<i>TOP 5</i> CHEAP & UNLIKELY FAST CARS

Yes, I know: the 600+ horsepower club is growing and you can't have any of them. Forget it, get over it, quit dreaming about it. Just because Chevrolet plays with Pagani, Lamborghini, and Ferrari doesn't mean your Chevrolet will accelerate to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds and top 200mph. Fortunately, your Chevrolet won't cost over $100,000.

That's what this Top 5 is all about - how to find cheap, unlikely speed with the $ value you need. As a price ceiling, think $25,000. We'll ignore top speed and all-around handling ability this time. Straight line speed away from the stoplights is a beautiful thing, a fact no car enthusiast can contest. And yes, "unlikely" must be a key word. These cars haven't exactly just crawled out of the woodwork, but they each possess something that makes them a less obvious choice. There is no AMG-like label in this crowd. No GTI; no Si; no SRT or SS. Suggest to your non-car-knowledge friends that these cars are this fast, and they'll likely think you're joking.

Nevertheless, these are The Good Car Guy's Top 5 Cheap & Unlikely Fast Cars in order of preference.

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#5 - TOYOTA CAMRY LE V6 @ $24,215: Nought to sixty takes just 5.8 seconds in the dull-as-a-doornail Camry sedan. Likely painted grey or silver with a successful beancounter behind the wheel, this specific Camry is invoiced at just $21,793 by Cars.com. Even with a crazily high-powered 3.5L V6, the Camry LE still isn't fun to drive. Even in sportier trim as the SE, the Camry still might put you to sleep. But as a tool for crushing a lawyer's BMW 328i away from any red light in town, nothing is as inconspicuous as the Camry V6.

#4 - VOLVO C30 T5 @ $23,800: In the recent past, Volvo was known for one thing and one thing only: safety. Now Volvo can also be considered a purveyor of stylish automobiles; stylish automobiles which are sometimes awfully quick, too. Zipping to 60mph with the aid of this turbocharged five-cylinder C30 requires only 6.1 seconds. For sure, the C30 can't handle corners like a Volkswagen GTI. Even with its hatchback, the C30 can't lug loads like a V50. Cruising past unsuspecting V6 Mustang drivers would be fun in a Volvo though. Cars.com currently puts the C3o T5 invoice price at $22,372.

#3 - TOYOTA RAV4 4x4 V6 @ $24,935: Speedy SUVs have become a striking force this decade. After BMW's V8-engined X5 threw us all for a loop and AMG equipped its ML-Class with an AMG powertrain, Subaru turbocharged the Forester and tossed a scoop on its hood. Then Jeep put a 6.1L Hemi V8 in a Grand Cherokee to compete with Porsche's turbocharged Cayenne at less than half the price. Ah, who needs'em. Toyota's small-wheeled cute-ute has grown up, and the 3.5L V6 it shares with the aforementioned Camry makes 269 horsepower. Weighing less than 3700 pounds, the RAV4 makes 60mph disappear in 6.3 seconds. And Cars.com says you can pay less than $23,000.

#2 - MAZDA 6 s SPORT @ $24,330: Oh that all family sedans could look this good. Partly on the back of its styling, the Mazda 6 garnered a spot in The Good 12 v2.0. With performance in mind, the V6 6's ability to hit 60mph in 6.1 seconds moves this beauty up to second place. Cars.com says the typical invoice price for this specific version of the Mazda 6 is $22,482, making the Camry up above cheaper and faster. Three-tenths behind you may be, but at least you'll be enjoying yourself.

#1 - SUBARU IMPREZA WRX @ $24,995: True, a hood scoop and a rear wing make appearances. That does present a problem for "unlikely speed". Bear with me on this one. The new WRX has completed 0-60 tests in just 4.7 seconds. That makes WRX STi owners quiver. While your stoplight competitor may suspect serious umph, thus negating our "unlikely" narrative, said competitor will not suspect this kind of speed. Just nudging in under the price ceiling is somewhat of a deficiency as well. No fear, Cars.com's invoice price is $23,617; comfortably within the barrier. Unlikely? Perhaps not. Unlikely to accelerate with Corvettes and M-badged BMWs? Previously, that was thought to be true. GoodCarBadCar.net has let the cat out of the bag.