Best Used Sports Cars: Prices, MPG and What to Check

The best choice is the individual car you can verify and afford to maintain. This is a research shortlist, not an exhaustive ranking, a reliability rating or a claim that CarTruvo road-tested these vehicles. Prices and sources were checked November 7, 2026. Use the modification-record checklist below to decide what needs inspection before you commit.

Best used sports cars: two exact versions to compare

• 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport Convertible 2D, 2.0-liter four-cylinder, rear-wheel drive and six-speed manual: $13,900 KBB Fair Purchase Price; EPA 26 city / 33 highway / 29 combined MPG.
• 2017 Subaru BRZ Premium Coupe 2D, 2.0-liter four-cylinder, rear-wheel drive and six-speed manual: $15,150 KBB Fair Purchase Price; EPA 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined MPG.

These are national KBB dealer-purchase references for Good condition and typical mileage, not live offers, private-party values, appraisals for a particular VIN or complete purchase totals. The 2017 Miata value table states its figures are valid through November 8, 2026. The 2017 BRZ value table states November 7, 2026. Values change; confirm the exact trim, mileage, history and local price before buying.

Both references fall below $20,000, but that does not promise a particular car or an out-the-door total under that amount. Add tax, registration, dealer charges, an independent inspection and work due now. Keep insurance and financing separate and obtain written quotes for the actual vehicle. Aftermarket spending is not automatically extra market value.

Miata Sport: compare the soft top and the service record

Start with the Miata if you want an open-top option and can live with its small cabin and luggage space. Sit in the actual car with the roof closed, adjust the seat for safe pedal operation and bring the bag you use most. Confirm that entry, visibility and driving position work for you before considering accessories.

Mazda’s 2017 MX-5 factory specification deck distinguishes the Sport soft top from Club, Grand Touring and RF versions. A Sport is not evidence of the Club’s factory limited-slip differential or its optional brake package. Wheels, colored calipers and badges need verification against the original equipment and any installation records.

For the 2.0-liter manual, EPA record 38174 gives 26/33/29 MPG. Do not use the automatic’s highway figure for a manual listing. EPA comparison estimates do not predict the fuel consumption of a modified car or your actual driving.

Maintenance checks: Mazda’s 2017 MX-5 scheduled-maintenance document, printed pages 6-5 through 6-8, lists spark plugs at 75,000 miles. It separates normal-use manual-transmission oil service at 60,000 miles or four years from severe-use service at 30,000 miles or two years, whichever comes first. Match the applicable schedule and actual operating history before deciding whether work is overdue. The oil-monitor setting and operating conditions also matter for engine-oil service.

Have a Mazda-qualified shop review invoices for the correct fluids and inspect the clutch, gearbox, leaks, brakes and suspension. Check normal roof latching, fabric condition, seals and signs of dampness with the seller’s permission. Do not force the roof or dismantle drains or trim during a viewing. Staining calls for investigation, not an automatic flood diagnosis.

BRZ Premium: verify the manual coupe and its equipment

The BRZ is a useful alternative if you prefer a fixed roof and want to compare a different cabin and luggage arrangement. Check the seat, pedal reach and your everyday bag in person. Rear seating should be assessed for the actual occupants rather than treated as a promise of family-car practicality.

Subaru’s 2017 BRZ Premium vehicle resources identify the 2.0-liter engine, six-speed manual and Torsen limited-slip rear differential. This BRZ is rear-wheel drive. An AWD Subaru service package is not automatically the right package for it.

The exact manual configuration is rated 21/29/24 MPG in EPA record 37609. The automatic has a separate EPA record and different figures. Verify a listing’s transmission rather than copying a generic model-year MPG number.

Subaru’s 2017 BRZ factory announcement places the factory Performance Package on the Limited manual, including Brembo brakes, SACHS dampers and different wheels. Those parts on a Premium require an explanation and installation evidence; they do not by themselves establish an original factory package or a better-maintained vehicle.

Maintenance checks: obtain the 2017 Warranty and Maintenance Booklet through the linked Subaru vehicle resources and have a Subaru-qualified shop reconcile the actual car’s age, mileage and use. Ask specifically for engine-oil history, spark-plug invoices, brake-fluid history and manual-transmission and rear-differential service records. Identify the applicable entries and correct fluids before accepting a generic “major service completed” statement. We have not established a complete BRZ-specific numerical service schedule from the sources cited here, so no universal plug or gearbox interval is assumed.

Ask the inspection shop to evaluate clutch operation, gear selection, fluid leaks, tires, brakes, suspension and any modified components. A noise or a difficult shift is a finding to investigate, not a diagnosis of a particular failed part or a claim about every BRZ.

Build a modification record before judging a car as stock

Use four columns for every change: seller’s description, supporting document, shop finding and unresolved question. This makes a vague “tastefully modified” advertisement easier to assess without assuming every modification is defective.

