Year-end lists are always fun at car websites because they allow writers like me to look back on the year and reminisce on all the stuff I did in this wonderful dream job of mine. Yesterday, my colleague David highlighted all of the awesome stories we wrote in 2025, and now, I’m here to tell you about all of the coolest (and weirdest) things we drove (and flew) over the past 365 days.
Of course, because this is The Autopian, our favorite cars of the year are a bit different from every other car site on the internet, simply because our interests vary wildly from the average car writer (which is the whole reason why you, the reader, likely come to this website at all).
This year, I asked around in The Autopian’s Slack channel to find out which vehicle left the biggest mark in each writer’s brain, and I got a lot of great answers. In a couple of cases, the answers I got weren’t even cars. Let’s get into it.
Two Weirdly Similar American Legends
This year, I drove two cars that felt far more similar than I could possibly have expected. The first was the Ford Mustang GTD, which, with over 800 horsepower, you’d think would be a deathtrap to sling around Thermal Raceway. But no, it was downright EASY for me — an average track driver, at best — to just hammer into and out of those tight corners. It was awesome.
More recently, I had a chance to drive one of the best cars I’ve ever experienced: Carroll Shelby’s own, Chrysler-powered Detomaso Pantera. How the hell that old 1980s engine felt as powerful and responsive as it did remains beyond me. It felt similar to the GTD in certain ways — with silky-smooth ridiculous power located just aft of the driver. It was awesome, and maybe the most surprising driving experience of my lifetime, because that 40-year-old car made power almost like a new car. More on this special machine next year.
– David Tracy, Editor-In-Chief, Co-Founder
A Forlorn Nissan Taxi With A Whole Lot Of Miles
This year, the best car I drove is actually pretty easy to pick, and it’s definitely not one I would have predicted. It’s not a new car, it’s not something exotic, it’s not even my preferred automotive category of small, weird, old crapboxes. It’s a car that I’d not thought about that much, a category I didn’t interact with all that often, but one I got to know well, really, really well, over the summer, and came away with a deep affection and respect for this humble workhorse.
The car is the old, battered, hard-worked, 370,000+ mile Nissan NV200 Ex-New York City taxi.
That little cab had already seen a shocking number of hard miles of driving as an NYC taxi for over a decade of use, among the hardest sort of use a passenger car can get: thousands and thousands of trips in a traffic-clogged city, people tramping in and out, no one being careful of anything, the cruel realities of city life being flung at it nonstop. When we got it for dirt cheap at a Copart auction, it was broken and beaten, longing for the sweet release of death.
We denied it that release.
We fixed that little taxi up – not as much as you’d think, even, cleaned out all the mold, but only after it rolled off a tow truck and smacked into a tree. We patched that up, jankily, but less jankily than I fixed the A/C, which had wires running outside the car and a toggle switch on the hood.
But it was good enough to take it across the entire continent, me driving and my kid enjoying the full taxi comfort in back, and it didn’t break down in any serious way even once. Even that infamous CVT did just fine! Mile after mile, across plains and over mountains and through deserts, that taxi kept going, so far away from its original purpose.
I respect the hell out of that little taxi – it’s a fantastic design for a cab, just overall, and it has proven to be one of the most durable and hard-working cars I’ve ever encountered, of any kind. It’s the perfect example of a humble yet unstoppable workhorse. You have my eternal respect, NV200 Taxi.
– Jason Torchinsky, Creative Director, Co-Founder
The CrossCabriolet, Of Course
I might have pulled Publisher prerogative to do this one, since most of us have driven the CrossCabriolet this year. It’s an utterly stupid car. We bought it because our partners at XPEL agreed that it was a car that would draw a lot of attention, while–and this is important–not being loved by anyone who would get mad if we, say, did a bunch of cop slides on its hood.
So far, no one has gotten upset at us for damaging the paint on 50% of the car, but it turns out almost everyone loves it. I’ve never driven a car that’s gotten so much attention. It was the talk of Monterey Car Week, it was the toast of the Texas Lemons Rally, and every minute in it is an adventure.
While an old Nissan CVT might not be everyone’s ideal transmission choice (with one obvious exception), somehow the VQ V6 underhood gives it just enough grunt to be completely drivable. Granted, the handling is so slow and incoherent, it’s a shock to me that it hasn’t been nominated by either of the major parties to run for president.
There are only three certainties in life: Death, taxes, and the failure of a Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet’s top. Every time you stow the brittle cover is, statistically, the last time it’ll ever work, but it’s always worth it. Crusing around town in a giant purple roadster SUV with the roof open is one of the best driving experiences imaginable, if only for the mix of joy and confusion you’ll see on the faces of people passing by.
