Sports cars don’t always have the best reputation for longevity and cheap repairs and maintenance. Think of the high-strung nature of a lot of sports car engines, the track-worthy parts, finicky systems, tire wear, and, sometimes, specialist engineers needed to keep them going.
These 10 sports cars are different. They are not some everyday machine dressed up to look athletic; they are bona fide sports cars that balance fun performance with sensible repair bills.
Models are listed in descending order based on average annual maintenance costs, from the highest to the lowest.
10
2021 Chevrolet Camaro 1LT
Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $789
Front 3/4 shot of 2021 Chevrolet Camaro parkedChevrolet
As part of the sixth-gen Camaro lineup, the 2021 Chevrolet Camaro 1LT is the base model. Don’t let that put you off, though; you still get a 275-horsepower/295-pound-foot 2.0-liter turbo-four paired with a six-speed manual box or eight-speed auto as standard, or a 335-horsepower V6 as an available optional extra. Power is sent to the rear wheels across the range, and you can get to 60 mph in as little as 5.4 seconds. That, and you get the aggressive looks and Chevy heritage to back it up.
Despite having a lot going for it, you can pick up a 2021 model today for between $19,200 and $25,600. Even better is the fact that Edmunds estimates it will cost you $3,943 for repairs over five years, or, on average, roughly $789 per year. Maintenance and servicing costs over five years come to a little more, at around $8,100, but that is mainly due to an expensive servicing cost of $2,478 after four years. If you can find a used Camaro that has already had it done, you should see lower servicing costs going forward.
9
2004 Chevrolet Corvette
Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $737
A front 3/4 shot of a 2002 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 C5Bring A Trailer
As the final model year of the C5-generation Corvette, the 2004 model gets a very aggressive build, a purist lack of nannies, SLA double-wishbone suspension at the front and back, pop-up headlights , and racy cabin design. Engine options for the 2004 model consist of two overbuilt and relatively low-stress 5.7-liter small-block V8s. LS1 models are good for 350 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 375 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm, while LS6 models (like the Z06 Coupe) get a 405-horsepower/400-pound-foot version. LS1 0–60 mph times have been clocked at 4.5 to 4.7 seconds, while the Z06 Coupe can do it in four seconds.
The Chevrolet Corvette has always meant good value-for-money in terms of performance, and today, the average used price of 2004 models sits between $19,850 and $27,300. RepairPal says it will cost you $737 a year to maintain and repair a ’04 Corvette, which makes it more expensive than the market average, but still impressively low considering what you can do with one.
8
2020 Ford Mustang GT
Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $673
2020 Ford Mustang GT, front 3/4Ford
According to Edmunds’ Five-Year True Cost To Own estimates, it will cost you $3,365 to pay for repairs for a 2020 Ford Mustang GT. That works out to around $673 a year. Again, maintenance and servicing are a little higher, at $7,886 over five years, but like the Camaro, this is because the first couple of years are likely to cost you the most. This is mainly due to it chewing through tires quickly. However, what makes this Mustang interesting is that it is not the base model, and it is still relatively cheap to repair.
The 2020 Mustang GT is equipped with a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 that kicks out 460 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 420 pound-feet of torque at 4,600 rpm. Power is routed through either a six-speed manual or a ten-speed auto and sent to the rear wheels. This translates to sprint times of between four and 4.6 seconds and top speeds of around 157 mph. You get a limited-slip diff, launch control in the manual models, and electronic line-lock, which lets you warm up the rear tires before you blast off.
7
2013 Dodge Challenger R/T
Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $650
Front 3/4 shot of 2013 Dodge Challenger RT parkedDodge
According to the 596 owner reviews on Kelley Blue Book, 93 percent of owners would recommend buying a 2013 Dodge Challenger. Owners rate it 4.7 out of 5 for both performance and reliability, so you are in good hands either way. RepairPal estimates that it will cost you, on average, $650 a year to maintain one, while the low average used price for the Challenger R/T of $14,850 makes it a very appealing-looking muscle car. You might want to ignore the 18 combined mpg it can achieve.
Under the hood of the 2013 Challenger R/T is a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 good for up to 375 horsepower at 5,150 rpm and up to 410 pound-feet of torque at 4,300 rpm. To get the most power, you need to find a manual model, as the automatic transmission model is rated at 372 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Rest-to-60 times have been clocked at between 5.1 and 5.8 seconds, with the manual option being the quicker, and top speeds are up at around 160 mph.
6
2020 Nissan 370Z
Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $571
Front 3/4 shot of 2020 Nissan 370Z parkedNissan
The 2020 Nissan 370Z marked the end of six generations of the Nissan Z Car. The 2020 370Z rides on a short unibody chassis made from lightweight aluminum; you get rear-wheel drive only; the hood, doors, and hatch are made of lightweight aluminum alloy; and under the hood is the legendary 3.7-liter naturally aspirated VQ37VHR 60-degree V6 paired with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed auto. Horsepower and torque of the engine used in the standard models are rated at 332 at 7,000 rpm and 270 pound-feet at 5,200 rpm, respectively, while the NISMO version gets 350 horsepower and 276 pound-feet.
Sprint times are clocked at around 4.9 to 5.2 seconds, but the real joy of the Nissan 370Z is how it handles and responds thanks to its tight packaging, lightweight construction, rev-happy V6, old-school design, and hydraulic steering. Owners on Kelley Blue Book rate it 4.1 out of 5 for performance, while Edmunds estimates that it will only cost you, on average, $571 a year to keep on top of repairs.
