By Will Estell
When it comes to sports cars, most people have long thought that owning one is best left to those with the means to own alternate daily duty transportation, saving their beloved garage queen for weekend jaunts along the beach or those occasional sunny day interstate romps for a quick weekend getaway. This, however, isn’t really the case with many of today’s better sports cars, as there really are new sports cars that can deliver that combination of fun, features, comfort and cool that transcend from the work commute to the track.
Here I’ve chosen eight real sports cars (sorry no grand tourers, muscle cars or overpowered Euro four-doors in this article) that make great daily drivers in their newest iterations.
2022 BMW Z4
Much like the Z3 and Z4 cars before it, the newest iteration of BMW’s Z4 is a real sports car with the driving sensation and performance that the German marque has become known for. This time around, however, the Z4 is also a comfortable and luxuriously appointed droptop that most any driver can live with as a daily commuter. Best of all, the 2022 example provides 255 to 382 hp (depending on your choice of the 2.0 4 turbo or the 3.0 six cylinder). For more performance spring for the M Roadster version and hold on tight!
2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata
While the Miata doesn’t always get its fair share of sports car cred, those who truly know sports cars, and the history and engineering behind them, understand that Mazda’s little MX-5 is as much of a true to its roots sports car as anything can be. Well, anything short of the original Lotus Elan that it was patterned after for its 1990 debut. Unlike the original Elan – and let’s face it, most any other ‘60s-’90s British sports car – however, the Miata has always been, and remains, one of the most versatile, dependable, and downright fun sports cars of the last three decades. And the newest one is no exception, with its 181 hp 2 liter four and standard 6-speed manual gearbox. Sure you can drive something faster, but it’s more of a job to find anything more fun for a true car enthusiast.
2022 Porsche 911
The 911 is about as synonymous with sports cars as sand is with the beach. Ever since its debut back in 1965 this rear engine force from Stuttgart has been at the forefront of sports car evolution. Now in its 8th generation the current Porsche 911 is still running at the top of its pack… well, truthfully, at the top of every pack. There isn’t really anything the new Porsche 911 can’t do better than most any other sports car or supercar in the world.
Unlike most anything from marques like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, McLaren or Bugatti one can actually drive a new 911 (to be fair, even a 1981 air-cooled SC) daily and expect it to be as dependable as your mom’s Mercedes E Class. Try that with a Lambo or Ferrari- good luck. And, perhaps best of all, you won’t look like a wanna-be rich showoff driving the Porsche: bonus!
Whichever trim you choose – from a base with 379 hp to a king-of-the-hill 640 hp Turbo S – the ride is sporty and comfortable, the visibility is great, even the gas mileage is decent. You can drive this car to work all week, across country on vacation, and to PCA track days on weekends, all while taking a far lesser percentage of depreciation than most anything else you can buy.
2022 Porsche Cayman / Boxster
If you don’t want to spring for – or in this market, can’t locate – a new 911 as your daily, then take a look at the newest versions of the Porsche 718 Boxster (always cabriolets) and its hardtop sibling, the Cayman. Both cars can be had with three distinct engines: a base 2.0 turbo four, good for 300 hp. A 2.5 liter four putting out 350 hp, and the mighty GTS version with its 394 hp 4.0 flat -six.
Whichever Boxster or Cayman you choose, you’re bound to love the perfect mix of balance, precision and daily driving fun that the mid-engine layout, sports suspension and Porsche quality bring to your commutes, grocery store runs, and weekend getaways. Did I mention these cars start in the mid $60’s as opposed to the 911’s north of $120,000 base prices? Let’s do this!
2022 Subaru BRZ / Toyota GR86
This Subie-Toyota duo has been a popular choice among sports car enthusiasts since first hitting the market in 2013, but the paternal twins’ generation two iteration has done even more to bring both cars into more upscale sporting appeal where they really belong. Whether you choose the Toyota or Subaru badged variant – each with their own tuning and purposeful touches – you’ll be choosing a true sports car that can deliver more smiles per mile than most autos costing three times money. Best of all, buyers get that tried and true Toyota and Subaru dependability, performance, mpg and longevity. Both siblings come with seating for four (albeit tight in the back), a capable trunk, and a high-revving, fun to romp on, gas-sipping boxer-four. Drive both variants and choose the one that feels best for your personal taste. Though the cars are very similar and share most of the same components, they do drive and handle differently, while collectively being true sports cars that can be great everyday drivers.
2023 Chevrolet Corvette
The latest C8 edition of the legendary Corvette is a straight up supercar in every sense of the word. That is other than the fact it won’t break down every other month and needs routine 15,000-mile clutch jobs and rotors like its non-the-faster Italian counterparts. Perhaps the best part of the eighth generation of America’s only true sports car, however, is that it can also be a very capable and comfortable daily driver. Whether you choose a base trim level (still quite well appointed) or the all out fire and brimstone Z06 trim, you can drive your Corvette every day about as easily as you can drive a Camry or Accord, without fear of breakdowns, excessive maintenance costs or the quirks that come with many other supercars. Just watch out on those turn-ins to high or low parking lots, as this thing is looooow and wide. Slow angle is the name of the game, other than that let her roar on the open road because that mid-engine sounds great at full roar.
Will Estell is a veteran writer, editor, founder and publisher of multiple titles over the past 25 years, with over 700 published articles to his credit in various regional and national publications. Originally from the backwoods of North Mississippi, Will Estell is a proud father of three, and makes his home in Destin and Navarre, along with his wife, ABC news anchor, Laura Hussey.
