Putting the thrill back into driving and looking cool aren’t usually the kind of features advertised for your run-of-the-mill used car. But when it’s time to buy a car, and you narrow your search to used sports cars, you get thrills, the cool factor, and a car you’ll love for less than you may think. Whether your wish list includes quick and nimble efficiency or all-out performance and handling, you’ll find budget-minded options on our list.
Top 5 Best Used Budget Sports Cars
Are the best budget sports cars the most practical choice? Do they boast exceptional fuel economy? For the most part, no and no. Do sports cars deliver exhilarating speed, tight handling, and an overall sense of excitement? Yes, yes, and yes. You know what we’re talking about, or you wouldn’t be reading this! Driving a sports car is, above all else, about driving fast in style. Here are a few extremely fun-driving used budget sports cars that won’t break the bank.
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is one of the most iconic muscle cars with an affordable price tag. You get loads of horsepower and plenty of torque for a high-performance driving experience. The Mustang is an excellent choice for the best used sports cars at any price. The Mustang ranks as one of the most popular sports cars, and the advanced safety features make it one of the safest. If you want iconic looks, exhilarating performance, and a slice of Americana, the Mustang fits the bill.
Chevy Camaro
Another sports car icon that’s led the pack for decades is the Chevrolet Camaro. Like the Mustang, you get sporty styling, plenty of pep, and tight handling. You also get impressive reliability. The Camaro has a predicted reliability score of 86 out of 100, so you can enjoy the driving thrills for years to come. The cabin offers ample legroom, and the infotainment system is convenient and user-friendly. Features like audio volume and speed limit controls make the Camaro one of the safest sports cars for teenagers. Not surprisingly, the highly-competitive price point of the Camaro makes it one of the best used cars under $20,000.
Dodge Challenger
Since 1970, the Dodge Challenger has been one of the most iconic pony cars, and today, that icon is faster, quicker, and more nimble than ever. Old-school muscle car looks and modern technology come together with a V-8 engine that can create 485 horsepower to deliver a new kind of driving thrill. The Challenger is a heavier sports car like the classic but still provides superior handling, responsive maneuvering, and advanced safety features. All that power and technology, and the Challenger still ranked third for affordable sports cars and has an overall 5-Star Safety Rating.
Dodge Charger
Yep, another Dodge. While the Charger and Challenger share many of the same performance levels, the Charger is built as an invigorating full-size sedan. The Dodge Charger may be the most successful sports car model to find the balance between performance and practicality. You get more passenger and cargo space, imposing exterior styling, and classic muscle-car-inspired cabin. We’re not saying the Charger is your typical luxury car, but the stylish interior and powerful infotainment system are luxury caliber.
Hyundai Veloster
Is there such a thing as a fun, cheap sports car? If you mean cheap, like quality, probably not. If you mean cheap, as in inexpensive but high-quality, the answer is the Hyundai Veloster. The Veloster’s price tag is highly competitive and the model offers a unique take on the traditional coupe sports car. The 275-horsepower turbo makes the Veloster more fun than it should be to drive. It’s a quick and responsive hatchback that offers plenty of safety, including forward collision warning and lane-keep assistance.
While you can easily find the best used sports cars selling for much less than they were new, always do your homework. These are, after all, sports cars, so the previous owner might have been more thrilled with speed than maintenance! Any of our best budget sports cars offer tremendous value as long as they’ve been well-maintained. If you want to take the guesswork out of the equation, always buy from a reputable local dealership.
Explore the Best Used Sports Cars at Car Time Supercenter
Are you ready to drive the sports car of your dreams without crushing your budget? Car Time Supercenter is a local family-owned used car dealership in Tucson that helps drivers afford cars and trucks they love. You can read about sports cars all day long, but nothing beats getting behind the wheel to know you’ve found the one. Browse our extensive used car inventory, find a few favorites, and stop by the lot for a test drive or two. We make getting behind the wheel of your next car fast and easy with flexible financing and competitive pricing.
There are good reasons people will buy their next used car in Tucson from Car Time Supercenter. But I think we are one of the most trusted used car dealerships mainly because we treat everyone like family. My family has provided quality, dependable local used cars to Tucson customers since 1984, and I’m proud to be a part of our continued success.
Like many family-owned businesses, I grew up going to work with my dad. Falling in love with cars was natural because of my father’s passion, and eventually, I came to love the car business just like him. I officially joined the Car Time Supercenter team in 2012, starting in the finance department. Over the past decade, I’ve learned the used car business and how to treat customers from my family and industry resources.
Today, I oversee marketing, social media, inventory, and reconditioning, so I play an essential role in delivering local Tucson used car buyers the best experience possible. I also help our family business keep up with the times while providing old-fashioned customer service. From attending NADA classes to becoming Allstate certified for back-end products, I continue to learn and add skills to serve our customers better.