• Engine and software: ask about current and previous ECU tunes, added turbochargers or superchargers, intake changes and required fuel. Request the installer’s invoice, exact parts and calibration information where available. A handheld tuner or dyno sheet alone does not certify engine health or compliance.
• Exhaust and emissions: identify headers, catalytic converters, sensors and software changes. Ask for documentation applicable to the exact car and installed parts, plus any required inspection results.
• Suspension and wheels: record coilovers or springs, wheel dimensions, spacers, alignment work and rubbing or clearance concerns. Have the shop evaluate the complete installation rather than comparing appearance alone.
• Brakes, seats and safety equipment: identify calipers, rotors, hoses, seats, belts, steering wheels and any roll-bar or cage installation. Ask a qualified shop to assess compatibility and installation. A competition-style part is not proof of street suitability.
• Use and repairs: ask about track days, autocross, collision repairs, engine or gearbox replacement, and work performed before returning the car to standard-looking parts. Record what is known and what remains unverified.

A seller’s “never tuned” or “back to stock” statement is information to investigate. A normal scan cannot establish a complete software or use history. Do not advertise an inspection as a way to prove a car was never driven hard.

EPA’s aftermarket defeat-device and tampering fact sheet explains the federal prohibition on tampering with or defeating emissions controls. Aftermarket parts need an assessment of their actual application; not every aftermarket component is a defeat device. Have the relevant shop and registration or inspection authority clarify unresolved requirements before buying. A seller’s “for off-road use” label does not resolve whether you can register and drive the car as intended.

Ask for a sports-car inspection with clear limits

Arrange an independent pre-purchase inspection with a shop familiar with the model and the installed modifications. Agree on scope before the appointment. A standard visual inspection may not include software verification, compression testing, internal gearbox assessment or a detailed body measurement.

Ask the shop to record the tire sizes, type, condition and wear; brake-pad and rotor condition; evidence of fluid leaks; underbody damage; and suspension or wheel-clearance findings. Compare parts with the correct factory specification and installed equipment. Do not apply an AWD tire rule to these rear-drive cars, or assume four matching-looking tires establish the right fitment.

A qualified person should perform any authorized test drive at legal speeds, observing normal clutch take-up, shifts, steering and braking. Do not demand clutch-dump launches, a high-gear stall test, aggressive cornering or disabled stability control to “prove” condition. Report symptoms and let the shop decide whether additional tests are warranted.

Ask for a written distinction between a safety issue, scheduled maintenance due, condition-based repair, optional recommendation and unknown pending further diagnosis. The absence of a warning light does not establish that all systems are healthy. Ask the shop what its scan and inspection can and cannot establish; do not clear codes to make the report look better.

Check the individual VIN in NHTSA’s recall lookup, then confirm applicability, completed remedies and any driving instructions with the manufacturer. A model-year search or an old recall invoice does not establish the current status of every campaign on that vehicle.

Compare fuel cost and work due, not modification receipts

Using fictional inputs of 12,000 miles a year and $4.00 per gallon, the manual Miata’s 29 combined MPG works out to about $1,655 a year; the manual BRZ’s 24 MPG works out to $2,000. The roughly $345 difference follows from miles divided by MPG, multiplied by fuel price. It is an illustration, not a current fuel-price quote or your expected bill.

Both cited EPA records use premium gasoline. Follow the exact owner’s manual and any verified, appropriate calibration requirements when budgeting fuel. Weather, driving, tires and modifications can affect consumption. Do not budget from the EPA figure as though it certifies the car’s current modified configuration.

Compare the actual written purchase total plus the shop’s quote for work due now. Keep unresolved diagnosis and any required restoration or compliance work visible. An expensive parts invoice does not tell you what the whole car is worth, and an unexplained low asking price is not enough reason to waive inspection.

If daily passengers and luggage are the deciding factors, compare the used hatchback guide before choosing a sports car. Use the sports-car shortlist when its cabin and ownership tradeoffs fit your actual needs.

Copy this message to a sports-car seller

“Hi, I’m interested in your car. Please confirm the VIN, exact trim, engine, transmission, mileage, asking price and title/lien status. Could you send dated maintenance invoices and a list of current and previous modifications, including ECU tunes, intake/exhaust changes, forced induction, suspension, wheels, brakes and safety equipment? Please identify the installer, parts, required fuel and available compliance documents. Has the car had track or autocross use, collision repairs, engine or gearbox work, or been returned to stock? Are there known warning lights, leaks, clutch or shift concerns? I would like an independent inspection with a model-familiar shop before committing. Please confirm any additional charges and the complete written purchase total.”

Download the used sports-car comparison worksheet to keep claims, records, inspection findings and unresolved questions separate. Choose the car with an ownership case you can document, then resolve material unknowns before paying a deposit.