Remember 26 years ago? If you’re over 33 or so, you should have pretty good memories of the world not ending when the ol’ odometer rolled over for those of us following the Gregorian calendar, which was literally invented by a Greg. And as a car person, you probably also have solid car memories of the 2000s era, as that first decade of the aughts had some real bangers. Some may have stayed with you as dream cars, or even dreams you’ve managed to make come true; others may have faded with time as mere kid stuff, or just no longer your thing.
I’m sure many of you, like me, thought the Subaru WRX STI (as depicted in the top pic) was one helluva machine, and I’d still love to hoon one even though I’d surely look like Grandpa grabbed the wrong keys. See also the Volkswagen Golf R32 and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution for cars I dug then and still dig now, like so many of us do/did.
As for poster cars, put me down for a two-car garage with a Porsche Carrera GT in there, alongside a Ferrari Enzo. Supercars aren’t much of a thing for me, but these two classics still hit for being purposeful, cutting-edge machines of their era, and much classier than, say, a Murcielago.
But of course, we’re probably all thinking exactly the same thing when it comes to 2000s greatness, as Antti has neatly pinpointed:
My serious answer: the 2000-2007 Volvo P2 generation is one of the best real world cars that does most things well, especially in lifted XC70 wagon form. Comfortable, spacious, reliable, durable, in turbodiesel form even frugal. Great seats and really good stereos and a very sensibly laid out dashboard.
My unserious answer: PT Cruiser, for the exact same reasons
Everyone loves an XC70.
Your turn:
What 2000s Cars Are You Totally Into?
Top graphic image: Subaru
-The Aston Martin DB9,DBS, and V8 Vantage.
-2000-2003 Ford Super Dutys(you get a solid chassis and the 7.3L PSD)
-GMT800 GM trucks
-E46/E90 BMWs
-Porsche 996, 997,986 and 987
-Mercedes McLaren SLR
-NC Miatas
All these vehicles feel purposeful and simple, are all pretty good looking, and I’ve daydreamed about owning all of them at some point
The first that comes to mind is the 1st gen Mazda 6. Great looks, fun to drive, reliable, could be had in hatchback, wagon, or spicy Mazdaspeed form. The biggest issue with them seemed to be rust.
Secondly, the R50/53 Mini. I felt this was one of the best examples of retro design from the decade. Not only did it look good, it was an absolute banger to drive. And supercharger whine is always fun.
Lastly, the Alfa 159/Bera. Sure, they may not have the best reputation for reliability, but gosh just looks at it! It’s such an amazing design.
My mother had one of those supercharged Minis. It was cute and a riot to drive. A very serious driver’s car.
Between my wife and I we had 5 different GG-generation Mazda6 sedans (though I’d have preferred the 5-door or wagon). Can confirm fun to drive, looks, and fun factor. Also the rear quarter rust, at least on two of them. But there are patch kits available for them, one of which I almost bought but then wound up getting rid of the car instead.
Besides the obvious ones already listed here, the 2000’s saw a series of Audi S4 Avants available. The B7 RS4 was also cool.
The EP3 Civic Si and RSX Type-S keeps rising up my list of “should have bought one”.
The A209 CLK still looks good. Same with the C55.
Might be boring, but I think the Acura RL and Lexus GS of this generation are aging very well. Original IS-F sneaks in as well.
Subaru Legacy 2.5GT. Legacy GT wagon. Forester XT.
Volvo V70R
ooooh good call on the RSX, especially in that orange color.
I’ll go there – Mercury Marauder. I know it was disappointing in terms of what it was represented to be, but I still think it’s cool. Had a better engine than the usual panther 4.6, I like the attempt at an interior glowup (gauge controversy aside), and it’s got such wonderfully understated presence; in today’s world, it’s positively restrained and mature.
As an owner I came here to say the same thing. Concerning the gauges it is kind of disappointing that the oil gauge is fake since it wears the Autometer branding, but Ford had given up on real oil pressure gauges by the time the first Aero CV hit the streets.
The Marauder engine should’ve been standard on the Town Car and at least available on the regular Grand Marq and the P71 too. The Marauder should’ve gotten the supercharged V8.
