Best Small Sports Cars for 2025
Sports cars come in many shapes and sizes, with the common denominator among them being their thrilling drive and excellent handling requirements. And when it comes to getting the adrenalin pumping, few vehicles are as nimble, engaging, responsive, and enjoyable as small sports cars. Their slight size and powerful engines result in more benefits than just being a joy to pilot, however. With the definition of what constitutes a sports car becoming increasingly blurry in an era where virtually any type of vehicle can be transformed into a track monster, our list includes cars that may not look like true sports cars at first glance, but definitely have the performance credentials worthy of the category. Here is a list of the best small sports cars available in the USA for 2025.
Vehicles are assigned a BuzzScore in relation to their direct segment competitors, and as such, vehicles in this list, while similarly scored, do not necessarily compete directly against one another. Find out more about how the BuzzScore ratings work here. These lists are continuously updated with the latest BuzzScores and vehicles as they become available.
This list includes conventional two-door sports cars as well as other compact, high-performance cars with different body styles, including sports sedans and hot hatchbacks.
1
Honda Civic Type R
The best small sporty car on our list, with a BuzzScore of 8.9 out of 10, is the Honda Civic Type R. It’s not the fastest model here, but it’s well-balanced and a blast around the track or in the canyons. While the Civic Type R brings a lot to the table with its manual transmission, Honda was the most popular manual manufacturer of 2024. The Type R is the most intense version of the Civic, so it comes with a higher price tag than the rest at a base of $45,895. It’s powered by a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder that makes 315 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, which can send it from 0-60 in just under five seconds and reach a top speed of 170 mph.
“It’s entering and handling in the corner where the Type R impresses the most, though. Instead of understeer and push, the rear axle feels mobile, and lifting off the throttle brings the back around in a smooth arc. The chassis is too well-balanced to bring on snap oversteer without severe driver error.”
– Ian Wright, Senior Road Tester, CarBuzz
2
BMW M2
2025 BMW M2
- Base Trim Engine
-
3.0 twin-turbocharged straight-six
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
473 hp
- Base MSRP
-
$68,200
When talking about the best small sports cars, the BMW M2 is an obvious choice. It’s a two-door coupe with big power, great handling, and sharp looks. Some might still find the look devisive, but it’s aggressively modern, and at least it doesn’t have the huge kidney grilles like the M3 and M4. Sitting at the top of the 2 Series lineup, the M2 starts at $68,200. Driving the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission is a 3.0-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder that makes 473 hp and 406 lb-ft. BMW claims it can do the 0-60 sprint in 4.1 seconds and reach 177 mph with the M Driver’s Package equipped.
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3
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Not all small sports cars are coupes. In fact, we think the Volkswagen Golf GTI makes for one of the best hatchbacks. With a BuzzScore of 8.6 out of 10, it comfortably makes the top ten best small sports cars. The 2025 model is not for sale at the time of writing, but VW announced pricing for both the GTI and Golf R, which placed the GTI at a base price of $32,445 for the base model S trim. It’ll still be front-wheel drive and have a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder under the hood, but exact power specs are not available yet. However, the European-spec 2025 GTI currently gets 262 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, which is probably close to what we’ll get in the U.S.
4
Mercedes-AMG CLA 35
Another small sports car from Germany is the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35. Four-door sports cars from Mercedes are plentiful through AMG, and this is one small model that makes our list with an 8.4 out of 10. It’s not the most powerful AMG, but it’s still sporty with a handful of AMG-specific cosmetic upgrades and a boost in power. The CLA 35 starts at $56,100, which is comparable to rivals like the Audi S3. Driving all four wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is a 2.0-liter turbo inline-four-cylinder that makes 302 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Mercedes-Benz claims it can do 0-60 in a respectable 4.8 seconds, and it can reach 155 miles per hour.
5
Toyota GR Corolla
Little sports cars like the Toyota GR Corolla are some of the most fun you can have in an all-wheel-drive hatchback. It offers a superb balance of usable power, light weight, AWD, and, of course, Toyota’s reliability, which makes this small car one of the most fun driving experiences. While the base price of $38,860 sounds steep for a Corolla, the GR version makes up for it with a 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder that somehow pushes 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. According to Toyota, it can sprint from 0-60 in just 4.9 seconds and reach a top speed of about 143 mph.
