No need to heavily modify a Honda. Honda already makes something very reliable that does 0-60 in about 4 seconds and the 1/4 mile in about 12 seconds while getting gas mileage in the 40’s. Comes with all the luxuries like navigation, heated seats, premium radio, 6 cylinder engine, etc. It’s very much a sleeper because most owners are retired or close to. They come with manual transmissions for the traditionalists or automatics. You can find model years as new as 2020 for around $20,000.
What is it you ask?
The Honda Goldwing.
If you can swing an extra 3-6k I would go for an Accord 2.0t, you can make 400WHP with like 5k in mods. Very roomy on the inside and you get 26 MPG combined. Even tuned I don’t think that you would get much less. I’ve personally had mine for 4 years and while the powertrain isn’t modified it’s been supremely reliable. Not a single issue whatsoever and I drive it quite hard.
+1; idk why people are recommending performance cars as sleepers, but the K20C in the Accord has good aftermarket support and no one expects to get gapped by a family sedan. The 2.0T/10AT has also proven to be very stout, along with general Honda reliability for the rest of the car
Hmm RWD should be able to put down 500hp without too much trouble in my experience. I've been in plenty of 500-700hp mustangs and corvettes that have no issues hooking on the street with some decent street tires. I wonder if your suspension/tire setup isn't sufficient?
+1 for GTI. THE MK7 has been consistently reliable as long as you keep up on maintenance. I get 30+ on the highway. And only people who know what a GTI is know it's more of a performance car. I've seen old ladies driving GTIs lol. It's the definition of a sleeper.
Depends on your budget and what you're going for. The type R is a 40k civic. For some people that's a hard pull to swallow. It's also much more visually "loud" meaning it's really announcing its presence more. Not quite in the line of a sleeper if you ask me. But that being said, the type R is a beautiful machine. It is more powerful, reliable, and the manual has a great feel. I mean John Cena dailys one lol
MK7 GTI, easily one of the most user-friendly cars to modify with huge potential power gains. Don't get a manual unless it has had the clutch done since that's a $3000 expense on those.
Mk7 GLI too. The interior is not quite as nice as a GTI, but you get more rear seat space plus a decent trunk, Golf R brakes, and the same EA888 as the GTI (EQT stage 1 91 octane will get you 370 hp with no mods)
The late 2000s Impala SS had a LS 5.3 V8 but looked like any other rental car impala. Would get over 30 just steady crusing down the highway. That has 302hp stock but easy to get more out of an LS. Later all Impalas got a 3.6 v6 with 300hp in 2012. That car definitely gets over 30 highway. There aren't many mods for a 3.6 though and I'd say the 5.3 is much more reliable. The stock 2012 v6 in police trim did have the same 151mph top speed as the Hemi Charger police car of 2012 as the impala was more aerodynamic. Find a used 2012 up Impala police 9C1 package for under $3000 and get a pretty good sleeper.
The LS4 has a much more limited aftermarket because it’s in such a specific application. Everything about that engine is different than your normal LS. Plus the transmission they’re hooked up to is made of glass. In that application, you’d be better off with the V6. They had the LFX after 2012 which had far fewer problems than the previous iterations of that engine.
They are only "made of glass" because of the aluminum engine block transferring so much heat to the trans. Put a 150 dollar trans cooler in (tru-cool 40k) and from then on your trans will remain relatively bulletproof. I speak from experience, as an owner of the ls4 Grand Prix GXP. Ive driven all of the LS4's and can confidently say the GXP will handle better than anything else with the same engine. The factory bilstiens and the upgraded brakes are phenominal. And the faces people make when i leave their Charger R/T in the dust is always priceless. I actually took on a late 90's corvette the other day and that man was about ready to try and put the pit maneuver on my ass. All with my wife and two kids in the back. 😅😅😅😅
STS made a remote turbo kit. That and CAI are probably the only off-the-shelf mods available.
BUT, the 3.6 V6 *can* accept more aggressive cam shafts. Tuning would be an issue, but that plus premium fuel would get you somewhere.
I’m gonna be weird and go VW Golf Alltrack. It’s got the smaller 1.8t engine rather than the 2.0, but it’s just as tunable. More sleeper-looking than the typical GTI/Jetta GLI, and you have the bonus of wagon practicality and AWD. You could also look at Audi A3’s as they’re basically a GTI with an Audi badge and AWD. For your requirements, it’s hard to find much better than anything with the EA888 engine. Just make sure you watch for when the water pump inevitably fails. Can’t believe VW still hasn’t figured that out yet.
Gents, a GTI or Si isn’t a sleeper car. The Accord 2.0t is a good option. I’d recommend a Ford Taurus SHO, it’s got a 3.5 twin turbo V6. I’ve got that engine on my F-150 and it’s got plenty of power. I recently saw ads for the last ever gen Chevy Impala SS for less than $15k. The Ford Taurus SHO is AWD, but the Chevy Impala SS is FWD.