The regular CV/GM V8 should’ve been the 260 hp version the Mustang got at the time
The standard engine should’ve just been a V6, since the Duratec made the same 220 hp as the regular Panther V8 LOL
How it should’ve been:
220 hp V6 – standard CV engine
260 hp V8 – P71, GM, opt. regular CV
300 hp V8 – Town Car, opt. P71, GM
390 hp SC V8 – Marauder
I realize Panther had some significant updates, but it’s almost like a 70’s car still made in the 00’s, so I don’t think of it as a true 00’s car. But I did like the late-Panthers, and they had a 00’s look I guess.
Fair enough, though for me, that’s part of its charm – among the last of the old school, never to be offered again by the end of the decade. Same reason why I love my 00s Mustang…she’s basically a 70s/80s car in so many (fun) ways, but with airbags and ABS.
I looked for Maurauders as a college car out in the Midwest to haul stuff around. But I quickly learned it’s a tight knit owners club that kept the prices up.
Either 320k miles and beat or pristine 20k mile examples with little in between.
I think Ford never really got behind it as a regular offering; like the 11th gen Thunderbird, Ford treated it as a one off sorta thing. Sure, that could be an after the fact excuse for low sales, but I think if Ford had left it on the market for a bit, upgraded it here and there, it’d have been more obtainable later on.
The 2ZZ Vibe GT/Matrix XRS
T30 X-Trail that Canada got but we didn’t
The first gen W245 B-Class also sold up there but not down here
People have brought those B-Classes down here. I’d guess 30 or so are in the US. MB was *this close* to selling it in the US, but Euro-to-dollar exchange rates killed it at the last minute. The owner’s manual says it meets the standards of Canada, the US, and California. There is a California emissions label under the hood.
I’d love to bring down a 5-speed non-turbo B-Class (yes, both the turbo and non-turbo were available with the manual!) with that awesome sunroof it has, too 😀
The X-Trail is basically the Forester Done Right. It has that big sunroof and AWD but with a regular engine instead of the shitty boxer. Also, the X-Trail’s sunroof tilts, and you can even turn off the AWD for better mpg (the AWD has 3 modes: 2WD, Auto, and Lock)
Canada got the CSX Type-S which is an 8th gen Civic Si but with heated seats and leather.
I’m also a huge fan of the Yaris Verso. Small on the outside, huge on the inside! Especially with the dual sunroofs!
Too bad we never got the E46 Compact. I also like the Renault Kangoo and Citroen Berlingo.
The EP3 Civic Si is basically the Mini Cooper Done Right. Lucas electronics that actually WORK!!!!!!!! 😛
Too bad they never gave us the CTR of that gen.
Mazda made a mistake by not selling the 4-cylinder 6 wagon here. At least we got the 5 tho.
And of course, the cars everyone will say, the Mr2, S2000, the shoe, etc.
E38/E39/E46 BMWs
Alfa Romeo 8C
Alfa Romeo 156GTA
Gated manual Murcielago
Monaro HRT427 concept
Toyota 2000GT. I see your definition of 2000 and choose to ignore it, for science.
I go a slightly different direction and meet both definitions of 2000 with the Honda S2000, G1 MY 2000.
I still daily an 05 330i, i love that car. every time i drive i just enjoy how well sorted it is, its simple, comfy and just a joy to drive.
2002 Trans Am or Formula (probably my top choice since cloth seats hah) with WS6 package or a Firehawk. Also needs a T56 hah
Never been an enthusiast of foreign automobiles no matter what country. I am an enthusiast of American car fare up until mid 70s, but if you ask me about 2K cars, there is only ONE for me (and I own one) the Chevrolet Corvette C6. No other!????????
I guess the Caravan was OK enough back then…
🙂
(You do realize that Honda and Toyota are generally more made in the US than Ford, GM, and Stellantis, I presume. But not Jeep! yet)
There was the final series of the R129 SLs – production ending in 2002. Not the best of the series, but better than every SL which has come after.
There were also the second gen (C215) Mercedes-Benz CL Class – Those were handsome coupes indeed. It’s a shame DB didn’t see fit to make a cabriolet version thereof – as the body style was particularly suited to it.
But an AMG CL55 did set a Cannonball Run record in 2013.
Then there was the first gen Bentley Azure – which was based on the Continental R, which itself was based on the Arnage.
2000 was also the final year of the beautiful 1st Gen Toyota Soarer/Lexus SC300/400 – which I loved ever since seeing one in the Toyota showroom in the Sony Building in Ginza at the start of production in the early 90s.
Then there were the Saab 9-5s.
And the first gen Audi TT roadsters – particularly those with the baseball glove interiors.