“We still recommend the GR Corolla as one of the most entertaining hot hatchbacks ever built, but there are still some compromises to make with it. It’s smaller than competitors, less refined as a daily driver, and the interior feels less premium. Toyota has given potential customers one fewer excuse to skip the GR Corolla by adding an automatic transmission while staying true to enthusiasts with a standard manual. The automatic transmission may not be the one we’d select, but it makes the GR Corolla more appealing, not less.”
– Jared Rosenholtz, Editor-at-Large, CarBuzz
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6
BMW Z4 Roadster
2025 BMW Z4 Roadster
- Base MSRP
-
$54,500
- Engine
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2.0L Turbo I4 | 3.0L Turbo I6
- Horsepower
-
255 hp (2.0L) | 382 hp (3.0L)
Among the smallest sports cars is the BMW Z4 Roadster. Unfortunately, BMW says it’ll be discontinuing the Z4 soon, so get one while you still can. There are two versions to choose from: the sDrive30i, which starts at $54,500, or the M40i, which starts at $66,450. Powering the less expensive version is a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder that makes 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft, but the higher-end version gets a 3.0-liter turbo six-cylinder that makes 382 hp and 369 lb-ft. The Z4 M40i can do 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds. Both versions ar electronically limited to 155 mph.
7
Toyota GR Supra
Sharing a powertrain with the Z4 M40i is an equally engaging and fun sports car from Toyota: the GR Supra. The 2026 model is now on sale, but some lots might still have the 2025 model sitting around, which started at $56,900. It’s powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six that makes 382 horsepower and 368 lb-ft. Toyota says it’ll do 0-60 in 3.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 mph.
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8
Mazda MX-5 Miata
2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata
- Base MSRP
-
$29,330
- Base Trim Engine
-
2.0-Liter I4
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
181 HP @ 7,000 RPM
Both versions of the Mazda MX-5 Miata are tiny sports cars that we can’t forget about. Its near 50/50 weight balance and low center of gravity make this little two-door car a fun driver. One of the best parts about the Miata isn’t just its size, but the small price to go with it. Mazda kept it a hair under $30k with a starting price of $29,530. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. Obviously, the MX-5 is not a super-quick car with a 0-60 time of about six seconds, but it’s not made for straight-line speed.
“It’s brisk off the line, the manual transmission is joyous to work the three-pedal-dance with, and the chassis is perfectly balanced to invite any driving style to have fun with.”
– Ian Wright, Senior Road Tester, CarBuzz
9
Mazda MX-5 Miata RF
For a slightly more expensive version of the MX-5, try the Miata RF with a hardtop convertible similar to a Porsche Targa top. Despite costing more than the regular Miata, the RF is still the cheapest hardtop convertible in the United States. It doesn’t have any direct rivals, but you could compare its driving experience to that of the Toyota GR86, which we’ll go into more detail about next. The Miata RF starts at $37,550. Under the hood is the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder as before that makes 181 hp and 151 lb-ft. Also, like the other version, the RF isn’t quick in a straight line; it can do 0-60 in about six seconds.
10
Toyota GR86
2025 Toyota GR86
- Base MSRP
-
$30,000
- Base Trim Engine
-
2.4-Liter Flat-4
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
228 HP @ 7,000 RPM
The last compact sports car to make the top ten is the Toyota GR86. It’s a wonderfully-balanced and good-looking coupe that somehow still doesn’t cost a fortune. The 2025 model year was pushed to start at exactly $30,000 despite being just under the 30k threshold for so long. However, that’s not a huge price to pay for such a fun car. It has maintained its image over the last decade by being a lightweight coupe with low power, but a low center of gravity that can be tossed around. The GR86 is powered by a 2.4-liter flat-four-cylinder that makes 228 hp and 184 lb-ft. It can hit 60 mph from a dig in 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph.
Best Of The Rest
2025 Audi RS3
- Base Trim Engine
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2.5L turbo Inline 5
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
394 hp
What To Consider When Buying A Compact Sports Car
Buying a compact sports car obviously means you’ll need to make some sacrifices, but does the good outweigh the bad? Here are the pros and cons of the smallest sports cars.
Pros
- Easy to maneuver due to small size
- Efficient due to low curb weights and small-displacement turbocharged engines
- Sporty good looks and various body styles
- Small sports cars have reasonable price tags
Cons
- Not as powerful or rapid as larger performance cars
- The best small sporty cars are oftten impractical in terms of cargo space
- Space for passengers is often limited
Sources: Honda, Toyota, Mazda, BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen
