These Are the Coolest Cars Available Today

Want a cool car? We've got you covered

written by Connor Hoffman^{Correspondent
Connor Hoffman has worked in the automotive industry since 2018 in both editorial and public relations. He has tested and written about hundreds of cars and helped lead the media launches of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma and Land Cruiser. Connor is a correspondent at Edmunds and started his career at Car and Driver after a summer internship. He has also contributed to U.S. News & World Report and Capital One Autos. He loves four wheeling and camping in his fourth-gen 4Runner and hopes to one day restore a 60- or 80-Series Land Cruiser.}
11/4/2024
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Defining what makes a car "cool" is entirely subjective, but we'll give it a shot. For a vehicle to be considered cool, it must be visually appealing and have a distinctive style that makes it widely admired and stand out. It must also have a groundbreaking engine, outstanding design, or technology that moves the needle. Many cars on the market might fit these criteria, and some are surprisingly affordable. Here are some that the experts at Edmunds think are the coolest cars available today.

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ : Fastest production car

Starting price: More than $3.8 million

Few cars cost as much as a mansion and almost none have a top speed in excess of 300 mph. But the limited-production Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ hits both of those targets; the Chiron's options alone can cost close to a million dollars, and its unofficial top speed is just north of 304 mph. This is one of the last Bugattis to use the legendary quad-turbocharged W16 engine — here, it produces more than 1,500 horsepower — and it will go down as one of the greatest internal combustion engine cars ever built. That is, of course, until Bugatti starts rolling out even more incredible versions of its upcoming Tourbillon hypercar.

Tesla Model S Plaid: Quickest car to 60 mph Edmunds has tested

Starting price: $91,630

We test many aspects of a vehicle's performance, but one of the benchmarks is its 0-60 mph acceleration. The quickest car we've tested at our test track (which has a different surface compared to our U-Drags course) sprinted to the mark in just 2.3 seconds. The Plaid is the highest-performance Tesla money can buy, and it has a tri-motor setup with 1,020 horsepower. The version we tested came with the optional Track package that adds sticky Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar 3R tries and high-performance carbon-ceramic brakes.

Lucid Air Sapphire: Edmunds U-Drags champ

Starting price: $250,500

In a race to there and back that we call Edmunds U-Drags, the Lucid Air Sapphire recently surpassed the mega McLaren 765LT at the top of the leaderboard by almost 2 full seconds. The most extreme version of the Lucid Air produces 1,234 horsepower and 1,430 lb-ft of torque from its three-motor powertrain. Even though it tips the scales at a hefty 5,356 pounds, those motors rocketed the Sapphire from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.2 seconds on our U-Drags course to an easy win over the similarly bonkers Tesla Model S Plaid with the Track package.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06: Performance bargain

Starting price: $116,795

When the Corvette's engine was moved behind the seats, it opened up a world of performance for America's supercar. You can get a Corvette ZR1 with over 1,000 hp from a twin-turbo engine, but the Corvette's sweet spot is the Z06, which costs under $120,000 and has the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 of all time powering the rear wheels.

Kia EV9: Coolest electric vehicle

Starting price: $56,395

If you're in the market for an electric vehicle and need to accommodate a family and gear, we highly recommend the Kia EV9. It resembles a futuristic version of the popular Kia Telluride and offers an abundance of features for the price and impressive range provided you step up from the base model, which has a smaller battery.

GMC Hummer EV: Coolest pickup truck

Starting price: $98,845

The behemoth that was once a gas-guzzling SUV based on the Chevrolet Tahoe has been transformed into an electric pickup with 35-inch tires and 1,000 hp. During our testing, the GMC Hummer EV accelerated from 0 to 60 mph faster than a Corvette. It also features a CrabWalk mode, allowing each wheel to turn independently, enabling the large pickup to navigate around tight obstacles.

Toyota Prius: Coolest hybrid

Starting price: $29,085

Yes, we're calling the Toyota Prius cool. The fifth generation of the hatchback known for efficiency has a design that won't make you feel embarrassed behind the wheel anymore. Dare we say it looks attractive? Plus, you'll get up to 52 mpg combined and 45 miles of electric driving range in the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Coolest interior

Starting price: $118,900

Throughout its existence, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class has represented the pinnacle of the German automaker's performance and technology. The latest model has one of the most luxurious interiors on the market, featuring the latest MBUX infotainment system on a large curved display. It also showcases the company's Drive Pilot hands-free system, enabling the driver to more comfortably divert their attention from the road to use the central touchscreen. While it only operates under certain conditions and only in California and Nevada, Drive Pilot is the first car in the U.S. to feature Level 3 autonomy, marking a significant advancement in automated driving tech.

Ford Bronco: Coolest SUV

Starting price: $41,525

Being able to remove the doors and roof isn't the only thing that makes the Ford Bronco cool. Heck, the Jeep Wrangler can do that too. A more comfortable independent front suspension setup makes the Bronco a better daily driver, and its side mirrors remain on the body when the doors are removed. Its retro looks and charm up the cool factor even further.

Ram 1500 TRX: Coolest vehicle you can't buy anymore

Starting price: $98,335

It's been extinct for almost a year, but the Ram 1500 TRX was the most powerful production pickup ever made at one point. It arrived on the scene in 2021 and ate Ford F-150 Raptors for breakfast with its 702-hp Hellcat engine. Buyers looking for a substitute in the new truck market will kind of find it in the Ram 1500 RHO — powered by a high-output inline-six — but the TRX's supercharged V8 was something truly special.