– Matt Hardigree, Publisher, Co-Owner
Wait, This Isn’t A Car At All
The best car I drove this year was the original, realistic flying car, a plane. I am blessed with the privilege of driving some of the greatest new vehicles in the world, and I will forever be thankful for that. This year was very truck-heavy for me, with a diesel Ford F-350, a diesel Ford F-250, and then a Ford F-150 Raptor R. It’s insane that anyone can just buy a truck that makes over 700 horsepower right off the dealership lot.
I also get to test fun motorcycles, like Indian’s high-tech cruisers and weird trikes like Can-Ams and Polaris Slingshot Rs. Normally, I would nominate something like the Ford F-150 Raptor R or the Ford F-350 Super Duty Platinum Plus dually as the coolest thing I drove this year. But instead, this year’s pick is a 1973 Cessna 172M.
This classic aircraft has largely been my steed in my rebooted dream to become a pilot. I love everything about this old bird, from its brown graphics and matching interior to how its seat seems to fit me better than the other C172s in the flight school fleet. I’ve also noticed some interesting quirks about this aircraft, like how there’s basically no play in its controls. One of the other Cessnas I’m training in isn’t that tight!
I feel like the aircraft, and I have built a great rapport. I’m sometimes the first person to fly it on a given day, and some of my best landings thus far have been at the controls of ol’ N12661. Honestly, seeing that plane’s glistening paint after a good wash is a highlight of my week.
I now have the privilege of flying a very different plane, an Extra 330LC, so I finally have a point of comparison. The Extra handles like a sports car, while the Cessna might as well be like a pickup truck or an old body-on-frame sedan. Flying the Extra made me appreciate the Cessna even more. It’s a brilliant piece of engineering, so easy to fly, and forgiving of beginner mistakes. A C172 is like what enthusiasts love about classic cars, but with wings. It’s no wonder that flight schools around the world still have old Cessna 172s as their trainers.
Sure, these planes aren’t exactly thrilling; you aren’t going to be doing barrel rolls, loops, or breaking any speed records. You don’t even get a retractable landing gear. A C172 is also about as common as a garden-variety Toyota, but they just work, regardless of your skill level.
– Mercedes Streeter, Senior Writer
The Highest-Mileage Press Car I’ve Ever Seen Or Driven
If you get in enough press cars, you start to notice patterns. Some manufacturers like to pre-set radio stations for each loan, while others provide charging cables for your phone. One thing consistent across the board is mileage. Most press cars never eclipse 8,000 miles, simply because most journalists treat them like rentals that have the most expensive insurance paid for.
To celebrate 10 years of modern Long Tails, McLaren decided to loan out the 765LT from its heritage fleet to a handful of journalists earlier this year, including me. Being a 2019 model year car, not only was this the oldest press car I’ve ever been loaned, but it was also the highest-mileage by a lot. This car had over 12,000 miles on the clock when it was given to me.
That might sound essentially new to some of you (especially those who exclusively buy high-mileage, used cars on the cheap, like me). But trust me, 12,000 miles on a press car, much less a supercar like the 765LT, is an insane amount of miles for a loaner.
While the car was still incredibly fast and capable, it was definitely showing its age. Pieces of the interior were starting to peel away, and there were more rattles inside than any mid-2000s GM vehicle I’ve driven (which is saying something). If I had to guess, it’s probably still one of the highest-mileage 765LTs in the world. That being said, I’d give up a finger or two just to get a few more hours of seat time.
– Brian Silvestro, News Editor
Sometimes, The Best Moments Involve No Driving At All
When Brian asked for a few paragraphs on our best automotive moves of ‘25, I immediately started going through the 13 cars that I rescued/fixed this year in my head, thinking of which would be the best to write about. I realized that the answer was none of them. None of the cars that I briefly owned and resuscitated were as important, impactful, and brought as much satisfaction and joy as did one overheating Dakota that I didn’t own, nor ever drive.
My mother had some chipped polish on one of her fingernails early last May and headed to her favorite local nail salon. Whilst there, she couldn’t get an appointment and was told by the owner that his ‘02 Dakota was overheating and that it was messing up appointments and operations at his nail shop.
“My son Steve fixes old junky cars; you should call him.” -my Ma (who is an active Commenter here on the site!)
Later that afternoon, while at my desk job, I received a call from that gentleman, asking me how much I’d charge to put a radiator in his truck. I told him that my mom speaks very highly of the quality job his nail techs provide and that seeing her happy is the greatest payment possible. We negotiated a labor trade: 2 nail jobs for one radiator job.
