For newbie enthusiasts who love to drive and want to buy something they can enjoy, cheap sports cars are an excellent first foray into the world of performance cars. Getting behind the wheel of a car that thrills doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and not everyone wants to spend their savings on just one car – especially not if you have other priorities to consider, too. This makes budget sports cars even more attractive: it seems you can have your cake and eat it, too. This is a list of the best fast, cheap sports cars available in the USA for 2025, including models from brands like Subaru and Mazda.
Vehicles are assigned a BuzzScore in relation to their direct segment competitors, and as such, vehicles in this list, while similarly scored, do not necessarily compete directly against one another. Find out more about how the BuzzScore ratings work here. These lists are continuously updated with the latest BuzzScores and vehicles as they become available.
There aren’t many “cheap” sports cars around, so we’ve limited this list to new sports cars starting at under $40k. We’ve also included non-traditional sports cars with high-performance characteristics, such as hot hatches and small sports sedans.
1
Honda Civic Si Sedan
- Base Trim Engine
-
1.5L Turbo Inline-4 Gas
- Base Trim Transmission
-
6-speed manual
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Front-Wheel Drive
According to its BuzzScore of 8.8 out of 10, the best budget sports car is the Honda Civic Si. It’s not the craziest version of the Civic, that title is awarded to the Type R, but the Si has some fun performance upgrades over the standard Civic lineup. It comes with a manual transmission, plenty of power, and a somewhat low entry price for its performance; the Si Sedan starts at $30,250. Under the hood is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 200 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque. It can do 0-60 mph in just under seven seconds, and reach a 130-mph top speed. Some nice features that aren’t included on other versions of the Civic, bar the Type R, include available high-performance summer tires, ventilated front brake discs, and MacPherson strut front suspension.
2
Volkswagen Golf GTI
- Base Trim Transmission
-
7-Speed DCT
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
241 hp
- Base Trim Torque
-
273 lb-ft
Near the top of the best affordable sports cars is the Volkswagen Golf GTI. It’s been around for decades over generations, but the current iteration of the GTI seems to have taken two steps forward and one step back from what made it so appealing to enthusiasts. We drove the newest model, and our test driver found it to be a fun hot hatch, but it’s missing a manual transmission. The base model 2025 GTI, the S trim, starts at $32,445. Powering the front wheels is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. With its seven-speed automatic transmission, the new GTI can do 0-60 mph in about 5.5 seconds.
“…it’s still the excellent all-around package that it’s always been. It’s even comfortable and refined enough that it should probably be on the list for people that are just looking for a really good, practical car. It still has some ergonomic issues, but many of them have been addressed with this latest model. If you need a car that simply does everything extremely well, you’ll have a hard time finding anything that fits the bill as well as the GTI. And as a side note, if the lack of a manual really is a deal-breaker, then you can get almost everything that makes the GTI great in the Jetta GLI. It just lacks the hatchback.”
– Joel Stockdale, CarBuzz
3
Volkswagen Jetta GLI
- Base Trim Engine
-
2.0L Turbo Inline-4 Gas
- Base Trim Transmission
-
6-Speed Manual
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Front-Wheel Drive
Volkswagen continues on this list of cheap sports cars with the Jetta GLI. You can think of this Jetta trim as the performance version comparable to the GTI we just mentioned above. It’s not the most powerful, most reliable, nor the sportiest in general (we recommend the GTI for a sportier drive overall), but it’s a well-balanced daily driver. It starts at $32,715, which is about on par with its rivals. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, which can be paired with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed automatic transmission. It can do 0-60 in about six seconds and tops out at 126 mph.
“The beauty of the Jetta GLI is in how it balances between its around-town and freeway manners with being straight-up fun to drive on a back road. It’s comfortable, the ride is pleasant, it’s roomy enough for four adults, and the trunk is generous – but it’s also nimble with great body control when roads get tight. The engine wants to help with its responsiveness and consistency.”
– Ian Wright, Senior Road Tester, CarBuzz
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4
Toyota GR Corolla
- Base Trim Engine
-
1.6L Inline 3 Gas
- Base Trim Transmission
-
6-Speed Manual
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
All-Wheel Drive
This one might stretch the definition of affordable sports cars, but the Toyota GR Corolla makes for a thrilling time behind the wheel. Where this Toyota does fit in, though, is with other fast cheap sports cars, because its three-cylinder encourages fun. This all-wheel-drive hatchback offers a superb balance of usable power, light weight, and, of course, Toyota’s reliability, which makes this small car one of the best driving experiences. While the base price of $38,860 sounds steep for a Corolla, the GR version makes up for it with a 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder that pushes 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Toyota says it can sprint from 0-60 in just 4.9 seconds and reach a top speed of about 143 mph.
