10 Best Cars with Rear Spoilers

2018 Audi TTRS Track 3 4 hero ・ Photo by Audi

Spoiler alert!

A manufacturer designs a spoiler on its cars to enhance its sporty look and to change the flow of air, either to reduce lift and increase downforce or increasingly commonly to reduce drag and improve fuel economy (or sometimes for a combination of all three). Some spoilers are quite subtle, while others are flamboyant, but no matter what your taste in cars, you should be able to find something to your liking on our editors’ list of the best ten cars with rear spoilers. So whether you’re looking for a track day special, a hot hatch or a fuel miser, read on to see some of the best options that are out there.

1) 2017 Toyota Prius

Toyota designed the latest version of its hybrid Prius to achieve the best fuel economy possible, and its rear spoiler works in conjunction with its grille shutter and low-slung stance to provide a low coefficient of drag of only 0.24. Plug-in hybrid Prime versions get an even more advanced treatment thanks to a carbon fiber reinforced polymer rear hatch and dual-wave rear glass design that flows into a unique rear spoiler. The result of all that attention to aerodynamics (as well as the hybrid system) is a combined fuel-economy rating of well over 50 mpg. If you’re looking for a car with a rear spoiler that doesn’t have any sporting pretensions, the 2017 Toyota Prius is a good example.

Photo by Toyota

2) 2017 Ford GT

The new 2017 Ford GT has what might be the most advanced aerodynamic systems of any production car, and part of that is thanks to its trick hydraulically operated rear spoiler. Using the same hydraulic system that runs the power steering and suspension, the rear spoiler can raise and lower in the blink of an eye (as can the whole car when the suspension is adjusted). When the wing is in its lowered position, shutters in the front reduce front downforce; when it closes the shutters in the nose to channel air into high-pressure downforce channels under the car. When the car is in Track mode, the wing also works as an air brake, flipping up to add drag when braking hard.

Photo by Ford

3) 2018 Audi TT RS

While it hasn’t been released yet, the Audi TT RS will eventually take over the top spot in the TT range, with thrust coming from a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine that makes 400 hp. With the TT finally getting the bump in power that it deserves, it also needed some additional help in the exterior styling and handling departments. Part of the solution is an RS-specific exterior design which features a large new rear wing that should help keep the rear end planted and also distinguish the RS from its more plebeian relations. When it does hit the market, the Audi TT RS should be one of the ten best cars with a rear spoiler.

Photo by Audi

4) 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

The 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 was designed to be a world-class supercar, making use of once exotic features such as a dry sump 650-hp supercharged V8 and a carbon-fiber roof. As you would expect for a car of this type, it’s also equipped with a full complement of aerodynamic aids, including a rear spoiler. Uniquely, however, the Z06 is available with three different aerodynamic packages, each of which features its own unique spoiler: The Level 1 package includes a relatively traditional spoiler; the Level 2 package uses a larger spoiler with a fixed wicker bill; the Level 3 package adds an adjustable transparent wicker bill. No matter which option you choose, the Corvette Z06 makes our list of ten cars with rear spoilers.

Photo by General Motors

5) 2017 Honda Civic Si Coupe

The 2017 Honda Civic Si Coupe is a hot hatchback, a fact that should become obvious as soon as you lay eyes on the rear end with its large fixed spoiler. Other design tweaks over lesser models include an aggressive front sport bumper, a gloss-black grille and of course the Si badge. Power comes from a small turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 205 hp, which is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. Until the Type R is announced and upstages it (thanks to an extra 100 horsepower and even more extreme body modifications), the Si sits at the top of the Civic range and earns a spot on our list of ten cars with rear spoilers.

Photo by Honda

6) 2018 Subaru WRX STI

The 2018 Subaru WRX STI has its origins in the World Rally Championship, and much like WRC cars, the STI has a massive rear wing to provide as much downforce as possible and help the all-wheel-drive system keep the turbocharged 305 hp boxer-four in check. If you opt for the Limited model, you have the option of replacing the standard STI spoiler with a much less impressive low-profile trunk spoiler at no extra charge, which should at least provide some additional rear vision and help make the car a bit less of a police magnet. Still, it’s the larger rear wing that helps the WRX STI make our list of ten cars with rear spoilers.

Photo by Subaru

7) 2017 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R

The 2017 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R is a more track-focused version of the already impressive GT350 and retains the same normally aspirated 5.2-liter flat-plane-crank V8, rear diffuser, vented wheel wells and side skirts as the standard car. Changes include the addition of lightweight carbon-fiber wheels, revisions to the front splitter to maximize downforce, a specially tuned suspension with a lower ride height and weight reduction (mainly through the removal of parts such as the air conditioning, stereo, and rear seats). Most importantly for our list of best ten cars with rear spoilers, the GT350R also includes a high-efficiency carbon fiber rear wing which moves the vehicle’s center of pressure rearwards while increasing downforce, making the car more stable at high speeds.

Photo by Ford

8) 2017 Porsche 911 GT3

The 2017 Porsche 911 GT3 is just about the most extreme car in the 911 lineup, designed for drivers who regularly take their cars to track days. To help keep the notoriously frisky-tailed (at least when driven overly exuberantly with no electronic aids) GT3’s 500-hp flat-six in check a large fixed rear wing is used, and with a top speed of nearly 200 mph, the GT3 can use all the helpful downforce it can get. An updated version of the GT3 will be out soon, but it should use a rear wing very similar to the current model, so the 911 GT3’s place on our list of ten cars with rear spoilers seems secure for at least a while yet.

Photo by Porsche

9) 2017 Nissan GT-R

The Nissan GT-R uses a turbocharged V6 that puts out 565 hp, and while the advanced all-wheel-drive system does a great job of finding grip, it gets help from aerodynamic engineering. Part of that support comes from the GT-R’s rear wing, which produces rear downforce to help push the tires into the road to increase traction. Despite the wing’s effectiveness, the GT-R somehow maintains a low coefficient of drag of only 0.26, on par with some of the greenest vehicles on the road. If the standard GT-R’s wing isn’t to your liking, the Nismo version uses a larger rear spoiler made out of lightweight dry carbon fiber that produces even more downforce.

Photo by Nissan

10) 2017 Volkswagen Beetle

Even though all 2017 Volkswagen Beetles (other than the R-Line) are powered by a relatively sedate 170-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with an automatic transmission, that hasn’t stopped Volkswagen from adding an attractive spoiler to the bottom of the rear window of the car. While the spoiler does make the Beetle look a bit more sporty, it probably doesn’t do much for downforce or handling. Instead, it’s most likely designed to help smooth the air coming from the rear of the car to reduce drag and improve fuel economy (and maybe to help keep the rear window clean). Either way, the Volkswagen Beetle rounds out our list of ten cars with rear spoilers.