When your hear "sports car," your brain may jump to childhood bedroom poster cars like Porsches, Ferraris, Aston Martins and Lamborghinis — cars that are unobtainable when new and don't get much more affordable as they age. But you don't need to fork over your child's college fund to obtain a fun and engaging driving experience. There are many excellent and affordable sports cars out there — albeit not quite as affordable as they once were. And several of them have recently been overhauled.
If you can commit to paying somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000 — much less than the price of an average new car right now — you can still score a quality driver's car with a manual transmission, impressive handling and optimal power output for having fun on public roads. We know because we've spent ample time driving nearly all of them — for science.
Here are the best cheap sports cars you can buy in 2023.
The MX-5 Miata is Mazda's classic two-door, lightweight, rear-wheel-drive roadster. It's the purest iteration of Mazda's Jinba Ittai philosophy of oneness between horse and rider. We'd also accept classic British roadster, but better and more reliable.
Pros: Mazda has kept its purist vision for this car. It has kept the manual. It remains lightweight. It offers some of the most refined driving dynamics available, not just for its price point. You can drive on the limit on public roads. It looks the part of a cool sports car.
Cons: The MX-5 is tiny and so impractical it basically can't serve as a one-car daily driver. It has less horsepower and torque than many similarly-sized crossovers.
The Toyota GR86 is Toyota's entry-level sports car. GR stands for Gazoo Racing. It's a twin of the Subaru BRZ and all-new for 2022 packing some serious improvements. Car and Driver named it, along with the BRZ, as a 10Best pick for this year.
Pros: It has always been one of the purest driver's cars out there: lightweight, manual transmission, RWD and a nearly 50/50 weight distribution. Toyota added more power and resolved the mid-range torque issue. And you can hear the stereo on the highway now.
Cons: The 86 ride can be a little bit stiff. And the back seat is going to be pretty much useless.
The BRZ is Subaru's compact sports coupe. It's a twin of the Toyota GR86 —they share a Wikipedia page, and you can refer to both as the Toyobaru. Subaru debuted an all-new BRZ for the 2022 model year.
Pros: Subaru upgraded the engine with the new generation for one with more power and better mid-range torque. It handles sublimely. It's fun to drive on normal roads. And the BRZ still offers a manual transmission.
Cons: Toyota and Subaru won't add a turbocharger. The BRZ is more practical for track days — it holds four spare tires in the cargo area — than for kids with the tiny rear seat.
Pros: The Civic Si only comes with a smooth short-throw manual transmission. It's precise and well-suited for high-revving and sporty driving. Honda added fixed-rate dampers and rev-matching from the Civic Type R and tuned it for more low-end torque. It's more practical than you would think.
Cons: The Civic Si only has one level, 11. A tight suspension makes daily driving on rough roads uncomfortable when you don't want to be sporty. There are better sports car for driving in the winter.
Pros: The Camaro sounds like a sports car should. It packs potent V6 and V8 engines. You can buy them for under $30,000 and $40,000 respectively. Adding the 1LE package will get you an underrated track performer. And you can fit a manual transmission with all three engine options.
Cons: The Mustang is better looking, and the Camaro's design gives it poor visibility. Those factors are enough to be dealbreakers for many buyers.
Pros: The Mk7 GTI was one of the best-handling cars on the road. VW somehow made the Mk8 handle even better. It gets a power bump over the previous generation. It transitions well to being a regular, practical daily driver on real roads. A manual transmission is still offered.
Cons: VW cut corners on the interior. The seats and steering wheel feel high quality. Everything else on the inside — from the haptic buttons to the cheap materials to the laggy and sub-optimal infotainment system — disappoints.
The WRX is Subaru's sporty, all-wheel-drive sedan. The WRX descends from the brand's rally-champion Imprezas in the 1990s, though it is now a distinct model. It is all-new for 2022.
Pros: Subaru's excellent AWD system gives the WRX tremendous grip and all-weather capability. The steering is well-weighted. The manual transmission is smooth. The interior is ergonomically suited for sporty driving. It's markedly unfussy by modern standards.
Cons: The ride can be bumpy. You can't get the best options with a manual transmission. It didn't get a massive power upgrade from the previous generation (and no STI is coming to rectify that). The fuel economy is disappointing. It's not as good-looking as the last generation. And with the WRX's reputation, it will be tough to convince others you aren't up to no good.
Ford is debuting an "all-new" Mustang for 2024. And while "rolling in your 2.3" may not have as much gravitas as the 5.0-liter GT, the EcoBoost is still one of the best power for the price point deals on the market. It's a car we hope to drive very soon.
Pros: Ford didn't mess with the formula. The Mustang is still RWD. It still looks like a Mustang. And it's still not very practical. The interior also gets significant tech upgrades.
Cons: Ford eliminated the manual transmission on non-GT models.
Acura revived its iconic Integra nameplate for the 2023 model year. It comes in an entry-level form, a modified version of the 200 hp Civic Si. There's also a 320 hp Type S model, which is great but not bound for any most affordable sports car list.
Pros: The Integra offers a luxury marque and attractive styling for an affordable price point. It delivers the Civic Si in a more palatable package and offers optional features like a 6-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential.
Cons: You have to level up to the more expensive A-Spec Technology trim to get a manual, which makes the Integra much more expensive than a Civic Si.
Hyundai canceled the poor-selling Veloster N hatchback. But you can still get the same powertrain setup in sedan form with the less funky Elantra N. It lacks the pedigree and refinement of some options on this list. But Hyundai dialed in on making it fun.
Pros: The Elantra N is seriously quick with the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. There's also a 6-speed manual available. And it sounds fantastic.
Cons: The ride can be a bit stiff. The steering can be heavy. The interior is a bit barebone, and the exterior can be a lot of look from certain angles.