5
Subaru WRX Sedan
- Base Trim Engine
-
2.4-Liter Turbo B4 Boxer
- Base Trim Transmission
-
6-Speed Manual/CVT
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
271 HP
One of the best cheap sports cars with all-wheel-drive is the Subaru WRX Sedan. If you live in a snowy state, or just like the grip AWD provides around tight corners, the WRX is an excellent choice among budget sports cars. It’s the only manual, AWD sports sedan left in America, too. The WRX is available in four trims, with the base model, the Premium trim, starting at $35,750. Powering all four versions is a 2.4-liter boxer four-cylinder that makes 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Independent testing has seen the WRX achieve a 0-60 time of around 5.5 seconds, but top speed hasn’t been confirmed.
6
Subaru BRZ
- Base Trim Engine
-
2.4L H-4 ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
-
6-speed manual
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Rear-Wheel Drive
When compiling a list of sporty affordable cars, the Subaru BRZ is another respectable choice. It’s a bit more expensive than its Toyota counterpart that we’ll get to next, but nevertheless, the BRZ continues to engage drivers around every track and back road in the country. There are three trims available, with the base model, the Premium trim, starting at $31,210. This is a car built for enthusiasts, since every trim gets a manual transmission, and only one has access to an optional automatic. All three versions are powered by the same 2.4L flat-four-cylinder engine that makes 228 hp and 184 lb-ft. It’ll do 0-60 mph in about 5.4 seconds, and reach a top speed of 140 mph.
7
Toyota GR86
- Base Trim Engine
-
2.4-Liter Flat-4
- Base Trim Transmission
-
6-Speed Manual/6-Speed Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Rear-Wheel Drive
The Toyota GR86 is a wonderfully balanced and good-looking coupe that still doesn’t cost a fortune. The 2025 model year was nudged to start at exactly $30,000 despite being just under that 30k threshold for so long. However, that’s not a huge price to pay for such a fun car. It has maintained its image over the last decade by being a lightweight coupe with low power, and a low center of gravity that can be tossed around. The GR86 is powered by a 2.4-liter flat-four-cylinder that makes 228 hp and 184 lb-ft. It can hit 60 mph from a dig in 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph.
8
Mazda MX-5 Miata
- Base Trim Engine
-
2.0-Liter I4
- Base Trim Transmission
-
6-Speed Manual
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Rear-Wheel Drive
Of course, who could forget one of the cheapest sports cars: the Mazda MX-5 Miata? The near 50/50 weight balance and low center of gravity make this little two-door car a fun driver. One of the best parts about the Miata isn’t just its size, but the small price to go with it. Mazda kept it barely under $30k with a starting price of $29,530. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. Obviously, the MX-5 is not a super-quick car with a 0-60 time of about six seconds, but it’s not made for straight-line speed. Anyone inside can enjoy a top-down joyride.
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9
Mazda MX-5 Miata RF
- Base Trim Engine
-
SKYACTIV-G 2L ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
-
SKYACTIV-MT 6-speed manual
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Rear-Wheel Drive
One of the last budget sporty cars on our list is the Mazda MX-5 Miata RF. While the standard MX-5 is a great sports car, not everybody wants a soft-top convertible. The RF version steps in with a solid targa top. There are plenty of reasons to love it, despite costing about $7k more than the soft top version at a base price of $37,550. The Miata RF offers a hardtop that folds back behind the seats, similar to other targas, like the Porsche 911 Targa. It has the same powertrain as the standard Miata, too: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. It’s not any faster, but it offers a different experience.
“It revs high, it sounds great, and because there are no turbos, the throttle response is snappy. Combine that with a positive-feeling six-speed manual with a snappy shift action – honestly, unless you’re medically declared unable to drive a manual, you shouldn’t even consider the automatic – and it’s sublime.”
– Adam Lynton, CarBuzz (2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Drive)
Characteristics Of The Best Budget Sports Cars
Most people would assume that if something is cheap, it can’t be very good. But when it comes to the best affordable sports cars, that’s not necessarily true. Here’s what you can expect:
- A fun, exciting, and engaging drive
- Good outputs and a responsive chassis
- A reasonable starting price that doesn’t require too many extras added on
- Some options come with iconic status and a long pedigree
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What To Consider When Buying Affordable Sports Cars
There’s actually quite a lot of variety when you’re shopping for the cheapest sports cars, with buyers in the US getting to choose from convertibles or coupes to sporty sedans. But before you bite the bullet, here’s everything you should know:
Pros
- Lots of different models to choose from
- Smaller in size on average, so maneuverability is excellent
- Most use smaller displacement turbocharged powertrains, which are lighter on fuel
- Focus on driver satisfaction means they drive well
- Lower initial cost, but you can customize with available options
- Many boast manual transmission options
Cons
- Budget sporty cars aren’t the most powerful performance cars available
- Sports cars sometimes sacrifice cargo space, passenger comfort, and high-end features
Sources: Mazda, Toyota, Subaru, Honda, Volkswagen