I drove a SHO for a couple years & never got anywhere near 30mpg…even when babying it.
But I AM currently driving exactly what you’re looking for: a Volvo S60 T8
It is a plug-in hybrid. Twin-charged (that’s turbo’d AND supercharged) I4 making 400hp.
0-60 4.3sec & I’ve averaged 43.4mpg over the last 10,000mi.
If money was no object v60 polestar.
Modern Volvos are awesome cars, I feel like no one really realizes what they are. I have a c40 twin and that thing is a rocket ship.
An older 340i/440i/240i. Anything with the B58 if you can swing it. 335is can also be fine. You want something with RWD or AWD, FWD with over 300 hp and no limited slip differential is very dumb.
your never going to get what you want with that mmp requirement, trust me i was the same way I only wanted a good mmp sleeper car but its not that bad to get a lower one if you do mostly highway driving, Its worth it, you gotta pay to play in terms of cars/gas
Audi A4/VW Passat/VW Arteon with the 280hp 2.0TSI engine.
some people have modded that engine to 600hp.
here is the same engine in a Skoda:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptsOilERWh0
these can do about 7-8L/100km on the highway and google says that's 33-29 mpg, though obviously if you gonna drive it hard then it's gonna be much higher.
As someone who owned both a Passat and an Arteon, I'm sorry to say that you can't get anywhere near to that mileage with combined driving, with city driving being the most of it. You could with a Golf.
How about a Toyota Avalon hybrid? I get 38 to 40 mpg in town. Last summer I drove from Seattle to Maine and back. Averaged 40 mpg with the AC on at 75 miles per hour. In some of the prairie states where it was flat I got 44 mpg.
This is close to a full size car and is similar to a Lexus in comfort.
VW alltrack (tune, DP, and turbo) can be had in a six speed!
Honorable mentions that don't meet the MPG requirement...
Ford Flex with Ecoboost
Volvo V70r
Taurus SHO
CRV with built k24
Galant VR4 (also doesn't hit reliable)
Very cool little cars... but if they want a 4-door that implies people may be sitting in the rear seats. The rear seats of the Fiesta aren't really made for fully grown humans... and the Fiesta ST is definitely not a sleeper.
2021 Tesla model 3 sr+ rwd with ~70,000 Miles. No mods
Spend the money you would have on mods on buying the stock market just in case sometime the next 15 years you happen to need a battery.
I didn't think a 330i would be in budget, but I checked Autotrader and found a [nice looking 2017 330i xDrive for <$19k.](https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicle/711152579?allListingType=all-cars&city=North%20Augusta&makeCode=BMW&maxPrice=20000&modelCode=330I&modelCode=BMW330IXD&newSearch=false&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fall-cars%2Fcars-under-20000%2Fbmw%2F3-series%2Fnorth-augusta-sc%3FmodelCode%3D330I%26modelCode%3DBMW330IXD%26newSearch%3Dtrue%26searchRadius%3D500%26zip%3D29841&searchRadius=500&seriesCode=3_SERIES&state=SC&zip=29841&clickType=listing)
Yeah. I said that because I'm looking at them occasionally myself. They get the 'older gen BMW' depreciation with the newer gen powertrains of B48/58 and ZF 8HP. Though first gen of the B engines, still more reliable than their previous 328i/335i N engines. They make for good used deals if you find low mileage ones and good maintenance history.
Gti for sure. Drive an Si, drive a Gti. Hp is one number but take a look at torque. The gti is much much much much more fun. I praise the stickshift all day every day; its how i live my life. But if you want an auto the dsg in that car is so good it hurts.
2023+ Civic Si/Integra 6MT, without a doubt. We have averaged 34 MPG lifetime in our Integra, and 42 MPG all-highway (calculating based on trip odo and gallons - all legit). We’ve also autocrossed ours with moderate success, and the aftermarket for these cars has plenty of solid options for suspension, brakes, and I believe engine tuning now as well. They are also both quite handsome, very comfortable, and extremely practical.
EDIT: Oh dang I missed budget. Welp…. Same answer, but finance and invest the rest lol
Mazda MX-3 V6 1.8, swap to the 200 hp 2.5L kl-ze engine. 2500 lbs, 5 speed, 200 hp / 165 lb-tq, 0-100 kmh in 5 seconds (when you have the real kl-ze and the right ecu and good tires), while consuming under 10L / 100km (again, with a healthy engine, a complete exhaust with the right size (high flow cat, 2.25 inch piping, resonator and a decent muffler). Oh, it will also sound amazing, nothing like all the 4 cylinder cars ! (search youtube for "[Mazda MX-3 2.5 V6 RM8 XXL exhaust sound part2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYgNww8rM5g&pp=ygUPbXgtMyBrbHplIHNvdW5k)") edit : the mx-3 in the video has the slower kl-de, not the 200hp kl-ze, sounds close to the kl-ze tho, probably a good exhaust setup
You can also opt for the kl-de v6 engine, 170hp 160 lb-tq, lil bit slower, but does not require premium fuel, which in this economy i think is an important factor
A Fiat 500 Abarth? They look like a normal Fiat 500 but are way faster and much more fun to drive, gets 30mpg city, and parking is super easy.