A couple of days later, I was in the local pick & pull yard, combing through the Dodge Truck aisle, which is always filled with Dakotas that lived long, hard, beaten-up lives. Pretty much the opposite life that a Range Rover lives.
Luckily for me, I found a white truck that had nearly everything on its front-end removed except for the radiator and AC condenser! This meant wicked easy access to the hose connections, condenser lines, and mounting bolts. I’m a pretty lucky guy; big thanks to the random dudes before me that pulled everything else off the front of that truck and out of my way in the previous weeks that it was in the yard!
Fun & Grim Fact: In my local yard, you have 30 days from when each vehicle hits the yard to when it becomes a steel pancake. The titles are branded, and no car can leave the gates once it passes them; there’s a slaughterhouse, a dark tone present there felt by anyone who loves cars. Yeesh.
With the condenser removed, the radiator was super easy to follow. I think I had both out in under 15 minutes!
I think the radiator was about $35 used and appeared to be in great shape. I headed out of the parts yard, reminded as I am every time that I visit that it is such a huge resource for anyone in this hobby/field and is a total lifesaver. Without the cheap, available parts it provides, I’d constantly be stuck paying retail for Chinese parts at the local chain stores, or waiting 7 days for online orders, or worse yet: draining my 401K to buy stealership parts.
The nail shop owner was over the moon that he got his truck fixed for $0 out of pocket, and the smile on my mother’s face and look of pride in her eyes towards her son when I handed her the gift certificates made my heart swell. No number of bashed, bloody knuckles, sore muscles, and oil-stained skin matters whatsoever when you can be there, stand tall, and come through for your loved ones.
Going into ‘26, I think we can all be there for others. The car enthusiast community is exactly that: a community. Whether it’s with online advice in a forum, or by teaching someone a new wrenching trick/skill, or a full-on weekend spent under the hood with someone in need, let’s all show each other how it’s done and really share success, positivity, friendship, and happiness. That’s what this Autopian community has always been about. That’s what I’m about.
Fixing a truck that wasn’t mine, and that I never even drove, brought me the best feeling of happiness in ‘25. I’m excited to learn new, valuable wrenching skills this year and to continue to grow and better myself to the best of my ability. I pledge to continue to use my wrenching and automotive skills to the best that I can to help others this New Year. I hope you each do the same. Since you’re the type of person who is reading this, I know that you will.
– S. W. Gossin, Contributor
Who Says You Have To Be In The Car To Have Driven It?
I literally only drove our own three vehicles in 2025, and while I’m quite fond of them, they’re not all that special or interesting. But who said I had to write about a car I could actually ride in? I have several dozen RC models, most of them old classics, and I spent a great deal of time with them.
I’ve always wanted my own RC car track, ever since I first got involved in the hobby in 1986. I’ve tried a few times over the years to build one, and in 2025, I built my best effort yet – just in time to find out we were moving again, and I had to fill it all in.
But for a while, in the summer, I was having a ball. I scraped off the top layer of grass, weeds, and dirt, laid down some fallen branches and scraps of lumber for track barriers, and went to town. The first car to see action on my new track was a Tamiya Frog, a classic if there ever was one. The Frog, along with its cheaper stablemates the Grasshopper and Hornet, brought smiles to the faces of a million kids in the 1980s, and they’re still cherished today. This one was rebuilt from a wreck I bought on eBay for cheap. Some RC hobbyists restore old cars and set them on a shelf to remain pristine and untouched forever. That’s not my style.
We’re moving out of this house, and this track is no more. But our new property has an even better, bigger space for a track, and I can’t wait to break ground on it. I’ll probably pull out this old Frog for the first run on that track as well. It’s tradition now.
– Mark Tucker, Contributor
Here’s to many more fun times behind the wheel in 2026.
Top graphic images: The Autopian; Tamiya
Fun article!
Mercedes, I only flew C-150s (and 152s later). My favorite was a pretty early 150 square tail with manual flaps instead of the later electric ones. I loved the feedback through the lever which let you know if you were deploying a bit too much flaps at too high of a speed. I recently read an article comparing what it’s like flying Boeing and Airbus jets. Some pilots prefer the feel of the (at least earlier) hydraulic Boeings vs the fly-by-wire Airbus models and vice versa.
S. W. Gossin – he’s the one with the best contribution to this article, and I enjoy his other articles and read them to the end, savoring the imagines he creates in my mind. Family – whether blood or chosen – are the reasons motivating so many of us, of people in general. I smiled throughout his words here as he focused on making someone else happy, using his skills, talents and resourcefulness to that end. Bravo!
