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I love cars and driving them. But the modded Corolla/Civic/Accord/Camry (why) people have always driven me crazy because their mods often seem directed to inflicting their cars on everyone else, with loud exhaust, subwoofers, and (subjectively) garish cosmetics, rather than things that make it actually good to drive.
I recognize this is judgmental and it's unhealthy to always be annoyed at these people on the road, so I clicked the article looking for some empathetic understanding - and I really got it, UNTIL he told me about his "fire-breathing" exhaust and subwoofer. So it is about subjecting OTHER people to his car.
I don't mind cosmetics, but noise is something some places fortunately started regulating and I hope it becomes more common:
https://nltimes.nl/2026/05/28/rotterdam-deploys-first-noise-...
I'm hearing someone gunning it through a neighboring road as I type this comment and I will be hearing such noise all night, because some people just can't help but make noise.
The other day I even saw a guy in a car with a modified exhaust and driver side window rolled down - apparently so that he would better hear the noise he's making. Considering the volume that had to have a negative effect on his hearing.
I don't understand and I will not understand.
Civics are legos with extensive aftermarket support. Type-Rs are designed to be tracked (IIRC fastest FWD in NA). People often mod these to track better, and in JPN obviously mod them to drive them illegally on highways.
Civics, or more specifically the older naturally aspirated engines from Honda as a whole (including the F20C1 found in the S2000 AP1) are high-RPM engines, often revving to 8500-9000 RPM, which is going to be loud no matter what you do.
No, not all mods are designed to inflict something on someone else. Popular FL5 mods are designed around engine/oil cooling, brake capacity (prevent fading), and camber. Yes, you can get nuts with a racing-only, non-CARB DP or a non-valved exhaust, but that's a personal choice. Not every FL5 owner follows that ethos. But you can also go with a CARB-compliant DP, valved exhaust (OE is valved, many aftermarkets use valved exhausts), and even if you do a mid-pipe resonator delete, it's no louder than it's sister car, the Acura DE5, which doesn't even come with a mid-pipe resonator from the factory.
And yes, a modded FL5 is a ton more fun to drive than a non-modded one due to a single, hidden mod - replacing the suspension controller with one from a DE5 or from DSC makes the ride much smoother. Honda doesn't get everything 'right' (but they do get engines down pat).
Ofc, you do have fire-breathing 1000hp S2000s out there.
Many of the mods make the car worse in everyday environments, outside of a pristine track.
After I got into my friend's modded-out car, we had to slow to walking speeds to exit the parking lot because it would bottom out on the curb cut. The same happens with speed bumps. Large rims get damaged on potholes that a normal tire and rim combo would just shrug off.
Add a few years to your life and you don't want to crawl and duck into a low car anymore. Stiff suspensions are hard on the back and joints.
Nothing judgemental or unhealthy about it. It's perfectly normal to be annoyed by such nuisances. The existence of these people is one of many factors that make driving literal hell on earth.
At one point my wife's 1995 Civic had a busted exhaust pipe ahead of the muffler and was loud as hell. She reported receiving compliments from a few different Civic enthusiasts, much to her confusion.
She just wanted me to fix the broken pipe.
In our family we use the expression "farting Honda" (or Toyota, Subaru, whatever) when we hear these kinds of cars on the road.
I also dislike loud cars, but I've come to accept that the motivation of loud car owners is probably to gain kudos from other loud car lovers, rather than to inflict pain on us normies. One time I remember being on my bicycle and a kid car revved past me and another cyclist. In my head I though "what an asshole" but the cyclist next to me shouted "Sick!!!" I'm not really defending the loud noise, but I think it's useful to shift perspective a bit and understand it is probably not an act of intentional violence (though it may be unintentional violence).
No sure I see that any different than the typical American behemoth truck/SUV blocking all lines of sight to everything other than a 12 wheeler. And to top it off, they can't take a corner and so they all seem to slam their brakes and cause a traffic jam at any interesting corner.
All to transport one person by themselves from home to office and back.
