Combining comfort and practicality with impressive performance, sports sedans are the perfect compromise between a family car and a sports coupe. The idea is you have something either nearly or the equivalent power of a sports car, whilst having a great family hauler you can comfortably do shopping runs in. The concept is great, and manufacturers such as Acura, Dodge, and Cadillac have pretty much perfected the art of the sports sedan.
On top of that, there are plenty of sports sedans to choose from if you are sniffing around the used car market. While it is great to own the latest and greatest from a particular manufacturer, buying a lightly used model will allow you to save ridiculous amounts of money while still driving a practically new vehicle you won't have to worry about for several years down the line. Sometimes, you may well find an absolute gem of a sports sedan come up for sale. The following we have crafted ranks some of the very best bang-for-the-buck used sports sedans that are not just fun and practical but will also serve you well for a long time.
10 Pontiac G8 GT GXP
Pontiac is a name that many of us associated with grand sports cars and muscle cars. But the G8 GT GXP is a special car that many people seem to forget about.
This was the only version of the G8 to have a manual option available, and it was powered by an LS3 V8 engine that produced 415 hp, and it had a 0-60 time of just 4.5 seconds. The GXP is a forgotten sports classic.
9 2013 Cadillac ATS
Cadillac has produced some fantastic sports sedans over the years, and the generation of ATS from 2013 to 2018 was no exception.
What makes it so good is that the ATS is a true driver's car, and with the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine powering it, it’s a blast. The V6 engine option though is still pretty good. Plus, being a Cadillac, it is super comfortable.
8 2015 Acura TLX
Maybe an Acura TLX from 2015 seems a bit of a boring addition to this list. But boring doesn’t mean bad. The TLX from 2015 came with the choice of a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine or naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6, the latter producing 290 hp and providing tons of fun.
Plus, the V6 version was available with Acura’s torque-vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive, meaning you always had plenty of grip.
7 Chevrolet SS
It was only natural that a Chevrolet was going to appear on this list. But perhaps you didn’t expect this one. The Chevrolet SS, a car that should have been called the Impala, never sold very well. But its 6.2-liter V8 engine churned out 415 hp, with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission available.
Even though it weighed around 4,000 pounds, it could still pull a 0-60 time of 4.8 seconds.
6 Dodge Charger R/T
If we are going to have Pontiac and Chevrolet on this list, we have to have Dodge. Whilst the sixth-gen isn’t as exciting as the 1970s classics, the R/T is still a fantastic sports sedan.
It was powered by a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine that provided plenty of power, and plenty of noise as well. This is undoubtedly one of the best modern muscle cars ever made, and a worthy purchase if you can find a used one in good condition.
5 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 R-Spec
It might seem weird to have a Hyundai on this list, but they know a thing or two about fast cars. Just look at the Hyundai Coupe.
The Genesis 5.0 R-Spec was created when Genesis was just a luxury name, not its own brand, and the V8 engine of 429 hp meant the 5.0 R-Spec was no slouch at all. This car might look boring, but looks are deceptive.
4 Subaru Legacy GT
Subaru are of course well known for producing great sedans. The Legacy GT is by far one of their best, especially in Spec-B form. Think of it as the bigger sibling to the Impreza.
Throughout its lifetime, you could find a 250 hp 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine underneath the hood of this Subaru sleeper, which also offered a great interior and some very sleek lines.
3 2015 Subaru WRX
Another Subaru, this time it is the 2015 WRX. This year saw Subaru totally rework the WRX, making it that bit more civilized.
That didn’t stop the power output from its turbo four-cylinder engine being increased to 268 hp, but the WRX of that year became a great car for all seasons and weathers, without compromising on either performance or comfort.
2 BMW 335i
Whilst most modern BMWs perhaps don’t inspire anything in us anymore, the 335i was a fantastic sports sedan. Various iterations of the car existed, from the 2006 edition with its 300 hp big-six engine, to the 2015 edition with its 302 hp inline-six and a 0-60 time of just 5.4 seconds.
Plus, it was modest looking enough you could happily use it every day.
1 2014 Infiniti Q50
Whilst an Infiniti might not seem the most exciting choice, there is no denying they can make a great car. The Q50 replaced the G37 range, and was powered by the fantastic Infiniti 3.7-liter V6 engine that won the company plenty of awards.
What you got with this car was a high-reving driveline and a car that was super comfortable, and also one that looked great as well.
Sources: CNET, Motor Biscuit, Kendall Dodge, The Car Connection, The Daily Drive