road turns into a skating rink. Think of the new E63 as a Mitsubishi Evo for grown-ups who still want a hardcore performance vehicle, just one that won't kill them.

• 29/31

  The Last Car You'll Ever Buy

  The Golden Goose: Mercedes-Benz SL550

  Finally, it's time to buy the car that says you've arrived, that lets you enjoy the weather in your sun-drenched sunset years. All the car magazines are going ape over the AMG versions, but the base SL550 Merc is just right for Grandpapa Bear. Except, the thing not only goes like a rocket, it's as complicated as one, too, with an interior like a NASA control panel. Hopefully your grandkids aren't too busy with Angry Birds to lend a hand. And if they are, look on the bright side. You now know what to do with all those retirement years—figure out how to work your car.

• 30/31

  The Last Car You'll Ever Buy

  The Patriot: Lincoln MKZ

  Lincoln may be a long way off from the days of its iconic Camelot glory, but the new MKZ is its attempt to re-channel some of that American lu into the 21st century. Much like the 1963 Continental's famous suicide doors, Lincoln is hoping that the massive full-length sunroof—which slides all the way back like a pseudo convertible—will be just the ticket for folks who want to live larger than others. It's the classical American land yacht, reborn.

• 31/31

  The Last Car You'll Ever Buy

  The Nostalgic: Whatever You Drove In High School

  Sure, you can just go out and buy a new Camaro. But then it won't smell like hair spray and Winston Menthols and you won't slide out of our seat while cornering…which defeats the whole purpose, doesn't it? You may never have had a second chance with "The One That Got Away", but with enough time, dedication and, of course, moolah, you can finally tool around in the vehicle that seemed so cool, back when you were, too.

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Source: https://www.gq.com/gallery/the-gq-car-buying-guide

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