Best Of
The Cheapest Sports Cars 2026
A sports car is a dream for any car nut – here are the ones that help make the fantasy feel a little more within reach
Words by: Dan Trent
Last updated on 22 July 2026 | 0 min read
Sports cars look to be something of an endangered species, or at least the more affordable ones seem to be. Certainly, a number of the models previously on this list have since gone off sale as manufacturers prune their line-ups to hit average CO2 targets. All very worthy, of course. But a sports car remains a dream for many, especially ones that seem within reach in terms of purchase price and running costs.But how to define a sports car? There are sporty SUVs, sporty hatchbacks and – now – sporty electric cars as well. But for the purposes of this list we reckon a sports car should be a coupe or convertible with the focus on driving thrills over practical concerns. For the fact this is a car you dream about driving for the hell of it, not just for getting from A-to-B. And what counts as affordable? That’s a tricky one, especially given the market for cheaper sports cars seems to have all but disappeared. There are still a few, but we’ll set an arbitrary upper limit of about £60,000 here. Hardly ‘cheap’, but hopefully a dream that looks at least within reach, one day at least. To the selection!
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MG Cyberster
Mazda MX-5
Ford Mustang GT
Caterham Seven
Alpine A110
Porsche 718 Cayman
BMW Z4
Toyota GR Supra
Audi TT
Toyota GR86
MG Cyberster
A new entry to the list and the first all-electric sports car to really nail a relatively affordable price point. For all the sleek lines the bits underneath are actually derived from the MG4, not that you’d know at first glance given the sleek lines and mad doors. For those with longer memories this actually fits with MG’s traditions of building affordable sports cars out of everyday bits, the Cyberster nailing the brief with its classic open-top two-seater format. Having driven both models we actually prefer the more affordable single-motor Trophy version as well, given it feels that little bit lighter and more agile than the faster twin-motor GT. It’s not perfect – the seating position is a bit tall and the screens are confusing. But MG deserves credit for making the first electric roadster you could consider relatively affordable!
Read the full review and find your MG Cyberster on Autotrader Back to top
Read the full review and find your MG Cyberster on Autotrader Back to top
Mazda MX-5
Also inspired by classic MGs and the other classic 60s sports cars owned by the team of petrolhead car nuts who developed the original version, the MX-5’s secret is to fixate on the fun of driving rather than chasing impressive horsepower figures or lap times. Four generations on, the latest car sticks to the same formula and, while most hot hatches would leave it for dead in performance terms, the MX-5’s revvy engine, classic rear-wheel drive balance and sheer sense of fun deliver a true sporting drive for the price of a mid-spec supermini.
Read the full review and find your Mazda MX-5 on Autotrader Back to top
Read the full review and find your Mazda MX-5 on Autotrader Back to top
Ford Mustang GT
Is the big, heavy Ford Mustang really sporty enough to be here? Technically it is, of course, a muscle car. But it’s a two-door coupe, it’s got a big V8 engine and its sole aim is to put a fat grin on your face every time you drive it. Which it absolutely does. And Mustangs have always had a presence in racing, from the 60s to the present day. So, yes, we we’ll give it a pass as a proper sports car. Just a very American one. While it has been significantly updated and improved recently if it were our money we’d probably seek out one of the earlier versions of this latest generation as a used buy, given they feel just that bit more … Mustang. You’ll spend a lot on fuel but the big Ford has always sold on its affordable thrills, and it’s literally a lot of car for the money.
Read the full review or find a Ford Mustang on Autotrader Back to top
Read the full review or find a Ford Mustang on Autotrader Back to top
Caterham Seven
Created by Lotus founder Colin Chapman in 1957 as the OG cheap, affordable sports car, the rights to the Seven were taken on by Caterham in 1973 and the formula remains as pure as it always has been. The Seven is so simple you can even build it yourself if you want, which saves a bit of money and makes the whole thing even more affordable. The cheapest Seven 170 costs about as much as an MX-5 and uses a small Suzuki engine with a mere 85 horsepower but still hits 0-62mph in under seven seconds. That price increases quickly for the more potent versions but in bang for buck terms they’re still great value. There’s not much to it – some motorbikes look luxurious in comparison – but you won’t find a more thrilling drive for the money. And they hold their value so well you’ll probably get most of it back when you’ve scratched the itch. With supplies of the Ford engines it’s used for decades now drying up a new deal with powertrain supplier Horse Technologies seems to have secured its future, too.
