Best Used Turbo Value Today

Here’s one that might even make some Millennials feel old: cars from the mid-2000s are now officially classics. 20 years is all it takes to change “late model” to “classic” on a ride, and while it’s hard to view a 2005 Toyota Camry in the same light as, say, a 1968 Dodge Charger Hemi R/T, they are both technically collectible. Of course, anything from the early 2000s is going to be way cheaper than a primo car from the Golden Age of American Muscle, but affordability isn’t actually a bad thing.

The early Aughts were before the insane horsepower explosion that began later in the decade, but that didn’t mean performance wasn’t important then; it just came in an understated package. The beginning of the 21st Century was all about the 2.0-liter turbocharged compact sedans, which offered quick acceleration, functionality, and surprisingly sporty designs. Now that they’ve crossed the bridge into Classicdom, the mid-2000s 2.0T sedans offer the best value-to-fun ratio in the classic turbo segment.

The Audacious Audi A4 Sedan

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The B7 Generation of the Audi A4 kicked off in 2005 with a more refined, modern styling and the awesome 2.0T FSI 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four with direct fuel injection. This engine was a great improvement over the B6 1.8 inline-four in both performance and reliability. Weirdly enough, the B6 and B7 generations were both sold as new models in 2005, but there was no comparison as the B7 looked better and ran harder. They were each available as a sedan, wagon, and convertible, but this piece is all about the four-door specials.

Audi A4 Power And Performance

The A4’s 2.0T engine was good for 200 horsepower, which doesn’t sound mind-blowing by today’s standards, but was some very competent power in the mid-2000s, especially for a sedan. Also, the acceleration wasn’t blistering compared to what cars can do in 2025, but it was quick for the time, and drivers definitely got a quick response from the accelerator. This was also basically a luxury compact, so it had superior handling as well as comfort, and the Quattro AWD system sweetened the deal.

2005 Audi A4 Prices And Values

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The 2005 Audi A4 Quattro’s original MSRP was $30,650, which is $48,870 adjusted for inflation and expensive in both eras. Luckily, these babies are much more affordable now with Kelley Blue Book’s Fair Purchase Price between $3,500 and $5,000 for a base 2.0T sedan, with Quattros going for a bit more. J.D. Power’s average retail price, which is based on real-world sales, is even better, ranging from $2,500 to $4,500. That quartz grey ’05 A4 2.0T Quartro pictured above sold for $9,100 on Bring a Trailer recently, and it’s an excellent-condition car with reasonable mileage, so there are deals to be had on this one.

The Speedy MazdaSpeed Protegé

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The MazdaSpeed Protegé is easily the coolest 2.0T Sedan of the early 2000s and the first cult classic of the new millennium. Produced in-house by Mazda as a factory tuner car, only 2,000 units ever reached the shores of North America. The 2003 MazdaSpeed Protegé offered a significant performance upgrade over the Plain Jane Protegé with a 170-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine, as well as better brakes, shocks, springs, and sway bars.

MazdaSpeed Protegé Power And Performance

The suspension was tuned by Racing Beat, and the handling was further improved by the Tochigi Fuji Sangyo KK Super limited-slip differential. The MazdaSpeed Protegé was meant to deliver track-ready performance in a daily driver, which it most certainly did. Again, the acceleration numbers of this vehicle don’t compare to what current performance rides are capable of, but it was a zippy little sedan when it first came out. It was also one of the first cars to prove the scientific theory that spoilers and sick rims can make any car look awesome.

2003 MazdaSpeed Protegé Prices and Values

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MazdaSpeed Protegés are extremely rare, so they aren’t going to be as cheap as some of the other mid-2000s 2.0T sedans, but they’re still affordable. Edmunds sets the outstanding condition, dealer retail price at just $3,281, while J.D. Power reports a high retail value of only $5,950. Both of those prices are ridiculously low and unrealistic for such a rare and amazing ride, but Bring a Trailer has an auction sale to give us a better idea of what it’s really worth. BaT sold a 2003 MazdaSpeed Protegé for $27,000 in 2023, but it only had 50 miles on the odometer, so that’s a premium price. A great condition, moderately used example can probably be had for under $10,000, if you can find one.

Bringing The Funk With The Defunct Saab 9-3

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The second-gen Saab 9-3, introduced in 2003, ditched the hatchback of the earlier version in favor of a four-door sports sedan, two-door convertible, and five-door wagon. Again, we’re here for the sedans, and more specifically, the 2.0Ts, so the 2005 9-3 is our focus. There were actually two variants for the 9-3’s 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine: a 175-horsepower low-pressure turbo in the base Linear and Arc trims and a 210-horsepower high-pressure turbo for the Aero and Sports Sedan models. In 2005, however, only the Aero existed, and most were equipped with the turbo V-6, so finding a 2.0T is difficult.

2005 9-3 Power And Performance

There is also the issue of finding a four-door sedan with the 210-horsepower version of the 2.0T, as they are quite elusive. The convertibles and wagons are plentiful with the better engine, but the sedans are not so much. It’s really important to get the higher-output engine, because the one with 175 ponies is kind of a slug with an over eight-second 0-60 time and a quarter-mile in the high 16s, which is anything but thrilling. Saab doesn’t make cars anymore, with the automotive division getting discontinued in 2014, but when they did, they were pretty awesome. The 9-3, when properly equipped, is a great collector’s item that’s also a blast to drive.

2005 Saab 9-3 Prices And Values

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On top of being loads of Swedish fun, the Saab 9-3 is also cheaper (not really) than a Friheten (actual brand) sofa bed from Ikea. J.D. Power sets the retail price for a 2005 9-3 Aero Turbo between $1,775 and $3,975, which actually is cheaper than some high-end furnishings. Over at Bring a Trailer, there are scads of ’05 9-3 convertibles and wagons with the 210-horsepower 2.0T, but exactly zero sedans. In fact, the only sedan they have sold is that Parchment Silver Metallic 9-3 Linear pictured above, which went for $4,400 in 2019. Some legwork is required to track down a 9-3 Aero sedan, and it will probably be more like a $5,000 or $6,000 car, but it can be done and will be worth the effort.

And Finally, The Almost 2.0T Sedans

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There are a few more mid-2000s 2.0T-ish Sedans that are worth noting, starting with the Subaru Impreza WRX. The WRX did indeed come with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine in 2005, but that was JDM-only, and by the time it came to America in 2006, it was equipped with a 2.5-liter turbo. Then, there’s the Volkswagen Jetta, which sold two generations in 2005. The Mk4 did have a 2.0-liter inline-four engine, but it wasn’t turbocharged, while the Mk5 had a turbo-four, but it was a 1.9-liter inline-four, which is close but not exact. Lastly, the Chevrolet Cobalt SS had a supercharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, but that’s obviously not turbo, and the sedan didn’t arrive until 2008.

Even so, there are plenty of mid-2000s 2.0T cars available that can be picked up for next to nothing. For less than you’d have to put down on a new leased ride, a fun and spunky weekend “screw you” car could be all yours. Beware, however, because this could be a trap as tuner cars tend to invite you to tune them, and suddenly they get a little pricier. You start off flashing the ECU, and the next thing you know, the turbo gets upgraded, you’re replacing the air box, and putting on a performance exhaust. Actually, all of that sounds like amazingly fun, and it’s still not going to break the bank to turn a cheaply acquired 2.0T sedan into an absolute killer sleeper car street assassin.