With new cars launching weekly, driving an antique daily may seem like a pipe dream. But there are some classics that have slipped under the radar, helping keep prices low and making them more reliable than you might think.
These six best vintage cars to drive are as dependable as they are affordable. With a little care, they can easily carry you from work to play and everywhere in between.
1. Mercedes-Benz W123
The W123 elicits universal acclaim from classic car enthusiasts and non-car people alike. They're tough, incredibly reliable and, in estate form, surprisingly practical. These are cars that were designed to do one thing - get you from A to B without fuss - and they're good at it. They're also a lot of fun to drive.
Four decades on they still feel fast enough and, despite being a utilitarian machine at heart, are comfortable, spacious (especially in estate guise) and utterly unpretentious. They're the sort of cars that will happily serve you for 200,000 miles and more if you take care of them. But don't buy one without doing your research - any old banger can be a pain when it's older than 20.
2. Nissan Z
The latest Nissan Z finds itself at the center of a lot of buzz. Fans and critics alike are incredibly excited to see what the company has done with it.
The car hasn't moved too far from the legacy of previous Z cars, and it manages to stay evocative without going overboard. Its roofline, logo placements, and wheels are all reminiscent of the original 240Z.
The Z also benefits from some modern safety and convenience features. Adaptive cruise control is great on long drives, and my car even had blind spot monitors and lane departure warnings.
3. Datsun 510
Despite being a little less advanced in terms of engineering and design than the other cars on this list, the Datsun 510 represents one of the last great values in automotive history. According to Road & Track, the Bluebird Coupe’s price in late 1967 was \$200 cheaper than a Volkswagen Beetle and \$500 less than a BMW 1600.
Nissan’s head of sales in America, Yutaka Katayama (known as “Mr. K”), had a good sense of what American drivers wanted, and the 510 was an instant success. It even found success on the racetrack, with Pete Brock’s BRE team winning SCCA B Sedan competition in 1971 and 1972.
Today, the 510 remains an engaging driver-oriented car that can still blast nine-and-a-half-second quarter miles and run a top-speed of 120mph. This example is finished in Volvo Saffron Pearl over a black interior, and it’s powered by a modified 2.3-liter inline-four driving the rear wheels.
4. Toyota Corolla
Toyota has sold tens of millions of Corollas over the years, which makes them one of the best vintage cars to drive for reliability and value. The latest version of this perennial compact offers a modern infotainment system, massaged styling front and rear, and standard advanced safety features.
While it's not as nimble or dynamic as some competitors, the new Corolla is an enjoyable car to drive. Its handling is responsive, and its cabin is spacious and quiet. Its trunk, however, is a little smaller than its primary competition.
For those looking for a sportier look, the 2024 Corolla SE adds paddle shifters, 18-inch machined wheels, a gloss black mesh-pattern grille, a sport instrumentation cluster, a gray metallic rear spoiler, SofTex-trimmed seats, and Sport driving mode.
5. Ford Mustang
Few cars inspire visceral reactions like the Mustang. The pony car that started it all, the Mustang debuted in 1964 as a sporty and youthful car built on inexpensive mechanicals from Ford’s Falcon compact sedan. It was a hit from the get-go and spawned a whole breed of competitors.
The Mustang has one of the most impressive racing histories in history, and it can still be a blast to drive on the road today. It’s a fast, nimble classic that can give you the vintage feel at a fraction of the cost of some of its more expensive competitors.
There’s nothing quite like the sound of a vintage engine, the smell of leather, and the experience of navigating old-school car culture in a classic vehicle. Whether you’re winding down the Stelvio Pass in an Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV, gliding around the curves on the Pacific highway in a ’68 Mustang Coupe, or puttering down to the shops in a perfectly-preserved 1956 VW Beetle.
