Rahul Kapoor has been chasing cars on track, on the road, and occasionally on foot since 2014. His work has appeared in autoX, Motown India, and The Financial Express, covering everything from the latest EV tech to 1960s endurance racers. He’s not just a writer; he’s a photographer, videographer, and someone who’s actually lived inside the industry’s moving parts; attending launches, test-driving on race circuits, and talking shop with engineers, designers, and team principals. That mix of access and curiosity means his readers don’t just get the news; they get the story behind the story.
Cheap sports cars aren’t dead yet. In 2025, you can still walk into a dealership and drive out in a brand-new coupe or roadster without spending supercar money. Prices start in the low $30Ks and top out in the mid-$50Ks, covering everything from lightweight rear-drive purists to turbocharged daily drivers with real punch. This list breaks down eight of the cheapest new sports cars on sale in the U.S. right now, with prices, specs, and what makes each worth a look.
For this list, we have compiled eight two-door coupes, convertibles, and roadsters on sale in the US in 2025. We have sourced the specifications and the lowest base price advertised by each manufacturer on their official websites. All eight sports cars cost between $30,000-$60,000.
The Toyota GR86 wears the crown as the cheapest new sports car you can buy in 2025. At $30,400, it undercuts hot hatchbacks like the Honda Civic Type R and still delivers purer rear-drive thrills. Under the hood sits a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter flat-4 that makes 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. With a curb weight of just over 2,800 lbs, the GR86 feels nimble in a way few modern cars manage.
You can spec it with a six-speed manual, which keeps it firmly in the conversation for sports cars with bulletproof reliability and a manual gearbox. Pair that with sharp steering and balanced chassis tuning, and you get one of the most rewarding cars at any price.
The GR86 is a product of the Toyota and Subaru partnership, sharing its platform and engine with the Subaru BRZ. Toyota adds GR branding and track-tuned tweaks that lean into its Gazoo Racing performance lineup. For enthusiasts chasing bang-for-buck fun, this is the entry point into a true rear-wheel drive coupe. It proves you don’t need big power or big money to get an honest driver’s car in 2025.
The Mustang name carries six decades of muscle car history, and in 2025 the cheapest way to get into that legacy is the EcoBoost coupe. At $31,920, it’s the muscle car deal of the year. While it doesn’t pack a V8, the 2.3-liter turbo four punches out 315 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, more than enough to light up the rear tires.
Unlike the compact Toyota GR86 or Subaru BRZ, the Mustang delivers a big-car feel. It’s longer, heavier, and more comfortable on highway runs, yet it still handles sharp enough for back-road fun. Ford keeps the recipe traditional with rear-wheel drive and a choice of transmissions, giving buyers real flexibility.
With the Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet were discontinued, the Mustang stands as the last pony car you can actually buy new. That makes the entry-level model especially important, keeping muscle car culture alive in an era dominated by SUVs and EVs.
For under $32K, the EcoBoost gives enthusiasts a genuine slice of Mustang heritage, modern performance tech, and the kind of street presence that few other cars in this price bracket can match.
The Subaru BRZ sits in the same family tree as the Toyota GR86, but it plays a slightly different tune. Both cars share the naturally aspirated 2.4-liter boxer-4 engine with 228 hp and 184 lb-ft, yet the BRZ’s chassis tuning gives it a distinct personality. Subaru stiffens the suspension and tweaks the steering, creating sharper feedback that appeals to drivers who want more edge.
Inside, the BRZ offers a more refined cabin. Subaru leans on its reputation for everyday durability, which makes the BRZ easier to live with if you plan to commute in it as often as you carve up canyon roads. A six-speed manual keeps the purist vibe alive, and curb weight still hovers around 2,800 lbs, so agility is never in doubt.
While Subaru built its name on all-wheel drive, the BRZ proudly bucks that tradition with rear-wheel drive. That makes it the outlier in the lineup but also the most enthusiast-focused car Subaru sells today. At $33,210, it stays under the $35K mark, delivering a real sports car experience without straying into premium territory. For buyers who like the GR86’s formula but want a sharper ride and a Subaru badge, the BRZ is the smarter pick.
The Miata has carried the torch for lightweight roadsters since the early 1990s, and in 2025 it’s still the holdout against a world of heavy coupes and crossovers. Back then, the NA Miata became a cult icon by offering simple rear-drive fun for cheap, and clean used examples today still command strong resale values.
