Safety regulations, stricter emissions regulations, drive by wire tech, crash zones and everything else petrolheads don't like about cars make them better for commuters.
Even with all these features, the average increase in weight for cars of the same size has been a paltry 23kg. The weight increase of the "average car" comes from people buying SUVs, which people increasingly are.
For a track day car, a cheap modern sports car like a miata, or a 1980s/90s sports car has all the characteristics you want for the price of a modern commuter car. Its just that a commuter cares more about relaxation than road feel. :-)
Even with all these features, the average increase in weight for cars of the same size has been a paltry 23kg. The weight increase of the "average car" comes from people buying SUVs, which people increasingly are.
For a track day car, a cheap modern sports car like a miata, or a 1980s/90s sports car has all the characteristics you want for the price of a modern commuter car. Its just that a commuter cares more about relaxation than road feel. :-)