The Charming Cars Thread

Eunos_Cosmo

Eunos_Cosmo

11,304
United States
Marin County
As a form of escapism from the seriousness all around...lets post cars that are just charming - OEM or Modified, it doesn't matter.

I'll start with MK1 Renault Twingo with these two very nice French (I assume) ladies saying hello:

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Look at this perfectly funky interior:
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I'm really hoping there is a charm-filled reaction in all manner of human enterprises post-Covid. I'm frankly sick of hard-hitting TV dramas and extra-serious automotive design. Give me light-hearted any day!
 
Nice thread idea!

The Honda E is, in my opinion, one of the most charming new cars available. Proof that not all-electric cars are soulless and bulbous. It incorporates the retro styling of the Honda N and Honda Z of the early 1970s with a modern design quite well. Too bad it's not coming to the states.

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I'll post some more examples later, that was just the first one to come to my mind.
 
I would like to submit the Land Rover Series I. Despite it's military heritage, I don't think off-roaders get more charming than the S1 LR.

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Though the first generation Toyota Rav4 has appreciated significantly in charm, if not dollars - yet:

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(and no it doesn't need alloys, a lift kit, 35" tires, more than 100hp, a brush guard or a roof rack to tackle this dirt road)

Makes me consider what charming really means in a car. I think the cars posted thus far have a similar ethos. Their charm is derived from their practical intended use and unpretentious presence. An old, good boot has charm in the same way a Series 1 Land Rover does. Some cars are designed to be overtly cute but I don't think that instills them with charm. The original VW is charming whereas the millenium-era VW bug is mostly just cute, in a fashionable way - the same could be said of the old mini / new mini. The Honda E walks a tight line there, but I think falls on the side of charming due to its genuine utility and innovation.
 
Two-door kei cars of the early 90s, I find charming, like the Honda Today and Subaru Vivio for example.

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VW Lupo in Fantasia Lime.

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Cutesy, lightweight retro-inspired sports cars like the Toyota S-FR and Honda Sports EV Concept

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The retro-inspired Daihatsu Tocot

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And for something less tiny and cutesy... Buick Roadmaster. Old fashioned, plush, good looking, reliable, and decently powerful with the 260hp V8. It just has a warm, comfortable feel to it that new cars lack.

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And who could forget the Daihatsu Midget II... If this isn't charming in some way, than I don't know what is.

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Some may find it ugly, but the Citroen C6 is charming. It completely stands out in a class full of staid, uninspiring sedans. Citroen has been consistently good at pumping out abstract, but stylish car designs.

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And on that note... C4 Cactus

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This SUV has been charming for over half a century. Suzuki Jimny. A cute little SUV then, and still is now.

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Here's the Crosley, a subcompact American car from the late 1940s that never really caught on.

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Last but not least, the most obvious "charming" car, the original Fiat 500.

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Awesome thread idea - One of my favourite modern charming cars (The Honda E) has already been posted, but here are some others I have in mind:

VW Up! - Trendy, boxy shape which hasn't aged since launch. Post-facelift tail lights are really cool.
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Suzuki Swift - Charming since the second-gen, latest model looks more upmarket with similarities to the Mini Cooper:
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Toyota Vitz/Yaris (1st gen) - The original, pre-facelift is the most adorable Yaris ever made. It has such a simple, smiling front end with massive headlights - It makes you happy looking at it!
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Mazda 2/Demio
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Daihatsu Copen (Original)
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Honda S660
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Pretty sure some of you might not have known about this car, except for those who live in Japan (known as Daihatsu Mira) or in the UK (known as Perodua Nippa). It's the Perodua Kancil. I used to own one, exactly in this white colour with a 660cc 3 pot engine. Slow, but it was so easy to drive and maintain. Surely enough, it's a fun, fun car to drive! We love this car and trust me, almost every person in Malaysia who took their driving license at least drove the car once. Never failed to put a smile on my face whenever I see this tiny car on the road.

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Now somewhere in 2003, they came up with a facelift version and yeah that round eyes. Just charming!

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Nice shout on the C4 Cactus. My girlfriend has one in bright red and it looks brilliant, imo. Less great to drive, with inert steering and a high clutch, but highly economical compared to her Jazz with a CVT.
 
Ford Ka. Honestly the best implementation of Ford's "new edge" design language of the mid-1990s. It proved that even the cheapest car can have charm to it with its cutesy styling and wide range of colors available.

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The SportKa and StreetKa, the "sporty" variants of the Ka, were also charming, with their 1.6L 8-valve I4 good for 93hp.

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Snikle
Nash Metropolitan:
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Feel like it fits in well with many of the other contemporary cars listed in this thread. slot one between a classic Beetle and Fiat 500, and it'll look right at home.
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The Nash Metro is an interesting case, as I've mentioned before. It's the only small home-grown (as in, American) car with a genuine sense of dignity. Later American efforts felt like half-assed, almost cynical affairs built that you sense were against the will of the big-3 establishment blue bloods. Pinto, Vega, etc. AMC had some slightly-more-hearted efforts. The Chrysler Omni and later Neon were probably the closest to genuine attempts to build good, small cars. Most other small cars branded under American labels are/were captive imports - even those have mostly disappeared. The default position of American auto manufacturers is excess. They don't know how to do modest.

Edit: Even the Omni was a badge-engineered European car..

Edit2: I don't think the Dodge Neon gets as much appreciation as it probably deserves. 150hp from a 2.0 liter N/A engine with a 3.92 final drive (in the ACR & RT models) in a car weighing 2500lbs must be something of a riot to drive. I used to own an DC Integra LS. That car was a 1.8 with 140hp and weighed 2600lbs and even it was pretty damn fun to drive.
 
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A few of my nominations.

Suzuki Cappuccino. My personal favorite of the Kei Sports Cars. Apparently, these are an absolute blast to drive and cheap to buy.
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Morris Minor: So basic, but very versatile in the number of ways you could have one. I’ve always loved their looks too.
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Golf GTI: I’m very biased (I own one), but the fact that you still can get a relatively quick car with a plaid interior for not a lot of money is pretty charming in my book.
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Mr Fahrenheit
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I'm a fan of small and cute cars in general, and Subaru 360 is by far my favorite.
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It's hard to not like the Subaru 360. Almost the Japanese equivalent of the Fiat 500. My personal favorite iteration of the 360 was the 1968-1971 Young SS, the "sporty" version. Powered by a 356cc two-cylinder cranking out 38 horsepower. May not sound like much, but keep in mind how light the 360 is.





It even featured in both Gran Turismo 2 and Enthusia.



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And speaking of the 360 in Gran Turismo, here's some trivia. The prize car for winning the one-make event "Subaru 360 Race" in GT4 was a 360 in WR Blue Mica... a color the car was obviously never offered in.

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TexRex
I mean...it would be silly not to now.

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Yes, it's a later car. I like the later cars. Big whoop. Wanna fight about it?

/s
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I kind of do want to fight actually :lol:. Chrome bumper MG’s reign supreme.

In all seriousness, if I do get my hands on one I’d probably swap out the motor for something more reliable/powerful and update the suspension anyway, which would fix the rubber bumper era’s two biggest flaws.
 

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