March 08 2023
Believe it or not, there is such a thing as a fun to drive, affordable sports car, and several vehicles fall into this category!
And since it can be difficult to know which sports car to choose based on your tastes and budget, we’ve prepared a list of the best sports cars, value for money; moreover, these models are also among the best used sports cars!
Named best compact sports car of 2023 by The Car Guide, the Volkswagen Golf GTI has a starting price of $34,932 and is available in GTI, Autobahn and Performance versions, all offering a choice of manual or automatic transmission.
Under the hood is a 2.0-litre, 241-horsepower, 4-cylinder engine that will get you from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds; you’ll also get front-wheel drive as well as highway fuel efficiency ranging from 7.0 to 7.3 L/100 km.
There’s plenty of room inside, with 5 seats and a cargo volume ranging from 564 to 977 litres.
If you are looking for the most reliable sports car under $40,000, the Golf GTI is a must-have!
Want even more power? This Volkswagen sedan also comes in a Golf R model, which has a 315-horsepower engine that is also paired with a manual or automatic transmission. And unusually in this category, it comes standard with all-wheel mdrive. Finally, the Golf R will allow you to accelerate from 0 to 100 k/h in as little as 4.9 seconds and gets 8.3 L/100 km on the highway. Find out more about the Golf R here!
Golf GTI 40th Anniversary
Honda’s Civic Si is also one of the more affordable sports cars you’ll find on the market. In fact, it has a starting price of $36,910 and offers a very dynamic design.
Its 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine offers 200 horsepower, less than the Golf GTI, and it only comes in one version. And if fuel efficiency is important to you, the Civic Si has only a consumption of 6.4 L/100 km on the highway.
However, you’ll have a 408-litre trunk, which is satisfactory for a sedan.
On another note, the Civic Type R is comparable to the Golf R since it offers the same amount of power (315 horsepower); however, it is only available with a manual transmission and does not offer all-wheel drive. Nevertheless, it still remains a very interesting car.
The 2023 Subaru WRX is the Golf GTI’s long-time rival, and its base price of $34,783 is practically the same as the Golf GTI’s, give or take a few dollars. It is slightly more powerful than the Volkswagen sedan with a 271-hp 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engine, but that extra horsepower comes at a price: depending on the model, it delivers between 9.0 and 9.4 L/100 km on the highway.
And like most Subaru vehicles, this sporty compact has constant-gear all-wheel drive, and on the utility side, you get a 354-litre trunk. Still not sure if AWD is right for you? Learn more about the difference between AWD and 4WD here.
On our roads for almost 60 years, the Ford Mustang is also an affordable sports car... in its base trim. The Mustang has a starting price of $35,355, similar to the Golf GTI, but the bill can rapidly climb to over $100,000 for the Shelby GT500, which was retired in 2022.
Under its hood, the Mustang can hold a variety of engines, ranging from 310 to 470 horsepower, all of which are paired with rear-wheel drive. And while these engines are more powerful than the Golf GTI and Golf R, the Mustang displays a 0-100 km/h time ranging from 5.0 to 6.2 seconds, which is similar to or even slower than that of the Volkswagen model, mainly due to its larger size.
On the other hand, the 2023 Mustang offers room for 4 passengers and 383 litres of cargo space.
The Chevrolet Camaro, like the Mustang, is an affordable sports car, as long as you stay in the entry-level versions. Indeed, its starting price is $32,293 but it can easily reach more than $80,000!
In terms of power, the Camaro offers engines with horsepower ranging between 275 and 650, for a higher fuel consumption on the road than the Golf GTO, at 8.3 L/100 km.
Moreover, the Camaro trunk capacity reaches 258 litres of space, which is worth considering if you need more room.
Finally, the Mazda MX-5 closes our list of affordable sports cars. With a base price of $35,895, a friendly silhouette and surprising fuel efficiency, the “Miata” is one of the best value sports cars on the market.
With only one engine, a 181-horsepower 2.0-litre 4-cylinder, the MX-5 has a formidable fuel efficiency of 6.6 L/100 km on the highway.
However, it is not intended for everyone, since it’s a two-seater vehicle...
This table displays the main features and differences between these models, so you’ll have a better idea of which sports car to buy based on your needs and budget!
| Golf GTI - Golf R | Civic Si - Type R | Subaru WRX | Ford Mustang | Chevrolet Camaro | Mazda MX-5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base price | $34,932 $51,239 | $36,910 $50,050 | $34,783 | $35,355 | $32,293 | 35895 |
| Base power | 241 hp 315 hp | 200 hp 315 hp | 271 hp | 310 hp | 275 hp | 181 hp |
| Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive | All-wheel drive | Rear-wheel drive | Rear-wheel drive | Rear-wheel drive |
| No of seats | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Cargo volume | 564 - 977 L | 408 L | 354 L | 383 L | 258 L | 130 L |
If you would like to learn more about these sporty vehicles, including the Golf GTI and the Golf R, come and see us at Volkswagen Blainville near Mirabel today!
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