Find your Caterham Seven on Autotrader Back to top
Find your Caterham Seven on Autotrader Back to top
Alpine A110
A mid-engined coupe built by a brand with a proud sporting heritage stretching back many decades, created by a man with motorsport in his blood? No, not Ferrari. And not Ferrari money, either. True, £55,000 for a two-seat sports car may be stretching the ‘cheap’ angle a little but, for what you get, the Alpine A110 is, all things relative, an absolute bargain. And good enough that many have been bought by supercar owners to add to their collections alongside, yes, Ferraris, Porsches and other exotica. Thank the combination of Gallic style and fact Alpine has delivered Lotus-style minimalism without forgetting the creature comforts, the A110 lighter than most hot hatches but delivering true sports car performance from a mere 1.8-litre engine. Comfortable, cool and even pretty good on fuel, the Alpine is just as usable on the day to day as it is for track days and road trips. And the best news? For all the faster, fancier and more expensive versions since added to the A110 line-up it remains at its best in its cheapest, purest and most affordable trim.
Read the full review and while unfortunately they are no longer available new, find your used Alpine A110 on Autotrader Back to top
Read the full review and while unfortunately they are no longer available new, find your used Alpine A110 on Autotrader Back to top
Porsche 718 Cayman
A recently discontinued icon, the 718 Cayman is the first rung on the Porsche sports car ladder and, arguably, the purest and one of the best models it makes, full stop. The temptations to go for the faster, more expensive versions or add lots of options are hard to resist. But exercise self-discipline, stay off the extras and a base 718 Cayman is one of the finest sports cars at any price. With a 300 horsepower engine driving the rear wheels through a gorgeous manual gearbox, the allure of that badge and beautifully balanced handling, even this entry-level model hits 0-62mph in just 5.1 seconds and can go on to 170mph. But it’s the fun it delivers at a third of that on a twisty road that really sets it apart. Get in there quick before it’s gone for good.
Read the full review and find your Porsche 718 Cayman on Autotrader Back to top
Read the full review and find your Porsche 718 Cayman on Autotrader Back to top
BMW Z4
Another much-loved model we're sad to see leave the showroom, the BMW Z4 may be configured more as a luxurious open top cruiser than a corner-carving speed merchant like the similarly priced Porsche Boxster. Perhaps more like a junior Mercedes SL, in that sense. But it’s still a two-seat convertible with a big, powerful petrol engine under the long bonnet so we’ll say it counts. Not least for the fact that in a curious move BMW has gifted it a manual gearbox option as a retirement present, this known by its German Handschalter description. Just because.
Read the full review and find your BMW Z4 on Autotrader Back to top
Read the full review and find your BMW Z4 on Autotrader Back to top
Toyota Supra
OK, the Supra is no longer available new. But it’s still fresh enough to score one with very low miles and it’s near enough. It also deserves inclusion here for the fact it’s a reinvention of a very Japanese interpretation of the classic American muscle car, Supras of old famously popular with tuners and capable of taking huge power upgrades. This latest one – built in partnership with BMW and sharing much with the Z4 as it happens – keeps much of the same character, with a powerful and easily tuned turbocharged six-cylinder engine, muscular power delivery and rear-wheel drive thrills to keep you on your toes. There was even a manual option for the true traditionalists. An under-appreciated modern sports car, and yours for the price of a hot hatch.
Read the full review and find your Toyota Supra on Autotrader Back to top
Read the full review and find your Toyota Supra on Autotrader Back to top
Audi TT
Another recently departed hero, is the Audi TT really a sports car? Well, it always put style first and there were sharper alternatives on the driving front. But it’s a low-slung, good looking and desirable car with a good balance of performance, decent handling and – on more powerful models – Audi’s signature all-wheel drive. And back in 2017 you voted it your Most Fun Car to Drive 2017! Available in lots of different combinations of engine, gearbox and with the choice of coupe or convertible the TT back catalogue stretches from the affordable to the collectable, late-model RS versions with their powerful five-cylinder engines especially sought after.
Read the full review and find your Audi TT on Autotrader Back to top
Read the full review and find your Audi TT on Autotrader Back to top
Toyota GR86
It wasn’t that long ago Toyota had a whole line-up of sporty GR models to choose from, and the GR86 is still fresh enough in the memory that there are plenty of nearly-new ones to choose from for about the same money as an MX-5. On the face of it the GR86 offers a similar formula, being light on power but big on focus and fun, with a revvy engine, slick manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive handling balance we’ll tactfully describe as entertaining. In the right hands. A development of the previous (and also brilliant) GT86, the GR version addressed many of that cars shortcomings in terms of power delivery and kit and would absolutely be the top of our list if we were looking for a true sports car for sensible money. With the added bonus that it’s a Toyota, so it will never break.
Read the full review and find your Toyota GR86 on Autotrader Back to top
Read the full review and find your Toyota GR86 on Autotrader Back to top
