Top 10 Affordable Sports Cars of the Year

 If properly maintained, these 10 sports cars are built to survive for years. HotCars found eligible sports cars made between 1994 and 2024 and picked the models that spend the smallest amount on annual maintenance, depending on RepairPal statistics and estimated 10-year costs from CarEdge. For a sports car to be on the list, it had to be dependable and its overall cost of use should not be too high, according to people who own them. When no repair costs could be found for the vehicle, its reliability rating and running costs were observed to decide if it meets the requirements for inclusion in the Top 10 Affordable Sports Cars of the Year.

Coming in second was the 2005 Honda S200, which played a big role in the Fast and Furious franchise. The engine inside this Japanese car has four cylinders and produces 240 horsepower through naturally aspirated means. Owners of Honda S200 need to budget about $404 annually for its routine maintenance. On a close note, the Subaru BRZ, which appeared in 2013 and has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 200 horsepower, finishes the top three. Generally, the owners of this type of vehicle pay about $672 each year for upkeep and repairs. Based on HotCars, Mazda’s MX-5 Miata of 2000 starts the list as the top reliable sports car due to its favorable cost and features.

There are many legendary models in the rating

More than twenty years ago, this roadster came with a 1.8-liter engine that gives it 140 horsepower. Every year, owners of this model tend to spend about $429 on its maintenance. Though people usually identify the Jetta as a family car, they always have other alternatives for it. The exception is the Jetta GLI that features a 2.0-liter turbo engine and delivers 228 hp. Grt engine teams up with a manual or a dual-clutch transmission with seven gears. Furthermore, the enhanced performance of handling comes from the special sport-style suspension.

Exteriorly, the GLI isn’t as equipped as its GTI sibling, but you can solve this problem with trim levels: The Autobahn trim includes a bigger instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof, and sporty ventilated front seats. The amount of space you get in the Jetta GLI sedan is an additional advantage that should not go unnoticed. If the Jetta GLI comes with high-quality rubber, it acts as a well-mannered car and does not look for thrills during trips. The car slowly accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 6 seconds. Rather than stressing good speed, the GLI’s strong point is how well it handles.

Volkswagen Golf GTI

The WRX model from Subaru came in these trims: WRX (base), Premium, Limited, STI and STI Limited. The car can be purchased in auctions for around $ 30 thousand. Nevertheless, we think the standard model is worth choosing since its performance remains the same. These cars are mainly about performance, not the comfort they offer. No other sedan offers more power, five-passenger all-wheel drive, and lower price in the long run. The basic 2-liter WRX engine gives 268 horsepower, which is more than most of its competitors are able to produce.

There is strong acceleration in this engine, and it hardly has any issues with power. In addition, the model was updated last year, in 2022. The sound and feel of the car improved based on an enhanced two-liter turbo engine. There are more horsepower (271 hp), yet the car still manages daily use with a level of appetite (12.4 versus 11.4 l/100 km for the previous model). The bottom trim features Subaru’s all-wheel drive as well as a standard 6-speed manual transmission.

CVT is only one of the choices (luckily, it does not affect the joy of driving a WRX)

Finally, the WRX sits at the top as the most entertaining all-wheel-drive car since Mitsubishi stopped making the Lancer Evolution. In second position is the 2005 Honda S2000, which gained popularity due to its appearance in the Fast and the Furious franchise. Keeping a Honda S200 in good condition only costs its owners an average of $404 per annum. The list ends with the 2013 Subaru BRZ, which has a 2.0 liter engine and makes no more than 200 horsepower.

Those who own this model pay about $672 each year for its maintenance. The company introduced this small roadster nearly two decades ago, and it comes with a 1.8- Liter engine that generates 140 horsepower. On average, owners of this model use $429 every year for maintenance.

Conclusion

Formerly called the Mazda MX-5, the Mazda Miata has an elegant design for sports cars at a low price. Given how its two-seat roadster shape and power-folding roof make it stylish, it’s difficult to imagine that it came in under $30,000 when new (instead of the more expensive Audi counterpart). Because the base Miata has a 181 hp 2.0-liter engine, comes with a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive, it’s really exciting to drive. All trim levels include an infotainment screen with touch input, phone syncing for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, and the unusual CD player.

Miata’s advantage and disadvantage stem from its size. The space is very limited even for two individuals. Its engine has enough power to make the car impressive: the time it takes to reach 60 mph is just 5.7 seconds. Mitsubishi is proud to say that the Lancer’s handling matches that of Jaguar F-Type and Porsche Boxster cars. Also, don’t forget that the car is a much cheaper choice. Not only is the Miata lots of fun to drive, it is also very fuel efficient for a sports car, achieving up to 9 l/100 km in the city and up to 7 l/100 km on the highway when you select a manual transmission.