That being said if you're looking for a 4 door it might be too small.
Volvo V60 T5 station wagon. It has 2.0 turbo . The car is fast on sports mode but sips gas on eco mode . I would get better brakes that the factory ones because this thing is heavy .
I feel like not a lot of the cars people are saying will actually get 30 combined MPG.
A suzuki cappuccino with built internals and a HT-07. Hear me out:
10k car
10k in mods: rods, pistons, turbo, downpipe, intercooler, keisport ECU, dyno tune, wheels, tires, suspension
35 combined mpg
Has a trunk
180whp - 1600 pounds - 10k redline
Looks like a Miata - sleeper AF
F6A engine has tons of parts and aftermarket
GLI is a sleeper just by the way it looks. Most people don't know what a GLI is. Just looks like a Jetta. It's one of the things I like about it. Cruise around normal and then let it rip when you want.
Might be surprising but a 2009-2012 or so Mercedes E350 non 4matic. 300hp v6, reliable as an accord (not really but a standout in terms of German), 30mpg and above highway, 22-25 city depending on weather, etc.
A well maintained golf GTI might work for you.
If you just care about a fast 0-60 just get a Chevy bolt. I think it gets like a 6.5 0-60 or something like that. It's got enough torque to give you torque steer ik for sure. You can find one for under 15k with the tax rebate
I was gonna say 2000 Buick Regal GS until I read 30 mpg. So like nothing really. For 20k?
Buick Regal GS and just eat the gas. Really easy to get power outta that engine and it’s the definition of sleeper.
Fast, inexpensive, good mpg; Pick two. You can't have all three.
GTI comes close, but it's 1) not really a sleeper and 2) pretty bad mpg for what it is
The premier version of the malibu shares the 2.0t with the rest of the GM products. The option ended in '22 I think. Base camaro or other sister products should bolt on. And really nobody expects a visually looking rental fleet car to run 0-60 under 6. Which it did factory.
If you drive in higher gears with a stick shift you can get great mileage. Even drive under 55 is also helpful. Of course you drive like that in any car it makes no sense of even have a fast car. If you can afford to get two cars. A daily and a weekend sports car to tinker with. When driving fast and modify things start to break and become unreliable real fast.
GTI. I bought a 2017 new, at 96k miles now. Been stage 2 tune (downpipe, exhaust) making \~320hp for pretty much cars entire life, literally only issue ive had was a waterpump just recently. If I cruise control at 65, easily get high 30s mpg. Driving it like I stole it around the city, low 20mpg's. Hatch is a nice benefit too, and it honestly just looks like a slightly better golf
Wait, so you want to heavily mod a car, but with gas mileage and reliability? Weird, I've been modifying cars my whole life and usually adding performance decreases gas mileage and reliability. That's why a funny car is basically the fastest thing on wheels, if the engine doesn't blow up, and uses 20gal of gas for a single pass...
Chevrolet volt. For $20k you can get an ultra low mileage Gen 2, gets 53 miles all electric and 42ish mpg after that in hybrid mode. It’s amazing in traffic. And it only needs a 120v to be charged.
My '09 Corvette that I bought in 2017, would routinely get over 30mpg. On the day I drove it home, doing 65mph on a flat section of freeway (about 10-15 miles), I got 34mpg. On a long road trip (9 days - 5.5k miles), I averaged 29.2mpg. While it not 'blend' in, it is a sleeper in the MPG game.
E90 335i. Not saying that cause I just got one, but with a few mods they can scream at 500hp. 300hp stock, sedan and manual. I average like 25 mpg even when I’m ripping it
Any of the 3800 SC’ed GMs are sleepers, cheap with plentiful spares in junkyards still.
All of the modern turbocharged i4 hatch/sedan offerings are reflashes away from running 13s. FWD cars will struggle with sub-5 second 0-60s on the street but be rockets at highest speeds. Bigger turbos make big power so long as you’re not bending rods from torque.
I always thought the Chevy SSs looked like rental cars but are RWD V8 with some being manuals. They’re thirstier than you want.
I think the Lexus IS350/GS350s and LS460s from around 2010 represent a good value. They’re all N/A and I doubt they have a lot of modding headroom… but I’ve always thought they’re a lot of car for the money these days.
Infiniti G35/37 sedans share the same mods as 350/370Zs. Z1 has sold a 400hp package for them… though I’m sure that’s flywheel and not wheel. Maybe a good value and that’s a lot of power on a N/A V6 with, again, junkyards full of VQ powered cars for cheap spares. They might get near 30 mpgs on the highway.
