There aren’t a lot of cars that evoke enough happiness when I see them to actually make me smile. There are plenty that make me go, “Oh, I like those,” or “That’s a cool one,” but I’m not grinning about it like some psycho. Like, imagine me catching you exiting your Kia Stinger at CVS, and I tell you “great car” while showing all my teeth – you’d wonder if you were about to be carjacked.
There are scant few cars that make me smile (warmly, not crazily), but the ones that do are extremely wholesome and deserving. High on the list is any 20+ year old grandpa/grandma car in very nice condition still piloted by the octogenarian who purchased it. I invent entire storylines for these cars and people, real salt-of-the-earth types who know the value of a dollar and faithfully take careful care of their Crown Vics and Avalons and Chrysler 300s.
In a similar vein, I always smile anytime I see a formerly disposable car just out there surviving. There’s a Beetle I see on the regular, not unlike the one above from Bring A Trailer (where it sold for $5,700), that appears to run like a top but has endured far too many hot Texas summers and fender-bender repairs for its owner to have any concerns over maintaining its paint beyond rust prevention. Anytime I encounter an aged Civic or Corolla or Ford Escort or the like that some frugal person is just not giving up on (“250,000 miles and it still runs great!”), that just puts a smile on my face every time.
Your turn:
What Cars Are You Always Happy To See?
Top graphic image: Ford
Any older midsize doin’ work. An S10 / Ranger / Tacoma / etc from the 90’s or 00’s still hauling something. Just warms my heart. Reminds of the days I was picking weed eaters and lawn mowers with my ’98 Super10
Oh and a Geo Tracker!
Single Cab older pickup with a bed full of wood towing a smoker that is more rust than metal. I’ll follow that thing for miles to find out where it sets up to sell me lunch.
Second Place is a beat up old UPS Van that has been painted with a brush with Orange and Green that is blaring Accordion Music.
Both of those are oddly specific. Just observing, not judging.
There used to be Ice Cream trucks on the list, but I can get freezer burned bomb pops at the local gas stations.. where there are either smokers or taco trucks more often than not.
Fiat 128 because they were such rust buckets and difficult to keep running.
BMW 2002 because I owned one. Or more accurately, one owned me.
Jeep TJ in stock form.
Miata (NA, NC and ND in particular)
Fortwo (never owned one and probably never will, but they make me smile)
944/928 (saw one a bit ago in purple!)
Early Mustang (pre 1970)
’55-’57 Chevy
Late ’60s two door Pontiacs
Any small European convertible (MG, Fiat 124 Spider, etc)
OMG call Dr Rick – I’m turning into my Boomer parents.
Any 70’s, 80′, early 90’s survivor still driving on the street, driven by non-car people. They didnt drop tons of money on a restoration, but just still maintaining them for their everyday use.
Geo metro – I had one and hooned the hell out of it back in the day
Nissan Skyline – don’t see many in ‘Murica
Wienermobile – seriously… who doesn’t smile when one drives by
Kia K9/K900 – low-volume RWD Korean sedan with a V8
IH Scout – I live near the factory where they were produced, so there’s a huge enthusiast community in the area
Asüna Sunrunner – you wanna talk about a unicorn… there’s hardly any left
Subaru SVX – goes without saying
Yugo GVX – these shouldn’t have survived into the 2020’s and yet, I still see them from time to time
ENVOY XUV, THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS ENVOY XUV
seriously what an absolutely insane vehicle! Did you know they marketed the Envoy XUV with a photo of it carrying a grandfather clock upright?! Like the literal 1% use case for a vehicle of any size was the justification for making an SUV that was a landaulet but only for the cargo and not the people.
And yet, I’m so glad they made it and whenever I see one, no matter how clapped out it is now, I smile a big smile.
They are correct though; to ship a grandfather clock flat on its back, you need to unwind the spring and remove the pendulum and any weights and know how to reassemble.
