The 5 best two-seater cars that won't scare away your date

Top 5 two-seater cars: It only takes two to tango

While two-seater cars were more popular in the yesteryears of the ’80s and ’90s, these smaller vehicles will always have a place in the hearts of many car guys due to the fact that these vehicles are agile, very sporty looking, and are most often equipped with powerful engines.

In short, track beasts. As such, many two-seaters, in both coupe and convertible configurations, are still present today here in the Philippine market.

Among these are the likes of the Subaru BRZ/ Toyota 86, the Toyota GR Supra, the BMW Z4, and many others.

Top 5 two-seater cars: It only takes two to tango

For this valentine’s day, however, we’re choosing our top five list of two-seater cars that won’t scare away potential dates by virtue of being cute, non-threatening, comfortable to ride on, while not totally boring in terms of driving.

And yes, two out of the five we’ve chosen are particularly hard to find due to being discontinued but that’s just the way we roll because we’re sticklers for Kei cars. 

>>> Relevant article: [Philkotse collection] The top 5 cars for the young Filipino couples

1. Suzuki Cappuccino: Who says Kei cars aren’t fun?

While Suzuki, in general, isn’t exactly known for their sporty cars (the bikes and their hill-climb cars are other stories), there was actually a time when they too had aspirations to become associated with sporty cars.

That materialized with an unnamed concept car that they brought to the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show. A couple of years later in 1991, Suzuki presented to the world the Suzuki Cappuccino for sale.

Like many Suzuki cars, the 2-seater Cappuccino was designed mainly for the Japanese market. It met the Kei-class standard and so was subject to lesser road tax than normal-sized cars.

While it has a sub-1-liter engine, said engine has a red-line of 9,300 rpm

Being a Kei-class car, the Cappuccino 2-door roadster only had a turbocharged 657-cc, DOHC, the inline-3 engine which incredibly enough can rev up to 9,300 rpm.

So, despite the three-banger, the Cappuccino had a very wide powerband.  In addition, the Cappuccino was very light and it also had a front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration making for a car with a near-perfect 50/50 weight distribution.

>>> Find out: Front Wheel, Rear Wheel or All-Wheel drive: Which is better?

Suzuki Cappuccino: Who says Kei cars aren’t fun?

There’s also a rarer K6A powered Cappuccino equipped with a chain-drive, lighter wheels, and a limited-slip differential.  

In terms of looks, the Cappuccino displays round features and soft edges which of course were a hit with a lot of people. It still is too.

2. Mazda Miata MX-5: It's always the answer

The Mazda Miata MX-5 for sale on the market is no stranger to being called “cute”. This is especially true with the 1st-generation NA versions which were even dubbed as a “hair dresser’s” car.

While that stereotype is now gone with the Miata marque in general, the current Miata is still very much, a very cute car.

Upfront, it looks like this energetic, Genki, fanged, cutesy anime girl who’s always greeting you with a smile. So in essence, it's still a very “cute” car.

Essentially a car that's happy to see you

With regard to the current, 4th-generation ND, the Miata has also improved mechanically. Its 2.0-liter gasoline engine is more powerful and of course, it has more in the way of features, both for entertainment and for safety. Something your date will like very much.

While being more basic, we still recommend the 1st-gen Miata for all you broskis out there. Why? Because it has a pair of pop-up headlights that you can modify to “wink” that’s why. Funny? Definitely. Cute? Maybe. Creepy? Sure. So be careful where you use it and with whom.

>>> Read more about the car at our Mazda Miata 2019 Philippines review

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3. Honda S2000

Made by Honda from 1999 to 2000, the Honda S2000, known fondly by many car guys as the S2k, carried on the tradition of Honda’s S-series of roadsters from the ’60s.

While it is indeed bigger than those aforementioned cars, the S2k was also a two-seater, also very light, and thus also very sporty.

Despite being powered by a two-liter engine, the S2000 is most notable for providing the best horsepower to the mass ratio in a naturally aspirated car.

And up until today, 2020, that record still stands thus making the Honda S2000 for sale one of the MOST coveted cars amongst many automotive oriented circles.

Among the cars on this list, the S2K is huge. But compared to sedans, it's still tiny

Also, the AP1 S2000 came with a Torsen limited-slip differential and a six-speed manual.

And lastly, like the first two cars in this list, the Honda S2000 is actually a convertible, which is, of course, a very useful feature when your goal is to have fun whilst driving with the person of your dreams.

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4. Smart ForTwo: For easy reach cuddles

For the first non-convertible car on this list, we settled for something small and cute. Well, at least something significantly smaller than most of the vehicles listed here. Regardless, it has several “cabriolet” variants.

Now hold on, before you bounce off, let us first tell you that the Smart ForTwo is actually a great date car. Like the rest on here, it’s pretty chill looking. Definitely modern but not intimidating looking or anything like that.

So just like the NA Miata, it’s got a personality to it that many among the fairer sex especially the girlfriend/wife might like appearance-wise.

The new one is very modern looking. But still...pretty "kawaii"

Made by Daimler AG’s Smart division, the Smart Fortwo has been around since 1998 with the latest being the Mk III which came out in 2014. It’s got a number of engine options, the most surprising of which is a 799cc, inline-3 turbo diesel capable of producing 41 horsepower.

While very small indeed, the current Smart ForTwo actually has a five-star rating with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

On top of all that, and in context with valentine’s day, the ForTwo’s interior space is small but comfortable enough for you and your date to whisper sweet nothings to each other within easy reach.

>>> The best Smart Fortwo and other Smart cars for sale are waiting right here!

5.  Autozam AZ-1: The cutest of them all

Out of all the cars from this list, the Autozam AZ-1 is probably the rarest, and for some, the cutest two-door car to have ever graced the world of cars.

Like the Suzuki Cappuccino, the AZ-1 is powered by a Suzuki made 657 cc, DOHC, inline-3, and weighs a measly 720 kg.

And while it’s a bit larger than the Cappuccino, the AZ-1 still qualifies as a Kei-class car. What makes the AZ-1 stand out though is its rear motor-rear wheel drive configuration, plus its gullwing doors.

Behold! The cutest 2-door sports car ever. Squeee!

>>> Worth reading:  Top 5 best small cars in the Philippines in 2020

While very awesome, the AZ-1 like most the Suzuki Cappuccino and the Honda S2000 have discontinued and no longer available anywhere. Sure, there are still used examples but good luck finding one especially here in the Philippines.

By virtue of being very small, the AZ-1, like the ForTwo, provides a small and snug interior space that can help you become more familiar with whoever your valentine’s day date is.

The drawback of the Autozam AZ-1, however, it that it’ll quickly turn your date into a car guy question and answer session. That is if you get cornered.

For more fun but informative articles like this one, keep reading here on Philkotse.com.