25 Cars and Trucks That Will Still Be Cool in 2030
The majority of the cars out today will come and go without much thought. They will be used for about a decade by various owners and then casts off to their cold doom in a junkyard for a few hundred dollars. Some cars, however, will endure. These are the cool ones, the ones worth saving. The cars that will last for decades to come.
When 2030 comes around, the people born this year will be 17 and will likely be getting their first cars and trucks. While they might not be able to afford the coolest rides, if they could, they’ll be pining for these 25 “old-school” cars.
1. Ford F-150 Raptor

Ford’s F-150 Raptor is the American badass pickup truck at home on any terrain imaginable. It features a twin-turbocharged V6 engine that produces 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. It’s the off-road racing truck you’ve been dreaming about since you were a little boy or girl, and it’ll stay that way for years to come.
2. Chevrolet Colorado ZR2

Is the Ford Raptor too big of a truck for you? Don’t worry, Chevrolet has a midsize pickup that can do a whole lot of the same things. The big story on this off-road truck are the special multimatic shocks that can be found on Formula 1 race cars. It can also come with a diesel engine, giving this truck a lasting cool factor.
3. Chevrolet SS

Unfortunately, the Chevrolet SS will no longer roll off Australian assembly lines, but the car is one of those crazy rides that will be cool several decades later. Why? Because it has a big V8 engine and is basically the last of a dying hot-rod sedan breed. It’s not the prettiest car to look at, but nobody will question it once you roast the rear tires in a righteous burnout.
4. Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ

The Toyota 86 and the Subaru BRZ are so close to being the same car that it makes sense to include them together. This is the affordable sport coupe that you can easily love. It’s quick, reliable, and a whole hell of a lot of fun to drive on just about any road. There’s no doubt that these cars will be highly sought after even a decade or two from now.
5. Ford Focus RS

Ford has sold RS models in Europe for years, but recently the automaker decided to bring the latest Focus RS hot hatch stateside. This wonder of a car features a powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pushes power to all four wheels. It’s a car that’s at home driving around town, on the racetrack, or even working as a drift missile. This car has a designated drift mode that allows you to do some extremely impressive things around a curve.
6. Ram 2500 Power Wagon

Do you need a truck that’s essentially unstoppable and totally amazing? If so, look no further than the Ram 2500 Power Wagon. The Power Wagon is the heavy duty pickup truck that can crawl over just about any terrain. It comes with a massive V8 engine or a big V8 diesel engine and a large 12,000 pound winch on the front for those particularly tricky trails.
7. Ford Fiesta ST

If you liked the Focus RS but didn’t think you needed something quite that extreme, don’t worry. Ford has the perfect option — the Fiesta ST. It’s another little hot hatch from Ford that comes with a little turbocharged engine and is a whole lot of fun to drive. This front-wheel drive car offers plenty of power for tons of fun and will still be a performance car that’s sought after well beyond 2030.
8. Mazda MX-5 Miata

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is the fun affordable roadster that just about everybody loves. It’s the car that brought the moderately powered two-seater back to the masses. The latest generation of the car still carries the MX-5’s notable charm while providing a bit more aggressive styling. Looking at the way people feel about the old Miatas, it’s safe to say they’ll be pining after this model for decades to come.
9. Lexus RC-F

Fewer cars these days have V8 engines under their hoods than ever before, and many luxury automakers are opting for V6 engines or even four-cylinder engines in favor of the larger V8. While this is understandable, there’s just something about the V8 that’s alluring. The Lexus RC-F is enticing for many reasons — it’s luxurious, comfortable, full of carbon fiber, and beautiful — but the big V8 engine lurking under the hood is what will make it interesting for years to come.
10. Covette Grand Sport

Really any of Chevrolet’s Corvette models could be on this list. They’re all so wonderful that people will be seeking them out well beyond 2030. However, the Corvette Grand Sport will draw in car enthusiasts for years to come. It’s well-balanced, powerful, and great looking. In other words, it’s the perfect driver’s car, and that means it will always be in-demand.
11. Fiat 124 Spider

The original Fiat 124 Spider has a cult following. The new Fiat 124 Spider probably won’t have quite the same following, but hardly anyone can deny that it will still be popular decades from now. Based on the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Fiat has put its own spin on the car, and it still drives like a dream.
12. Fiat 500 Abarth

Fiat’s 500 Abarth also hearkens back to an old model. While the regular Fiat 500 will likely be forgotten, the 500 Abarth is a car that is unforgettable. The sound emanating from the exhaust is beautiful, especially at its price point, and it’s a riot on a curvy road. A weird little car like this shouldn’t be as much fun, and that’s exactly why it will be remembered and sought after by the time 2030 comes around.
13. Dodge Viper

