Best Sports Cars in 2024

Sports cars are aspirational for many of us, offering the speed and driving thrills our daily drivers lack. Even though the market for sports cars has cooled a bit, there are still plenty of great models to choose from, some of which have quite reasonable price tags. We’ve gathered a list of the best sports cars on sale in 2024 to help you get started down the right path.

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CarTalk’s editors and contributors have decades of combined experience driving, testing, and critiquing cars of all types. We evaluate vehicles objectively, and pull out the most important information about each model. Our opinions on specific vehicles are driven by first-hand experience, and we don’t sugarcoat a problem when we see it, or experience it ourselves.

At the same time, we know that not everyone can afford sports cars, or if they can, there’s no room in the budget for an extra vehicle. With that in mind, we identified sports cars that could be driven every day, and that offer at least some degree of utility to go with the thrills.

Best Sports Car of 2024

• Best Overall Sports Car: Chevrolet Corvette
• Best Budget Sports Car: Toyota GR86
• Best Electrified Sports Car: Kia EV6 GT
• Best Sports Car for Safety: Volkswagen Golf R
• Best Sports Car for Reliability: Honda Civic Type R
• Best Sports Car for Luxury: Audi RS3
• Best Sports Car for Snow: Toyota GR Corolla
• Best Sports Car for Parents with 2+ Kids: Audi RS6

What’s the Best Sports Car Overall?

Chevrolet redesigned the Corvette a few years back, giving it a striking mid-engine makeover. The car gained supercar-like handling and a bold look that puts it on the level with Europe’s best performance cars. More recently, Chevy introduced two new variants, including a hybrid model with all-wheel drive and a ferocious track monster Z06. At the same time, the standard car has been busy racking up rave reviews from all corners of the internet, and owners seem extremely happy with their purchases.

Chevy also did all of that at a price point far below any comparable car from Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini, or Audi. Though there may be a few of the Corvette’s typical cheap-ish interior bits, the car’s design and overall quality have made it an ideal performance car for people not wanting to spend $200,000.

Best Budget Sports Car: Toyota GR86

Toyota redesigned the GR86 alongside the Subaru BRZ in 2022. The updates brought more power, better tech, and revised styling. With the changes, Toyota gave the car the push it needed to be truly engaging, and the updated car is far more lively to drive than its predecessor. It’s also usable every day, though only for people without the need for a back seat.

Best Electrified Sports Car: Kia EV6 GT

Though it trades a significant amount of range to achieve its performance, the Kia EV6 GT is a supercar wrapped in an electric SUV’s body. Kia managed to derive stunning acceleration and all the tire-smoking capabilities anyone could want, and did so at a somewhat reasonable price. At the same time, the EV brings a spacious and handsome interior, solid storage space, and comfortable seating for five people.

Best Sports Car for Safety: Volkswagen Golf R

VW’s hottest hatchback earned a Top Safety Pick + for 2022, though it hasn’t been subjected to the new side-crash testing, and offers a rowdy all-wheel drive powertrain with neat technology. Though its touch-only interior setup is confusing for some, Volkswagen’s performance car offers a refined and thoroughly entertaining driving experience that others, like the Civic Type R, don’t.

Best Sports Car for Luxury: Audi RS3

The Audi RS3’s five-cylinder powertrain and all-wheel drive combine for an experience unlike anything else on the market today. Its ferocious engine delivers a 3.3-second 0-60 mph time and the quarter mile passes by in less than 12 seconds. Inside, the car sports Audi’s typically posh materials and design. Though it’s not the most spacious car in the automaker’s lineup, the RS3 impresses with front-seat comfort and build quality.

Best Sports Car for Snow: Toyota GR Corolla

The Toyota GR Corolla combines an impressive turbocharged three-cylinder engine with a rally-bred all-wheel drive system for a car that can’t be beat in the snow. Toyota equipped the car with a trick differential that enables different torque splits between the front and rear wheels, and a manual transmission is the only available gearbox. The GR retains the utility of the Corolla Hatchback, though the back seat is not the most accommodating for adults.

