Given that they offer a slightly sportier experience than normal everyday cars, sports cars are much more fun to drive. Some vehicles are specifically built to be sports cars from the outset, whilst others are modified by the manufacturer with more performance-orientated equipment and options to become faster and sportier to drive.
The issue with some sports cars is that they sometimes incorporate more exotic materials, or drivetrains, which require more engineering than normal cars, resulting in higher asking prices. Some auto manufacturers, which have been making sports cars for years, use parts from other cars to keep the costs low, resulting in some rather good sports cars not costing an arm and a leg to purchase. Due to this parts-sharing process, the maintenance costs of keeping the car running also decrease.
Here are some of the best sports cars on sale right now, all of which are available for a budget of $50,000 or less.
10 Ford Mustang GT Premium ($42,000)
The Ford Mustang has become a legend since its introduction in 1964. The current generation Mustang has become the best-selling sports car in the world, thanks to Ford making it available in certain right-hand-drive markets – and adding a 4-cylinder to the lineup.
The Mustang is available with a choice of two engines – a 2.3-liter turbocharged EcoBoost inline-4 producing 310 hp and 350 lb.ft, or the big 5.0-liter naturally aspirated ‘Coyote’ V8, producing 450 hp and 410 lb.ft of torque. Whilst the EcoBoost is the more logical choice, the V8 in the Mustang GT is what makes the Mustang a Mustang. The Mustang GT’s MSRP starts from around $38,000, making it a quite good value for money – especially on a $50,000 budget.
9 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS ($44,000)
The Chevy Camaro is a model famous for competing against the Mustang in the ever-ongoing muscle car war. Like the Mustang, the Camaro was made available in select right-hand-drive markets (mostly Australia) and as such has aided the success of the model.
In the US, the Camaro is available with a choice of a 4-cylinder turbo, a naturally aspirated V6, and a large V8. The most desirable model is the Camaro SS, which features a 455 hp, 6.2-liter V8, mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The top of the range 2SS comes in at around $44,000 with certain optional features as standard, however, there is still a long list of personalization options to choose from.
8 Dodge Challenger R-T Scat Pack ($47,000)
The Challenger completes the American muscle car trio and comes in with the largest engine – a 6.4-liter. For the budget of $50,000, the R/T Scat Pack is the choice to go for as it comes standard with good options and has some cool decals to choose from. Unfortunately, the Scat Pack Widebody exceeds the $50,000 budget.
The engine produces 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, allowing this rear-drive muscle behemoth to reach 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. It is an awesome car and the only one of the ‘Big Three’ to actually still look like a proper American muscle car.
7 Kia Stinger GT ($45,000)
The Stinger surprised everyone when it was launched as it is a Korean sports sedan that can keep up with its German rivals in both performance and build quality – all whilst being cheaper to purchase and maintain. Now, for the 2022 model year, Kia has given the Stinger a slight visual update including new headlights, taillights, and rim choices.
The base 2.0-liter turbo was also replaced with a new, more powerful 2.5-liter turbo 4-cylinder. However, the desired model is the Stinger GT, with the twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6, producing 368 hp going through an 8-speed semi-automatic gearbox to a choice of either the rear wheels only or all four. The GT1 trim package has an MSRP of around $45,000 and has a good blend of standard equipment to go with the V6 power plant.
6 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti ($43,000)
The Alfa Romeo Giulia is one of the more expensive options on this list; however, it is hands-down the most beautiful. The desired trim level will always be the Quadrifoglio, but that exceeds the budget by more than $40,000. Instead, the Giulia Ti with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 with 280 hp will do nicely.
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The Giulia is a brilliant car, with handling and performance competing closely with that of the BMW 3-Series, a massive compliment to the Italian marque. The Giulia though has more power and sounds much better than the German car, not even mentioning the gorgeous styling – definitely a viable option for a sportier car with a $50,000 budget.
5 Cadillac CT5-V ($50,000)
The Cadillac CT5 replaced the CTS sedan back in 2018 and has been doing pretty well since then. The CT5 does have a bit of an identity crisis, as the lower-down models rival the likes of the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class, but the top-of-the-line CT5-V Blackwing is clearly built to scare the BMW M5 and Mercedes E63S.
Regardless, the CT5 is a good-looking American sedan with good engines and value for money. For the $50,000 budget, the logical choice is the CT5-V (sans Blackwing). It comes with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, producing a healthy 360 hp, with power going to either the rear only or all wheels through a 10-speed automatic. The CT5-V exceeds the budget by around $1,000, but the exception is worth it.
4 Toyota GR86 Premium ($32,000)
The Toyota GT86 has been updated and upgraded to look almost nothing like the car it replaces. The name was also changed to GR86 – as Toyota names every slightly sporty model after their in-house tuners, Gazoo Racing. The styling of the GR86 is different from the previous model, with the upcoming Subaru BRZ looking almost exactly the same.
The GR86 has ditched the 2.0-liter flat-4 and now uses the 2.4-liter FA flat-4 found in many Subaru models – many of which feature turbochargers. Toyota has decided to stick to the naturally aspirated configuration, but they have upped the power to 230 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque – a welcome boost in performance from a car that really needed it. The top-spec GR86 comes with an MSRP of $32,000, making it a bargain Japanese sports car to take for a blast down a mountain road.
3 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club RF ($35,000)
The Mazda MX-5 is the definitive small, light, Japanese sports car, ready for any kind of driving. The MX-5 usually comes with a folding soft-top convertible roof. However, a few years ago, Mazda introduced the RF, which features a targa-like retractable roof.
For the budget, the top-of-the-line MX-5 Club RF model comes in at only $35,000, making it an excellent budget sports car. The MX-5 only has a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-4 producing 181 hp; however, due to the 2500 lb weight, it is only fractionally slower than a Dodge Challenger SXT in a straight line. The handling and driving feel of the MX-5 is also better than many of its competitors – both in the same price range and above.
2 BMW 430i ($47,000)
The BMW 4-Series is a good car. Many people – including BMW fans – were polarized when the 4-series debuted and everyone saw the styling, with some still arguing and ranting about it. One fact which cannot be ignored though is that the 4-Series is a good car to drive. It might be more expensive than its American rivals but definitely has the best build quality in its class.
The 4-Series starts with the 430i – which is the only trim level under $50,000 – and comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 producing 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The only transmission available is the 8-speed semi-automatic, with power being sent to the rear wheels. Regardless of whether one likes the front styling or not, the 4-Series is a great car.
1 Toyota Supra MK5 ($50,000)
The Supra is the most expensive car on this list, coming in at about $52,000. The reason why it is on here (over budget) is that this Supra comes with the B58 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-6 from BMW, widely considered to be a brilliant engine. The version in the Supra also does the traditional German thing, where the claimed power output is less than the actual output, meaning that the Supra performs better than advertised.
For the $50,000 budget, the 2.0-liter turbo i4 is available for less money, but having a 4-cylinder Supra feels wrong (just like a 4-cylinder muscle car), so spending a bit more will result in acquiring one of the best sports cars currently on sale. Considering that the BMW Z4 – which shares most of the Supra’s components – starts at above $50,000 for the 4-cylinder, the 6-cylinder Toyota Supra is an excellent deal.