5 of the Coolest Cars You Can Buy on a Budget, According to Experts

You know what’s cool? Porsche 911s — and Bentleys and Benzes and Bristols and Bugattis and Beamers.

The reason you don’t own any of those is because they cost a house’s worth of money, and who can afford to finance a mortgage on wheels?

The good news is that you don’t need to go broke revving your automotive wow factor into overdrive.

The following models give you all of the cool for a fraction of the cold, hard cash:

The Mustang was the original pony car, and after 2024, it will be the last of its kind still in production — and this ultra-cool slice of American automotive history can be yours for thousands less than a minivan.

“A new Mustang starts at about $31,000,” said Melanie Musson, an auto industry expert with AutoInsurance.org. “Mustang has built a reputation over the past half-century for building sports cars that are a blast to drive but affordable for the general public. They have a sporty, muscular appearance and people take notice when you drive by.”

The Camaro emerged in the late ’60s, a few years after the Mustang launched America’s obsession with consummately cool pony cars. Like Dodge did with the Challenger, Chevy ended production in 2023, making 2024 your last chance to buy a new Camaro before the Mustang becomes the segment’s lone resident.

The Camaro has a nearly identical starting MSRP to the Mustang — and if cool is your thing, it’s worth every penny.

“The Camaro is a blast to drive,” Musson said. “The automatic transmission coupe starts at around $31,000. You can also get a manual transmission, which drivers prefer if they’re looking for a pleasure vehicle instead of simply a car to get them from point A to point B.”

No one would ever confuse a Kia Forte GT Manual with a Mustang or a Camaro, but a six-speed stick shift and a 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that cranks out 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque isn’t too shabby — especially when you spend $6,000  less.

“The Forte GT has a sleek, understated design,” Musson said. “The features that win drivers over and make them love the Forte GT are the manual transmission, speed, and power. There’s something alluring about taking control of the shifter and pushing a car to its limit. In a world where manual transmissions are harder to find, the Forte GT stands out as an affordable favorite. It starts around $25,000.”

Muscle cars and manual transmissions are cool, but so are two-seat convertible roadsters — and a powerful, perfectly balanced and highly stylized throwback to the 1960s can be yours for less than $29,000.

“Known for its sporty handling and fun driving experience, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is a classic roadster that offers great performance at an affordable price,” said auto expert Rob Dillan, founder of EVhype.

Not only is it sleek, sexy and undeniably adorable, but this head-turning ragtop is known for precision steering that can handle its 181 horses.

Like all Subarus, the WRX sports car is equipped with symmetrical all-wheel drive, which puts it in league with models like the Audi TT RS Quattro, Jaguar F-Type R Convertible, Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 Carrera 4 — but at a fraction of the cost.

It starts at under $33,000, which makes it a bit pricier than the Mustang and Camaro, but consider that the base model comes with a 271-horsepower, 2.4-liter turbocharged SUBARU BOXER engine and a six-speed manual transmission.

That is a whole lot of muscle for the price.

“The Subaru WRX is a fast and flashy car known for its rally heritage and all-wheel drive capability,” Dillan said. “It’s a great choice for those looking for a thrilling ride on a budget, with used models starting around $18,000.”