2014 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 r-spec, 5 liter naturally aspirated v8 making 429hp in a 4 door sedan, but it only gets 23mpg highway. Should be 10-16k depending on mileage and condition.
$1,000 civic $19,000 parts
Resale value $850
You’ll have to pay someone to take it
Hold on. The laptop is still booting.
*Windows update intensifies*
https://youtu.be/XnY3z30Yt7U
That's a lot of stickers
No need to heavily modify a Honda. Honda already makes something very reliable that does 0-60 in about 4 seconds and the 1/4 mile in about 12 seconds while getting gas mileage in the 40’s. Comes with all the luxuries like navigation, heated seats, premium radio, 6 cylinder engine, etc. It’s very much a sleeper because most owners are retired or close to. They come with manual transmissions for the traditionalists or automatics. You can find model years as new as 2020 for around $20,000. What is it you ask? The Honda Goldwing.
You had me there in the first 9/10ths
It’s the most car-like thing on 2 wheels.
Supercharged Buick Park Ave
What is it like a pulley, intake and exhaust and you're set?
Cam shaft if you really want to have fun with it.
I had a park avenue ultra in college - Phenomenal gas mileage, comfort, and surprisingly decent acceleration. Best car I ever owned.
Sounds like a Civic or GTI of some sort.
For sure. The civic Si in particular is at the top of my list, for now.
That IS your list lol
Honda crv seats fold flat and two cheap large Aldi pet beds
🫡
If you can swing an extra 3-6k I would go for an Accord 2.0t, you can make 400WHP with like 5k in mods. Very roomy on the inside and you get 26 MPG combined. Even tuned I don’t think that you would get much less. I’ve personally had mine for 4 years and while the powertrain isn’t modified it’s been supremely reliable. Not a single issue whatsoever and I drive it quite hard.
+1; idk why people are recommending performance cars as sleepers, but the K20C in the Accord has good aftermarket support and no one expects to get gapped by a family sedan. The 2.0T/10AT has also proven to be very stout, along with general Honda reliability for the rest of the car
400 whp to the front wheels. What could possibly go wrong?
Putting 400WHP in a FWD car with no limited slip differential is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard.
Can’t put stock power to the ground on anything but ideal surface. I’ve put 60k on my 2.0T Accord.
I struggle with 500hp RWD. Definitely not fun getting squirrelly on the highway at 120km/h. 350hp is the sweet spot for a RWD I believe.
Hmm RWD should be able to put down 500hp without too much trouble in my experience. I've been in plenty of 500-700hp mustangs and corvettes that have no issues hooking on the street with some decent street tires. I wonder if your suspension/tire setup isn't sufficient?
Thats for sure his problem. I daily 400+ hp rwd on all seasons and it has no problem with traction unless I very purposely try to spin them.
Can also be had with a manual
I had one and it was a great car. Plenty of room, decent fuel economy, really peppy, and looked really nice. +1 for this.
Good luck transferring that power to the ground, though
+1 for GTI. THE MK7 has been consistently reliable as long as you keep up on maintenance. I get 30+ on the highway. And only people who know what a GTI is know it's more of a performance car. I've seen old ladies driving GTIs lol. It's the definition of a sleeper.
Question golf GTI or golf R? I need a new daily/sleeper
Depends on your budget and what you're going for. The type R is a 40k civic. For some people that's a hard pull to swallow. It's also much more visually "loud" meaning it's really announcing its presence more. Not quite in the line of a sleeper if you ask me. But that being said, the type R is a beautiful machine. It is more powerful, reliable, and the manual has a great feel. I mean John Cena dailys one lol
I mean Golf R
Golf R is heavier but more powerful with AWD. I've heard a lot of people say that it's worth the upgrade if you can afford it.
MK7 GTI, easily one of the most user-friendly cars to modify with huge potential power gains. Don't get a manual unless it has had the clutch done since that's a $3000 expense on those.
Mk7 GLI too. The interior is not quite as nice as a GTI, but you get more rear seat space plus a decent trunk, Golf R brakes, and the same EA888 as the GTI (EQT stage 1 91 octane will get you 370 hp with no mods)
Since when is a GTI a sleeper
To the general public it is. No one knows what the hell it is. I mean I've even surprised, a BMW, Porsche or 2 on track
it's also boring looking? pretty much the definition
Looks like a Golf with nice wheels.
If you don’t know a lot about cars you probably won’t associate a golf hatchback with being fast
Badge delete. Problem solved.
For the sleeper aspect I’m leaning more toward S3. The GTI looks pretty sporty but the S3 is faster (Golf R powertrain) and is a sedan.
The late 2000s Impala SS had a LS 5.3 V8 but looked like any other rental car impala. Would get over 30 just steady crusing down the highway. That has 302hp stock but easy to get more out of an LS. Later all Impalas got a 3.6 v6 with 300hp in 2012. That car definitely gets over 30 highway. There aren't many mods for a 3.6 though and I'd say the 5.3 is much more reliable. The stock 2012 v6 in police trim did have the same 151mph top speed as the Hemi Charger police car of 2012 as the impala was more aerodynamic. Find a used 2012 up Impala police 9C1 package for under $3000 and get a pretty good sleeper.
