Car enthusiasts love small, cheap sports cars. As well as those two adjectives, they're great fun to drive, decently equipped, and in all but a handful of cases, they look fantastic. Not all of them are necessarily reliable, but if you maintain them well and regularly, they shouldn't give you too many headaches or sleepless nights. The small, fun sports car seems to be on its way out, but not all hope is lost around this segment of the market just yet.

If there's one small, cheap sports car that towers above them all, it's the Mazda MX-5 Miata. It has dominated the sports car segment for over 30 years now. The Miata represents quite possibly the best way to spend money on a sports car as it also includes a good dollop of that reliability stuff that people really want. While there are tons of reasons why you should get a Miata, there are other sports car options worth considering.

10 It's Cheap

Front 3/4 view of a white MX-5 Club on the move
Mazda

32 years and four generations later, one thing about the Miata has never changed; it's relatively inexpensive. The latest version is a very affordable way to get a brand-new, RWD, manual transmission, two-seat roadster with great all-around performance.

The rear of the MX-5 Club in white on a coastal road
Mazda

RELATED: This Is How Much A First-Generation 1989 Mazda MX-5 Miata Costs Today

Pricing for the base 2022 Miata starts at just $27,300. That's not truly dirt cheap, and if it's too much, why not look at the used market? Older Miata models can be found for around $7,000 in decent condition and without any major modifications. For such a fun, ubiquitous roadster, that's short money.

9 Few Cars Are More Fun To Drive

The front of the NC Miata on the move
Mazda

There really is no other way to put it, the Miata really is some of the most fun you can have behind the wheel of an automobile. We promise, we're not sponsored, it just is. It's compact, it's peppy, it has agile handling and great steering, and the shifter is so good that it's been used as a benchmark for comparing other manual shifters the industry over.

The rear of the NC Miata
Mazda

What's more, it doesn't take a lot of modification to make a Miata handle even better than it already does. A good set of tires and maybe a shiny new set of coilovers will turn the Mazda from a hooligan's dream to a complete riot. You really don't need a big turbo or similar. If the most important thing about a car for you is it making you smile behind the wheel, you're in good hands with the Miata.

8 It Looks Great

Front 3/4 view of a bright blue NB MX-5
Mazda

There are arguments thrown around about this, but most of us can agree that the Miata is a good-looking car. If you're willing to forgive the big, oval mouth of the NC generation, all Miatas look good, and at the very least, none of them are truly ugly.

Rear 3/4 view of a light blue NB MX-5
Mazda

RELATED: Here Are The 10 Ultimate Mazda MX-5 Miata Models

Most people gospel the NA, due to its pop-up headlights, but in truth, every Miata has a unique touch, and it's certainly cool to see how each one perfectly represents Mazda's design language of the time when it was released.

7 Excellent Aftermarket Support

The front of a red NA Miata
Mazda

If you're in the market for a Miata, chances are, you'd want to do it up just a little. Good news for you; the Miata is, historically, one of the best supported cars by the aftermarket you can buy.

The rear of a red NA Miata
Mazda

Tons of companies, both small and big, make aftermarket parts for the Miata, from individual throttle bodies, to bespoke roll bars, to all sorts of awesome aerodynamic parts, and even a company that makes digital gauges specifically for the (NA) Miata. If you like to modify your car, and that car is a Miata, the aftermarket has you covered.

6 A Future Classic

Front 3/4 view of a Soul Red MX-5 RF
Mazda

As we approach a fully electric era, even though Mazda has something to say about that, cars like the Miata are on track to becoming future classics. This has been proven in the rising prices of pristine early Miatas, and they're only going to get higher from here.

Rear 3/4 view of a white MX-5 RF
Mazda

With the weight that the Miata nameplate carries, you can expect these to be worth bigger money in a few decades. Even though the Miata is an awesome sports car, the auto industry has given us some fantastic alternatives, and a lot of them excel in areas that the Miata simply can't match. Still, there's just so much to love about it.

5 Alternative - Porsche Boxster (987)

The front of a red 987 Boxster
Via: Porsche

It's true that the Boxster, which turned 25 last year, is in a class above the Miata, as it's much more powerful and more expensive to buy. But, one look at the used market shows that the playing field has been leveled; a good, used 987 Boxster costs about the same as a new Miata, or possibly less if you're lucky.

Rear 3/4 view of a red 987 Boxster
Porsche

RELATED: 8 Reasons Why We Love The Porsche Boxster (2 Reasons Why We'd Never Buy One)

That's pretty good, considering that you get a six-cylinder engine as opposed to a four-cylinder, truly fantastic dynamics, a lot more luxury and a more premium overall feel. Plus, as German cars tend to go, the Boxster is pretty reliable if you maintain it correctly and regularly.

4 Alternative - BMW Z4 (E85)

Front 3/4 view of a silver E85 BMW Z4
BMW

Perhaps one of the best efforts from BMW's Z family is the original E85 Z4. Launched in 2002, the Z4 was a little bit bigger and more modern than the preceding Z3, but it was still a fantastic two-seat roadster.

Rear 3/4 view of a silver E85 Z4 cornering hard
Via: BMW

If open-top thrills aren't your things, the Z4 was also available as a coupe, although that version is a fair bit rarer. There was even an M version, which had pretty much double the power of any Miata at the time. The Z4 is an excellent roadster, they're pretty cheap on the used market, and if it's well-maintained it shouldn't give you that much to worry about.

3 Alternative - Honda S2000

The front of a gray S2000 AP1, top down
Honda

As a revival of their iconic S roadsters, and as an answer to the Miata, Honda put together the legendary S2000 in 1999 for the 2000 model year. The S2K followed the same basic principle as the Miata; a four-cylinder engine in a compact, lightweight, simple roadster body, with a soft top roof to boot.

The rear of the S2000 on the move
Via Honda

The only thing is, the S2000 was way more powerful, and it could rev to 8,000 or 9,000 RPM depending on the year. It also had a decent amount of creature comforts, like cruise control and a great audio system. Unmodified, well-kept examples of the S2000 are getting expensive, however, and don't get us started on the astronomical CR.

2 Alternative - Toyota GR86

Front 3/4 view of the GR86
Via Toyota

Of course, you'd have to turn to the used market if you're considering any of the aforementioned alternatives. If you absolutely want to buy new, it's hard to do better than the new Toyota GR86. It's essentially a Miata with a fixed roof, (pretty much unusable) back seats, and again, more power.

Rear 3/4 view of the GR86 on the move
Via Toyota

RELATED: Here's What We Now Know About The Toyota GR86

The 2.4-liter boxer under the hood develops 228 hp, and the GR86 still retains the RWD hoonage capabilities of the previous generation car. A 6-speed manual is standard, of course, but you can also have an automatic with paddle shifters. It's priced almost like a new Miata, so if you can do without a folding roof, this one is a no-brainer.

1 Alternative - Fiat 500 Abarth

The front of a white 500 Abarth on track
Fiat

Admittedly, this one really isn't a sports car by definition. But, it puts such a huge smile on the driver's face when running through the gears or going 'round turns, that it's enough to count it as one. The Fiat 500 Abarth was around in North America for quite a while, and used examples are getting cheaper and cheaper by the minute.

The rear of a white 500 Abarth on track
Fiat

Amazingly, this one produces about as much power as a base Miata. With FWD, you can't really do any power slides in it, but you can defeat the stability control for some lovely lift-off oversteer shenanigans on the racetrack. It's decently equipped, and as long as you prepare for potential FCA reliability headaches, the Abarth is a great choice.