The 2025 MX-5 sticks to the same formula: a front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout with a 2.0-liter inline-4 producing 181 hp and 151 lb-ft. The numbers don’t sound huge, but at just ~2,400 lbs curb weight, the Miata is the lightest sports car on this list. That makes every ounce of power feel alive, especially with the six-speed manual.
The convertible top is another factor that sets it apart. Nothing else here gives you the same open-air experience at this price point. At $37,850, it costs more than the Toyota GR86 or Subaru BRZ, but what you pay extra buys you a level of analog fun those coupes can’t quite match. The Miata proves that even in 2025, you don’t need massive power figures to build one of the purest driver’s cars money can buy. No matter what the question is, the answer is always Miata.
If you’re chasing raw numbers, the 2025 Nissan Z is the cheapest way to put 400 hp in your garage. For $42,970, you get a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that cranks out 400 hp and 350 lb-ft, sent to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic. On a dollars-per-hp scale, nothing else on this list comes close.
Nissan built the new Z on an evolution of the 370Z’s platform, but with updated suspension, sharper steering, and a cabin that finally feels modern. The balance between old-school rear-drive fun and contemporary comfort makes it stand out as a true performance bargain.
In a lineup of lightweight coupes and roadsters, the Nissan Z breaks into a higher power bracket while still keeping the price realistic. It’s the modern muscle coupe that bridges Japan’s sports car heritage with today’s performance expectations.
The BMW M240i is the premium entry ticket into BMW’s M Performance lineup. At $53,000, it costs far more than the GR86 or Mustang EcoBoost, but it’s still the cheapest way to get a straight-six sports car in 2025. Under the hood sits a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 rated at 382 hp and 369 lb-ft, paired with standard all-wheel drive for serious grip in all conditions.
Unlike the lightweight purists earlier in this list, the M240i leans toward luxury. The cabin packs tech and refinement you won’t find in budget coupes, and the chassis tuning blends everyday comfort with track-day competence. For drivers who want performance without giving up premium features, it’s a strong compromise.
In contrast, the Audi TT, once a rival in the compact Euro coupe space, is gone after 2023. That leaves the M240i as one of the few true German performance coupes you can still buy new. Audi is teasing a new Concept C convertible sports car, but it’s not production-ready yet, which makes the BMW the safer bet today.
The 2025 BMW Z4 sDrive30i sits at the top of this list in price, but at $56,100, it’s still the cheapest way to buy a new European roadster in 2025. That makes it an important inclusion because the format itself is nearly extinct. The Z4 offers drop-top luxury and everyday usability while still keeping the focus on driving fun.
Power comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 producing 255 hp and 295 lb-ft. Those numbers won’t blow anyone away in this company, but the Z4 delivers its performance with smooth torque delivery and the polish you’d expect from BMW’s engineering. Rear-wheel drive keeps the dynamics lively, while the chassis is tuned for comfort as much as agility.
The Z4 also ties directly to the Toyota Supra, since both share the same platform and are built in Austria. The Supra gets the spotlight in tuner circles, but the Z4 adds open-air driving and a more premium interior, giving it a distinct identity.
Sliding just above the Z4 in price is the 2025 Toyota GR Supra, a car that’s impossible to leave out when talking about affordable sports coupes. At $57,500, it isn’t technically one of the seven cheapest, but it’s worth mentioning because of its close ties to the BMW Z4. Built on the same platform and sharing engines with BMW, the Supra takes the formula in a harder-edged direction.
The base 2.0-liter turbo four delivers 255 hp and 295 lb-ft, but the real story is the 3.0-liter turbo inline-6. That motor makes 382 hp and 368 lb-ft, and in 2025, you can finally pair it with a six-speed manual. Rear-wheel drive, a short wheelbase, and aggressive chassis tuning give the Supra a sharper track persona compared to the Z4’s roadster comfort.
The GR Supra also revives a legendary Toyota nameplate, which boosts its cultural cachet in a way few modern sports cars can match. Enthusiasts see it as a bridge between Toyota’s heritage and today’s performance market. While it costs slightly more than the Z4, the Supra proves that even in a market shrinking around EVs and SUVs, Toyota still knows how to deliver a proper rear-drive sports car.
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