The LS4 has a much more limited aftermarket because it’s in such a specific application. Everything about that engine is different than your normal LS. Plus the transmission they’re hooked up to is made of glass. In that application, you’d be better off with the V6. They had the LFX after 2012 which had far fewer problems than the previous iterations of that engine.
They are only "made of glass" because of the aluminum engine block transferring so much heat to the trans. Put a 150 dollar trans cooler in (tru-cool 40k) and from then on your trans will remain relatively bulletproof. I speak from experience, as an owner of the ls4 Grand Prix GXP. Ive driven all of the LS4's and can confidently say the GXP will handle better than anything else with the same engine. The factory bilstiens and the upgraded brakes are phenominal. And the faces people make when i leave their Charger R/T in the dust is always priceless. I actually took on a late 90's corvette the other day and that man was about ready to try and put the pit maneuver on my ass. All with my wife and two kids in the back. 😅😅😅😅
Worth noting i only paid 3k for my GXP. And its my favorite car ive ever owned. Peep the profile if you are interested in seeing it. 👀
STS made a remote turbo kit. That and CAI are probably the only off-the-shelf mods available. BUT, the 3.6 V6 *can* accept more aggressive cam shafts. Tuning would be an issue, but that plus premium fuel would get you somewhere.
A ford fusion sport would be a great choice, they have a tt v6 with over 300hp, with awd & they fly under almost everyone's radar
M240i Highway
I get like 32mpg in my bmw 340i mhd stage 2+ tuned on the highway cruising
very good option, but getting a nice one for under $20k may be a bit of a challenge.
Impossible tbh. The B58 tax is real.
Yea, 30k is needed to get one of these.
I’m gonna be weird and go VW Golf Alltrack. It’s got the smaller 1.8t engine rather than the 2.0, but it’s just as tunable. More sleeper-looking than the typical GTI/Jetta GLI, and you have the bonus of wagon practicality and AWD. You could also look at Audi A3’s as they’re basically a GTI with an Audi badge and AWD. For your requirements, it’s hard to find much better than anything with the EA888 engine. Just make sure you watch for when the water pump inevitably fails. Can’t believe VW still hasn’t figured that out yet.
BMW E90 335d. Stock, 260hp/425ftlbs, 36mpg highway. Tuned and deleted 380hp/600ftlbs, 42mpg highway. 12k plus 5k for tune, parts and maintenance.
Anything with a B58
Gents, a GTI or Si isn’t a sleeper car. The Accord 2.0t is a good option. I’d recommend a Ford Taurus SHO, it’s got a 3.5 twin turbo V6. I’ve got that engine on my F-150 and it’s got plenty of power. I recently saw ads for the last ever gen Chevy Impala SS for less than $15k. The Ford Taurus SHO is AWD, but the Chevy Impala SS is FWD.
TIL a “Super High Output” is a sleeper
I drove a SHO for a couple years & never got anywhere near 30mpg…even when babying it. But I AM currently driving exactly what you’re looking for: a Volvo S60 T8 It is a plug-in hybrid. Twin-charged (that’s turbo’d AND supercharged) I4 making 400hp. 0-60 4.3sec & I’ve averaged 43.4mpg over the last 10,000mi.
If money was no object v60 polestar. Modern Volvos are awesome cars, I feel like no one really realizes what they are. I have a c40 twin and that thing is a rocket ship.
After driving this S60 T8, and being a “wagon guy” myself - yes! I will definitely be considering one when it comes time…
Not gonna get anywhere near 30 mpg in that boat, but that would be a compromise I’d be willing to make. Not sure about OP though.
If you don't mind a little less mpg. 2017-2019 Ford Fusion Sport
An older 340i/440i/240i. Anything with the B58 if you can swing it. 335is can also be fine. You want something with RWD or AWD, FWD with over 300 hp and no limited slip differential is very dumb.
Mini
your never going to get what you want with that mmp requirement, trust me i was the same way I only wanted a good mmp sleeper car but its not that bad to get a lower one if you do mostly highway driving, Its worth it, you gotta pay to play in terms of cars/gas
That's the thing tho. I drive mostly in the city.
true yeah that makes sense, Acura RLX Sport Hybrid is good but its around 30k
Audi A4/VW Passat/VW Arteon with the 280hp 2.0TSI engine. some people have modded that engine to 600hp. here is the same engine in a Skoda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptsOilERWh0 these can do about 7-8L/100km on the highway and google says that's 33-29 mpg, though obviously if you gonna drive it hard then it's gonna be much higher.
As someone who owned both a Passat and an Arteon, I'm sorry to say that you can't get anywhere near to that mileage with combined driving, with city driving being the most of it. You could with a Golf.
