At some point, every gearhead has spent their time drooling over some unobtainable sports car that are reserved for the lucky few with overflowing bank accounts.
However, we don’t really need those cars to have tons of fun behind the wheel. In fact, it’s possible to get a great driver’s car for a song.
We’ve created a list of fun cars that are currently not on most people’s radar, so if you want one, now is the time to get it. Not all of them are cheap, but prices are almost guaranteed to increase as people begin to notice them.
Pontiac Solstice
The Pontiac Solstice has found itself on the receiving end of some trash talk; to be fair, most of it is deserved. It has more than its fair share of flaws, and while most issues are relatively inexpensive to fix, it adds up quickly if it’s a lemon. Luckily, it’s not all doom and gloom, as the Solstice gets some important factors right.
It looks cool and stylish, and if buy the GXP trim, it’s powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine producing 260 horses — more than enough to leave a Miata in the dust.
Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4
It sounds weird that a 300-hp, tech-packed flagship model is underrated, but that’s currently the case with the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4. It was very popular when it first arrived, but can potentially be costly to maintain.
These days, it’s possible to find affordable 3000GT VR4s, meaning you can have a sports car with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, AWD, active aero, and adaptive suspension without selling a kidney.
7th-gen Toyota Celica
Many car enthusiasts don’t like the seventh-gen Toyota Celica, mostly because of its design and the fact that it’s only available with FWD.
Those willing to look past that can get their hands on an excellent and reliable sports coupe without spending a fortune. It’s especially enjoyable in GT-S spec, as it has a 2ZZ 1.8-liter engine generating close to 200 hp.
Toyota MR-2 Spyder
Right now, the Toyota MR-2 Spyder is one of the most underrated Japanese sports cars from its era. Most of them have skyrocketed in price, but it’s still possible to pick up one of these mid-engined, open-top gems for reasonable money.
The MR-2 Spyder is built strictly for driving pleasure, and if you need something that’s even just slightly practical, you should look elsewhere.
Mazdaspeed3
You’ve probably guessed that the Mazdaspeed3 is the performance version of the Mazda3. Under the hood, we find a turbocharged 2.3-liter engine generating 263 hp, meaning it packs a punch even if it all goes to the front wheels.
It’s as practical as any other sedan or hatchback, but can keep up with other, more high-profile Japanese performance cars, such as the Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru WRX.
Fiat 124 Spider
There are a couple of reasons why many gearheads turn their nose up at the Fiat 124 Spider. For one, it’s a Fiat, a brand that doesn’t have the best reputation regarding reliability. Secondly, it only has a puny 1.4-liter turbo engine.
However, the 124 Spider is built on the same platform and in the same factory as the Mazda MX-5 Miata, so it’s guaranteed to be fun to drive, and quality is much better than Fiat’s other offerings. In addition, that turbocharged 1.4-liter churns out 170 hp in stock form, and it’s possible to extract more with some quality aftermarket parts and proper tuning.
Kia Stinger
Imagine going 25 years back in time and telling people that Kia will make some truly exhilarating driver’s cars. Nobody would believe it! Yet, here we are. The Koreans hired some of the German automakers’ top talent, and since then, they’ve churned out cars that are truly fun to drive.
One such model is the Kia Stinger GT, an absolute beast of a sports sedan. The top-spec version has a turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 engine that kicks out 368 horsepower, a premium interior, and more gadgets and tech than you can shake a stick at. Most people still haven’t caught on to it, though.
Honda Del Sol
Honda’s Del Sol is essentially a Civic with a targa roof. Unfortunately, that roof is also the cause of its biggest problem — water leaks. That said, it’s still an excellent little sports car.
Since it’s built on the Civic platform, there’s a ton of power-, suspension-, and styling upgrades readily available, allowing owners to really make it their own.
Ford Probe
When Ford initially came up with the Probe, the intention was to build a car that would replace the iconic Mustang. Now, we all know that didn’t happen! It was nowhere near as cool as the Mustang, but questionable name aside, the Probe is still a great car.
The 2.5-liter V6 version was particularly good, but since it was never as popular as Ford had hoped, they canceled it after just seven years.
Lancia Thema 8.32
Lancia’s cars, such as the 037, Stratos, and Delta Integrale, dominated the world’s rally stages for years. However, the Italian company also made some fun and quirky luxury cars.
Lancia built the Thema sedan from 1984 to 1994, and it’s packing technology and luxuries that put it right up there with the German sedans. Looking at the Thema 8.32, you’d never expect it to have a 32-valve V8 engine built by Ferrari under the hood.
Porsche 928
In the 1970s, Porsche felt there was a shift from pure sports cars toward grand tourers, so they came up with the 928 as a replacement for the 911. Luckily, the 911 lived on, and while the 928 is nowhere near as exciting, it’s still worth checking out — especially if you want to cross continents in classic style.
Under its pointy hood, the 928 was packing a large and powerful V8. Most of these cars had automatic transmissions, which may explain why it’s not as popular as other Porsches.
NC Mazda Miata
Yes, we know that the Mazda Miata isn’t overlooked or underrated. In fact, it’s probably one of the most hyped-up cars ever — but there’s a reason for that. It truly is as good as they say… and Miata is always the answer.
However, in the world of Miatas, the third generation is severely overlooked. It does have somewhat questionable styling, but in its defense, it’s also packing a larger, more powerful 2.0-liter engine, and the handling is as good as ever.
Lotus Elan M100
Lotus is known for its lightweight sports cars, and the 1990s Elan is no exception to that rule. Unfortunately, purists and driving enthusiasts didn’t like Lotus giving it a front-wheel drive setup, so it was never as popular as the brand’s other models. Eventually, Lotus sold the Elan rights to Kia, but it wasn’t successful for the Koreans either.
The Lotus Elan isn’t powerful, but since it’s light and well-balanced, driving on twisty roads is a lot of fun.