Unfortunately we’ve got one of these people across the street. He is training to be an electrician and starts his modded Toyota apparently with an amplified kazoo welded into the muffler at 4:15am every weekday. Shakes the entire house like a B-17 bomber.
I promise you it is not limited to the Camry/Corolla/Civic community, it's just that those cars are very commonplace so its more obvious. I had a full track build BRZ that looked nearly stock from the outside other than the wheels and hood vents, and I loved that car and still miss it. Even in the Miata and BRZ/86 communities where these are designed as cheap, trackable sports cars, most of the community is more focused on cosmetics and adding cheap plastic and chinesium parts to their cars than doing anything that improves driving dynamics.
Lots of weird judgment and smugness in this thread. This guy bought a fun car that he's excited about? Well obviously he's POOR and IMMATURE because if he was RICH and OLD he would buy an ELECTRIC CAR that's WAY FASTER (in a straight line) and doesn't make nasty noises and smells!!! what an idiot!!!
I'm all for cracking down on excessively loud and stinky cars, but the GR Corolla is not that loud, and it has modern emissions controls. It is also, believe it or not, possible to own a moderately loud car (even with a modded exhaust) without subjecting your neighbors to backfires, 40 minute idling sessions, and loud fly-bys at every hour of the day and night.
The attitudes in this thread really show that people just don't get it, which is probably why the driver's car is an endangered species in $CURRENT_YEAR. How many cars are available in the US with a manual transmission these days? How many that don't cost six figures (or more)? You don't have to be excited about the same things as this guy, but there is a whole lot of projection going on in here from people who can't seem to think beyond how you're perceived by others as the main factor in choosing a car. Have you considered that maybe this guy just likes the car?
Hi everyone,
I am the author of this Corolla essay. My friend who works in the tech industry told me it was posted here. Thank you for reading it! I never expected a silly essay about a Toyota Corolla would gain this much traction, but it is what it is. It also made the LA Times, but in an abridged version.
Here's the link: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2026-06-22/fast-furiou...
I'm not sure if this is going to change too many opinions here, but the exhaust is not literally a "fire-breathing dragon" loud (I was using hyperbole for fun). It rumbles on cold start but it's only loud when you floor it, which I don't. We live in a suburb of LA and my neighbors are older and family folk and I am respectful of them. They actually like my car and am happy I got it because it makes me happy. The amped subwoofer can only be heard IN THE CAR because it's really small, like an old encyclopedia, and it sits under the passenger seat. The music I like has bass and there was ZERO bass in the stock sound. And last, I don't track it but I am lucky to live near iconic Angeles Crest Highway and I do drive it up there for fun. I get passed by locals in SUV who drive way faster because they know the road way better. Also, one not expected benefit of the car AND the essay has been all the awesome and nice people I've met through them. Modern life can be so isolating and it's hard to meet new people or make friends in your 50's, so I am grateful that most of all.
Best, Ky-Phong
PS: I actually am mainly a speculative fiction writer nowadays! Lol
You'd think that on a website that has the word "hacker" in its title, more people would be supportive of someone "hacking" their car, but I guess there's not a lot of car people here.
My ongoing midlife crisis vehicle swerves in a different direction: I bought a 1988 Nishiki 1207 at a yard sale for $40. Mostly stock save for a new seat. With the wheels out of true, the stickers plastered over with garbage, the brakes loose, the front tire visibly cracking, the rear cassette visibly rusted, and the rack mounts stripped, the bike needs some work. I am motivated to finally really learn bike maintenance after putting it off for 30 years
I have a GR Corolla and it's great in the mountains! It's tiny light and fun and fits a car seat (barely).
I wouldn't consider a loud GRC w/ catback a "sleeper" though - it's quite the opposite??
Man, he nails it when he talks about that car culture era. I bought myself a 300zx twin turbo as my first car back then.
The experiences I had driving around in that thing were amazing.
Also though, was short lived. Was young and stupid, wrapped it around a tree shortlty after, never viewed driving the same.
I accidentally bought a midlife crisis car: a Subaru Trailseeker EV station wagon. It was cheaper (and more to form) than the 2026 Outback.