Could have just shown a fridge, since those are supposed to be shipped upright as well.
I’m sorry sir, you dropped your monocle let me go pick it up for you
Somebody must have really loved the Studebaker Wagonaire, or the Matchbox version. There’s one in my neighborhood that appears to be part of a fleet that includes a Vanagon, a Tacoma double cab, and a KLR650. AFAIK the owner is not a Autopian member but should be
Please note that I am ALWAYS IN THE WRONG CAR.
First generation (BK) Mazda 3 sedans… the ones with the big butts. Love those for some reason.
But pretty much anything old, mostly stock, and obviously cared for. When I see something nice, I always smile/give a thumbs up/tell the driver how great their car is, because it IS. In out consumerist society, it’s an actual pleasure to see people not treat cars as disposable, throw-away items.
I agree on the Mazda, especially around my area where 99% of them have rusted away. Still miss my 2005.
I still see decent ones just being driven by regular folks (not car nuts) around here in LA, but not often. I keep telling myself I’ll buy one, but there’s always something else I have to spend money on.
Anything I used to own, which while compared to someone like most of us around here isn’t a lot; it’s a lot for normies. To the point that my kids are sick of hearing about it. But specifically:
My own car, when I park it and walk inside. I always look back and smile.
If you don’t look back at your own car, you’re not driving the right car.
I’ve been known to open the door to the garage on my way past just to peek in on the car that resides there.
Good point. When I park my 2012 Kia (with the mechanical key start) in public, I’m always happy to see it’s still there when I return and not playing star role in a new Tik Tok video.
Last year, I kept seeing a late 80s Grand Am coupe driving around like George HW Bush was still president. It looks like it fell through a wormhole to pop out in 2025.Cars that show up having no business being in such good shape always make me happy.
Aircooled VWs and Porsches, especially the Karmann Ghia and 914s (family members had both growing up)
Old Volvo sedans
Cheap car survivors like a Cavalier, any Geos, Yugos even
Station wagons from Euro marques or ones with rear-facing seats
All Miatas whether vintage or new unless they are autos, then you have to question why would they make that decision
Malaise era cars especially designer approved ones-Bill Blass, Cartier, etc.
Cars with funky interior colors or patterns-Pasha, houndstooth, plaid, greens, blues, velour.
There’s so many. But I love it when I see a 90’s JDM car that is still mostly stock and in great shape. So many have been modified and abused.
There is someone I see occasionally with a red Acura CL that looks nearly new. So great. I miss coupes.
I love seeing well preserved versions of average normal cars. Someone a few blocks from me has a mint early ’80s Toyota Tercel and it makes me smile seeing it.
Miatas/Fiatas.
Suzuki SX4 and Kizashis.
Ford Fiesta STs.
Mazda2s.
Fiat 500 Abarths, especially if they’re a color other than black.
Aston Martins, Koenigseggs, and McLarens.
Volvo P1800s and 1800ESs.
Single cab compact pickups that look like they get used but also are well cared for by their owner/operator. Honorable mention to 40+-year old American farm trucks.
Jaaaaaaaaaag F-Types and XKRs.
Most any car that has a nice green exterior and a tan/brown interior.
Most cars in a fun color/colors.
My own cars, especially if they’re clean and in good working order.
Jeez, what a beautiful list! Extra points for the SX4 and Kizashi. 😉 I agree with all you listed except perhaps the Astons and McLarens… I know folks love ’em, but I’m not that wild about ’em personally. I see a lot of As and Ms here, and most seem to be owned for a relatively short time. I don’t see many Koenigseggs, so I’ll reserve my opinions about those. Single cab trucks of any kind are 😀 especially minitrucks.
I’ll add early Toyota Celicas and early Nissan Maximas. Miss/love them too.
Thanks!