Hmm… So many options…
I’ll go “attainable”:
– Toyota MR2 Spyder
– Honda S2000
– Porsche Cayman
– My wife’s Mazdaspeed 3 (1st Gen)
– My Mazda Protege5
Outside of the obvious Corvette / 911 / Viper answers? GMT800s, specifically GMC, and more specifically 2500HD. I just think they look cool (whereas the GMT800 Silverado “facelift” looks like it got smacked in the face with the inside of a spade . . . GM’s worst ever facelift UNTIL the 6th gen Camaro facelift).
Edit to add: 3 series BMWs were pretty cool as well, plus the E39 5 series.
I miss the 2000 – 2003 Chevrolet S-10 pickups. They were honest little pickups with an MSRP of around $13K if you got the base model 2WD 4-cylinder, 5-speed version.
https://www.iihs.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=636/api/ratings/model-year-images/1882/
Adjusted for cumulative inflation of about 94.6% between 2000 and today, this is equivalent to roughly $25,570 today.
Imagine being able to go to a GM stealership these days and being able to hand over $26K and driving away in a basic brand new truck.
Also, the early 2000s Ranger, B-Series, Tacoma, Frontier, Hombre, and Sonoma compact pickups.
I was excited when they came out with the S197 Mustang in 05, I liked the retro look and bought one in 09 which I still have. Not as fast as the Coyote versions but still fun to drive.
The big difference (in a postive way IMO) is the engine – the 4.6 is quite raw and viseral compared to the relative refinement of the 5.0. It’s actually got more in common with the old 5.0 in that respect.
Love mine, I get a lot of compliments on it these days. Many of the early ones have been chewed up over the years.
Bit of a ’90s holdover, but the E39, obviously, since I’ve had four (and all of mine have been ’00s models, so they count!). They haven’t held up, but I wish I’d jumped one of the several times I considered a lightly-used B5/B5.5 Passat back in the oughts—that one was more than the sum of its parts, a basically ordinary mid-size sedan/wagon that managed to just look and feel special. Until everything in the interior started to peel, chip, or come unglued, but what are you going to do.
The P2 Volvos were a huge disappointment. They’ve never stopped looking great, but they’re otherwise not at all worth being nostalgic about. Sorry, kids.
Off the top of my head… E46 M3. Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky. Cadillac CTS-V, especially the wagon. Dodge Magnum. Lamborghini Gallardo. Alfa Romeo Brera.
The GM twins are a fantastic choice. I saw a Solstice in the wild this afternoon, and it absolutely brought a smile to my face. GM seemed on such an upswing back then with stuff like them, an actual good sporty car. Reminded me alot of the days of the Fiero.
I was going to say the CTS-V wagon, but apparently only made from 2011-2014?
I’ll list five:
-Honda Insight (1st gen)
-Lotus Elise
-Tesla Roadster
-Corvette C6
-Audi TT Coupe AWD (1st gen)
I own an Insight. I got one while they were still attainable. They may not be soon.
Insight prices are already nutty, IMO. A $3k manual Insight in my area has 350,000 miles, crunching gears, a torn seat, a weak battery, and paint that faded years ago. Insights with automatics can be had for the same price with half the miles and a way better body.
Mine was a manual. Paid $5k for it with about 100,000 miles on the odo, and put another $2k of repairs 9in it. A friend and I swapped in a refurbished NiMH battery. I wanted to get a Linsight kit, but the wait time on it would have been too long. If/when the NiMH battery craps out, I’m going to convert it into a pure EV.
Turbo Baja, Volvo V70R, and a VehiCROSS were my early 2000s semi-attainable dream cars
350Z (username checks out)
Evo 8/9
TT Coupe
F430 (IMO the most beautiful Ferrari)
F430 (IMO the most beautiful
Ferraricar).Fixed
Great edit. Can’t argue with that.
BMW clown shoe. Some others as well, but the clown shoe is still one of the most distinctive, weird and beautiful shapes in the world. Should have bought one when they were affordable.
Love the car. Hate the nickname.
How does Elf Hearse fit then?
Had one. Still miss it dearly.
Kyle can’t be evil in a clown shoe.
I always had a soft spot for the Pontiac GTO/Holden Monaro
Ohhh I would love a imported Holden Commodore UTE
Clio V6, at least until it kills me – but at least I’ll die with a big fat grin on my face!
Not seen on the USA, but the SEAT Leon Cupra R. Available also in Project Gotham Racing 2 for Xbox.