10 Best 1990's Sport Sedans

"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror) 09/23/2015 at 13:17 • Filed to: LISTS

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Sport sedans are all the rage now, but it was a time when sport sedans were as rare as pope feces, and was a niche market led by BMW that only a few others ventured in. Let’s have a look at the 10 best sport sedans of the 1990’s.

10 - Pontiac Bonneville SSEi

9 - Ford Taurus SHO

8 - Ford Contour SVT

7 - Mitsubishi Galant VR4

6 - Audi 90 Quattro

5 - Pontiac Grand Prix GTP

4 - BMW M3

3 - BMW M5

2 - Mercedes-Benz 500E

1 - Volvo 850R

TheHondaBro > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:20

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itschrome > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:22

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Ummmmm.... your lack of a STS is disturbing.. You have a SSEi and a GTP but left off the STS?? really?? This list is stupid... your stupid.. this whole god damn place is stupid!...

but for real... Where’s the STS?

Margin Of Error > TheHondaBro 09/23/2015 at 13:22

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That would be part of my list of the best sport sedans of the 1980’s.

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:23

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My dad had him one of these. Very sleeper-esque.

Party-vi > TheHondaBro 09/23/2015 at 13:23

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That is an ‘80s car.

TheHondaBro > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:24

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Shit you’re right. My bad.

Margin Of Error > itschrome 09/23/2015 at 13:24

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“ You have a SSEi and a GTP but left off the STS?? really?? This list is stupid... your stupid.. this whole god damn place is stupid!...”

*you’re

The STS was a bit too comfort oriented to qualify as a proper sport sedan.

georgechristensen > Party-vi 09/23/2015 at 13:24

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The 190E Evo II came out in 1990 so it counts by a technicality

Twism > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:24

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Is this one legit, or simply because you couldn’t find a tenth car?

I never drove an SSEi, but the regular one are so shitty we turned down one that somebody gave us for free to use in a demolition derby.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:24

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Surprising the Toyota Mark sedans didn't make it, but I would like some 500E....

georgechristensen > itschrome 09/23/2015 at 13:26

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The STS is many things, sporty is not one of them.

Party-vi > itschrome 09/23/2015 at 13:26

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The Seville STS wasn’t a sport sedan like the GTP or SSEi, in that it wasn’t a performance variant. Also, because the Bonneville is on this list, the Seville is automatically on here too since they were the same thing :P

itschrome > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:26

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really? you have a Bonneville! that’s way more plush than any STS ever was. Plusher interior, softer suspension and over all way more comfort oriented than a STS. that’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard all day..

Party-vi > georgechristensen 09/23/2015 at 13:28

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So a 1990 E30 M3 would count because it came out in 1990? A tune and a wing doesn’t make it a new car :P

Milky > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:30

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Not sure which asshole comment to make:

LOL, some of these need sport in quotation marks

I’m glad I was too young to be driving around then

Moves-Like-Senna > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:31

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There isn’t a car on this list I wouldn’t love to DD.

jariten1781 > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:32

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georgechristensen > Party-vi 09/23/2015 at 13:34

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Well the E34 M5 came out in 1989 but it’s on the list, just because they made them in the 90s doesn’t make them a 90s car.

LongbowMkII > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:35

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Invalid:

Not only is it sport, it is super sport. And you can’t possibly get more sedan unless you go deep into BMW’s dark perverse lab where they invent new body styles.

Vicente Esteve > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:35

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IMO you ain’t giving the E34 enough credit.

Nice list though.

Hoccy > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:39

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Added some more, mostly European alternatives.

itschrome > Party-vi 09/23/2015 at 13:39

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the STS was the performance variant. the SLS was the non performance variant. And as for it not being a sport sedan, it was enough of one for GM to use it to test out the magneride before the corvette.... Just saying..

Party-vi > georgechristensen 09/23/2015 at 13:50

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The E34 M5 is amazing and above reproach.

JR1 > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:50

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But why?

Party-vi > itschrome 09/23/2015 at 13:50

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So adding magneride to a van would make it a sport van?

daender > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:51

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I recognize that Audi!

Jobjoris > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 13:55

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Nice list. But full of errors. I’ve driven at least two of the list that don’t belong in any sporty top-10. And as much as I like the 850: IN WHAT UNIVERSE IS THIS A BETTER SPORT SEDAN THAN AN E34 M5? It’s Turbo’d AND front wheel drive for god’s sake? I’m totally confused right now.

MultiplaOrgasms > Hoccy 09/23/2015 at 13:57

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Seriously, a Rover 620ti?