A commentator for a different article (something about what members would like to see here in the future on The Autopian) mentioned his articles are too long. But, for me, I enjoy reading SWG, so bring on the longer articles with details and photos and other tidbits that enhance the story he’s weaving. They’re great!
Here’s to more SWG in 2026!
100% agree
I really liked the dodge truck repair article by S.W. Gossin ;
As a young man I honed my craft (Journeyman Mechanic) by working on others vehicles for free , or lunch, sometimes the job required a special tool, if they bought it the labor was free .
I’d like to mention here that Citric Acid powder, when mixed 1 pound to three gallons of distilled water, filled in a flushed of coolant cooling system will remove all the accumulated and built up corrosion, ieven i older Honda radiators that are (in)famous for clogging .
Not just the radiator needs to be cleaned or replaced .
-Nate
Mercedes,
one can always recommend a flight in any old warbird for a real thrill. But have to say, have you spent any time in a Bonanza? Highly recommended.
or…. For a more down to earth plane like a 172, try a Cherokee 180, with the cleaned up Art Mattson mods. Sweet little planes
Enjoyed reading all of these! Only thing of interest I drove last year was a BMW 428i convertible on a test drive. Oh I wanted it so much! But weighing the repair costs, especially after a X3 had cost me so much money and headache, I just couldn’t pay the German import tax.
Wife and I happen to live under an airway up and down the CA coast, so we get all types of aircraft above us, especially small craft coming and going from nearby small airports (with the occasional military jets from a navy base). I spend a decent amount of time outdoors, and have looked up through an app what’s flying over enough that I can now ID some of the small craft by their sound. The Cessna 172 and 182 have such a sweet smooth sound, I can ID them from miles away! The Cirrus have a distinct sweet sound too.
Back when the Pantera first came out, a friend was considering buying a used one from an individual, and asked me to ride along while he checked it out. it was cramp as hell (we were both over 6 feet), but was a blast to be in. He offered me to drive it, I sat behind the wheel, but could not manipulate my legs enough to drive it. Blown opportunity!
Back in the early 80s, I had a neighbor with a Pantera, but I never saw it running. I also had a neighbor who had a Lancia Beta Coupe. Many years later, I lived in a nice neighborhood in SE Texas and there was an anesthesiologist who parked his McClaren 570S outside in his driveway and drove it every day.
My weirdest (for me) was a massive RAM crew cab mild hybrid truck. I’m still not a fan of such pedestrian crushers but I can’t fault its 27 mpg highway, it’s utility or it’s comfort.
After getting back into dirtbikes at the beginning of the pandemic and moving from a XR650, to CRF450RL, I finally bought a two stroke in 2025, a YZ250. No need for these new fandangled orange machines built by a manufacturer going through bankruptcy.
But wow, how I had forgotten how a 2 stroke hits. That powerband feeling. The front wheel hanging in the air when you are giving it the beans. But also light. I feel like I went from some giant pig of a dual sport 450 to a mountain bike.
2026 is about more dirtbike races, mainly cause I can’t afford a race car. Although some say, “with age, comes a cage”. For now, I will focus on keeping it rubber side down, but with that front wheel hanging off the ground.
Keep calm and wheelie on.
Cessna 172 to an Extra 300 is……quite the leap. An Extra at 1/5 scale in the hands of a good RC pilot is a sight to behold. The full size ones with an experienced pilot at the controls is doubly incredible. One for how they make the plane seemingly defy physics and how they manage to stay conscious!
I get a laugh out of the stuff RC helicopter pilots do with their models. Maneuvers that would tear pretty much any real helicopter apart.
The helicopter would likely survive some of the gentler maneuvers. The squishy meat sacks inside wouldn’t survive, which is usually a big deal. Tic-tocs being the one maneuver that comes immediately to mind. The velocity changes there are staggering.
Tail sections IRL are pretty fragile. The things I saw them doing with their RC choppers were anything but gentle. And I’ve read enough about Robinsons chopping off their own tail sections. I have a fixed wing pilots license and a couple of hours of stick time in (off the ground, thanks to a fun TV station’s pilot) in a B206 and two hours of instruction in an R22, thanks to a birthday present from a lovely wife. I could probably land a 206 safely, but the R22? Those things are so skittish!
I was a news photographer in the first half of my career (with time in two different B206s and two different pilots) and had to go cover the crash of a guy who was towing a banner and things went badly. The first FAA guy on the site candidly told me that us humans (meat sacks, as you say) are essentially water balloons with some bones inside. And, knowing what I do about physiology and anatomy, that seems about right.
I crashed a motorcycle and broke a couple of ribs 15 years ago. I’m happy that I didn’t hit anything solid along the way. I was able to pick up the bike and gently go home. But it was six weeks of constant pain getting out of bed.
