Top 10: Summer Rides

Rides

The world will have to get a lot worse before summer rites will be interrupted. Same goes for summer rides. It’s a safe bet that seeing and being seen will continue unabated, economy be damned.

If you don’t already own an appropriate summer ride, peruse our 10 best cruisers you can buy right now. Our list of top 10 summer rides is a mashup of coupes and convertibles, fresh cruisers and cool icons -- all with attitudes and prices for a variety of guys.

 

No.1 - 2009 Nissan 370Z

Whatever subjective shortcomings the Nissan 350Z carried, they’re gone (or at least tougher to argue) in the updated 370Z. Granted, the GT-R is remarkably hot and works well as a summer ride, but the Z is far more attainable and a blast in its own right. Just because it costs far less, don’t assume it’s far less fun. The Coupe’s updated lines still work better for us than the freshened Roadster, and with the 3.7-liter’s 332 horsepower performing as well as it sounds, it’s going to be a quick and memorable summer.

MSRP: $29,930

 

No.2 - 2010 Ford Mustang

With the Dodge Challenger well up to speed and the Chevrolet Camaro finally returning to the street, it was critical for Ford to keep the Mustang competitive. For the most part, Ford has. If you just read our take on the Camaro, you’ll realize the Mustang’s V6 (210 horsepower) and V8 (315 horsepower) are numerically inferior. To nobody’s surprise, it’s also slower. So why does this summer car have the edge over the Chevy? It’s all about image and character, and it’s where Mustang still has an edge after all these years.

MSRP: $20,995

 

No.3 - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro

Before you whip out the mullet blasts and poor man’s Corvette comments, curb your judgment until you actually drive the new Chevy Camaro. And try the 304-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 first; you may be even more impressed. Its direct injection and variable valve timing make it an efficient yet responsive choice, returning 29 mpg on the highway. If you’d rather sign your carbon footprint with an exclamation point, this summer ride’s SS package is the answer. Its 6.2-liter V8 makes 426 horsepower and also makes gentlemanly behavior very, very difficult.

MSRP: $23,040

 

No.4 - 2009 Mercedes-Benz CL 63 AMG

Few cars go so overlooked yet make as strong a statement as Mercedes’ CL-Class. And while you could dial excess into wanton territory with the V12 CL 65 AMG, the style and presence of the V8 CL 63 gets the job done quite well. This summer ride’s 525 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque are best appreciated on long-distance road trips, but if you’re like most CL owners, you’ll use it for little more than a fashion accessory.

MSRP: $140,575

 

No.5 - 2009 Nissan Cube

Even without the shameless product placement on Heroes, Nissan’s Cube was bound to be noticed. That’s a plus for a summer ride, and this one looks like it’s standing still even in motion. That’s due in part to the logey 122-horsepower 1.8-liter engine, but more so by design. The curves-within-a-box look sets the Cube apart and can be personalized in a ton of ways. We’re just not sure about the shag dash-topper option. The blob of carpet riding the dash is uncomfortably reminiscent of an overgrown landing strip down south.

MSRP: $13,990

 

No.6 - 2009 Jeep Wrangler

It’s hard to imagine a group of summer rides without including the Jeep Wrangler, one of the first -- and last -- socially acceptable SUVs. If you find this summer ride somewhat unrefined, you’re right, but the whole package is light years ahead of earlier Wranglers and the CJ that blazed trails before it. And while the Wrangler Unlimited has four doors and more room, our hearts are still with the original. It’s one of the few SUVs to find homes with those who hug trees as well as those who drive over them.

MSRP: $21,460

No.7 - 2009 Ford Flex

We’re not sure whether Ford designers envisioned cruising or hauling surfboards during development of the Flex, but the result seems born to do either. This summer ride isn’t as comfortable commuting as it is hauling you and six friends to clubs or the beach. That’s right, it can seat seven. You’d otherwise need a decent-size SUV or a minivan to accomplish that, and neither would stand out like this crossover.

MSRP: $28,550

 

No.8 - 2010 Kia Soul

Summer rides like the new Kia Soul and Nissan Cube (seen elsewhere in our review) serve the same basic recipe as the now-stale Honda Element and Scion xB, but with just enough garnish and updated presentation, they’ll do as summer rides. Getting Gen-Y buyers to look twice and focus long enough to sign their names isn’t easy, but Kia has the right idea with personalization options to give the Soul even more style than substance.

MSRP: $13,995

 

No.9 - 2009 Caterham 7 CSR

The modern version of the revered Lotus Seven screams a lot of things with just a glance, but “winter” isn’t one of them. Caterham’s 7 is a summer ride, period. The 1,350-pound car is also amazingly quick with 0-60 mph sprints of 3.1 seconds, thanks to said light weight and a “recommended” 2.3-liter Ford/Mazda engine with six-speed manual gearbox. We say “recommended” because to get the CSR into the U.S., you have to buy it sans engine and transmission. Before you ask, yes, the effort is worth it.

MSRP: $46,125 (less engine/transmission)

 

No.10 - 2009 Chevrolet HHR Panel SS

Before you shrug off the Chevy HHR, please note the all-important “SS” designation. It makes all the difference, and it’s all for the better. With a turbo tacked onto the 2.0-liter ECOTEC, horsepower and torque figures jump to 260 each; good to know when lights turn green. When the tempo slows, it could get even better. Think about it: you have a two-seat vehicle and a lot of windowless space behind them…

MSRP: $25,135