In 2025, buyers continue to crave performance, and there are numerous great sports cars to choose from that will satisfy this need. Cars like the BMW Z4 and Nissan Z are attracting more buyers than ever, while classic models like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette remain strong sellers. Buyers are proving their willingness to step up to the plate and put their money where their mouth is, but let’s face it, this isn’t realistic for everyone.

Not all of us have $45,000 to drop on a new sports car, and we don’t want to either if that’s just the price to get your foot in the door. There are plenty of amazing alternatives that will get you more car for less, or at least a similar vehicle with spending room for mods, and to prove it, we’ve found 10 great alternatives for the 10 best-selling sports cars of 2025. Will you be swayed by the savings?

The 10 alternatives consist of new and used vehicles with similar attributes to the car they’re replacing, and they’ve been ordered according to this top 10 selling sports cars list.

10

Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG

Alternative for: Lexus LC

Starting strong, we have a really fun alternative. We love the Lexus LC, especially in 500 guise, pairing the model with one of the last great naturally aspirated V8s on the market. It’s a beautiful grand tourer, and a reminder that automakers can and should build inspiring vehicles. However, it’s mighty expensive, so we offer you a compelling alternative: the R230 Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG.

The Mercedes SL is one of the world’s great grand tourers, and the R230 generation was a standout in terms of looks and comfort. However, the SL 65 ups the ante with the inclusion of a 600-horsepower, twin-turbo V12 that will even put the 5.0-liter V8 to shame. We’d personally stick with the pre-facelift model, as there’s a timelessness to its design that was lost in the redesign, but no matter which one you pick, you’re left with a GT that’s half the price, giving you plenty of room for maintenance.

9

Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG

Alternative for: BMW Z4

It warms our hearts to see that the BMW Z4 is currently enjoying a resurgence in sales, even if it’s too little, too late. The company started offering it with a driver’s package, which not only improved the car’s handling and responsiveness but also added a manual transmission that sweetened the deal. The alternative we offer to you may not be available with a manual transmission, but it does offer more power, and that power comes from a naturally aspirated V8, too. The SLK 55 AMG is a killer deal, and makes for the perfect counter to the Z4 for only half of the price.

8

BMW Z4 (E89)

Alternative for: Subaru BRZ

When it comes to the Subaru BRZ, the only real alternative on the market today is its nearly identical Toyota cousin. No one else offers a small, cheap sports car quite like it, so we reached back to the previous E89 generation Z4 to find an alternative. We know the Z4 is going to be heavier and less focused, but it makes up for that with the ability to put the top down, a design that still looks great today, and a twin-turbo inline-six under the hood in the sDrive 35i.

This is one of the smoothest engines of the last 20 years, and you can put its 300 horsepower to the ground through a 7-speed DCT or a 6-speed manual. It won’t feel as pure as a BRZ, but it makes up for it in basically every other area.

7

Fiat 124 Spider Abarth

Alternative for: Mazda MX-5 Miata

This one may have been a bit obvious, but if you want an alternative to the Mazda Miata, why not look at its suave Italian cousin? The Fiat 124 Spider was one of those vehicles you probably didn’t think much about until you saw one, and then you thought, “They still make those?” We blame the car’s styling, which utilized a front and rear design that visually lengthened what should be a taut sports car, and gave it a bit of a frumpy look.

However, the Abarth version improved things in this area, while also giving the roadster some better moves. It also features a MultiAir Turbo engine from Fiat Chrysler (RIP), which means slightly less horsepower, but a good bit more torque, plus fun turbo noises. Factor in the price savings, and we say it’s a convertible worth another look.

6

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (C8)

Alternative for: Porsche 718 Cayman/Boxster

The Corvette has always been the sports car of the people, and these days, it’s quickly becoming the people’s supercar, too. Starting at $68,300, there are very few cars that can touch the unique combination of its mid-engined design, V8 engine, and targa top, which is why it’s the perfect alternative to the Porsche 718.