Damn Mark, I just got rid of my old RC stuff and one of the things that I *think* was in the parts box was a chrome plated Frog frame and a belt drive conversion for the rear gears. I will have to dig around in the storage facility to see if it went with the cars I got rid of. If it’s still up there at the storage, it’s all yours.
Sweet, thank you!
I didn’t drive a lot of press vehicles this years but:
Best: Kamm 912, R5
Worst: well I think you all know but for the cheap seats, the Yugo and the fucking Rodius.
Also the Mondial continues to be life affirming, and it has been reliable all year including a 1000 mile trip to France for Le Mans Classic.
Dear Adrian, your Worst list deserves an essay all your own. And because I don’t believe I have ever seen you write the words “life affirming,” anywhere, I would love to read about the feels generated by driving your Furrari. Totally looking forward to that.
I wrote about it quite extensively for the insurance company, and didn’t want to repeat myself.
Love how Stephen bartered for the car repair, giving his mum two nail jobs in exchange.
My family lived in the neighbourhood in Dallas during the late 1970s where there were lot of starter families and senior citizens. Many of them didn’t know how to fix this or that; some of them couldn’t afford to pay, too. We decided to ask about bartering instead of cash. That worked out very well for many of us.
Mrs. Robinson?
That’s quite the selection, and would never be any other site’s list. My interesting ride is my son’s Toyota HiAce because being right hand drive and forward control is a trip, plus it has a good turn of speed. Still on the JDM kick, he rented a Nissan Roox in Sapporo, and the oddly named Kei car hauled two large gaijin on the highway with no problems.
Sure enough, SWG swoops in with trademark joy and generosity. <3
I’m responding to you but I’m here for all the lovely comments about Gossin, whose open heart and cultivation of gratitude can moisten my eyes while reading about a truck radiator. And he cleans up so nice to visit his Mom!
We all knew he would – what a joy to read!
Great stories from all of you! Stephen, gotta say love what you do with rescuing humble cars. There are thousands upon thousands of unloved humble cars out there that not wealthy people need to get around. I hope other mechanics are inspired by your write-ups and do the same thing you’re doing!
The 172 is a great aircraft! My Dad flew one for decades all over the Southwest. An uprated engine was installed and with an oxygen concentrator he could do 15,000 feet to explore Colorado. Same color as the one pictured here!
The 150/152 and 172s are just so pleasantly simple. Airborne tractors, really.
Dang, SWG is the best. I would devour the 15 part Jag story if it ever gets a green light.
I love love love that Jatco Xtronic CVT gets shoutouts. I don’t mean to run my clam, but it’s one of my favorite in-joke feel-good things about this site. Autopian really is the bent.
I’ve been worried about our CVT pal. They haven’t been commenting in a while. Or maybe I’ve missed it?
I haven’t seen them comment in a while, either!
Hopefully they’re just getting their lifetime fluids changed.
Yup, we know y’all drove the CrossCabriolet – the footage slams us every article.
Ok, I bought the cloth – so now its at least frozen. Where’s the “video delete” checkbox on the build sheet?
And the win goes to SWG. No one can beat a great thing done for their mom.
I want to say that the coolest thing I’ve driven all year was not a car but rather a 1970s John Deere 90 electric lawn mower. It worked astoundingly well.
My first RC car was a Frog!!! Raced the piss out of it, replaced so many chassis from crashes. Do not have that one anymore but I still have the RC10 that I upgraded to. What car guys did before they could drive cars. Cheers to 40 yo RC cars!
Great stories all!
IIRC the Shelby Pantera had a Banks twin turbo 340 in it. That thing would be seriously fun to go for a scoot in.
Aww, good old SWG. I don’t have the skills, but I do help out my neighbors. I replaced headlights for somebody, got a minivan door closed, offered a couple of jump starts, and loaned out ramps. Also somebody stole my amazon basics torque wrench and jump pack- I’m assuming they needed them more than I did.
I went more old school. I told my neighbor/friend he was an idiot for buying replacement headlights when he only needed the bulbs. Then since he had taken the lights out I took him to the part store returned the headlights and got the bulbs told the parts counter guy he was scum, took the neighbor home and showed him how to put latex gloves on and insert the bulbs.
You’re a wonderful son Stephen. A wonderful message and a mom that I’ll bet is proud of you (and her nails).
I feel like the Cross Cabriolet, with those rims and the top down is like what a production Pontiac Stinger would have ended up as, similar to the Aztek concept vs production, that is to say, probably best we only have the concept for our imaginations.
Happy New Year every one!