Boxy and plain, the 1988 Volkswagen Fox is an ideal starter car due to its affordability, excellent performance, and great gas mileage. At 25/30, it will get you far on one 12-gallon tank of gas. The 1988 Fox was available as either a two-door coupe, four door GL and GL Sport sedan, or two-door wagon. All trims came with a 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder, 81-hp engine. The sedans paired this with a 4-speed manual transmission, while a 5-speed came with the GL Sport. No auto tran option was available with any Volkswagen Fox.

Somewhere between a Rabbit and a Jetta, the 1988 Fox is surprisingly roomy, though owners complain about the small trunk. Plain on the outside, it does not offer much in the way of creature comforts inside, where air conditioning and a tape player aren't even standard, but it gets you from A to Z with a nice little kick and ample speed.

As anyone who's seen "Sleeper" knows, Volkswagens are very durable and seem to live forever, and the 1988 Volkswagen Fox is no exception. Drivers say the powertrain is indestructible, and with proper maintenance, the Fox keeps on going and going. High points include great fuel economy, nice road handling, lots of legroom, and high-end torque that turns this Plain Jane into an effective hauler. Owners also say it does well on hills, despite the 81-hp pushing it. Some drawbacks mentioned include the scarcity of parts, the car's ugliness, uncomfortable seats, and unreliability.