Given a choice, many people who love to drive, who appreciate the way a vehicle responds to various road conditions, or just plain love to go fast, would select a sportscar for transportation. To the enthusiast, a car is not merely a means of getting from point A to point B, but it’s the experience that counts.
Sportscars are designed and built with high-performance and handling as priorities. To achieve these objectives, comfort is often sacrificed. As a result, the car that gives the driver a racetrack experience seldom makes a good daily driver.
Heavy traffic on the way to the office, kids that need to get to their soccer game on time, and a trip to the grocery store require features not usually found in high-performance cars. However, a few inexpensive vehicles that make efficient daily drivers also include some sportscar type characteristics.
Here are twenty cheap daily drivers that handle very well, and make the driver smile on the way to the grocery store.
20. 2012 Mazda Miata, $12,000
Via: The Car Connection
The Miata may not be the ideal car for hauling groceries or transporting the kids to their soccer game, but it is an inexpensive and fun way to get to the office.
The Mazda offers a compact design with a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine that produces 167 horsepower. The affordable sportscar provides responsive handling, and reliability prompting the Guinness Book of World Records to designate the Miata as the “best-selling two-seat sports car in history.”
19. 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth, Under $10,000
Via: motorauthority.com
Fiat claims that more than 500,000 of the reborn Fiat 500s were sold worldwide before their arrival in the U.S. in 2011. The successful sales say a lot for the car’s appeal to a multigeneration buyer group. The Abarth version offers the same daily driver features but with performance enhancements. The powerful engine that delivers 160 hp at 5500 rpm and the sportier ride make it a fun car to drive.
18. 2003 BMW E39 5-Series, Under $5,000
Via: Wikipedia
The BMW 5-Series E39 sedans made from 1995 to 2003 were once considered the best executive sports sedan in the world.
An owner wrote: “Driving it is a real thrill that never gets old. We've taken it on several long trips, and it just loves the open road. Seats are amazingly comfortable. Usually, back seats are a weak point in most sedans, but this BMW has very comfortable rear seats.”
17. 1995 Ford Mustang GT, Under $8,000
Via: Motor1
The fourth-generation Mustang introduced in late 1993 was sleeker, more modern, better built, and more powerful than its predecessor. The 4.6-liter modular V8 generated 260 horsepower, a respectable number for the era.
Considered a muscle car rather than a sports car, the ’65 Mustang provided more than decent performance while serving its owner well as a daily driver.
16. 1983 Porsche 944, Under $6,000
Via: Wikipedia
While the 1883 Porsche 944 equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produced 170 hp accelerated to 60 mph in a respectable 7.5 seconds, it was the handling that shined.
The gearbox is located on the rear axle providing an ideal weight distribution. The result is a sportscar that corners better than many high-performance cars that sold at a much higher price.
15. 1991 Nissan 300ZX, $7,500
Via: Hagerty
The 300ZX was a Corvette killer when first introduced in 1989. The optional twin-turbo engine producing 300 hp had the designers at Chevrolet scrambling to match the power output.
Nissan offered the naturally aspirated version in both a two-seater and a GT-type 2+2 trim, but the turbo was strictly for two. When it was introduced, the automotive media wrote rave reviews of the fourth generation ZX. Either model would make a fun daily driver.
14. 1984 Toyota MR2, Under $10,000
Via: en.wheelsage.com
The first-generation MR2 introduced in 1984 featured a 1.5-liter and optional supercharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. The power plant was centrally mounted behind the driver and between the cabin and rear axle. The design created a mid-engine sports car with excellent performance, superb road holding, and an affordable price.
The dynamic handling and spirited driving machine can be purchased used for less than $10,000.
13. 2000 Audi TT Roadster, Under $7,000
Via: Pinterest
The Audi TT Roadster is a head-turner wherever it goes. But the unique rounded styling is not the only feature that attracts attention.
On the Roadster, a manual soft-top with a glass rear window and defogger stows behind the seats. When the top is lowered, a power glass windbreak in the shape of roll bars rises behind the seats.
12. 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT, Under $5,000
Via: enwheelsage.org
A used base model 3000GT can be found for just a few bucks and even the VR-4, while a bit more expensive is a good buy.
One owner wrote in cargurus.com wrote: “Acceleration, braking, [and] handling is good. It's fun to drive. Interior is stylish [but] needs more style in the dashboard. The exterior [is] stylish [but] needs more style in the back… You should buy this one.”
11. 1985 Mitsubishi Starion, Under $12,000
Via: Shannons
The 1985 Starion represents the classic styling of the 1980s with its bulged fenders and pop-up headlights. Several engines were offered that year, with the best performer being the 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 155 hp. While the original car was not an exceptional performer, simple modifications can be made to double the horsepower. But even in unmodified form, the Mitsubishi is a fun car to drive, and it makes an excellent daily driver.