RallyWrench > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 14:05

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The 850R is #4 at best, and the 500E, wonderful though it is, should be no higher than 3rd because it wasn’t available with a manual. Also, if cars like the Bonny are to be included, the Nissan Maxima deserves a place.

Margin Of Error > Party-vi 09/23/2015 at 14:09

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Yea, verily

Margin Of Error > Hoccy 09/23/2015 at 14:11

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A Rover 620ti, seriously ?

Hoccy > MultiplaOrgasms 09/23/2015 at 14:12

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Ah, were hoping someone would recognize that! About as serious as the Ford Contour SVT in the OP.

Margin Of Error > daender 09/23/2015 at 14:13

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Is it yours ?

I dig the bumper stickers, very jalop !~

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Twism 09/23/2015 at 14:29

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Yes they were. It got you a supercharger. And in this field, that makes it legit.

dogisbadob > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 14:32

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oooo these red wheels are cool! Pontiac in the 90s was very good about offering white wheels on their white cars.

dogisbadob > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 14:32

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almost impossible to work on, but otherwise awesome.

Twism > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 09/23/2015 at 14:33

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3800 supercharged?

Was anything done to the rest of the car? if not, that must have made for some... interesting handling.

Jonee > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 14:35

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Those Fords are really fun cars, but holy cow is the build quality terrible.

dogisbadob > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 14:35

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Don’t forget about the 95-99 A32 Maxima/I30. The best generation of THE 4-door sports car, and even better with the luxury and prestige of the I30 (which also offered LSD)

The 97-01 Camry V6 is worth mentioning because you could get a manual (Takuro actually has one), but not on the ES300 :(

MultiplaOrgasms > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 14:36

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Did you just copy my comment? Laziness level: VW emissions equipment.

dogisbadob > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 14:36

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best one here because you could get a wagon version with a third seat. You had to wait until the 97 redesign/rename to S70/V70 before you could get a manual transmission in the US.

dogisbadob > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 14:37

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also available as the Regal GS, which is even more sleeper!

MultiplaOrgasms > Hoccy 09/23/2015 at 14:39

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I mean it was based on the mid 1990s Honda Accord and had a turbo engine, so as far as 1990s FWD sports sedans go it didn’t have the worst qualifications, much like the Contour SVT AKA Mondeo ST200 actually.

Margin Of Error > jariten1781 09/23/2015 at 14:42

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1990’s ...

not 1900’s

Also : not a sedan

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Twism 09/23/2015 at 14:49

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I mean it was a performance variant. But lets not get crazy here. it was only a 25 hp ish gain.

that just got it to a level that it was a real sports sedan in that era.

now it would be a heavy slug.

DrScientist > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 14:50

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isnt the volvo fwd? never driven one, but that immediately puts it behind the three cars behind it.

as everything in the list is US market, i’m going to assume the m3 is the US spec, which only because euro spec exists, makes it a bit dubious up so high. i’d put it third. the us e36 m3 by the way is still a pretty fantastic car from behind the wheel.

the porsche-massaged 500E is a great car, drove an ex girlfriend’s mother’s once, back in ‘98 or so. total sleeper. but auto transmission (i assume we didn’t get a manual in the states) is a black eye in this segment.

which, leaves us, by process of elimination, with the m5 as the number 1? never driven one, but seems legit.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 15:25

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This is my favorite of your lists so far. I actually really like the SSEi. And I LOVE the 500E.

Margin Of Error > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 09/23/2015 at 15:27

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thnaks you !

Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 15:33

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Some cars I thought of, not sure if they’re all suitable.

1. Opel Senator 24v 3.0

2. Peugot 406 mi16

3. Subaru Legacy B4 Twin turbo

4. Subaru Impreza WRX STI

5. Mitsubishi Evo

Hoccy > Pabuuu, JDM car enthusiast & Italian parts hoarder 09/23/2015 at 15:55

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Not sure about how sporty the Senator is, as it was an Omega with added bloat and luxury? Interesting car though.

jariten1781 > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 16:12

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Don’t be an ageist.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 16:37

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C36 and C43 AMG.

Twism > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 09/23/2015 at 16:51

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240 hp, 0-60 in 7.5 and a quarter mile in the 15... and it was considered a sporty sedan.

Man the 90’s sucked for american cars.

Found an interesting comparo by C&D where the (newer) Bonneville SSEi finished second-to-last, barely edging the Diamante in the entry-level luxury sedans:

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/po…

touring the brook - now with ZHP! > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 19:48

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Those wheels though!

Nauraushaun > Margin Of Error 09/23/2015 at 22:50

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This is a very American list. The Evo and WRX STi are probably faster than anything else here. Which doesn’t make them better per se, but they deserve a mention.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Twism 09/24/2015 at 09:31

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It was a sad time my friend, a sad time.