The best deals on sports cars under $40,000

Sports cars have a particular appeal not found elsewhere. These eye-catching performance vehicles are exciting look at and exhilarating to drive. While many are unaffordable for the average car buyer, there are some that are affordable enough to represent an attainable dream for many. Unlike a Lamborghini Aventador or Ferrari 488 Italia, the average car buyer can reasonably imagine a Toyota 86 in their driveway.

Some sports cars even offer the practicality that might allow otherwise pragmatic or family-oriented buyers to indulge in a dose of adrenaline on their daily commute or school run. Four-door, all-wheel-drive sedans like the Subaru WRX STI are every bit as practical and safe as their more restrained cousins but contain enough horsepower to go head-to-head with a muscle car.

Where supercars and hypercars have, in recent years, extended their capabilities to the realm of absurdity, humble sports cars remain relatively sensible. No one can legally or safely realize the potential of the Devel Sixteen’s 5,000 horsepower or the Koenigsegg Agera RS’s 447 km/h top speed on the grocery run, but the Mazda MX-5’s 181 horsepower are all well within reach of safety-conscious speed demons.

We’ve featured some of our favourite offers this week on sports cars under $40,000. If you don’t find an offer that suits you, be sure to check out the Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest incentives and discounts on any new car, truck or SUV.

Kia Stinger

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The Kia Stinger has had quite a year. The Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) presented it with both the Canadian Car of the Year and Best Large Car honours this year; it also won J.D. Power’s first-ever award for excellence in engineering; and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) has named the 2019 model a Top Safety Pick+. All these accolades attest to the fact that Kia’s flagship high-performance car is also a sensible purchase.

When equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, the 2019 Kia Stinger generates 255 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. The GT Line trim’s interior features a seven-inch infotainment display, a nine-speaker audio system, wireless phone-charging capability, leather seating-surfaces and a heated sport steering wheel with paddle-shifters. The GT Line trim’s exterior features include automatic dual-function LED headlights, LED taillights, aeroblade wipers and power-folding sideview mirrors with integrated LED turn signals.

2019 KIA STINGER 2.0 GDI GT LINE ALL WHEEL DRIVE

• MSRP: $39,995
• Manufacturer cash incentive: $4,000
• Estimated dealer discount: $250
• Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,925
• Cash purchase price before tax: $37,670
• Finance for 60 months at 0.99 per cent interest (as compared to 1.99 per cent in July) for $766 per month including tax, which includes a $2,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment
• Lease for 48 months at 1.99 per cent interest (as compared to 2.99 per cent in June) for $677 per month including tax, which includes a $2,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment

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Toyota 86

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The Toyota 86 was introduced to the North American market as the Scion FR-S but was added to Toyota’s lineup when the Scion brand was discontinued. It was developed in collaboration with Subaru, which also produces the model under the BRZ moniker.

The 2019 Toyota 86 drives its rear wheels through a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder Boxer engine that produces up to 205 horses and 156 lb.-ft. of torque. Trims with a six-speed automatic transmission also feature manual mode by way of paddle-shifters mounted on the leather-wrapped sport-type steering wheel. Other notable features include aluminum sport pedals, sport-bucket front-row seating, keyless entry, a seven-inch multimedia display, an eight-speaker audio system with an automatic sound-levelizer system and automatic LED headlights.

2019 TOYOTA 86 AUTOMATIC

• MSRP: $31,190
• Manufacturer cash incentive: $2,000 (applied after tax, as compared to $1,000 in July)
• Estimated dealer discount: $250
• Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,875
• Cash purchase price before tax: $31,045
• Finance for 60 months at 2.99 per cent interest for $666 per month including tax and assumes zero down payment
• Lease for 48 months at 2.49 per cent interest for $518 per month including tax and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment

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Subaru WRX

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The WRX was initially a just rally-ready variant of Subaru’s Impreza; however, it has since come into its own and gained substantial street cred for its capabilities. Featuring a turbocharged two-litre, four-cylinder Boxer engine, the WRX produces 268 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, relayed through a symmetrical all-wheel drivetrain. The Sport trim arrives standard with a 6.5-inch infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a 5.9-inch multi-information display and steering-mounted paddle-shifters on automatic models. Outside, the WRX Sport trim has steering-responsive LED headlights, LED fog lights, windshield-wiper-deicing capability and an immediately recognizable and functional hood scoop.

2019 SUBARU WRX SPORT CVT

• MSRP: $34,695
• Manufacturer cash incentive: $2,000 (as compared to $1,500 in July)
• Estimated dealer discount: $1,000
• Freight, PDI, government fees: $2,029
• Cash purchase price before tax: $33,724
• Finance for 60 months at 1.49 per cent interest (as compared to 2.49 per cent in June) for $689 per month including tax, which includes a $500 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment
• Lease for 48 months at 1.49 per cent interest (as compared to 2.49 per cent in June) for $497 per month including tax, which includes a $500 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment

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Ford Mustang

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Since 2014, the Ford Mustang has been by far the best-selling sports car in Canada and is arguably the most recognizable example of the pony car today. The 2019 Ford Mustang EcoBoost models make 310-horsepower through a potent 2.3-litre, four-cylinder turbo engine. Heated and cooled leather-trimmed front seats are standard at the Premium trim level, as are the SYNC 3 infotainment system, a nine-speaker sound system and dual-zone climate control. Exterior highlights on the EcoBoost Premium trim include LED exterior lighting, 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels in high-gloss black and hood vents.

2019 FORD MUSTANG ECOBOOST PREMIUM COUPE

• MSRP: $36,975
• Manufacturer cash incentive: $3,000
• Ford Employee Price Adjustment: $3,022
• Freight, PDI, government fees: $1,880
• Cash purchase price before tax: $32,833
• Finance for 60 months at 3.99 per cent interest for $683 per month including tax, which includes a $3,000 manufacturer incentive (as compared to $2,500 in June) and assumes zero down payment
• Lease for 48 months at 4.49 per cent interest for $560 per month including tax, which includes a $3,000 manufacturer incentive (as compared to $2,500 in June) and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment

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