What cars are classless?

[white_goodman]

By classless, I don't mean lacking in class but cars that have a universal appeal, are attainable for most people that would want to own them but would not look out of place in any situation. To put this into context, despite their modern offerings being priced upmarket and as good as if not better than more upmarket offerings, Ford and Vauxhall still can't really shake off their blue-collar image enough to be classless. On the other hand, although older BMWs/Audis/Mercedes/ Jaguars/Porsches are perfectly attainable, there will still be those that think if you drive one of these cars you must be loaded (and possibly worse).

I'm a firm believer in drive what you want to drive and don't care what other people think but which cars are the most classless i.e. don't say too much about how much you earn in your eyes.

It's difficult to think of whole model ranges that are classless but possibly:
Modern VWs
Subarus (apart from the Impreza)
older Peugeots (205/206/306/406/505 when they were new)
Alfa Romeo?

It's easy to think of individual models that are classless/have a universal appeal however. Small cars that allow some degree of personalisation would seem appropriate (although this is open to the good/poor taste of the customer to a certain extent.

i.e.
MINI (old an new)
Fiat 500
Citroen DS3?

PH favourite the Mazda MX-5
MGF/TF

I also want to say the LR Defender but I can't really see the universal appeal unless you use it off-road or for towing duties (expensive to run and lacking in comfort for normal use).

So, which cars (old or new)are the most classless?

[dave stew]

Volvo V70

[V8Triumph]

In my opinion there are VERY few cars that are classless.

Series Landies / Defender
MGB / GT
Classic Range Rover (up to 1995ish)

Can't really think of any others. Certainly not things like MINI / Fiat 500 - they have a perceived image of rich mummy and daddy buying for their precious little girls / boys first car.

[Contigo]

Golf GTi. Probably the most classless car I can think of.

[V8Triumph]

dave stew said:

Volvo V70

Thats a very good call actually

[V8Triumph]

Contigo said:

Golf GTi. Probably the most classless car I can think of.

When I see one of those I can't help but think "chav". Be that "rich chav" for a brand new one or "poor chav" for a 14 year old one, I still think of baseball caps and Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Any Volvo or Subaru estate

[VR46]

I would say the golf gti is the ultimate classless car, never been chavvy imo.

If you want to talk chavvy then anything vauxhall or french is chav magnet material.

[djglover]

Volvos are a bit middle class. BMW 3 series, I've met all sorts of people with them. Small time gangsters, company directors(powerfully built(335d(remapped))), middle managers, council estate chavs, me. I fit one of those too, truely classless

[Contigo]

V8Triumph said:

When I see one of those I can't help but think "chav". Be that "rich chav" for a brand new one or "poor chav" for a 14 year old one, I still think of baseball caps and Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

Doesn't at all for me so shows how subjective it all is. I see the type you describe round this way driving Saxo's, Corsa's, Starlets looking like they have just ramraided halfords and not Golf's as they would not get insured on a Golf GTi.

I worked at Sky News a few years ago and some of the presenters would arrive each day in brand news Golf GTi's. Classless for me. I think the Mini is the same, it's fashionable enough and affordable enough too.

[anonymous-user]

volvo XC 70

subaru forrester

[Gingernuts]

V8Triumph said:

When I see one of those I can't help but think "chav". Be that "rich chav" for a brand new one or "poor chav" for a 14 year old one, I still think of baseball caps and Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

I'm fairly sure you've got VW confused with Ford and Vauxhaul.

Volkswagen are the german fellas.

[KardioKate]

Surely this is the correct answer:

[getawayturtle]

KardioKate said:

Surely this is the correct answer:

Nail on the head.

[V8Triumph]

Contigo said:

V8Triumph said:

When I see one of those I can't help but think "chav". Be that "rich chav" for a brand new one or "poor chav" for a 14 year old one, I still think of baseball caps and Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

Doesn't at all for me so shows how subjective it all is. I see the type you describe round this way driving Saxo's, Corsa's, Starlets looking like they have just ramraided halfords and not Golf's as they would not get insured on a Golf GTi.

I worked at Sky News a few years ago and some of the presenters would arrive each day in brand news Golf GTi's. Classless for me. I think the Mini is the same, it's fashionable enough and affordable enough too.

It is indeed very subjective I count Golfs and Polos in with Corsas etc. Just shows how we all perceive cars differently.

I think of oldish Jaguar XJ6's (Series III, XJ40, X300) as being rather classless but I know that view is not particularly popular!

[craigb84]

Fiat 500 is a great shout for me.

It would happily sit in any high end London postcode as it would a Salford council estate. There are very few cars that you could same the same of (drug dealer cars excluded).

[V8Triumph]

Gingernuts said:

V8Triumph said:

When I see one of those I can't help but think "chav". Be that "rich chav" for a brand new one or "poor chav" for a 14 year old one, I still think of baseball caps and Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

I'm fairly sure you've got VW confused with Ford and Vauxhaul.

Volkswagen are the german fellas.

LOL . Sorry I haven't, see lots of 'raided Halfrauds' VW's around here!

[Contigo]

V8Triumph said:

It is indeed very subjective I count Golfs and Polos in with Corsas etc. Just shows how we all perceive cars differently.

I think of oldish Jaguar XJ6's (Series III, XJ40, X300) as being rather classless but I know that view is not particularly popular!

yes I think you are right, I'd rather have a Golf than an old V8 Triumph

[V8Triumph]

Contigo said:

V8Triumph said:

It is indeed very subjective I count Golfs and Polos in with Corsas etc. Just shows how we all perceive cars differently.

I think of oldish Jaguar XJ6's (Series III, XJ40, X300) as being rather classless but I know that view is not particularly popular!

yes I think you are right, I'd rather have a Golf than an old V8 Triumph

hehe, indeed

My cars probably scream balding 60 year old .... Which I am most certainly not but I don't really care. LOL!

P.S. my old Triumph was a V8 (Stag), my current is a 6 (GT6) Do own a V8 powered car though.

[Contigo]

V8Triumph said:

Contigo said:

V8Triumph said:

When I see one of those I can't help but think "chav". Be that "rich chav" for a brand new one or "poor chav" for a 14 year old one, I still think of baseball caps and Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

Doesn't at all for me so shows how subjective it all is. I see the type you describe round this way driving Saxo's, Corsa's, Starlets looking like they have just ramraided halfords and not Golf's as they would not get insured on a Golf GTi.

I worked at Sky News a few years ago and some of the presenters would arrive each day in brand news Golf GTi's. Classless for me. I think the Mini is the same, it's fashionable enough and affordable enough too.

It is indeed very subjective I count Golfs and Polos in with Corsas etc. Just shows how we all perceive cars differently.

I think of oldish Jaguar XJ6's (Series III, XJ40, X300) as being rather classless but I know that view is not particularly popular!

I think you are missing the point. The fact that chavs drive them only highlights that the car is driven by that particular class you have seen. When we say "classless" we mean that it can be purchased and driven by members of any socioeconomic class. So from a high flying city banker/lawyer to one of the halfrauds crew and driving it does not reveal which one of the classes that you fit into.