Best Muscle Cars of 2022

The muscle car is an iconic part of American culture, and has gained millions of new fans since the Fast and the Furious’ Dominic Toretto introduced many of us to drag racing wheelies with his iconic Dodge Charger doing a burnout, while launching the V8 monster towards the sky. For most, however, the love affair started even sooner, with Steve McQueen’s movie ‘Bullitt’ featuring a Mustang, and an exciting car chase through the streets of San Francisco. What we didn’t know was that the pony car of the 60s would eventually be disrespectfully referred to as the American muscle car. Technicalities aside, we’re happy to have access to modern interpretations of the classic, cheap, coupe, 4-door, and convertible, even if the latter is mainly favored by rental agencies. 

BuzzScore
Design
Performance
MPG
Interior
Infotainment
Reliability
Safety
Value
#1
2022 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
9
BuzzScore
9
Design
10
Performance
7
MPG
9
Interior
9
Infotainment
9
Reliability
9
Safety
10
Value
#2
2020 Ford Mustang Bullitt
8.9
BuzzScore
10
Design
9
Performance
7
MPG
9
Interior
10
Infotainment
8
Reliability
9
Safety
9
Value
#3
2022 Ford Mustang GT Convertible
8.6
BuzzScore
9
Design
9
Performance
7
MPG
8
Interior
9
Infotainment
9
Reliability
10
Safety
8
Value
#4
2022 Ford Mustang Mach 1
8.6
BuzzScore
10
Design
10
Performance
6
MPG
8
Interior
9
Infotainment
9
Reliability
8
Safety
9
Value
#5
2022 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible
8.6
BuzzScore
9
Design
10
Performance
7
MPG
7
Interior
8
Infotainment
9
Reliability
10
Safety
9
Value
#6
2022 Ford Mustang Convertible
8.5
BuzzScore
8
Design
7
Performance
8
MPG
8
Interior
9
Infotainment
9
Reliability
10
Safety
9
Value
#7
2022 Ford Mustang GT Coupe
8.5
BuzzScore
9
Design
8
Performance
7
MPG
8
Interior
10
Infotainment
8
Reliability
9
Safety
9
Value
#8
2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
8.5
BuzzScore
10
Design
10
Performance
6
MPG
9
Interior
10
Infotainment
7
Reliability
8
Safety
8
Value
#9
2022 Dodge Challenger
8.4
BuzzScore
8
Design
7
Performance
9
MPG
9
Interior
10
Infotainment
7
Reliability
9
Safety
8
Value
#10
2022 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible
8.3
BuzzScore
8
Design
8
Performance
8
MPG
6
Interior
8
Infotainment
9
Reliability
10
Safety
9
Value
#11
2022 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe
8.3
BuzzScore
9
Design
10
Performance
6
MPG
8
Interior
8
Infotainment
8
Reliability
8
Safety
9
Value
#12
2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
8.3
BuzzScore
9
Design
9
Performance
6
MPG
9
Interior
10
Infotainment
7
Reliability
7
Safety
9
Value
#13
2022 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
8.3
BuzzScore
10
Design
10
Performance
4
MPG
8
Interior
10
Infotainment
9
Reliability
7
Safety
8
Value
#14
2022 Ford Mustang Coupe
8.1
BuzzScore
7
Design
7
Performance
8
MPG
8
Interior
10
Infotainment
8
Reliability
9
Safety
8
Value
#15
2022 Dodge Charger
8.1
BuzzScore
9
Design
8
Performance
6
MPG
8
Interior
9
Infotainment
9
Reliability
7
Safety
9
Value
#16
2022 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe
8
BuzzScore
8
Design
8
Performance
8
MPG
7
Interior
8
Infotainment
8
Reliability
9
Safety
8
Value
#17
2022 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock
8
BuzzScore
10
Design
10
Performance
5
MPG
7
Interior
9
Infotainment
8
Reliability
7
Safety
8
Value

American Muscle Cars

The USA created and still owns the best muscle car market in the world, and although the 2019 BMW M8 Competition is a brand new type of muscle car with AWD that has the luxury to put your average Chevy to shame, cars built and designed here are still the most popular types. That’s because our versions are by far the coolest muscle cars, are reasonable to restore or buy, they’re powerful, and are often available with less thirsty V6 engines.

Fast Muscle Cars

If you want to destroy lap times, have fun at the strip, and be comfortable in traffic, the most affordable way to do everything is to get the Shelby GT500. This car is so focused on being the ultimate version of itself that you could have carbon fiber rims instead of traditional alloy wheels. This makes it fantastic, but other offerings like the Dodge Challenger Demon are just as crazy, and provide incredible thrills for the price.

List of Top Muscle Cars

Currently, you could argue that there are three variations in this segment: the 2-door, the sedan, and the convertible, but these may be further refined into those that are meant for hardcore track work, and those that aren’t. Additionally, if you don’t like Ford, Dodge, or Chevrolet, you won’t like most of what’s available. Nevertheless, the list of different models on sale in 2020 is hot and spans a price range starting from around $25k to upwards of $83k. At the moment, all three major players have something to suit the budget, though, so pretty much anyone who craves an exciting toy will be catered for. Peruse our roster of the top 10 muscle cars for more information.

What makes a muscle car?

  • Makes: At present, our top 20 best muscle cars for 2020 roster is dominated by Chevrolet, Ford, and Dodge. Some German and British cars have been known to feature in other global considerations for the fastest muscle cars too.
  • Specifications: Most come with eight cylinders in a V configuration, and these types rule our top 10 rankings. Nevertheless, some have smaller motors, and these days, forced induction through turbocharging or supercharging is becoming increasingly common.
  • Power/Torque: The highest-performing animal in this cage is the Challenger Demon with up to 840 horsepower and 770 lb-ft of torque under its hood.
  • 0-60: Grip, throttle response, lag, shift speed, and conditions play a large role in how quickly you get from point A to point B. Thanks to advances in engineering, there is no doubt that the best way is now with an automatic gearbox. The abovementioned monster from Dodge manages 0-60 in 2.3 seconds.
  • Quarter Miles: A speed Demon in more than just it’s name, this best remains the best. Thanks to its huge power plant, a number of upgrades, and a brilliant launch control system, it’ll cross the quarter-mile in 9.54 seconds. If that’s not cool, we don’t know what is.

What to consider before buying

Before you commit to purchasing a new muscle car, there are some factors to take into account:

Pros

  • Plenty of options to peruse
  • Most are reasonably priced
  • All are fun to drive
  • All are generally spacious
  • Ride comfort is great for the most part

Cons

  • Massive engines drink a lot of fuel
  • The best muscle car is usually the least useful in the real world
  • Your neighbors probably won’t love you

FAQs

What’s the average price of muscle cars in 2022?

Some cost as little as $25k and others as much as $83k before options. You’d do well to budget around $47,000 for a decent variant.

Which is better between a Camaro ZL1 and a Shelby GT500?

Both are focused track-biased machines, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Thus, we’d recommend looking at the review on each and the comparisons section at the end to see which suits you.

What’s the cheapest muscle car I can buy?

That honor is held by the base Camaro, but the most affordable ‘Stang is less than two grand more. Have a look at our muscle cars lists for more detailed data.

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