10. 2008 Acura TL Type S, About $10,000
Via: Auto Gruppe
The Acura TL is an inexpensive daily driver with excellent performance characteristics that could last for several hundred thousand miles.
A Jalopnik.com writer claimed: “I wouldn’t want to buy a used car with so many miles on it, but it’s different with the Acura TL Type S. You will have to take a sledgehammer to the engine to kill it, but even then, it might find a way to keep going. If you read this, then you know that 200,000 miles for an Acura TL is no big deal.”
9. 2006 Nissan Sentra SE-R, Under $5,000
Via: Top Speed
The Sentra has modern features not found on older cars, making it an ideal daily driver. It came with ABS brakes, air conditioning, power windows, and a leather-trimmed interior.
Although the front-wheel-drive Nissan doesn’t have exceptional handling compared to other cars in its class, the Sentra SE-R still handles well and has adequate steering and decent brakes.
8. 1992 BMW 3-Series E30, $3,000
Via: autoevolution
The 3-Series E30 was one of BMW’s most successful cars, with over 2.2 million produced between 1982 and 1992. The model established the company as the premium manufacturer of compact, powerful cars.
The small, rear-wheel-drive chassis boasted perfect weight distribution, lightweight, and an attractive design. The 325i delivers 170 horsepower, the handling is precise, the parts are inexpensive and readily available.
7. 2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP, Under $7,000
Via: mecum.com
The intercooled and direct-injection turbocharged 2.0-liter version of GM's four-cylinder Ecotec in the Solstice GXP generates 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The sportscar gets part of its excellent handling from a limited-slip differential and anti-lock brakes.
The GXP is another car that is perhaps not ideal for hauling the entire family to the movie theater, but it can be purchased at a reasonable price, and it is fun to drive to the office.
6. 1998 Volkswagen Golf Mk3 VR6, Under $3,000
Via: EgageSportMode
During the years 1992 to 1998, when Volkswagen produced the Golf Mk3 VR6, it was one of the most powerful front-wheel-drive hatchbacks on the market. The VR6 engine produced 170 horsepower. The performance was lively, and even today, a well-maintained Golf with a VR6 competes well against 20-year younger hot hatchbacks.
5. 1998 Saab 900, Under $4,000
Via: autobelle.it
Saab enthusiasts are never heard pleading “the sob story” (Saab). Most claim the 900 is one of the most dependable classic cars available.
One Edmunds.com owner wrote: “Bought my Saab in 1998, and have refused to replace it, no matter how dinged up it has gotten. I feel incredibly safe in it... it is built like a truck. And, for all its battle scars getting me around all these years. It is still my beautiful, copper-colored Saab. It has needed very few repairs…” Sounds like a reliable daily driver.
4. 1988 Jaguar XJ40, Under $10,000
Via: educatia.info
A previously owned XJ40 in good condition, equipped with a straight-six, automatic transmission, and leather interior, can provide the owner with an exceptional daily driver and perhaps some prestige as well.
While it is not sportscar-type performance, the legendary Jaguar provides a blend of effortless and pampering ride, with outstanding progressive handling when required. In a word, the XJ40 is a real Jaguar: Smooth.
3. 1994 Lexus SC 300 Coupe, Under $9,000
Via: fastestlaps.com
In 1994 Toyota gave the Lexus SC 300 Coupe a plush and luxurious interior for the utmost in comfort and a 3.0-liter straight-six engine that produced 225 horsepower for reasonable performance. Both features made the SC 300 a legitimate Gran Turismo automobile and a formidable competitor for the Cadillac Eldorado and the Mercedes SL.
At under $9,000 it is a steal!
2. 2008 Chrysler Crossfire, Under $10,000
Via: es-us.finanzas.yahoo.com
Although the Crossfire suffers from the use of older technology (based on the Mercedes-Benz SLK underneath which debuted way back in 1997), the car is an intriguing combination of American style and German-sourced mechanicals.
The outdated 215-hp V6 under the hood is a tad less responsive than the competitor’s cars in the same price range, although it’s respectable. Perhaps the best benefit to owning the Chrysler-Daimler creation is the fact that very few inexpensive sportscars can turn heads like the Crossfire.
1. 2002 BMW Z3, $14,000
Via: Wikipedia
Shortly after being featured in the James Bond movie, GoldenEye, the BMW Z3 made its introduction for the 1996 model year. The production run lasted until 2002.
The M-version of the Z3 Roadster and coupe is a favorite of sportscar enthusiasts but was pricey when released. However, the affordable non-M trim with a six-cylinder engine offers a silky-smooth ride and excellent handling.
Sources: roadandtrack.com, motortrend.com, topspeed.com
