Sports cars are the holy grail for many car enthusiasts. Watching TV presenters drive Aston Martins, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis on winding mountain roads, with roaring exhaust notes blasting through your flat-screen’s speakers will get the old blood pump going in the most laid-back gearhead.
Unfortunately, cars like these also tend to cost a fortune to both purchase and maintain. Luckily, there are some excellent sports cars out there that are overshadowed by their rivals or flagship siblings. If you’re a driving enthusiast, I think they’re definitely worth looking into.
Porsche Boxster
Many car enthusiasts still jokingly refer to the Boxster as the “poor man’s Porsche.” Well, if being poor means having a mid-engined sports car with near-perfect 45–55% weight distribution, then I’m all for it!
Early models suffered from the infamous IMS issues, but that was sorted out by 2009. Spanning three generations, my pick of the litter would be a second-gen Boxster S with the 3.4-liter engine producing around 300 hp and mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
Toyota Supra 2.0
People still like to comment that the latest-gen Toyota Supra is nothing more than a BMW Z4 in a different dress. Well, what’s wrong with that, exactly? Just like it’s predecessor, the A90 Supra enjoys a vast aftermarket and has proven itself to be highly tunable.
Downsizing to the 2.0-liter version means you’ll get a lighter car with better weight distribution, sharper, more agile steering, and improved ride quality. It does come at the cost of slightly slower acceleration and no manual gearbox, though.
Lotus Emira
The Lotus Emira is finally available to Americans, and it’s by far one of the most underrated sports cars on the market. In true Lotus fashion, it’s a proper driver’s car.
Behind the driver, there’s either a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder from AMG, or a Toyota-sourced supercharged 3.5-liter V6 mill. Chances are you won’t see many Emiras in the wild, as it doesn’t have the same status as the Porsche Cayman or Chevy Corvette.
Lexus LC500
Lexus may just be the best carmaker in the world right now, and it’s also one of the most underrated. According to Consumer Reports, it’s among the most reliable brands out there, yet many consumers haven’t even heard of the Lexus LC500.
With a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 churning out 471 hp and 398 lb-ft, it has enough oomph to satisfy all but the most power-hungry enthusiast, reaching 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. Did I mention that it costs roughly half of what you’d pay for a 2025 Mercedes-AMG SL 63?!
Honda / Acura NSX
The original NSX was a total game changer when it was released, forcing the likes of Ferrari to go back to the drawing board. Up until that point, supercars were demanding to drive and own, but the NSX was as easygoing as your average Honda Accord. Weirdly, it wasn’t particularly popular while it was in production.
After years of fans begging for a new NSX, Honda/Acura finally gave in to their request in 2016, more than a decade after the first-gen was discontinued. Again, it revolutionized the segment, this time with a hybrid powertrain producing nearly 600 hp and plenty of fancy tech. Just like its predecessor, not many people bought one.
BMW i8
BMW also released a ground-breaking sports car in 2016, in the form of the i8, but as good as it was, it also received a lot of complaints — mostly regarding its performance.
Its price tag was in the supercar territory, but with a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine from the Mini and an electric motor generating 370 hp combined, its power didn’t match the price. However, it’s still plenty of fun to drive, looks great, and doesn’t drink fuel like proper supercars do.
Fiat Abarth 124 Spider
Now, it’s fair to say that Fiat has experienced some reliability issues over the years. However, most of those don’t apply to the Abarth 124 Spider.
This open-top roadster is essentially a Mazda MX-5 Miata, as it uses the same platform, and even rolls off the same assembly line. They’re not completely identical, however, as they have different styling, and Fiat decided to use its own turbocharged 1.4-liter unit rather than the Mazda’s naturally aspirated 2.0-liter. In Abarth guise, the 124 produces 164 hp, but tuners have extracted over 300 Italian racehorses from this engine.
Alfa Romeo 4C
Like the 124 Spider, the Alfa 4C is another Italian stallion that’s never been particularly popular among performance car connoisseurs. Those willing to take a gamble on Italian reliability may find a lot to like here, though.
Carbon fiber was used extensively in its production, and combined with a turbocharged 1.75-liter engine with 237 hp, it kicks like an athletic mule. If you love twisty roads and don’t need any storage space, the 4C may just be the perfect car for you!
Alpine A110
Say what you will about French carmakers, but they do know how to build cars that are exceptionally fun to drive without needing excessive amounts of power. The Alpine A110 R may just be the perfect example of that.
This retro-styled lightweight is propelled by a turbocharged 1.8-liter, producing just 300 hp. It still reaches 60 mph in less than four seconds and tackles corners like it was built by Lotus.
Audi TT RS
Audi may have discontinued the TT in November 2023, but there are still plenty of low-mileage cars available on the used market. The top-of-the-line TT RS still looks as sharp as ever, and it packs a hard enough punch to go toe to toe with actual supercars from the 2010s.
Don’t believe us? According to Motorweek, a 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia takes 3.9 seconds to get from 0 to 60 mph. Both Evo Magazine and Car and Driver launched the Audi TT RS to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds.
Jaguar F-Type
Jaguar may have gone off the deep end recently, but not that long ago, the British carmaker built some excellent (if not the most reliable) sports cars.
The F-Type certainly deserves a spot on this list! When was the last time someone told you they wanted one? Yet, it’s one of the coolest cars here — it looks stunning, the interior is luxurious, and it offers a range of powerful engines. Speaking of the engines, opt for the V8-powered SVR, and you’ll also get an eardrum-shattering soundtrack. It’s like a Bond villain starter pack for those who can’t afford to build a base on a volcanic island.
Porsche 911 Carrera
Wait, what? A Porsche 911 on a list of underrated sports cars? Just hear me out. I know the 911 is one of the most popular sports cars in the history of anything, ever. Here’s the thing: everyone is busy raving about the Turbo and GT RS models, but I’m talking about the base model Carrera here.
It’s not the fastest, best-looking, or most desirable Porsche model available, but it may just be the best overall. It can be used as a daily driver, you can bring it to the track, it’s comfortable, reasonably spacious, and offers excellent performance. It also costs a lot less than its more performance-oriented siblings.
Toyota MR2 Spyder
Here’s an oldie for you. Toyota discontinued the cheeky little MR2 Spyder in 2005. It was never the best-looking or the fastest sports car of its era, and with practically zero storage space, it certainly wasn’t the most practical.
That said, the humble MR2 Spyder does have an ace or two up its sleeve. While there were some engine issues, it’s still a Toyota, meaning it will be a lot more reliable than your average sports car. It also enjoys a decent aftermarket, so you can turn it into a little demon puppy if you throw some time and money at it. To further sweeten the deal, prices haven’t skyrocketed as they have for most Japanese sports cars from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s. For $10,000, you can drive what’s essentially a Japanese Lotus Elise.