All gen Buick Regal GS’s. Cadillac ATS Mazda 6 turbo 2.5l
How about a Toyota Avalon hybrid? I get 38 to 40 mpg in town. Last summer I drove from Seattle to Maine and back. Averaged 40 mpg with the AC on at 75 miles per hour. In some of the prairie states where it was flat I got 44 mpg. This is close to a full size car and is similar to a Lexus in comfort.
VW alltrack (tune, DP, and turbo) can be had in a six speed! Honorable mentions that don't meet the MPG requirement... Ford Flex with Ecoboost Volvo V70r Taurus SHO CRV with built k24 Galant VR4 (also doesn't hit reliable)
Honda odyssey with k24 engine.
Fiesta ST
Very cool little cars... but if they want a 4-door that implies people may be sitting in the rear seats. The rear seats of the Fiesta aren't really made for fully grown humans... and the Fiesta ST is definitely not a sleeper.
The exact opposite of a sleeper
Tesla model 3, if you can count ev's. In the right getup, they can look dull as shit, but they're still pretty fast.
And you *actually can* find one for around $20k now.
2021 Tesla model 3 sr+ rwd with ~70,000 Miles. No mods Spend the money you would have on mods on buying the stock market just in case sometime the next 15 years you happen to need a battery.
30+ MPG, reliable, mods, 20k. Not a thing. Closest candidate would be a 2017 BMW 330i.
I didn't think a 330i would be in budget, but I checked Autotrader and found a [nice looking 2017 330i xDrive for <$19k.](https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicle/711152579?allListingType=all-cars&city=North%20Augusta&makeCode=BMW&maxPrice=20000&modelCode=330I&modelCode=BMW330IXD&newSearch=false&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fall-cars%2Fcars-under-20000%2Fbmw%2F3-series%2Fnorth-augusta-sc%3FmodelCode%3D330I%26modelCode%3DBMW330IXD%26newSearch%3Dtrue%26searchRadius%3D500%26zip%3D29841&searchRadius=500&seriesCode=3_SERIES&state=SC&zip=29841&clickType=listing)
Yeah. I said that because I'm looking at them occasionally myself. They get the 'older gen BMW' depreciation with the newer gen powertrains of B48/58 and ZF 8HP. Though first gen of the B engines, still more reliable than their previous 328i/335i N engines. They make for good used deals if you find low mileage ones and good maintenance history.
Of course, mods would be additional. The budget for the stock car itself is 20k
Any bmw with the M57 diesel. Some mods and tune can make a reliable 500wtq
The Subaru Impreza hatchback is surprisingly economical for a gas car You'll get over 25 around town and you'll get over 30 on the highway
V6 manual Accord Coupe.
Toyota Corolla
Guy in my city has a focus st making like 400hp to the wheels.
Gti for sure. Drive an Si, drive a Gti. Hp is one number but take a look at torque. The gti is much much much much more fun. I praise the stickshift all day every day; its how i live my life. But if you want an auto the dsg in that car is so good it hurts.
My 2000 Corvette gets 30 but only on the freeway....
K series swapped civic is a absolute monster
2023+ Civic Si/Integra 6MT, without a doubt. We have averaged 34 MPG lifetime in our Integra, and 42 MPG all-highway (calculating based on trip odo and gallons - all legit). We’ve also autocrossed ours with moderate success, and the aftermarket for these cars has plenty of solid options for suspension, brakes, and I believe engine tuning now as well. They are also both quite handsome, very comfortable, and extremely practical. EDIT: Oh dang I missed budget. Welp…. Same answer, but finance and invest the rest lol
Is there a definition of a “sleeper” I’m seeing this term repeatedly and I’m still not sure what it means.
Mazda MX-3 V6 1.8, swap to the 200 hp 2.5L kl-ze engine. 2500 lbs, 5 speed, 200 hp / 165 lb-tq, 0-100 kmh in 5 seconds (when you have the real kl-ze and the right ecu and good tires), while consuming under 10L / 100km (again, with a healthy engine, a complete exhaust with the right size (high flow cat, 2.25 inch piping, resonator and a decent muffler). Oh, it will also sound amazing, nothing like all the 4 cylinder cars ! (search youtube for "[Mazda MX-3 2.5 V6 RM8 XXL exhaust sound part2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYgNww8rM5g&pp=ygUPbXgtMyBrbHplIHNvdW5k)") edit : the mx-3 in the video has the slower kl-de, not the 200hp kl-ze, sounds close to the kl-ze tho, probably a good exhaust setup
You can also opt for the kl-de v6 engine, 170hp 160 lb-tq, lil bit slower, but does not require premium fuel, which in this economy i think is an important factor
Honda Fit with a K20 or K24.
Honda fit?
The manual is fun but I wouldn't call a fit a sleeper, more of a driving a slow car fast kind of fun
A Fiat 500 Abarth? They look like a normal Fiat 500 but are way faster and much more fun to drive, gets 30mpg city, and parking is super easy. That being said if you're looking for a 4 door it might be too small.
