That's not to say that they aren't good at what they do, for the increase in quality and specification of even the humblest motors continues apace. But do they quicken the heartbeat, set your pulse racing?
Go on . . . be honest. The answer is almost certainly no.
While the vast majority of today's cars are reliable, well-equipped and satisfying to drive, the true spark of individuality is missing.
Not so the Smart Roadster Coupé Brabus, a pocket rocket that doesn't know the meaning of the word uniformity. Some time ago, I road tested the base model - the Smart Roadster Light and wrote of a "little two-seater sports model with a character that far outstrips its diminutive size.
"There's no room for the kids, the shopping or your great aunt, but plenty of scope for enjoyment, within the legal speed limits, of course.
"A growling, rear-mounted 700cc engine with a turbo-charger pumps out enough power to give ultra-crisp acceleration, the sensation of speed increased by sitting a couple of inches from the Tarmac in such a small space."
Coupe
All that holds good for the Roadster Coupe Brabus version ... and then some. For the Brabus tag - the tuning and special equipment wing of Smart parent company Mercedes Benz - means there was something extra-special in store.
That something was a considerable hike in power, a luxury leather interior, a powered hood, glitzy alloys and gorgeous paintwork.
It was as if the Roadster Coupé was Cinderella, getting the full going-to-the-ball treatment.
With 101 bhp on tap from the three-cylinder, rear-mounted engine, there is serious performance to be had and, although I found the fully automatic mode a bit of a slouch, the semi-automatic, sequential shift was certainly sharp enough - I was soon stick-shifting up and down through the six speeds.
Gauge
The box allows sweet clutchless changes, an arrow on the instrument panel indicating when the revs are high or low enough to change up or down - if you don't trust your eye on the rev counter or ear to gauge the engine note.
There are also steering wheel-mounted "paddles" for F1-style shifts.
Under heavy acceleration and braking the car never failed to feel sure-footed and the cornering was ultra-grippy - truly confidence inspiring handling. OK, this isn't a very practical car, but it isn't meant to be.
There is a small luggage area under the lid of the front boot, and very little stowage space in the cabin, but such dull facts hardly seemed to matter, when you can press the start button on top of the gear stick and get back in touch with motoring that puts a smile on your face.
The Roadster is now coming to the end of production, so there is also a possibility of buying what could become a modern classic - one that knows the real meaning of fun ...