Unfortunately, Dodge isn’t making many Vipers in 2017, and the company has decided to discontinue the model. It’s a shame because the Viper is a race track champion. The car set 13 racetrack lap records and is one of the most violent and sexy cars to drive. It features a devastating V10 engine that generates 645 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque. If this car isn’t cool in 2030, then no car has a right to be considered cool.
14. Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

Toyota’s Tacoma pickup is a tough workhorse and a venerable vehicle, but the TRD Pro version of the truck is genuinely badass. It’s an off-road pickup that won’t take no for an answer. It’s not quite as extreme as the Ford F-150 Raptor or the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, but the Tacoma has a cult following and the TRD Pro version of the truck even more so. There’s no doubt that it will still hold some serious street and off-road credibility by the time 2030 rolls around.
15. BMW M2

The M2 gives a nod back to the old M3, but also looks forward with modern technology and design. The car has a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine good for 365 horsepower under the hood. Power goes to the rear wheels like it should in a legitimate sports car. This is the ultimate driver’s car right now and is well loved by just about everyone. It’s doubtful that anything will change by 2030.
16. BMW M4

The BMW M4 is like its smaller sibling, the M2, on performance enhancing drugs. The car’s twin-turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine produces a whopping 425 horsepower pushed to the rear wheels. Get it with the competition package, and the engine’s horsepower spikes to 444. Go with the GTS version of the car, and it spikes yet again to 493 horsepower. It’s a supremely fast car, and one that will be loved for generations to come.
17. Cadillac ATS-V

If you still think of Cadillac as the purveyor of smooth, pillow-soft big cars, you haven’t been paying attention. The company has been taking it straight to the German automakers. Perhaps the most impressive car from them is the ATS-V. It has a twin-turbocharged V6 that makes 464 horsepower, and the car comes with track-worthy suspension and brakes. It’s a car that people will be searching the classifieds for in 2030.
18. Ford Mustang GT350

Ford’s Mustang is always highly sought after, but the Mustang GT350 is special. It has a flat-plane crank V8 that churns out 526 horsepower. The car is blisteringly fast in a straight line, but unlike some Mustangs of the past, it’s also good around a racetrack. This car isn’t just a dragstrip monster, which means it will have appeal for many, many years to come.
19. Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

If you thought the Mustang GT350 was cool, you’re in for a real treat. Chevrolet’s Camaro ZL1 is a track-ready muscle car designed to dominate the competition. It packs a supercharged V8 engine under the hood that then pushes out 650 horsepower to the rear wheels. This is the fastest Camaro Chevy has ever built, and because of that, it will be highly sought after for years to come.
20. Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

All you need to know about the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is that its big HEMI V8 engine makes 707 horsepower. That’s enough to ensure this car will still be important by 2030. If you want a car that can win basically any drag race, this is it. Oh, unless you come up against the recently debuted Challenger SRT Demon. The Demon will generate 840 horsepower and run a quarter mile in under 10 seconds.
21. Honda Civic Type R

Many people in the U.S. have been waiting for the Honda Civic Type R. The Type R has always been sold elsewhere, and this will likely lead to the car having legendary status by the time 2030 rolls around. The young Honda fanboys that will someday get their mother’s old beat up Civic or Accord will one day be searching for a Civic Type R on Craigslist.
22. Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifolio

The sexiest damn sedan on the road today is the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifolio. The car has a Ferrari-derived twin-turbocharged V6 engine that makes 505 horsepower. It’s good-looking, fast, and luxurious. The car has been off to a rough start, but if it pulls through to 2030, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifolio will be highly sought after by anyone looking for a beautiful sports sedan.
23. Alfa Romeo 4C

The Alfa Romeo 4C is the kind of car that appeals to only a small portion of the market. It’s a little two-seater supercar that has its turbocharged four-cylinder engine stuffed right behind the seats. It’s all part of the car’s charm, and to the right person, it’s the perfect car. That person has to love the racetrack and not mind a harsh, sport-tuned ride.
24. Infiniti Q60

The Infiniti Q60 is a curvy coupe with a twin-turbocharged V6 that makes 400 horsepower. If in 2030 you have some money to blow on a luxurious coupe that you’ll love to drive, this would be a smart choice. It looks so darn good in red that you’d be a fool not to buy it in that color.
25. Ford GT

Ford’s GT won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and beat Ferrari in 2016. This was a repeat of the win the company had with the original GT40 in 1966. While the new GT is completely different than the old car, it does keep with many of the same aesthetics, and that, along with its connection to one of the most iconic races in history, will make it cool well beyond 2030. This is the kind of car that will still be cool 50 years from now.