Drivers can compare vehicle specifications and performance as much as they like, but ultimately one of the biggest motivating factors that drive vehicle purchase is simply how “cool” a car is – a highly subjective but nevertheless important quality for cars to have.

In a recent survey by J.D. Power and Associates, the company found that one of the reasons that customers will stay loyal to an automaker is if the vehicles are particularly fun to drive. Rather than focusing on practical reasons like fuel economy or horsepower, the driver was instead looking for an emotional response.

So which cars are cool? That’s entirely up to the driver, but there are some cars that nearly everyone agrees on. The vast majority of drivers won’t turn down the chance to get behind the wheel of a Mustang, and “lame” isn’t often heard to describe James Bond’s lineup of Aston Martins.

Yet while many of these no-brainer cool cars are in the luxury or supercar segment, automakers have also been a bit more aggressive with their styling as of late. Kelley Blue Book recently profiled ten cool cars that can all be had for less than $18,000. Drivers should keep in mind that if they instead opt for a used car, they can probably afford a cooler one as well – as long as they don’t mind a few miles on it. Read the rest of this entry »