More and more people are buying SUVs every year. Yet, the 2022 sports car segment boasts plenty of cars from different manufacturers. We have lots of affordable sports car options from American, English, and Japanese brands. But with options, comes a dilemma. Maybe you’re eying for a GR 86, but your friends keep telling you that Miata Is Always The Answer. The new Golf GTI looks tempting, but the new Mustang is better than its last-gen model. Buying a car is a long-term investment so naturally, you’d like to eschew making any regrettable decisions. There are so many good sports cars that it can become overwhelming to make a decision. But that’s exactly what many of these cars are, good. We are here to get the very best of them all.
Let’s take a look at the Subaru BRZ for a moment. It is arguably the best sports car to buy for under $40,000 in 2022. Subaru has a positive record for making good sports cars with excellent handling and neat design. The 2022 BRZ is more powerful than ever thanks to its new 2.4-liter boxer engine that makes 228 HP and 184 lb-ft of torque. The BRZ’s handling is exceptionally staggering, and the interior is both sporty and modern. There are few cars that can give the BRZ a run for its money. These are the ones we’d consider over the BRZ, and the ones that we won’t.
10 Better: 2022 Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang has been around for almost 60 years now. In 2015, we got the sixth generation, and it just got better and better. It seems that Ford has given a much-needed long thought to the 2022 Mustang. The newest one has gotten rid of lots of the problems like cheap interior quality, lack of telescoping steering wheel, high noise levels, and more accessible styles found in the last-gen models.
Regardless of the variant, the Mustang rides on the road in a civilized manner. It's also got the potential to get rough and tough on the track. It’s the best affordable American sports car to buy in 2022.
9 Better: Mazda MX-5 Miata
This should come as a surprise to no one. Like the Mustang, the Miata has been around long enough to earn a certain amount of unconditional trust. Choosing between the MX-5 vs BRZ comes down to whether you want a convertible.
Both cars are superb in the performance, handling, and exterior & interior style departments. If you fancy a convertible, Miata is the one. The only drawback of a Miata is its cramped space, so a broad person might feel more uncomfortable in the Mazda.
8 Better: Toyota GR86
The GR86 and the Subaru BRZ are basically the same cars. They both got a redesign for 2022 and are mechanically identical. Moreover, their exterior design looks the same from a distance. Both cars have great handling, quick performance, decent fuel economy, and are good value for money.
But for us, the GR86 gets a one-up over the BRZ. The GR86 reaches 60 mph 0.2 seconds faster than the BRZ, in just 5.9 seconds. Beauty is subjective, but after years spent as the second-best looking of the two, we think that the GR86 is now finally the better-looking twin.
7 Worse: Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang have been in close competition for more than five decades now. Their rivalry resulted in some of the best sports cars like Z28 Camaros and Boss Mustangs. This time around, the Camaro takes a beating at the hands of the superior Mustang.
The base model of Camaro has 35 less HP, less outward visibility, awkward controls, and limited storage space. It’s slightly cheaper than the GR 86, but not so in terms of bang-for-buck. The Camaro is a great driver’s car in itself, but in a segment full of better options, you really have to want a Camaro to get one.
6 Worse: Nissan 370Z
Nissan 370Z is yet another good sports car that gets outshined by better ones. The 370Z has sharp and precise handling and a purer driving experience not hindered by many aids and assists. But you’ll probably be spending most days out of the track and in your city/town.
That’s where the 370Z is not up to the mark. The engine and road noise is loud and it has big blind spots. The base trim costs $4,000 more than the BRZ and yet it lacks common standard features. Either wait to see how the 400Z turns out, otherwise, the Subaru coupe would trump over Nissan's current offering.
5 Worse: VW Golf GTI
The Golf GTI is a hotly anticipated hot hatch in the market. The 2022 kicks of the GTI’s eighth generation! Once again, it’s a car that we aren’t unfamiliar with. The Golf is a fun little car that’s perfect for city commutes and track-days.
But if it’s the only car that would live in your garage, we’d argue that something like the BRZ would make more sense. Volkswagen’s newest hot hatch has a high cost of ownership for a car its size. The GTI is one of the best driving hot hatches, but the BRZ is the best sports car overall.
4 Worse: BMW 230i Coupe
Out of all the cars in this list, the BMW sticks out the most. The 230i Coupe is a cool lightweight car that is nimble and athletic in a way that few cars today are. But we can't ignore the big elephant in this virtual room. It costs $42,000.
For that extra money, there isn’t enough power or longevity to justify the price. The luxury in this bimmer is way better than other cars on the list. But most people can’t afford to spend so much.
3 Worse: Subaru WRX
If Subaru made the BRZ so great, surely their most prominent sports car would be just as good, right? Actually, the fifth-gen WRX’s inaugural model suffers from a lot of issues. Early reviews state that the new WRX’s handling feels a bit worse than the sharp handling we have gotten used to in previous models.
Its 22 combined mpg lags behind competitors as well. Lastly, the new redesign has been very polarizing so far. People either love the new WRX’s looks or they hate it. Even if you’re cool with the design, the mechanical faults hinder it a lot.
2 Worse: Hyundai Veloster N
Hyundai’s Veloster N didn’t take long to make a name for itself in the hot hatch segment. Hyundai has worked hard to change its image into the manufacturer that makes cool cars. It seems to work, but Hyundai made some compromises along the way.
The Veloster N is a superb hot hatch on the track. But on city roads, the ride quality will leave you wanting more. The asking price of $35,000 makes the BRZ look even more value for money than it already is.
1 Buick Regal Sportback
Buick knows how to make a great car, the GNX is the proof of that. But the Regal is slower, heavier, and somehow less fuel-efficient than most competitors. The exterior design is clean and classy, not sporty or anything that looks fast.
On the inside, the materials feel cheap and the automatic engine stop-start system will annoy you when moving through city traffic. The Buick is $2,000 cheaper than the Subaru, but not nearly as exciting to drive. Buick will have to try something unusual to make the Regal Sportback a viable choice.