It just happens to be the fastest production vehicle Subaru has ever sold. Rip-your-face-off speed wasn’t even what I was after, I just wanted an EV wagon and it’s the only one in existence. Still: stupid fun and very unique car, I’ve had it for two months and haven’t seen another one on the road yet.
In 2026 the modded gas cars that are so much slower and ridiculously loud are honestly confusing. I absolutely love them for autocross, but people building track cars and then...never taking them to the track, pretending their suburb is a track, is just sad.
I owned only EVs and PHEVs since 2012. The GR Corolla was so compelling that it pulled me back to an ICE. I had forgotten what it felt like to have FUN while driving. The biggest feature for me is that I could pull the DCM fuse and not get constantly spied on. The next-best feature is that I can disable the center screen. And I love my physical buttons.
My midlife crisis is also cars. I'm in the process of searching for an honest to god mechanic's shop to buy under an LLC just so I have a better place to work on cars than my garage. I have a list of 8 cars I want to own and restomod, all of which probably nobody else cares about, and that's completely fine. There are some vehicles that just speak to my soul, and I want to experience the best possible iteration of that.
I've spent years on track, now I'm much more interested in the experience of daily driving. A car does not need to be a full track build to be fun. My mantra now is much more OEM+, you have to almost squint to realize its not bone stock. The coolest car to me is something that's well-maintained and shows care and love from its owner, not necessarily something loud and flashy. I think the GR Corolla is an excellent platform to build around, and I almost bought one myself although my current newer daily is a Mazda 3 Turbo. Hot hatches and wagons will always hold a special place in my heart.
That said, I have no desire for a particularly loud exhaust, although I'm more than happy to trade off NVH for actual performance.
Modding a car to be louder is antisocial behavior and should be illegal.
A friend of mine in college had the same CRX as the author and I’d get rides to campus with him. He passed away in an accident not long after the first Fast movie came out. I totally get what the author is saying about some cars being time machines/memory capsules.
Ok if anyone does find this comment, its as simple as this
1 - Manual race tuned cars are all about mechanical engagement for the driver. The engine sound is almost a requirement so you can shift without having to look at the tach.
2 - Modding cars for more noise or looks is a preference thing and in some cases can be annoying and even law breaking. We live in a chaotic world
3 - EVs are faster but do no offer the same mechanical engagement with the car. A manual requires you to understand what the engine and wheels are doing to properly clutch and shift and while doing that you are also dealing with brake and body weight shift, etc. Its analog vs digital, its rolex vs casio, its 70mm film vs Laser.
I wish everyone complaining about other people’s choices here were forced to also post the make/model of the very boring cars the commenter drives. People complaining about others mods are doing it out of insecurity… do you point out loud clothes and styling choices of your coworkers too?
Love my Model Y. Looks boring, tons of stuff can be packed and still comparable acceleration to not that old BMW M3. And no smell and no noise. Fantastic car.
Starting with a GR Corolla is not cheating, but he could have gone a little further. Swapping a 2GR V6 into Corollas is now the thing to do. Throw in a little nitrous or a turbo and you have a car capable of allowing you to live out your kamikaze dreams.
I'm past mid life, but my fall back cars to my youth have been convertibles. The last round being SLK's.
I also own a GR Corolla. it's a fantastic car.
it would be such a blessing to America if the cool-midlife-crisis-move went back to sports cars and got more of those SUV urban assault vehicles off the road
All these words and yet 2 pictures of the car. Show off the mods! Show me the engine bay, the suspension and sway bars!
I daily a GR Corolla. It's insanely fun to drive. The hardest part is i) keeping under the speed limit (which I do more often than I don't), and ii) the suspension. My god, the ride in this thing is SO stiff. The shitty Seattle streets bounce me around like crazy.
I get it - the enthusiasm - I totally get it. I think I'd sell my soul for an 1980's BMW M3.
I used to love cars but the roads are too crowded now for sports cars, between other drivers and cops and cameras you’re guaranteed to have a bad time. These days I’m all about utility for my vehicle (plus e-bike for the thrill). I do miss the stick shift sometimes though.
