For many people, sports cars lack a lot of practicality and therefor are reserved as weekend cars rather than daily drivers. It’s easier for people to spend money on comfort and tech for a car that they drive each and every day, but it’s harder for people to justify spending the extra money. There are a handful of sports cars you can buy brand new for a relatively affordable price, like the Mazda Miata. In fact, you can buy these fan-favorite sports cars for under $30,000 without compromising style and reliability.

The crowd favorite

The Mazda Miata has had a fan base for a long time, so it’s no surprise that the 2020 MX-5 Miata makes the top of the list. The most aggressively styled year yet, the Miata handles corners with expert precision, and they have a good history of reliability. Better yet, you can still buy a new Mazda Miata with a manual transmission, giving it a genuine sports car experience.

Buying a 2017 or even a newer used model of the Mazda Miata is also a great option for getting the same car at an even lower price. The Miata’s small stature and light weight means it handles well on roads, but it doesn’t have much trunk space for a daily drive. They are comfortable enough to spend hours in if you’re stuck in traffic though, so they could be a good daily driver for the right person.

The Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86

We might as well clump the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 together because they are mostly the same car — and not in the with that the new Toyota Supra and BMW Z4 are. Regardless, both of these options are reliable and affordable. They aren’t the fastest cars on the market, but they are accessible and known for their fun handling experience.

There aren’t a lot of variations between the two cars or there limited trim levels, but that’s okay with us. The starting prices for both cars begin around $27,000 and even with the highest trim level and options don’t range much further than $32,000.

These cars are not only affordable to purchase, they are also inexpensive to maintain as well as repair. You can customize these cars from front to back and inside and out, making them your own in a way that is too expensive to do with higher-end exotic vehicles. Some of these might even make an excellent daily driver depending on what you’re looking for, but regardless of your intentions, you can buy all of these options brand new for under $30,000.