I’m in the Midwest US so supercars are a relative rarity outside of certain wealthy hot spots. The closest McLaren dealership is about 300 miles away, for example (though we have most of the other supercar brands within about 30-50 miles, inexplicably). I also support the brands I named as they are relative underdogs to the Ferraris and many VAG (Lamborghini, Porsche, Bentley, Bugatti, Audi, etc.) options that seem to be the default for the “self-indulgent wieners in this town with too much bloody money“.
The Aston Martins tend to be just so very pretty (same with the Jag coupes), and I appreciate the grand touring aspect of their core models over raw performance that can’t really be legally experienced on public roads. The Ford-era Vantages are getting alarmingly close to being able to justify as a spare car, especially given their relative reliability and repairability.
In the same vein I’ve gone almost giddy about getting to see a Saleen S7 and a Spyker C8 up close. They don’t have the same appeal for me that the aforementioned Brits and Swedes do (if I won the lottery I wouldn’t tell many people, but there’d be signs), but I respect and appreciate that someone bought them.
Growing up one of my friends dads had a Volvo P1800. I was amazed how good it looked and how non boxy it was considering it was a Volvo.
Worked for Jag back in the day when the XKR’s were a thing. I always love seeing the Jaaags.
Something in a pleasant color being driven in a courteous, responsible manner.
2003-forward VW Beetle convertibles.
They’re just so goddamn happy looking.
SAABs. Detroit muscle from 1960 to about 1974. Any PORSCHE that’s not a Cayenne. VW thru about the late 1980s. Most LOTUS offerings. Old box Volvos. Triumphs. Anything from Japan up through the turn of the century. Just about any pick up truck up to about 2010. Almost all British cars. Almost all Italian ones, especially the older hand built racing stuff.
Anything that is a legit race car from a Pikes Peak entry to a frozen lake ice racer.
Older exotic, or just old rare, cars on the road going about their business, unassociated with any car show. I’ve seen:
Is the Ferrari Dayton one of those Fiero-based replicas?
I believe you are thinking of Corvette-based replicas of the Daytona, such as driven by Sonny Crocket/Burnet in Miami Vice. Daytonas are front/mid-engined like C1-C7 Vettes, not rear/mid engined like the Fiero.
While I’m no expert on Ferrari V12s, the reason I saw this car in the first place was due to a really unique engine sound. GM has only made one car that sounds like a Ferrari.
Also, I saw this car while I was at work, and the office I work at is in the hoity-toity part of Austin, where vehicles costing 6 or even 7 digits are not unheard of.
Honestly, any workaday vehicle over 25 years old that has been kept in good condition. We all love to see a classic 911 or beautifully restored ’60s Impala, but there is something that makes me smile seeing a mid-’90s Camry or first generation Caravan, vehicles that were never destined to be collectors, being appreciated for the thankless task they were assigned.
Neon.
They’re just cheerful looking cars.
Hi.
My first thought was a first-gen Neon…then I figured I’d go full ’90s Chrysler sedan of any type, just because there are so few out there now.
As a former owner, i am still excited to see Nissan Cubes and Suzuki Aerios.. not many left of either.
But that Cube was one of the best cars I ever had, just loved it.
I rode in an Aerio once. I swear that thing was turning 4k rpm on the interstate.
I *always* compliment Cube drivers. Their faces light up with joy when I do so. 🙂 Previa drivers too, though sometimes they just look confused. 😉
It’s a pity that C12H22O11 is too long for a license plate, because it’d be perfect for a white Cube.
Me too: I see my neighbor’s grandma car when she visits. It’s an absolutely pristine white late 80’s first generation Acura Legend. Not a scuff anywhere and even the rubber strips on the center of the bumpers look factory fresh. Stunning. Makes me grin like an idiot every time.
Besides the Beetle?
Honda Element.
Unexpected Survivor Cars, the first gen Japanese cars that rusted in months
1960s non-luxobarges
Anything that has no business being on the road, I’m looking at you, unrestored Model T still tootling around town
WRX hatches
Survivors of the Sport Compact Car era
I see an Element in every Land Rover Defender.