The term "sports car" has been the subject of a lot of contention in automotive circles lately. A couple of decades ago, it was easy to distinguish sports cars from ordinary cars, but modern performance trims and sub-segments have changed all that.
Traditionally, a sports car was never a car you'd take on school or shopping runs, or even cruise around the city. It was a symbol of both wealth and freedom, offering substantially more performance and thrills than everyday commuters. A daily driver sports car is therefore very much a modern invention. In this list, we'll be looking at just that – true dedicated sports cars that can also double as comfortable, economical, and practical daily drivers for owners who won't settle for a commuter.
But before we do, it's important to set some parameters and describe what we mean by "true sports car." Modern enthusiasts tend to call every fast car with two doors a sports car, some even using the term to describe hot hatches and sports sedans. This is where the confusion begins. By definition, a sports car is a two-seater roadster, traditionally rear-wheel drive (but AWD sports cars are increasing in popularity), designed solely with performance and thrills in mind. Some purists even go as far as only considering soft-top convertibles like the Mazda Miata or the original Corvette to be sports cars, and not their drastically evolved modern hardtop counterparts.
Finally, since the term sports car today encompasses everything from luxurious grand tourers and large coupes to muscle cars and convertibles, we'll focus only on sports cars specifically designed on their own, dedicated chassis, separate from all other everyday models in their brand's lineups.
Updated March 2023: Due to the economic instability in the world, many motoring enthusiasts now long for a sports car that can double as a practical daily driver to complete the tasks of a family car without compromising on performance. While there are various AMGs and other such factory-tuned models, very few sports cars are actually built as sports cars from the get-go. Luckily for us, the era of daily driver sports cars is still going strong, offering quite a variety of vehicles to choose from.
10 2023 Subaru BRZ (Toyota GR86)
Yes, the Subaru BRZ is a true, pure-blooded sports car built on a dedicated chassis that's shared with no other model in Subaru's lineup. It's designed strictly for optimal weight distribution and handling. The icing on the cake is its trunk. It measures 6.3 cubic feet. Drop the rear seats down, and it becomes truly impressive at 44 cubic feet (1,270 liters), able to house four extra wheels and equipment for track days.
Despite being a relatively small sports car, the BRZ offers a surprisingly spacious cabin and even sort-of usable rear seats for emergency situations. Combine this with its cheap price tag and spacious front seat area, and you have yourself the perfect usable daily driver sports car.
9 2023 Porsche 911
Revered among sports car enthusiasts for good reason, the 911 does it all. It serves up the perfect combination of performance, luxury, technology, and everyday usability. It is as at home doing track work as it is sitting in a golf club parking lot.
Every 911 generation brings something unique to the table, but they all make equally great daily drivers, so it's hard to go wrong. For performance and industry-leading tech, go for the newer models. To enjoy the 911 experience and the car with little to no worry every day, we suggest picking affordable used examples to get the best bang for your buck.
8 2023 Lexus LC500
Easily one of the most underrated sports cars on the market today, the LC500 is a luxurious Japanese grand tourer that can go toe-to-toe with the best offerings from European manufacturers. It's stylish, practical, and powerful, and features one of the most premium interiors in the segment.
Under the hood, you get a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 that screams all the way to a 7,300 rpm redline and makes 470 hp along the way. Add an aftermarket exhaust to it and the beautiful and comfortable LC500 turns into an absolute monster, easily capable of scaring away Mustangs and Camaros. Not bad for a big Japanese GT car.
7 2023 BMW M4 Competition
Compared with the M3, the M4 is the clear choice for anyone looking to get the truest sports car experience in a powerful BMW trim. The new design might be divisive, but it's well worth the compromise over the older models, offering at least 473 horsepower on tap.
The M4 offers more trunk space than most of its sports car counterparts, at 15.5 cubic feet or 440 liters. More than enough for any shopping run you'll ever do, or several large suitcases for a long trip. It also makes for an excellent GT car to conquer continents in.
6 2023 Toyota GR Supra
The new Supra may be a BMW under the sheet metal, but it's also one of the best sports cars you can buy for the price – both used or new. Its gorgeous looks will draw in eyeballs wherever you go, but not at the compromise of comfort or practicality. It's also incredibly reliable, giving drivers peace of mind as they enjoy these on a daily basis.
Under the hood, the GR Supra is available with a BMW-sourced 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine, producing 382 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque. And the benefit of having a BMW power unit is that these figures are easily understated. In reality, the car sends closer to 400 hp to the wheels. For those who like to shift the gears themselves, a manual transmission is finally available, which should improve the appeal of the Supra and enhance its reputation as one of the very best sports cars on the market.
5 2023 Porsche Cayman/Boxster
No everyday sports car list can be complete without the venerable 718 Cayman/Boxster siblings making the cut. You can never go wrong, whether you go for the tech-savvy new versions or the very affordable used ones. The Cayman and Boxster have always sat at the pinnacle of their segment and price point, and likely always will.
What you get is a powerful rear-mounted boxer engine, decent storage space up front (albeit not the best), a premium cabin feel, and most importantly, one of the most fun and worry-free driving experiences ever. All versions are available with manual or automatic transmission options, although we'd recommend the manual paired with the glorious 4.0-liter engine for the best possible experience.
4 2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS
The Chevrolet Camaro has always been a valid alternative to the Mustang, but we believe Chevy really stepped up its game with the 2023 iteration of the model. In the SS trim especially, the Camaro is a poised, scarily powerful, and practical package no true gearhead will easily dismiss.
Apart from a surprisingly powerful (and practical) drivetrain, what you get is also a large and comfortable interior with fairly usable rear seats, and decent boot space (9.1 cubic feet). This is a 455-horsepower muscle car you don't have to worry about costing you a fortune to daily drive.
3 2023 Ford Mustang GT
Like the Camaro, the Ford Mustang GT is an excellent everyday sports car designed with both performance and practicality in mind. Ford knows how popular the Mustang nameplate is and how many people will drive these cars often, so the company made sure to provide the most reliable and usable car they could make.
The current iteration keeps all the features and specs that made its predecessor great, including a 450-horsepower, naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 good for a 0-60 mph time of just 4.2 seconds. For now, only the Mach 1 trim adds a manual transmission, but Ford assured everyone that the 2024 Mustang will put the stick back where it belongs.
2 2023 Jaguar F-Type
With Jaguar's recent reputation, the F-Type might be a suspicious entry on this list. However, we're hard-pressed to find a more stylish and luxurious sports coupe built on its own standalone chassis. This is a car designed for someone who wants to give off an aura of refinement, taste, and luxury without spending a fortune on a Bentley or an Aston Martin.
That said, the F-Type also more than delivers in performance, offering a robust 5.0-liter supercharged V8 making 444 and 575 horsepower. It also offers surprising quality trim and cabin materials and a decent boot area for shopping runs. The F-Type is also a gorgeous vehicle that still makes heads turn, nearly 10 years since it was first introduced. Sadly, Jaguar is discontinuing the model very soon.
1 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata
The quintessential affordable sports car, a Mazda MX-5 Miata, needs no introduction. The level of fun and excitement it offers per dollar spent is also unrivaled, especially if you're looking to buy new. Starting from around the same price as a higher-spec Toyota Camry, the MX-5 keeps impressing wherever it goes.
The list of benefits doesn't stop there, however. It's also one of the most easy-to-live-with and reliable sports cars ever made, and the aftermarket support for these are bonkers. You can choose to leave it stock and enjoy it as a summer roadster, or you can turn it into a complete monster that can obliterate track times. It's all up to you.