The German automaker’s famed mid-engined sports car family has long been one of the best options in the sports car world, but it costs a little over $70,000 to get yourself in the driver’s seat, and that means you’re stuck with the flat-four powerplant. While it is available with a six-speed manual transmission, we’d much rather have the V8 and DCT combination, plus the added versatility of the Corvette, which makes it much easier to live with.

5

Lotus Emira

Alternative for: Porsche 911

There aren’t very many vehicles that can compare to the Porsche 911, but the Lotus Emira is putting in a rather incredible effort in 2025. Supposedly the brand’s last combustion sports car, the Emira is a combination of everything right with Lotus: incredible looks, superb handling, and engaging powertrains. It may not have the fit and finish, nor the luxury of the 911, but it is equally incredible to drive, especially when equipped with the 6-speed manual and supercharged V6.

However, this engine is becoming much more expensive for 2026, starting at a whopping $131,000, which will make it more expensive than the 911 Carrera. However, there is a four-cylinder option which will still come in underneath the Porsche, and its output has been improved to 400 horsepower, making it a worthy option.

4

Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400

Alternative for: Nissan Z

The current Nissan Z is a pretty solid sports car, and we’re finally happy to see that sales are ticking up as consumers finally realize this. However, starting at $42,970, it isn’t exactly affordable, so what do you do when you can’t afford the Nissan? Well, you buy the Infiniti, of course. Many probably know that the Nissan Z had a nearly identical cousin until recently, called the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400.

This sharp little number featured the same twin-turbo V6 under the hood, but this time it could be paired with AWD as well as RWD. It also looked great and offered pretty solid handling, even if it wasn’t as aggressive as the suspension in the Nissan. For at least $10,000 less, you can hop into one of these and get almost the same performance as the Nissan in a better-looking package. A great deal if you ask us.

3

Nissan 370Z

Alternative for: Toyota GR86

As a good rule of thumb, whatever works for the Subaru BRZ will probably work for the GR86, so think of these two alternatives as interchangeable. When considering an alternative to the 86, we need a car that hits a few criteria: good looks, naturally aspirated engine, six-speed manual transmission option, and RWD.

The Nissan 370Z is one of the very few cars that check all of these boxes, and this doesn’t even acknowledge that it comes with about 100 more horsepower and torque, as well. We know that local car scenes are overrun with these cars, but that’s because they’re such great sports cars, so we say go analog and grab one while they’re still cheap.

2

Porsche Cayman S (987.2)

Alternative for: Chevrolet Corvette

The Cayman S might not match the Corvette in raw power, but that’s part of the reason the Corvette is such a killer. No, where the Cayman can match it (and even exceed it) is in its looks and driving prowess. Nothing drives like a Porsche. That was true 50 years ago, and it’s true today, and even though the 987.2 Cayman S is a bit old, it’ll still come alive and get your blood pumping, while looking dashingly handsome in a parking lot.

It’s about the feel rather than the brute force of a V8, and we still think you’ll love hearing that flat-six rung out whenever you can. You can grab a clean example for about half the price of a new Corvette, and if you’re willing to be patient, you may even be able to find a Cayman R for under $68,300 as well.

1

Chevrolet Camaro SS (Fifth-gen)

Alternative for: Ford Mustang

Finally, in place of the current Mustang, we sacrilegiously recommend a Chevrolet Camaro SS instead. We know it’s a tough pill to swallow, but there are two great reasons: it’s cheap, and it comes with an LS3. This means, for less than the price of an Ecoboost Mustang, you can grab yourself a Camaro with its 426 horsepower and fantastic handling, afforded to it by the extensive changes made with the introduction of the fifth generation.

It won’t have the fancy tech of the new Ford, but it will still handle admirably, thanks to a fully independent rear suspension and sitting on the Zeta platform. The Camaro also still looks great, and we think you’ll like it so much, you won’t even care if the outward visibility is almost as bad as sitting in a submarine.

Sources: Ford, Chevrolet, Porsche, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, Fiat, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti, Lexus