Most Reliable Sports Car: Honda Civic Type R

This award is based on previous data for the Honda Civic Type R, as we expect the new model to continue carrying the quality torch that its predecessors have. The new car has improved cooling and can run to 60 mph from a standstill in fewer than five seconds. It offers all the great Civic practicality that has made the car such a popular choice for buyers wanting value and engagement. Like many others on this list, however, the Civic Type R is exceedingly difficult to find on dealers’ lots and may be more expensive as a result.

What’s the Safest Sports Car?

Many automakers offer advanced safety features or equip them as standard on their sports cars, but looking at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R are solid choices, along with the Honda Civic Type R. The two VWs performed extremely well in 2022, but haven’t been fully tested for 2023. The Honda Civic earned a Top Safety Pick for 2023, but only got an “Acceptable” score in the new side crash test.

Should I Buy a Sports Car?

Sports cars, even ones with four doors and lots of cargo space, are emotional purchases, and shouldn’t be on your shopping list unless you’ve considered the pros and cons. Sure, the driving experience, acceleration, and sound are all great reasons to buy one, but your insurance, gas, and monthly payment may increase at the same time. Finally, it’s only a good idea to buy a sports car if your lifestyle can accommodate it. Stressing over monthly payments and trying to deal with limited interior space or a rough ride will cause the shine to wear off the new purchase in a hurry.

How Much Do Sports Cars Cost?

Sports cars range in price from the mid-$20,000 range to deep six-figure MSRPs. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a mint to get an engaging car, but your expectations need to be aligned with the amount you’re shelling out. The Toyota GR86, for example, offers thrilling performance for under $30,000, but stepping up another $10,000 buys a Honda Civic Type R that is much more powerful and capable. The old saying that “you get what you pay for” is especially true with sports cars, so it’s best to wait until you can afford the model you really want.

That said, today’s car market is crazy, and it can be difficult to find models at or below MSRP. The prices you see listed below are directly from the manufacturer and may not represent an actual at-the-dealer price.

How Many People Can Fit in a Sports Car?

Many sports cars offer a back seat, though it’s strictly ornamental in quite a few. That said, it’s best to count on only carrying two people in whatever sports car you buy, unless you’re shopping for a car explicitly marketed as being able to haul a family, like the Audi RS6.

What Should I Look For in a Sports Car?

Speed, acceleration, and power output are good places to start, but they’re hardly all you need to consider. Sports cars need to be comfortable and pleasant inside so that you can focus all of your attention on driving. They need to feel engaging and offer the sensation you wanted when you started shopping. It’s also important to check reliability ratings, and some models perform much better than others.

How Much Cargo Space Do Sports Cars Have?

Look, people don’t always buy sports cars for their practicality, but it’s nice to have when you need it. Many sports cars on our list offer usable trunk and back seat space, so let’s see where they shake out.

Are Sports Cars Good on Gas?

Fuel economy often takes a back seat to performance in sports cars, so it’s not always reasonable to expect efficiency with your speed. Even so, many models come with three- or four-cylinder engines that don’t guzzle fuel like the burly V8s many of us grew up drooling over.

Should I Get an Electric Sports Car?

Electric vehicles, including sporty models, are typically more expensive than their gas counterparts. That said, many models also offer staggering acceleration and torque from their electric powertrains, and can make the run from 0-60 quicker than some supercars. Despite that performance, EVs don’t always offer the same visceral thrill that gas engines can, and their heavier curb weights can make them less agile taking corners.

Best Sports Car to Haul the Kids and Dogs?

Even if you’re burdened - maybe blessed is a better word here - with children and pets, you can still have fun. Though the Audi RS6 is ridiculously expensive and difficult to find, it offers five usable seats and a massive cargo space capable of comfortably accommodating a large dog or plenty of gear.