Performance vehicles don’t always have to be loud and obnoxious. Some of the best rides pose as plain family sedans, hatchbacks, or coupes but covertly hide tremendous power beneath the bonnet. These “sleeper” vehicles provide heart-pounding acceleration and maneuverability at a fraction of the price of exotic sports cars. Here are 21 cars that are secretly performance beasts.
2003 Mazdaspeed Protegé
Released in 2003, the Mazdaspeed Protegé was created by Mazda North America as a high-performance variant of the standard Protegé sedan. Powered by a 2.0L turbocharged inline-4 engine, it produced 170 horsepower. The inside was a surprise with sporty bucket seats clad in black cloth with red stitching, an aluminum shift knob, and a leather-wrapped wheel. A 450-watt Kenwood sound system joined its attractions. For all its conservative sedan appearance, this vehicle could accelerate from 0-60 mph in only 6.9 seconds.
2006 Volkswagen Passat W8
Volkswagen stunned everyone in 2006 by adding a 4.0L W8 engine to the otherwise staid Passat. Klaus Bischoff designed this mid-size sedan that produced 270 horsepower and came with a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission. The inside of this car was akin to a luxury vehicle, with good-quality leather seats, actual wood trim, and a top-shelf Monsoon audio system. With a 0-60 mph time of 6.5 seconds, this Passat was a highway missile disguised as a family sedan.
2007 Pontiac G8 GT
Before its untimely demise, Pontiac built one of the greatest sleeper sedans by marrying muscle car power to four-door practicality. The 2007 Pontiac G8 GT, penned by Holden in Australia, featured a 6.0L V8 engine with 361 horsepower. Its leather-trimmed seats, gauges with a sporty flair, and driver-oriented cockpit gave the interior the feel of a muscle car. A well-tuned suspension and rear-wheel drive configuration provided excellent handling for a full-size sedan. With a 0-60 mph time of 5.3 seconds, it had the acceleration to complement its aggressive but subtle styling.
2010 Ford Taurus SHO
Returning the SHO badge, Ford introduced the 2010 Taurus SHO, which used a 3.5L twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost motor that offered fuel efficiency and excellent performance. This was created in-house by Ford’s design team and produced 365 horsepower. The interior was loaded with tech, including sports seats trimmed in leather, a Sony sound system, and dual-zone climate control. A sport-tuned suspension and paddle shifters made it surprisingly fun to drive. For all its size, the Taurus SHO could accelerate from 0-60 mph in a mere 5.2 seconds.
2012 Volvo S60 T6 R-Design
Volvo is not typically known for speed, but the 2012 S60 T6 R-Design was a different animal, combining luxury with surprising performance. Peter Horbury built it with a 3.0L turbo inline-6 generating 325 horsepower. The inside combined Scandinavian sparseness and performance with bolstered leather seats, blue R-Design stitching, and a digital instrument panel. High-tech features like Volvo’s City Safety system made it fast and safe. With a 0-60 mph of 5.4 seconds, this Volvo had the potential to surprise unsuspecting sports cars at stoplights.
2014 Chevrolet SS
A spiritual successor to the Pontiac G8 GT, the 2014 Chevrolet SS was another Aussie import that married muscle car power with everyday usability. Holden-designed, it had a 6.2L V8 engine producing 415 horsepower, matched with a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission. Inside, it had high-quality leather seats, a head-up display, and a Bose sound system. Rear-wheel drive and a chassis tuned for sport gave it excellent handling for a full-size sedan. It was dressed like a standard sedan, but its 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds embarrassed several performance vehicles.
2015 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 R-Spec
Hyundai upped its game with the Genesis 5.0 R-Spec, a 5.0L V8 under the hood, delivering 420 horsepower. This Peter Schreyer-designed luxury sleeper featured a top-of-the-line cabin with Napa leather seats, woodgrain trim, and a Lexicon 17-speaker audio system. The 8-speed automatic transmission provided smooth shifting, while its adaptive suspension ensured handling remained crisp. With its refined appearance, this Genesis could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 5.0 seconds, demonstrating it was more than a luxury cruiser.
2017 Kia Stinger GT
Kia surprised the world with the Stinger GT, a sexily handsome fastback sports sedan penned by Gregory Guillaume. Under the skin, it housed a 3.3L twin-turbo V6 good for 365 horsepower, channeling power to the rear or all four wheels. Inside, the Stinger GT boasted quilted leather seats, an easily understood infotainment system, and a driver-centric cockpit. An expansive cabin and hatchback trunk made it unexpectedly practical for a performance vehicle. With the capability of reaching 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds, it gave European performance sedans a run for their money.
2004 Cadillac CTS-V
When Cadillac chose to take on BMW’s M5, they crafted the 2004 CTS-V, a civilized muscle sedan with serious muscle. It was Handbuilt by Wayne Cherry and came with a 5.7L LS6 V8 out of the Corvette, producing 400 horsepower. The interior featured a combination of luxury and performance, including suede seat inserts, aluminum trim, and a Bose audio system. A sport suspension and Brembo brakes provided it with handling to complement its straight-line performance. Despite looking like a corporate executive’s daily driver, the CTS-V could reach 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds, making it a true muscle sedan.
2010 Lexus IS F
Lexus is known for its reliability, but the IS F proved it could also build high-performance machines with aggressive character. Designed by Yukihiko Yaguchi, it featured a 5.0L V8 with 416 horsepower, an 8-speed automatic, and a 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds. The interior combined sport and luxury with leather and Alcantara upholstery, blue accent stitching, F-badged interior trim, a digital gauge cluster, and a Mark Levinson stereo. A stiff chassis and limited-slip rear differential made it a monster on twisty roads. Its mellow exhaust note and aggressive shifting imparted a Japanese muscle car attitude with Lexus refinement intact.