I bought a Miata as my midlife crisis car (I'm 60 is that still midlife?). I have to say I didn't realize how much fun this car is. Its turned boring trips to the store into an experience. Cruising down the street with the top down feels really relaxing. Plus its just amazing in corners. I don't drive fast but now I don't slow down for corners. Its like a go kart. I know everyone is moving to hybrid and electric vehicles but having a stick shift sporty convertible is just way more fun.
This was a great article. As for movies, be the change you want to see. For example,
Fish, Prawn, Crab is an indie Asian American movie in development.
i had a gr corolla for a year and sold it. the ITCC (the sealed clutch pack that transfers power to the rear) “overheats” and the throws the car into 2wd limp mode after a session and a half on track. “overheat” is in quotes because supposedly it doesn’t have a temperature sensor at all, the ecu runs a model based on other sensors (rear diff etc) and guesses that it is overheating.
still, a pretty amusing car. the traction control system is outstanding, it’s very hard to upset and you can trivially drift it around every corner. even with aggressive play on an empty track it was a incredibly difficult to spin the car. sadly it wasn’t that fun as a DD (you really have to wind it up.) i also had a focus RS (i like hot hatches, i guess) and found it somewhat boring on track and a lot more fun on the street (way more torque at the bottom)
anyway, it remains: miata is always the answer
Anyone who modifies their car to "sound like a fire breathing dragon" is a mouth breathing loser.
> "Now from the rear it looks like four black bazookas are hidden below the bumper and on start-up it sounds like a fire-breathing dragon"
Ah yes, the "everybody in a 3 mile radius must know how much I spent on my exhaust"-mobile
A few burned out - a high compression turbo charged 1.3L 3 cylinder engine is not a good idea.
VW has one on their Polo GTI but it is the iconic 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder TSI engine (EA888) - the normal Polo has 1L turbo charged 3 cylinder but even they did not try high boost.
Imagine the shock of the non-car-enthusiasts in this thread when they discover the factory exhaust on this car is already pretty loud. It's so loud from the factory it comes with a valved exhaust to tone it down under light throttle and idle.
I just like it! Reminds me of my youth and when Fast And Furious was actually about fancy modded cars and not just actions and explosions. Kudos for riding the Midlifecrisis that way. :)
I drive a Crown Vic PI, hoping by midlife crisis there's some way to either give it a stick + turbo, or at least an electric swap to make it less of a dog.
My midlife crisis car would probably be a land cruiser. No need to go fast. Space and chill is best.
A 3 cylinder Corolla, regardless of how fast, is just people transportation at best and in the worst inefficient way possible. A normal base 23k usd Corolla , not saying anything against the car mechanically it is a great machine for what it is.
Just, overkill. Can’t go fast, need to have higher insurance, it’s more at risk for theft, and it’s not easily replaceable as compared to a 23k corolla.
I did enjoy the Vietnamese part and history of fast and the furious. It’s been a good minute since I’ve seen the first one.
My midlife crisis car is same price, much faster, more comfortable, and doesn’t wake the neighborhood when I drive it.
If you must relive the nostalgic, early 1900s technology of generating motion by rattling metal pistons with gasoline instead of steam then why not open Autotrader and buy any one of the Supras, 300ZX, 3000GTs, or other great 90s tuner cars that can be had for the same $50k as this 1.6 liter leaf blower. Shit, there’s a convertible 300ZX for $20k and now you’ve got $30k for mods.
It's not fully modded until it's electric 8-/
Having been through 3 midlife crisis, I can speak with some authority on this...
For one quarter to half the price he could have had a motorcycle which is faster than nearly everything on the road.
everyone specially male should get into either fast motorcycles, fast cars or fast boats.
fast motorcycles are kind a speed run about life - you learn that life is fragile quick. you become deliberate in making your decisions. better to ride when you're 23-25.
the other thing you learn quick - is life is never about fairness - but events.
Love the car, Toyota rocks with these GR cars (Corolla, Yaris). Mods are also super cool!