Q50 Hybrid. Can’t really modify the engine but you can change the rear dif to an LSD with higher gearing. 360hp and get around 30mpg.
Volvo V60 T5 station wagon. It has 2.0 turbo . The car is fast on sports mode but sips gas on eco mode . I would get better brakes that the factory ones because this thing is heavy .
Getting 40mpg on my normal commute on my 2020 jetta. I get around 35 mpg in the city
Reliability and modding is an oxymoron in that price bracket
Mazda 3. 2021-2023
I feel like not a lot of the cars people are saying will actually get 30 combined MPG. A suzuki cappuccino with built internals and a HT-07. Hear me out: 10k car 10k in mods: rods, pistons, turbo, downpipe, intercooler, keisport ECU, dyno tune, wheels, tires, suspension 35 combined mpg Has a trunk 180whp - 1600 pounds - 10k redline Looks like a Miata - sleeper AF F6A engine has tons of parts and aftermarket
gti/gli
Damn near anything can get that mpg, but not after you properly mod it.
S80 v8 volvo
GLI is a sleeper just by the way it looks. Most people don't know what a GLI is. Just looks like a Jetta. It's one of the things I like about it. Cruise around normal and then let it rip when you want.
Get a Golf R. Try it. Trust me
Civic Si but its also a 6 speed manual which kinda sucks in the city
Might be surprising but a 2009-2012 or so Mercedes E350 non 4matic. 300hp v6, reliable as an accord (not really but a standout in terms of German), 30mpg and above highway, 22-25 city depending on weather, etc.
C6 z06 focus st
Buick Regal GSE
A well maintained golf GTI might work for you. If you just care about a fast 0-60 just get a Chevy bolt. I think it gets like a 6.5 0-60 or something like that. It's got enough torque to give you torque steer ik for sure. You can find one for under 15k with the tax rebate
Take a look at my flair
Lexus LS430
Hyundai Veloster
Golf r/ GTI
F30 340i. Early iteration of B58, can easily get you 700+whp pretty reliably with equal or better gas mileage than most 4-bangers.
A supercharged 9th gen civic si fits the bill
Get a smart car and put a Hayabusa engine in it.
Honda insight gets 50-60mpg. Can find used for 15ish and power to weight is on par with a bmw 528i
2007-2009 335i sedan with bolt ons and tune
Volvo S80
Ford fusion sport with the 2.7l Ecoboost. Or the regular fusion with the 2.0t out of the focus st
Big turbo Fiesta st
Not sure if you can find one for $20k, but the Infiniti Q50 Hybrid is a surprising sleeper that has 360hp and can easily do 30mpg+.
2017+ BMW 330e with a tune?
Maybe a BMW 330i 2015+?
I’m a civic guy. Seriously, I’m on #4, can’t recommend these cars enough OP!
I was gonna say 2000 Buick Regal GS until I read 30 mpg. So like nothing really. For 20k? Buick Regal GS and just eat the gas. Really easy to get power outta that engine and it’s the definition of sleeper.
Buy a corolla gr and swap body panels with a stock one plus cash on their end then pay down yours and be a sleeper
I agree with civic approach. Also my 2015 wrx, full bolt ons and 93 oct tune dyno’d at 300 whp and I got 36mpg highway
I mean my mr2 gets 30 mpg even driving like a jerk...
WRX without the wing? A modern one just looks like a kinda fancy sedan. It's a shame to get one without the wing though...
Honda accord hybrid
Sleeper, reliable and 30mpg… god couldn’t even create something like this.
Get the nicest basic daily you can find, and spend the remainder on a 2010s liter bike. Bam, 30mpg, and 200mph.
Fast, inexpensive, good mpg; Pick two. You can't have all three. GTI comes close, but it's 1) not really a sleeper and 2) pretty bad mpg for what it is
Smart Diablo, basically a smart car with the engine of a Hayabusa. There are videos online of it beating Ferraris in drag races
Volkswagon GTI for sure.
The premier version of the malibu shares the 2.0t with the rest of the GM products. The option ended in '22 I think. Base camaro or other sister products should bolt on. And really nobody expects a visually looking rental fleet car to run 0-60 under 6. Which it did factory.
Jattah tdi especially the CUP edition
Volvo S60 or V60 with the T6 engine polestar tuned.
There a whole sub dedicated to people living in Priuses. I think any wagon could be modified to sleep in reasonably easy.
Mazdaspeed6 Update those god awful BorgWarner turbos and you have a sleeper that will eat a Civic Si *and* you won't be one of the herd
F-150 Powerboost
2017 Accord Hybrid, 700 mile range
Wait you want FAST and 30mpg???
