What is the best sports car under £20k?
Looking for a sports car on a £20k budget? Here are your best (and most fun) options
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Choosing your next sports car doesn’t have to be tricky, despite there being so many options out there to choose from.
But with a healthy budget of £20,000, there are plenty of models to choose from. Whether it’s a sporty Audi or nippy Mazda, the used car market will be able to help you out.
But which is the best? Read our guide to find out which of these four used sports cars is best for you and your £20k budget.
Audi TT
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One of the best used sports cars under £20k is the Audi TT.
Often referred to as the ‘baby R8’, this pocket rocket is loved by Audi fans and petrolheads worldwide.
Sitting under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre petrol engine that will put a smile on your face every mile you drive – especially with the punchier 245hp models.
Thanks to a solid chassis and AWD Audi quattro system, you can enjoy this nippy sports car on a hot summer’s day or a chilly winter’s morning – it's available as both a convertible and coupé.
Mazda MX-5
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If you want a new weekend cruiser and one of the most reliable sports cars, then you can’t go wrong with a Mazda MX-5.
It first came out in 1989, and Mazda has been busy perfecting the formula ever since. This is why we now have one of the best all-round sports cars for the money.
At the front is either a 132hp 1.5-litre engine or a larger 184hp 2.0-litre petrol that offers more power and torque while not weighing much more.
Both units are non-turbocharged so need to be revved hard for maximum performance, but if anything, that makes them more enjoyable and engaging to drive.
Toyota GT86
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While the Mazda is great, if you want to maximise your £20k budget and still have some cash to spare then the Toyota GT86 is one of the best two-seater sports cars to consider.
This Toyota is not particularly powerful but it does have a lovely manual gearbox and sends all its power to the rear wheels, and with a few adjustments can be made into the ultimate weekend sports car or fun daily driver.
Power comes from a characterful 2.0-litre flat-four boxer engine that’s very robust and can handle more power should you wish to tune it, making it a great project car.
Fiat 124 Spider
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Not all sports cars come with a retractable roof but thankfully all Fiat 124 Spiders do, making them some of the best convertible sports cars you can buy for under £20k.
Sharing its DNA with the Mazda MX-5, this little Fiat is good to drive, easy to live with, and offers good features as standard.
Under the bonnet, you’ll find a 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine that’s punchy and a manual gearbox that’s smooth and feels very tactile when on a twisting country B-road.