12 Underrated Models That Deserve More Attention

Not every great car gets the spotlight it deserves. In 2025, several underrated models are quietly offering incredible performance, comfort, and reliability without the hype or inflated price tags. Here are 12 hidden gems that truly deserve more attention.

Mazda CX-30

Which is fine, it’s a great SUV. But the CX-30… uhm, it’s just… prettier? I mean, it’s like they took all the good stuff from the Mazda3 hatchback and raised it up a little. The interior feels way more expensive than it has any right to, like, seriously, it’s so nice in there. And it drives… it actually drives like a car, not a boring blob. It’s not the roomiest in its class, I’ll admit that, but for around $25,000 to start, you get so much style and feel for your money. It’s just… lovely.

Genesis G70

This one, I mean, if you’re looking at a BMW 3 Series or an Audi A4, you have to at least look at this. It’s from Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis, and it’s so good. The design is sharp, the interior is full of real buttons and nice materials, and you can get it with a manual transmission! Well, you could, I think they might have killed that, but still! The twin-turbo V6 is a monster. It’s just a proper, rear-wheel drive sports sedan. And it starts around $40,000, which is a lot, but for what it is? It undercuts the Germans by a ton. Why does nobody buy these?

Kia Stinger

Speaking of… the Stinger! This is the hatchback version of that idea, and it’s… oh, it’s so cool. It was designed by the guy from Audi, and you can tell. It’s long and low, a proper gran turismo. Fast, practical with that huge hatch, and it just has so much presence. But Kia is killing it off, I think? Or they did? Such a shame. It was always the “wait, that’s a Kia?!” car. You could find them for, uhm, low $30,000s used, which is an insane bargain for a 365-horsepower rocket ship. A true modern classic that nobody noticed.

Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ

I’m putting these together because, c’mon, they’re basically the same car. And they are the absolute best answer to the question “what’s a fun sports car?” for normal people. They’re light, rear-wheel drive, and they have a manual transmission that’s just a joy to use. They’re not about straight-line speed, they’re about feeling everything, about driving a slow car fast. The interior is… well, it’s pretty cheap, not gonna lie. But who cares? For like $30,000 new, it’s pure driving joy. Every car enthusiast should try one.

Alfa Romeo Giulia

Oh, Alfa. Everyone’s scared of them, right? The reliability reputation. But the Giulia… I drove one once and the steering… it’s like, telepathic. It turns in so quickly, it feels so alive. It makes a German sports sedan feel a little bit numb in comparison. It’s just dripping with Italian passion and flair. And the Quadrifoglio version with the Ferrari-derived engine is a legend. But even the normal one, starting around $45,000, is a driver’s car first. It’s a risk, maybe, but oh, what a reward.

Buick Regal TourX

This is a weird one, I know. But hear me out. It’s a Buick. But it’s actually a German-designed Opel Insignia wagon. And it’s a wagon! In America! And because nobody bought them, you can find used ones for a steal, like in the low $20,000s. It’s a secret handshake car for people who know.

Subaru WRX

The new one, I mean. Everyone got so mad about the plastic cladding. Yeah, it’s a bit much, I get it. But underneath that… it’s still a WRX! Turbocharged, all-wheel drive, manual transmission available. It’s a practical sedan that can handle a snowstorm or a canyon road. The engine is way more modern than the old one. And it starts around $32,000. People are sleeping on it because of the looks, but it’s still a brilliant, usable performance car. It’s the sensible shoe that can run a marathon.

Hyundai Veloster N

This one might be gone now too, which breaks my heart. It was a weird, three-door hatchback one on the driver’s side, two on the passenger’s? So quirky. But oh my god, the driving experience. The pops and bangs from the exhaust, the sharp handling, the fact that it just felt so… joyful. It was a hot hatch that didn’t take itself too seriously. And it was like, $33,000 brand new. An absolute riot. I feel like people who bought GTIs never even considered it, and they really, really missed out.

Volkswagen Golf SportWagen / Alltrack

Okay, another wagon, I know, I have a problem. But the regular Golf SportWagen was just a… perfect thing. It drove like a Golf, which is always good, but it had so much space. And the Alltrack version had a lift and all-wheel drive. They were so practical, so comfortable, so well-built. And again, because it’s a wagon in America, nobody cared. You can get a super nice, low-mileage one for well under $20,000 now. It’s the ultimate smart buy for someone who doesn’t want an SUV.

Cadillac CT5-V

Not the Blackwing, that one gets all the glory (and rightly so). I mean the regular V. With the twin-turbo V6.It just gets completely overshadowed by its big brother. But for a daily driver that’s also a blast, it’s kinda perfect.

Hyundai Ioniq 6

So everyone raves about the Ioniq 5, right? The boxy one. And it’s great! But the Ioniq 6    it’s the sedan version, and it looks like a Porsche from the future, or a… I don’t know, a smoothed-out stone? It’s weird, but in a really cool way. And because of its super-slippery shape, it gets even better range than the Ioniq 5. The interior is the same cool, spaceship vibe. It starts around $43,000. I feel like it got ignored because it’s a sedan in an SUV world, but it’s arguably the more efficient, more interesting-looking EV of the two.

Acura Integra

I know, I know. It’s just a fancy Civic Si. But… that’s a good thing! The Civic Si is brilliant. So this is that, but with a much nicer interior, a liftback for practicality, and a little more power. And it still has a manual transmission! It’s a comfortable, premium, practical daily that you can still have a lot of fun with. It starts around $32,000. People wanted it to be a hardcore Type R fighter, but it’s not supposed to be. It’s a modern take on the original Integra’s spirit a sporty, upscale commuter. And it’s really, really good at that.