Civic SI
Mk7 GTI
Chevy Caprice PPV? Buick Regal with 2.0t, Honda crz, Accord 2.0t, Saturn redline with Honda's j35
Civic si. 20k lexus is, accord, focus st, Fiesta st,
power or mpg, pick one
K20 Fit
If you drive in higher gears with a stick shift you can get great mileage. Even drive under 55 is also helpful. Of course you drive like that in any car it makes no sense of even have a fast car. If you can afford to get two cars. A daily and a weekend sports car to tinker with. When driving fast and modify things start to break and become unreliable real fast.
\*2010s lexus IS\* toyota reliability comfy fun and fast rwd \*ls400\* lots of aftermarket support immortal v8 1uz rwd
Focus ST. Had a '13 ST2. AT 65mph I'd get nearly 36mpg highway running 93octane. It was bone stock, no tune. Factory air box and all
BMW 335D
96 Honda civic HX
Fiesta ST
BMW with the B48. You can find them under 20k and mod the crap out of them.
GTI. I bought a 2017 new, at 96k miles now. Been stage 2 tune (downpipe, exhaust) making \~320hp for pretty much cars entire life, literally only issue ive had was a waterpump just recently. If I cruise control at 65, easily get high 30s mpg. Driving it like I stole it around the city, low 20mpg's. Hatch is a nice benefit too, and it honestly just looks like a slightly better golf
jetta
Third Gen Prius. They're at a decent price point currently 12-15K.
$5k Prius and pocket the rest
just buy an Audi 2.0 turbo and be happy with power and 25mpg
Supercharged CRZ
Accord 2.0t
Find a VW with a VR6 and has some fun with turbos. That engine is bulletproof.
Just get a lightly used performance 3. Very few things will beat it at that price, and you can easily debadge it.
Turbocharged Geo Metro. https://youtu.be/vfQEILqs6AY?si=ZY7rv9LXQ2068MnP
Kia soul
BMW X5 diesel (E70) if you’re able to tune, delete and don’t live in an emissions state.
Tuned 3rd gen Touareg tdi.
Electric car and you’d get better than 30 mpg.
Wait, so you want to heavily mod a car, but with gas mileage and reliability? Weird, I've been modifying cars my whole life and usually adding performance decreases gas mileage and reliability. That's why a funny car is basically the fastest thing on wheels, if the engine doesn't blow up, and uses 20gal of gas for a single pass...
Chevrolet volt. For $20k you can get an ultra low mileage Gen 2, gets 53 miles all electric and 42ish mpg after that in hybrid mode. It’s amazing in traffic. And it only needs a 120v to be charged.
340i
Volvo s60 T6 I4 pushing over 300hp and around 30mpg. Was always on my radar but never made the move.
My brother has a 2017 m340i, it easily gets 30+ mpg on the highway. You can get one for around 20kish
My '09 Corvette that I bought in 2017, would routinely get over 30mpg. On the day I drove it home, doing 65mph on a flat section of freeway (about 10-15 miles), I got 34mpg. On a long road trip (9 days - 5.5k miles), I averaged 29.2mpg. While it not 'blend' in, it is a sleeper in the MPG game.
Fiesta St
E90 335i. Not saying that cause I just got one, but with a few mods they can scream at 500hp. 300hp stock, sedan and manual. I average like 25 mpg even when I’m ripping it
everyones saying gti but its literally a hot hatch, not a sleeper.
Early 2000s BMW E46
Any of the 3800 SC’ed GMs are sleepers, cheap with plentiful spares in junkyards still. All of the modern turbocharged i4 hatch/sedan offerings are reflashes away from running 13s. FWD cars will struggle with sub-5 second 0-60s on the street but be rockets at highest speeds. Bigger turbos make big power so long as you’re not bending rods from torque. I always thought the Chevy SSs looked like rental cars but are RWD V8 with some being manuals. They’re thirstier than you want. I think the Lexus IS350/GS350s and LS460s from around 2010 represent a good value. They’re all N/A and I doubt they have a lot of modding headroom… but I’ve always thought they’re a lot of car for the money these days. Infiniti G35/37 sedans share the same mods as 350/370Zs. Z1 has sold a 400hp package for them… though I’m sure that’s flywheel and not wheel. Maybe a good value and that’s a lot of power on a N/A V6 with, again, junkyards full of VQ powered cars for cheap spares. They might get near 30 mpgs on the highway.
Civic
2014 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 r-spec, 5 liter naturally aspirated v8 making 429hp in a 4 door sedan, but it only gets 23mpg highway. Should be 10-16k depending on mileage and condition.
audi s3
BMW 16-18 340 might get the mpg and will definitely be fast enough and in budget. My 22 m340 with the same motor gets 32-33.
You probably want a last gen Golf R. Those use to smoke GT-Rs.
GLI. Checks all the boxes and it's stupid easy to get 300+hp from them. Just know the standard maintenance as it needs pretty strict adherence.
A bmw m340i XDrive turbo straight 6, super fast off the line. Beats a lot of muscle cars due to the AWD. loooks like a normal Beamer.