Never anything special...
In Texas, I had a Mercury Capri with a small 6 in it. It was a pocket rocket. Got it as a former rental car. Never saw one quite like it on the regular market. It was a sort of Rallye equipped vehicle. Even with the automatic it would leave rubber at a stop light (yes, I was immature enough to try it a few times...). That car just made it to 100,000 miles.
Replaced that with a Mazda MX-6. Little 4banger motor, LOTS of fun. I drove it like a Jeep, and it put up with it. Tore the nose off a few times down in the Big Bend area, but that car took it and asked for more. When I move up to British Columbia, it took on the dirt mountain rodes like it was made for them. It was well worn (beaten up, actually) when I gave it over to a desperate HS kid at about 200,000 miles.
Next came a Nissan Maxima. The only car my dear, departed Dad bought brand new. He gave it to us to replace the Mazda, since he'd had a stroke and couldn't drive anymore. Fast on the highway, handled well, very comfortable, but a relative gas-guzzler. I totalled it on a snowy mountain road one morning early, coming back from an all-night SAR mission. Fell asleep at the wheel, and came to when the car was airborne heading for a canyon wall. Totalled the car, but it protected me completely!
Now have a 2000 Subarau Outback (Legacy) wagon. Gets me and the dogs and gear whereever we have to go. Can take all of our flight medical gear and crew. A little underpowered with the 4banger motor, but it gets good mileage. Standard 5 speed. It's been pretty well worn on the forest roads around here. I really like the all-wheel drive. We're looking for a Subaru for the wife now. I bought it with our dogs in mind. I've had 4 searchers and dogs and gear crammed into it, and it still pulled us all up a snowy dirt road!
The wife has a 94 Toyota no-name truck. 2 wheel drive, rear wheels at that. Came with no passenger side mirror, no radio, no cigarette lighter. 4banger, 5 speed. We put a cap on it, and she loves it; but it's time for something better for the varying conditions around here. Still, we're amazed how well that tough,stripped little truck has served us. I doubt we can get much on trade in, so we just might keep it for hauling stuff.
Never had my own car as a kid. Dad wouldn't sign for a driver's license when I was 16, 'cause I was too much trouble and goofing off in school. When I moved to Israel at 18, I didn't really need a car, because public transport is so good and gets you anywhere.
