Are you also buzzing to have a performance car at your disposal to ride every time you want? We bet you are, but it’s a real struggle figuring out which one should you go for, considering that you don’t have enough money to invest in a Ferrari or even a Corvette Z06. But don’t you worry, fellow Gearheads, because the options don’t end with the list of the exotic rides. We’ve compiled a list for you that include some amazing, yet affordable performance car, as well as the ones you shouldn’t even consider buying. It might come as a surprise to you, but we live in an era where some of the budget performance cars are ten times better than their former versions. Ironically, in a world that refuses to admit that it cares about cars, the fact that there is such a big choice out there points at the exact opposite direction.To put that in context – you can actually find an alternative to almost every small car that’s available in the US market today. And if you can’t find one – there is always Mazda3, which is a ridiculously cool ride to have. Today Ford offers on the market two hot hatchbacks and a turbo Mustang; Subaru and Mitsubishi have both designed rally type of sedans; Toyota and Subaru have also collaborated to create a posterchild of the drift scene. And let’s not forget abiut the VW GTI, which still keeps the trophy for the finest hot hatch that Wolfsburg could have actually produced. And while it’s certainly the time to be a fan of cars, some of the models are just not as fun as they used to be. For that reason we’ve decided to test every single performance car that’s on the market today and costs less than $30,000. We’ve tested them on the tracks, we went on roadtrips, and also took deserted back roads just to see how they perform in real world situations. Most importantly, we’ve ensured that they are suitable for a day-to-day use as if you’re gonna own only one car, it should be able to accommodate you when wanna go to a Festival, pick up the kids, or go with your lads to the tracks.
Best Overall: Subaru WRX
Honestly, when we first saw the 2015 Subaru WRX, we weren’t impressed at all, especially compared to how we felt when we saw the marvelous concept at the New York Auto Show - the WRX was C-SPAN levels of dull to even look at. But then thankfully we listened to the hint someone from Subaru gave us "wait until you drive it."
It turns out Subaru’s invested not in the looks of the car, but in turning it into a performance miracle. In the place of the old 2.5-liter turbo four now lays a brand new turbo version of the FA 2.0 liter direct injected four cylinder that’s also bolted in the Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S. The only thing that’s missing is the distinct sound it made in the past – but then who cares about that? Aw, yeah, the fans of the John Deere’s car - or in other words we really couldn’t care less. And while it comes with only three hp more than its predecessor- it does feel faster. Also it’s great electric steering, new all-wheel drive system that uses brake actuated torque vectoring makes the car suitable for literally any road and any surface. It’s also a car that you can use to go and give your grandma a lift and then head to the tracks. The interior is not as special as we would’ve liked, but the seats are still comfortable enough and the space inside plenty. Also the performance parts are cheap and easily sourced and the price the car comes at is less than $30,000. All boxed - ticked.
Best Value: Ford Fiesta ST
The Fiesta ST costs less than $24,000. For around $23,600, you'll be laying your hands on a 197 hp sexy hatch with Recaro seats and navigation and on the top of that you’ll be an owner of a car that gives you one of the most enjoyable rides.
It’s such an eager car that it resembles an excited intern on his first day of work who hasn’t been informed that his work would basically be cleaning up after the executives and serving their coffee. The only reason why we can’t give it a golden star is because it’s too tiny to let you take your friends for a fun ride with you. Also, MyFordTouch while decent is not the best and it fails to make evocative sounds. Also, it isn’t the first choice of vehicle if you’re going for a long ride. But apart from that it’s still a great car and worth enough to purchase.
