10 Best Sports Cars under $20,000

Let’s be honest: The most important thing you need when shopping for the best sports cars under $20,000 is a large imagination. Oh, there are some relatively athletic new vehicles below that price, including at least one actual sports car worthy of the name. Most, however, are mainstream small cars.

It’s just that nowadays, even choices like these can offer sharp-edged handling, turbocharged engines, dynamic design cues and a thoroughly enjoyable driving experience. And if those vehicles rarely exceed 150 horsepower, guess what? That’s the kind of output folks in the early 1980s were “enjoying” from their muscle cars. It’s also worth noting that, regardless of how much performance it buys, $20K will cover a surprising number of upscale features, too.

At the top of our list of best sports cars under $20,000 — in terms of both pricing and performance — is the 2017 FIAT 500 Abarth. The “small but wicked” Fiat is a track-ready athlete that lives up to its promise with a sport-tuned suspension, a lowered ride height, bigger brakes, wider tires and a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine with a sport-tuned dual exhaust.

That four-cylinder turbo kicks out 150 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque, with the output managed by a five-speed manual transmission. Then, in the cabin, owners benefit from standard racing-style front bucket seats and, for the driver, an Abarth-designed multi-function steering wheel with a perforated leather wrap and a thick, flat-bottomed rim — all for $19,995.

In the good old days, the Mazda MX-5 Miata would have qualified as one of the best sports cars under $20,000. Now, though, it’s compacts like the 2018 Mazda3 that deliver "Zoom-Zoom" DNA with sub-$20K pricing. To be clear, both the Mazda3 sedan and hatchback both slip in under our budget ceiling, as the former has an MSRP of $18,095 and the latter starts at $19,345. Both also benefit from recent updates that make them even more fun to drive. For example, starting from 2017, all Mazda3 trims come standard with G-Vectoring Control technology. According to Mazda, that setup “uses engine timing to control chassis dynamics … resulting in greater confidence and control for the driver.”

Available in sedan and hatchback body styles, the 2018 Chevrolet Sonic combines subcompact dimensions with big-time technologies such as a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot and Android Auto/Apple CarPlay smartphone integration.

But for today’s performance-focused gallery, the Sonic also checks in with an optional turbocharged engine and an RS upgrade package. With that 1.4-liter four-cylinder, the Sonic makes 138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque. To put these numbers into context, the standard engine in a rival like the Nissan Versa tops out at 109 hp and 107 lb-ft. Next, the RS bundle brings aggressive touches that range from a leather-wrapped, flat-bottomed steering wheel to front fog lamps to an aero-style body kit.

Honda, another brand that’s well known for affordable performance, carries on that tradition with two of our best sports cars under $20,000. First up is the 2017 Honda Civic coupe, which certainly looks the part. The latest edition has dramatically expressive sheet metal, a large lower-intake area and matching front fog-light pockets. Honda engineers also worked overtime to tighten the coupe’s handling, and the car now features “the most sophisticated chassis design” ever used in a Civic.

A further performance innovation is standard Agile Handling Assist technology. This system automatically adjusts brake force on the car’s inside front wheel to improve cornering. A 158-horsepower four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual transmission highlight the standard powertrain.

Also among Honda’s best sports cars under $20,000 is the 2018 Honda Fit. A subcompact hatchback with an impressively versatile cabin, the Fit has long been considered one of the segment’s most rewarding driver’s cars. That hasn’t changed for the new model year, of course, although what is new is the Fit’s dedicated Sport edition. The Sport relies on the same six-speed manual transmission and peppy 130-horsepower four-cylinder engine as the standard Fit, but it complements that setup with integrated fog lights, a front splitter with eye-popping orange trim, a rear diffuser with similar accents and a chrome exhaust finisher. In the cabin are black seats with orange stitching plus an infotainment system with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay technology.

As mentioned, many of the best sports cars under $20,000 are athletic versions of mainstream choices. In turn, that means they usually have mainstream designs, too. There are a few choices with relatively exotic looks at low prices though, such as the 2017 Hyundai Veloster.

The Veloster is a subcompact hatchback with a distinctively sculpted front end, aggressive wheel arches and, for a sporty finishing touch, standard center-mounted chrome-tipped dual exhaust outlets. Nor should customers forget the Veloster’s handy passenger-side third door, which provides easier access to the rear seat. Naturally, the optional 201-horsepower turbo is out of reach with a $20k price cap, but a six-speed manual transmission helps make the most of the Veloster’s 132-horsepower standard engine.

The Blue Oval also has a pair of the best sports cars under $20,000, but sadly, none of Ford’s hottest hatches make the cut. On the other hand, in the subcompact segment, the 2017 Ford Fiesta SE brings the same foundation as the car's 197-horsepower ST trim. But it can be ordered with its own turbo engine for less than $16,000. Indeed, the SE’s optional powerplant, a 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder, has earned an International Engine of the Year Award for six years in a row. Earning kudos from drivers is that engine’s 123 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque, the latter being a healthy 10 percent jump in torque over the Fiesta’s standard engine.

Customers who want to move up a size class will find the second of Ford’s best sports cars under $20,000. As with the subcompact Fiesta, the 2017 Ford Focus compact car is built on the same platform as an ST hot-hatch edition, and for the Focus family, the automaker also offers an even higher-performing RS. Optimum driver engagement in our gallery doesn’t come with the hatchback, however. Since that body style isn’t available with a manual transmission for less than $20K, enthusiasts should concentrate on the Focus sedan. In the four-door configuration, a five-speed manual transmission can be used to leverage 160 horsepower and 146 lb-ft of torque for $16,775.

Meanwhile, for the best sports cars under $20,000 with standard all-wheel drive — the only car under $20,000 with standard AWD, for that matter — Subaru offers its compact Impreza in both sedan and hatchback body styles. Although the current-generation Impreza hasn't yet spawned a rally-focused WRX version (today's WRX is still based on the old model), buyers can have confidence that Subaru planned ahead; we're sure that this vehicle was also built to spawn a WRX variant soon.

Also boosting excitement levels for the Impreza is its symmetrical all-wheel drive, since it doesn’t just increase grip in bad weather but also does the same in extreme driving maneuvers. Another Subaru hallmark — a boxer-style engine with its cylinders laid flat — further helps handling by lowering the car’s center of gravity.

After reading this far, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of the best sports cars under $20,000 share their platforms with “real” performance models. The 2017 Volkswagen Golf, for instance, provides the starting point for both the VW GTI and the even higher-powered Golf R. As a result, the standard Golf can show off plenty of dynamic handling potential, and shoppers also should keep in mind that the entry trim is fairly well powered in its own right: The standard engine for the Golf is a 1.8-liter turbo that feeds 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque through a five-speed manual transmission. Standard as well with every Golf model is the XDS Cross Differential System, which can adjust braking power to the Golf’s inside front wheel to enhance stability, handling and cornering performance.