5
2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring
Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $571
Action shot of 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF going around a trackIsaac Atienza | TopSpeed
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a timeless sports car. It may not be the fastest, but it is light and rear-wheel-drive; the best ones are equipped with a stick shift; it is cheap to buy, and it is cheap to run. The 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring is the top trim of the 2021 model year, and it gets the most luxury and comfort features to back up the 181-horsepower/151-pound-foot 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G inline-four, the 7,500 rpm redline, the sharp steering, the short-throw Skyactiv-MT box, Bilstein dampers, and limited-slip diff.
Yes, you get all of that for $23,100. The MX-5 Miata has been renowned for years for being cheap to run, and the 2021 model is estimated to cost you only $571 to repair per year, thanks to the simple, naturally aspirated engine and straightforward but effective build. Five-year maintenance costs are also low at $6,188, and iSeeCars estimates the average lifespan of an MX-5 is a very impressive 116,008 miles, or 16.8 years.
4
2016 Scion FR-S
Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $525
High-angle 3/4 shot of 2016 Scion FR-S parkedScion
The 2016 Scion FR-S is the last model year of the short, four-year run of the FR-S in the U.S. before it changed identity. RepairPal estimates that it will cost just $525 a year to repair and maintain the FR-S, while owners on Kelley Blue Book rate it 4.8 out of 5 for both performance and reliability, with 88 percent of owners recommending buying one. Scion was an offshoot company of Toyota, so here, you get Toyota-grade reliability and features that actually mean something to how the car behaves.
Under the hood is a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-four, co-developed with one of the best flat-four engine designers in the business: Subaru. Horsepower is rated at 200 at 7,000 rpm and torque is rated at 151 pound-feet at 6,400 rpm. In other words, it is a very responsive engine when you want it to be. 0–60 mph times are relatively slow compared to some sports cars, at between 6.4 and seven seconds, but not all sports cars need to be lightning quick. The Scion FR-S does exceptionally well here, thanks to an old-school, direct feel behind the wheel courtesy of a front MacPherson strut and double-wishbone suspension, front-engine configuration, and no-nonsense cabin design.
3
2022 Toyota GR86
Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $516
Front 3/4 action shot of 2022 Toyota GR86 driving on trackToyota
When the FR-S was shelved, Toyota introduced the GT86; then came the Toyota GR86 in 2021. With an average used price of $26,400 for the Coupe and $28,500 for the Premium Coupe, the 2022 Toyota GR86 may only be four years old, but it is exceptionally well priced. It sounds even better when you consider the responsive 228-horsepower 2.4-liter NA flat-four under the hood, the rear-wheel-drive configuration, standard short-throw six-speed manual transmission, 6.1-second sprint times, track-tuned MacPherson front strut, independent multi-link rear suspension, and tuned shocks and stabilizer bars. It is nearly as close to the almost-new analog sports car world as you can get today.
Edmunds estimates five-year repair costs are $2,581, which works out to roughly $516 a year, while CarEdge reports that it will cost you, on average, just $1,571 for maintenance over five years. iSeeCars also rates the GR86 9.5 out of 10 for retained value, which has a lot to do with its proper sports car build, reliability, collector value, and unique design.
2
2023 Nissan Z Sport
Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $505
Front 3/4 shot of 2023 Nissan Z SportNissan
As the modern-day replacement for the Nissan Z car, the 2023 Nissan Z is the first model year of the most recent generation, the RZ34. Today, used prices range from $31,400 to $35,000. Prices are still relatively close to the original ones ($42,085 – $55,085), but for what you get, and the $505 a year repair cost, it is a lot of bang for your buck. Owners on Kelley Blue Book rate the ’23 Nissan Z 5 out of 5 overall, while CarEdge rates it “B-” for value rating, saying it will cost you $2,248 over five years for maintenance.
The 2023 Nissan Z isn’t as analog as its predecessor, but a 400-horsepower/350-pound-foot twin-turbocharged VR30DDTT V6 under the hood, a six-speed manual option, mechanical clutch-type limited-slip diff, dual-exhaust outlets, stiff chassis, and 19-inch forged RAYS wheels more than make up for that. On top of that, the 2023 Z can sprint to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds when you use launch control, and 4.5 seconds with the purist transmission.
1
2022 Subaru BRZ
Average Annual Maintenance Cost: $500
Front 3/4 action shot of 2022 Subaru BRZ drivingSubaru
The 2022 Subaru BRZ is the Subaru version of the Toyota GR86. Under the hood is a 2.4-liter NA Boxer engine good for 228 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 184 pound-feet of torque at 3,700 rpm. Rest-to-60 times have been clocked at 5.4 to six seconds. You get a Torsen limited-slip differential and rear-wheel drive; the old-school Boxer engine is mounted deep in the chassis at the front and helps to achieve a very low center of gravity, which helps with balance, and huge vented disc brakes provide impressive stopping power all day.
The 2022 Subaru BRZ may share a lot with the GR86, but, according to Edmunds, it is slightly cheaper to repair each year. Over five years, it will cost, on average, $2,500 for repairs, while CarEdge estimates it will cost you around $2,180 for maintenance. Like the GR86 and MX-5, this is mainly due to the simple engine, general lack of driver aids, and refined, shared platform. iSeeCars also seems to agree with the BRZ’s blend of performance and reliability, saying it has an average lifespan of 14 years. For something that is rated 85 out of 100 on J.D. Power and will only cost between $23,100 and $24,800 on the used market, it is very good going.
Sources: Edmunds, RepairPal, iSeeCars, J.D. Power, and Kelley Blue Book.