2018 Honda Accord 2.0T
Honda’s Accord excels in reliability and comfort, and the 2018 Accord 2.0T is no exception. Based on Yosuke Shimizu’s drawings, it uses a 2.0L turbocharged inline-4 borrowed from the Civic Type R, putting out 252 horsepower. The interior is refined but still sporty, with leather-trimmed seats, a 10-speaker high-end audio setup, and a head-up display. Coupled with either a 10-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual, this sedan accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds.
2019 Toyota Camry XSE V6
The Camry is known to be a reliable commuter, but the 2019 Camry XSE V6 brings unexpected performance. Masato Katsumata designed it, and it contains a 3.5L V6 engine that produces 301 horsepower. It includes red sports seats, paddle shifters, and an upgraded sound system from JBL. Aggressive styling with its gloss-black grill and quad exhaust tips conceals its surprise in store. Accelerating to 0-60 mph in a respectable 5.8 seconds, this Camry indicates that not all family cars are humdrum.
2013 Lincoln MKS EcoBoost
Lincoln’s MKS EcoBoost was an underappreciated luxury sleeper car with a 3.5L twin-turbo V6, delivering 365 horses. It was designed by Peter Horbury and included a premium interior with leather-trimmed seats, woodgrain accents, and a THX-certified audio system. Its all-wheel-drive system gave it superb traction, propelling the vehicle from 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. Its adaptive suspension and sound-canceling technology provided a smooth and urbane ride.
2009 Chevrolet Cobalt SS
Chevrolet’s Cobalt SS might have appeared to be an economy car, but its 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder delivered 260 horsepower. The Bryan Nesbitt-designed interior boasted extensively bolstered Recaro seats, a driver-focused cockpit, and a performance gauge cluster available as an option. Capable of doing 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds, this front-drive coupe humbled many more expensive sports cars.
2006 Saab 9-3 Aero
Saab did not go out of business before producing the 9-3 Aero, a Swedish sleeper powered by a 2.8L turbo V6 that generated 280 horsepower. Michael Mauer designed the 9-3 Aero, which featured a luxurious interior with ventilated leather seats, a fighter jet-inspired dashboard, and an optional Bose audio system. Saab’s Turbo X all-wheel-drive system gave it a phenomenal grip in any weather. With a 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds, this stealthy sedan paired luxury and speed in a refined package.
2015 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack
The 2015 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack is a muscle car in disguise, pretending to be a full-size family sedan. Ralph Gilles designed it with a 6.4L HEMI V8 engine with 485 horsepower and an 8-speed automatic transmission. The interior is comfortable and performance-oriented, with aggressively bolstered sports seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and a Uconnect infotainment system with a high-performance drive mode selector. Despite its size, this Charger launches from 0-60 mph in a mere 4.3 seconds, one of the fastest sedans available.
2017 Buick Regal GS
The 2017 Buick Regal GS is one of those performance sedans nobody gives much notice to until they watch it go. Styled by Mark Adams, it boasts a 3.6L V6 motor with 310 horsepower and all-wheel drive. On the inside, it’s all comfort and refinement, with heated leather seating, a sport steering wheel, and an 8-inch screen with Apple CarPlay. The sport-tuned suspension and Brembo brakes give it a much more aggressive feel than it appears. It’s a stealth performance vehicle with a 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds.
2008 Volkswagen R32
The 2008 Volkswagen R32 turned the ordinary Golf into something with genuine firepower. It was penned by Murat Günak and featured a 3.2L VR6 motor generating 250 horsepower and a rapid-fire DSG automatic transmission. The interior was surprisingly luxurious, with leather sport seating, aluminum pedals, and a deeply bolstered steering wheel. The Haldex all-wheel-drive system provided excellent traction and accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds.
2011 Ford Flex EcoBoost
A stodgy, boxy family wagon, the 2011 Ford Flex EcoBoost was a sleeper wagon in disguise. J Mays designed it, and it sported a 3.5L twin-turbo V6 with 365 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a 6-speed automatic transmission. The inside was amazingly roomy, with three rows of seats, leather, and a panoramic sunroof. Though it resembled a minivan in appearance, it could shoot from 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds, startling unaware drivers.
2014 Nissan Juke Nismo RS
The 2014 Nissan Juke Nismo RS was a quirky little crossover that delivered surprise performance. Shiro Nakamura designed it with a 1.6L turbocharged inline-4, producing 215 horsepower with a manual transmission or 211 with an automatic. The interior boasted sporty Alcantara-trimmed seats, a red-stitched steering wheel, and a menacing gauge cluster. Despite its quirky looks, the Juke Nismo RS would accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds, making it one of the fastest subcompact SUVs ever.
2007 Acura TL Type-S
The 2007 Acura TL Type-S was a polished sleeper, meshing luxury and serious muscle. Jon Ikeda designed it, boasting a 3.5L V6 that made 286 horsepower, which came with a 6-speed or 5-speed automatic. It was encased in top-of-the-line leather, with contrast stitching, an ELS premium sound system, and an easy-to-use navigation system. Its handling was improved by a sport-tuned suspension and Brembo brakes, which are not typical of a luxury sedan. At 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds, it was a sport sedan in disguise, a commuter car.
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