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Motor1

Business

Jeff Perez

The Best Cheap Sports Cars for 2025

Ford Toyota Subaru Honda Mazda Acura Hyundai Brembo Nissan Audi

Affordability is a sliding scale, especially when the average price of a new car these days is about $50,000 (yeah, seriously). That said, there are still a bunch of fun vehicles out there you can snag for well under that average—even a few that come in at just around $30,000.

For 2025, we’ve picked a handful of sports cars, sporty sedans, and even a few hatchbacks that cost less than $50,000. Many of these vehicles come from brands you know and love like Honda, Mazda, and Toyota, with icons like the Miata and relative newcomers like the GR Corolla making the cut. There are even a few luxury options that won't break the bank.

Mazda MX-5 Miata

Price: $30,515

Miata is always the answer when it comes to affordable fun. Starting at $30,515, the Mazda MX-5 Miata has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, a snappy six-speed manual gearbox standard (or an automatic if that’s how you roll), and either a traditional soft top or a hardtop RF model. No matter which Miata you choose, you can’t go wrong.

Toyota GR86

Price: $31,135

Second only to the Miata in price, the rear-drive Toyota GR86 sports car starts at $29,495. It comes with a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter flat-four with a bit more power than the Mazda – 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet – plus the option of a six-speed manual or automatic. Rear-wheel drive is a standard affair, but you do have to settle for a fixed roof. A small price to pay for an otherwise stellar sports car.

Honda Civic Si

Price: $31,400

The Honda Civic Si remains a popular sporty sedan for those wanting fun, affordability, and functionality. Starting at just over $31,000 for 2025, the Si has a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. It’s down on power compared to most other sporty four-doors, but it comes with a limited-slip differential, a six-speed manual, a customizable drive mode, and 18-inch wheels, without scrimping on creature comforts like a Bose sound system.

Volkswagen GTI

Price: $33,190

The iconic Volkswagen GTI is still alive and kicking. The hot hatchback starts at $33,190 and comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine making 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. It comes standard with a seven-speed dual-clutch since VW killed the manual, and power travels exclusively to the front wheels.

Subaru BRZ

Price: $33,380

The Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 are essentially identical. The two coupes share the same platform and the same 2.4-liter Boxer engine with 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The BRZ, though, has a Subaru StarLink infotainment system and EyeSight driver’s assistance technology standard—even on the manual. And if you want to get fancy, the Subaru BRZ tS offers a more track-focused STI suspension, Brembo brakes, and a leather-and-suede interior. That version is a bit pricier though; the base BRZ is $33,380 for 2025 and the tS starts at $37,530.

Ford Mustang EcoBoost Fastback

Price: $33,515

The Ford Mustang is a muscle car icon—and still an affordable one to boot. The pony car starts at $33,515 for the base Mustang EcoBoost Fastback. It a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine making 315 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque—significantly more than what Mazda’s and Toyota’s sports cars offer. It comes with a standard 10-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. Sorry, no manual.

Subaru WRX

Price: $33,855

The Subaru WRX is only a little more expensive than the Civic Si, yet it gets a lot more power. The base WRX starts at $33,855 and comes with a standard turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine making 271 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired to a six-speed manual transmission or an optional CVT. Buyers in the market for more performance can opt for the WRX tS, which gets uprated Brembo brakes and revised suspension and steering tuning—but that version starts at a lofty $46,875.

Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Price: $33,940

The Jetta GLI is VW’s sedan alternative to the GTI hot hatch. It packs a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, with your choice of a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch, and standard front-wheel drive. The GLI got a modest update for 2025 that includes an exterior facelift and some interior tweaks. At $33,940 to start, it’s still one of the most affordable sporty cars in the US.

Acura Integra

Price: $34,195

The new Integra is a fancier Civic for more money, starting at $34,195 for 2025. It makes the same 200 horsepower as the Civic Si, with the same engine, but Acura pairs the base model with a continuously variable transmission as standard, while the Honda is manual only. You can get a manual Integra, but only on the A-Spec or Type S models. The former costs $39,195, while the hot Type S is $54,095.

Mini Cooper S

Price: $34,375

The new Mini Cooper S isn’t exactly the hottest hatchback in the world. Powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine the pint-sized hatchback makes just 201 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. That said, it still has the driving dynamics that make Mini’s so charming in the first place, and it starts at a reasonable $34,375 for 2025.

Mazda3 Turbo

Price: $34,435

Much like the Mini, Mazda doesn’t market its 3 Turbo as a “hot hatchback,” per se. But with a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine pumping out 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque, this Mazda is no slouch, either. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission option on the Turbo trim, and all-wheel drive is a standard affair. The Mazda3 Turbo costs $34,435 for 2025.

Hyundai Elantra N

Price: $35,445

The Hyundai Elantra N is a feisty four-door sports sedan with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that makes 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque, paired to either a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed dual-clutch. Unlike Subaru’s sports sedan, though, the Elantra N is only available with front-wheel drive. Hyundai updated the Elantra N for 2024, and the 2025 model carries over unchanged with a starting price of $35,445.

Toyota GR Corolla

Price: $39,995

The Toyota GR Corolla is one of the more exciting cars on this list. It’s a five-door hatchback with all-wheel drive that hides a three-cylinder, turbocharged engine making 300 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual used to be the only gearbox, but Toyota added an eight-speed automatic for this year (and it’s pretty damn good). The GR Corolla starts at $39,995.

Nissan Z

Price: $44,110

The Nissan Z looks sharp with its retro-futuristic styling outside and modern cabin. But those looks come at a price—the Z starts at $44,10. A twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 powers the rear wheels, delivering 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Eighteen-inch wheels and LED headlights are standard, with either a six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic gearbox. You can get a more powerful Z Nismo, but it will cost you a whopping $66,890.

Volkswagen Golf R

Price: $46,890

The GTI’s bigger, more powerful sibling—the Golf R—starts at $46,890. Packing a more powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with 315 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, the all-wheel-drive Golf R comes with a seven-speed DSG exclusively, and it’ll hit 60 mph in about 3.9 seconds.

Honda Civic Type R

Price: $47,045

The Type R is the Civic’s ultimate form and is far more expensive than its Si sibling. However, it makes 315 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque from its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. A six-speed manual is the only available gearbox while stopping power comes from four-piston Brembo front brakes. It looks meaner than, too, with a more prominent grille opening, a hood vent, and a sizable rear spoiler. The Type R costs $47,045 for 2025.

Ford Mustang GT

Price: $48,155

Moving up from the EcoBoost to the Mustang GT unlocks a 5.0-liter V-8 with 486 horsepower and rear-wheel drive. A six-speed manual is the standard transmission, but a quick-shifting 10-speed automatic is also available for an extra $1,595. It’s still not the most powerful pony car of the group, though; the track-focused Dark Horse has 500 hp, although that version costs $61,080. The base Mustang GT starts at a more reasonable $48,155.

Cadillac CT4-V

Price: $48,690

While the high-powered CT4-V Blackwing gets all the attention (and costs over $60,000), you can still snag a CT4 with a V badge that isn’t nearly as pricey. This version packs a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine making 325 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, which gets it to 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds. The downside is that the only transmission option is a 10-speed automatic—only the Blackwing gets the manual.

Audi S3

Price: $49,995

If you’re in the market for a fancier GTI with four doors instead of five, the Audi S3 has a higher-output turbocharged 2.0-liter engine now making 328 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque for 2025. All-wheel comes standard, as does a seven-speed automatic transmission. The S3 comes in at just under the $50,000 mark for 2025.