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Best New Performance Cars for under $50,000 in 2024
You don’t need to spend that much to have fun in a new car, as these sports coupes, hot hatchbacks, and performance sedans prove.By Brian Silvestro and Joey CapparellaUpdated: Jul 18, 2024
The Manufacturers
You might not have a huge amount of money to spend on a new performance car, but for about the average price of a new car you can get a variety of great machines that are at home on either a racetrack or your favorite curvy road. These picks run the gamut from hot hatch to muscle car, and all have a base price of less than $50,000. We’ve listed them in order of least to most expensive.
If you’re looking only for a more traditional sports car, check out our list of affordable sports cars. But these days, performance cars can take many different shapes.
More Fun New Cars: Fun Cars with Good MPG | Best Japanese Sports Cars Ever Made | Best 4-Door Sports Cars | Best Cars with Manual Transmissions
2024 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
VW
Price: $29,310
The Volkswagen Golf GTI, also found on this list, is the quintessential VW performance car. But if you’d rather have your GTI sedan-flavored, good news, you can get exactly that in the form of a Jetta GLI. It gets a 228-hp turbocharged inline-four paired to either a six-speed manual or dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Thanks to a stiffer setup and an independent suspension out back, it’s effectively a GTI sedan—perfect for those who prefer the look over a hatch. Plus, it’s cheaper than the GTI.
Here are all the details on the Upcoming 2025 GLI
2024 Honda Civic Si
Price: $30,195
There’s no way to go wrong with a Civic Si. It’s the king of affordable, reliable, fun transportation for those who need a practical car for every day.
A punchy 200-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired to a slick-shifting manual transmission is the only powertrain available, and we wouldn’t recommend it any other way. And it offers the same space-efficient package as every other Civic sedan for when you need the back seat or the trunk.
2024 Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ
Price: $30,435
Except for the wonderful Mazda MX-5 Miata, the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ twins might just be the most exciting affordable sports cars on sale today. A perfect chassis matched to expert suspension tuning and exceptional steering is finally paired with the 228-hp engine it always deserved.
Here’s our comparison test vs. the Miata
2024 Acura Integra
Price: $32,995
The new Integra might not be the overly simple, lightweight pocket-rocket we remember from the previous generation car, but it’s still a great time. It uses the same engine and six-speed manual from the Civic Si in a more mature, better-equipped body.
The Integra represents a pretty good value, too. Because it’s essentially a Honda underneath, you know it’ll last for hundreds of thousands of miles without issue. The sensational Integra Type S is a bit too expensive to truly be considered affordable, but you can still get a manual in the standard model for under $40,000 if you opt for the A-Spec and Technology packages.
2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI
Price: $33,190
While the eighth-generation Volkswagen GTI isn’t a massive leap over the old car, it’s still a great choice for those looking for fun on a budget. It’s also one of the only hot hatches left for sale in America right now.
If you can get over the terrible infotainment system layout, you won’t be disappointed by the GTI’s dynamics and sophisticated suspension. Act fast if you want the manual transmission, because 2024 will be the last model year for the six-speed shift-for-yourself option.
2024 Subaru WRX
Price: $33,855
Need a fun car that can do it all? Look no further than the Subaru WRX. The all-wheel-drive sports sedan has been the go-to for enthusiasts on a budget for decades, and that continues for this newest model.
While it might not be as lightweight or communicative as its BRZ sports-car sibling, there’s still plenty of fun to be had behind the wheel of the WRX thanks to its 271-hp turbocharged flat-four and standard six-speed manual transmission.
Read our track review right here
2024 Hyundai Elantra N
Price: $34,850
With the Veloster N discontinued, the four-door Elantra N sedan is one of the only left to carry the flag for Hyundai’s N division. But that’s ok, because the Elantra N is fantastic.
Looks and weird clutch action aside, the Elantra N is one of the best four-door driving experiences on the market right now. Wonderful steering and a chassis built to rotate means endless fun on track or in the twisties.
Here’s why the Elantra N is a performance bargain
2024 Toyota GR Corolla
Price: $37,635
No, the GR Corolla isn’t the GR Yaris homologation special we were hoping Toyota would bring to the United States. But it’s still a hot hatch with 300 hp, a six-speed manual transmission, and a trick AWD system. And it drives wonderfully. So we can’t complain much. There’s a new rumor that it might add an automatic transmission, which could broaden its appeal.
Watch our track review with Matt Farah
2025 BMW 2-Series
Price: $40,375
The BMW M2 is the two-door, rear-wheel-drive coupe with a roundel logo on its hood that everyone is talking about, but that doesn’t mean that the lesser 2-series coupe models aren’t worth a look. The lineup starts with the 230i for just above $40,000, which comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 255 horsepower.
That may not sound like much when compared with the M240i (pictured) and its 382-hp turbo inline-six, but the 230i is lightweight and playful enough that it manages to be remarkably fun to drive.
See Updates to the M2 and 2-Series for 2025
2024 Honda Civic Type R
Price: $45,890
You might think a 315-horsepower front-wheel drive car would be a mess, but oh man, it isn’t. The Civic Type R is an absolute monster, with tons of track potential and a thrilling driving experience. Its price sounds like a lot for a Civic, but it’s well worth the cash. If you don’t mind the big wing, it’s one of the best sport compacts ever made.
2024 Ford Mustang GT
Price: $44,055
From a pure performance-per-dollar perspective, it’s tough to beat the V-8-powered Mustang GT. It comes with a 486-hp 5.0-liter V-8 for less than $45,000 to start, and a six-speed manual is standard equipment. Even more performance-oriented versions are available, such as the track-ready Dark Horse, but we had tons of fun driving the GT with the Performance package, and any V-8 Mustang delivers that classic muscle-car rumble.
We Drive the Mustang GT and Have a Blast
2024 Volkswagen Golf R
Price: $46,890
If you’re looking for the most high-performance VW for sale right now, look no further than the Golf R. It packs 315 horsepower under the hood and sends power to all four wheels via either a manual or dual-clutch DSG gearbox. An update is coming for 2025 that sadly removes the manual transmission from the option list, so there’s no time like the present if you want a German hot hatch with three pedals in your garage.
