The 1980s were an exciting time for the automotive industry. The muscle car segment, for example, was fading away, but some incredible cars, many of which were ultra-reliable, were on sale.
Reliability might sound like a boring topic, but it’s an important one. What’s the point of owning a car if you are only able to get around a year of life out of it?
This list contains some of the most reliable cars of the 1980s, and their performance was also considered when selecting them.
Audi 100
In the 1980s, Audi introduced the C3 model of the 100 and a move away from the two-door coupe version of the car. Instead, customers could choose from a four-door sedan as well as the newly introduced 100 Avant.
The Audi 100 was a very elegant-looking car. Its highly aerodynamic shape was boosted by its flush windows, thick black side-door molding, and blacked-out window frames. Power came from the 2.1-liter and 2.2-liter inline-five engines.
Saab 900 Turbo
Saab is an automotive manufacturer that many of us miss. The Swedish company gave us some spectacular cars, with reliability as one of the most significant selling points of all of their products. The incredible Saab 900 Turbo is no exception.
The 900 Turbo was an all-time great. Introduced in 1978, it had a 16-valve engine under the hood. The Turbo produced around 145 horsepower, and it lived up to the company’s reputation for reliability and safety.
Ford Taurus SHO
The Taurus has a special place in Ford’s history. It is the car that saved the Blue Oval from bankruptcy in the early 1980s, providing a much-needed boost for Ford thanks to its sleek, futuristic design.
Ford also defied tightening emissions regulations by introducing the high-performance SHO (Super High Output) version of the car. Ford teamed up with Yamaha to create a 3.0-liter Vulcan V6 with 220 horsepower, making it one of the best performance cars of the decade.
Ferrari F40
While it might have been out of reach financially for many, the Ferrari F40 is an exceptional machine. It was built to celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary and was also the final car that Enzo Ferrari himself approved before he died in 1988.
Ferrari built 1,311 examples of the F40, far more than the planned 450 units due to how high demand was. Underneath the carbon fiber, aluminum, and Kevlar body was an exceptional 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 producing up to 471 horsepower.
Porsche 959
The Porsche 959 was a truly remarkable sports car. It was an effort by Porsche during the 1980s to create a vision of supercars of the future, and it became the world’s fastest street-legal production car at the time of its release, with a top speed of 197 mph.
That speed was achieved thanks to the spectacular and reliable 444 horsepower twin-turbocharged 2.8-liter flat-six engine. The engine also produced 369 lb-ft of torque and had a six-speed manual transmission, making it an enthusiast’s dream.
Pontiac 6000 STE
Pontiac sometimes had a rough ride in the 1980s. It also suffered from its muscle cars severely lacking in power thanks to the tightening of emissions regulations. But the 6000 STE was a highlight of the decade, with the company creating a stylish and intelligent sedan with European influence in its design.
Under the hood, a 2.8-liter V6 engine creates 130 horsepower, plenty for a daily driver. The 6000 STE also benefits from a reworked suspension setup, quick steering, all-wheel drive, and excellent anti-lock brakes.
Audi Quattro
Few cars have gained such a cult following as the Audi Quattro. The four-wheel-drive sports car is best remembered for its exploits in the World Rally Championship, where it stunned its rivals and took part in a legendary fight against the Lancia 037 in 1983.
The 1980 Quattro had a 2.1-liter turbocharged engine under the hood, sourced from the Audi 200 saloon. But it provided all the power needed to make the Quattro a joy to drive.
Volvo 240 Series
There is no denying just how reliable and sturdy Volvos are. In fact, the 240 Series might be one of the most dependable, and it is easily one of the best cars the Swedish manufacturer has ever made. The 240 Series was sold as a two-door sedan, four-door sedan, and station wagon.
Volvo introduced some innovative safety features to the car during its lifetime. For those looking to buy one, the best versions are from the mid-1980s onwards. They feature the most robust engines and are the least prone to rust.
Jeep Cherokee
Jeep has a mixed reputation for reliability. Not all of its cars have been reliable, and even now, owners often report problems with models such as the Wrangler. However, the 1980s Jeep Cherokee was an exception, with the manufacturer downsizing it to a compact SUV.
This became the first compact four-door SUV and the first with a full-time all-wheel drive system. These Cherokees are incredibly sturdy, offering durability and reliability and being able to handle some rugged terrain.
Acura Integra
The Acura Integra recently returned to Honda’s luxury division and lineup. However, the Integra from the 1980s and 1990s is best remembered, and the first-generation model really began to make its mark in the middle of the ’80s.
Not only did it look good, but it maintained all the reliability you would expect from a Honda product. Power came from 113-113 or 118-horsepower 1.6-liter DOC inline-four-cylinder engine, with the Integra sold in either RS or LS trim. Even in 2024, the first-generation Integwas is a very reliable machine.
Fiat Panda
Reliability might not always be Fiat’s strong point in 2024. But it certainly was in the 1980s, and the excellent little Fiat Panda was proof of that, becoming one of the most straightforward yet brilliant vehicles of the decade.
Fiat took the covers off the car at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show. Its excellent packaging and low-cost production made it a very affordable yet durable vehicle, and it proved a big hit with farmers in Italy and those who lived up in the Alps.
Lancia Delta Integrale
A Lancia on a list of reliable cars might seem surprising. It has certainly not always been easy for the Italian manufacturer. However, the Delta Integrale went against the grain very much.
Of course, the Delta Integrale is the last Lancia to win a World Rally Championship event and world title. It took over from the Stratos and 037, winning six titles on the bounce and cementing itself as a legend of the 1980s.
Honda CRX
If there is one thing that Honda knows above all else, it is how to make a reliable car. The CRX is proof of this. It is effectively a shortened and sleeker Honda Civic with a new aerodynamic body in hatchback form but with the styling of a coupe.
In short, it was brilliant. The CRX took its power from either a 1.5-liter or 1.6-liter engine, with Honda evolving the CRX into the Mk2 version introduced in 1987. the CRZ is an underrated classic and one of the very best Hondas ever made.
Porsche 944
The Porsche 944 is a sports car that only sometimes gets the attention it deserves. Incredibly, it was once meant to replace the 911, which has outlasted the 944 by about 40 years.
The 944 was the sports car that the earlier 924 should have been. It was more comprehensive, lower, stiffer, sharper, and slightly better looking than its predecessor. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood was epic, and the addition of a turbocharger created the fearsome 944 Turbo.
