It doesn’t matter what kind of brand-new vehicle you’re looking at purchasing in 2026; you probably have to spend a fair amount more than just a few years ago. Hell, the cheapest car on sale in the US has increased from around $17,000 to over $20,000 following the death of the Mitsubishi Mirage and Nissan Versa.
The same goes for budget performance cars too, since actually getting one for less than $40,000 is very difficult. At that price, calling them affordable is becoming a bit of a stretch. In fact, if you want to spend less than $40k, there are only a few options left.
Toyota Is Keeping The Budget Sports Car Alive, Just
2026 Toyota GR86 driving front 3/4Toyota
One option for affordable performance is the venerable Toyota GR86, which is the Japanese brand’s entry-level rear-wheel-drive sports car. First introduced in 2012, the GR86 was designed to give driving enthusiasts a focused, ultra-fun road experience for roughly the price of an entry-level RAV4.
The machine has been developed considerably over the last decade or soand is now practically perfect in terms ofdriver engagement and performance it offers. Inflation has made it more expensive than it used to be, but the base version still starts at $32,795, including the $1,295 destination fee. Add the optional Performance Pack, which brings upgraded Brembo brakes and Sachs dampers, and your total spend rises to $34,815.
That’s much cheaper than its closest rivals: its Subaru BRZ platform sibling and the venerable Mazda MX-5 Miata. Subaru commands a premium for the BRZ since it doesn’t offer a more budget-focused entry-level trim like Toyota does, though if you want a more focused version like the GR86 with the Performance Pack, you’d need to buy the range-topping TS variant. This version gets Brembo brakes and an STi-tuned suspension. The trouble is, the price rises to $40,015, making it more than $5,000 more than its Toyota sibling.
The Miata is even more costly by the time you factor in the Brembo braking package. You’d need to start with the Club trim level, which comes with enhanced Bilstein dampers to compete with the GR86’s Sachs components, and that demands $36,140 before you’ve even started. Add on the Brembo package, which also comes with more supportive Recaro bucket seats, and you’re looking at a total of $41,190 all told.
As a result, the GR86 looks like great value if you want an affordable sports car with the uprated underpinnings to make it a fearsome little track machine.
The GR86 Has Highly Effective Bones
2026 Toyota GR86 rear 3/4Toyota
There’s plenty more to the GR86 than just the upgraded braking and suspension setups for this price, too. It uses a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter flat-four engine developed by Subaru, which brings plenty more to the table than simply its 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The low-slung powerplant helps keep the car’s center of gravity low, reducing body roll during hard cornering. Toyota also did an excellent job keeping the car light, with the manual version tipping the scales at just 2,811 pounds.
The low weight not only improves the car’s handling, but also helps it rocket from 0-60 mph in an impressive 6.1 seconds, despite a lack of on-paper power. As is typical of Toyota, though, it went much further to make the GR86 the best driving machine it could be. The doors, roof, and hood are aluminum to lower the center of gravity. The chassis builds on the previous generation, with changes that provide 50% more torsional rigidity. This change improves the car’s responsiveness and lets the tires work better by preventing the chassis from moving around and causing constant weight shift.
The Japanese brands’ hard work paid off, as we absolutely loved the revised GR86 when we tested it back in 2023. Not only was the new engine more powerful and responsive than the one that came before, but it was also more responsive and alive in your hands than the previous version.
Toyota Focused On The Details With The 2027 GR86
2026 Toyota GR86 transmission gearboxToyota
Still not satisfied to leave it there, Toyota made further changes to the already-excellent GR86 package for the 2027 model year. First, after further track testing, the manufacturer tweaked the GR86’s throttle response to be more linear, making it a bit easier to control the 228 hp being channeled to the rear wheels. The extra driver confidence this change should bring further closes the gap between a car that is not only extremely effective from a performance standpoint, but also accessible.
Alongside this, the brand has also widened the chamfer between fourth and fifth gear by 0.01 of an inch to ensure a smoother shifting feel between the two gears. This doesn’t add any direct performance benefit to the 0-60 time, but it enhances the level of pleasure the driver can enjoy.
These changes show why the GR86 is such a great driver’s tool, as Toyota leaves no stone unturned in its development. It also suggests the model should stick around for a long time, since the brand isn’t simply sitting back and collecting profits but continually investing in its platform to keep it the best budget sports car on the market.
A New GR86 Will Be On The Way Before Too Long
The Toyota GR86 offers plenty of rear-wheel-driven, naturally aspirated performance.Toyota
On that subject, the GR86’s future looks uncertain. The joint development program between Subaru and Toyota looks set to end soon, so Toyota would need to take the lead on developing the next-gen GR86. The clearest change might be beneath the hood, since the marque would likely ditch Subaru’s boxer engine in favor of its own turbocharged inline-four unit. Toyota is already developing the new performance engine architecture.
The unit could produce around 400 hp or more – significantly more than in the current model. In addition to being more powerful, the four-cylinder would also be considerably cleaner and more fuel-efficient than the current flat four-cylinder. The new unit will meet the new Euro 7 emissions regulations, which every European-bound engine will need to meet as of November 2026.
That wasn’t an issue for the current GR86, though, as it stopped being offered in Europe in 2024 because it didn’t meet stricter safety regulations introduced then.
Used GR86s Can Be Had For A Decent Discount
2022-2025 Toyota GR86 Red Front Angled View Track DriftingToyota
Of course, as a rather impractical two-door sports car, a GR86 is likely more of a weekend fun car than a full-on daily driver for many buyers. As a result, spending $35,000 on such a car is a considerable outlay, especially if you need another vehicle in your collection. If that reflects your situation, a used GR86 could be the way to go. According to the CarBuzz Marketplace, you can net yourself a 2022 GR86 manual for an average value of $26,642, saving around $9,000 versus a brand-new version with the Performance Pack.
Since the car holds its value so well, you can also expect to lose little in depreciation after several years of ownership. Being an early variant, though, you’d need to make sure the FA24D engine is running in fine fettle. A manufacturing defect can cause loose pieces of silicone gasket material to break off and enter the vehicle’s oil pan, which could block the oil pickup tube. Under heavy load, the engine could suffer terminal damage from not getting enough oil. Make sure the car you’re testing doesn’t make any ticking or knocking noises under load, as this is a telltale sign the engine may have suffered damage from a lack of lubrication.
Beyond that, try to ascertain whether the car has been taken out on track, as the high cornering loads associated with this are a key reason for the issue to crop up. You can fix it by dropping the oil pan and cleaning out any excess silicone, so also check the car’s service history for any record of this being done. TToyota sorted out thelack of quality control that led to the problem wfter 2022, so aim for a car made in 2023 or later if you’d prefer to avoid any worries entirely.
Find a tidy model, though, and you could have one of the best driver’s cars that money can buy for comfortably under $30,000. Given the lengths Toyota goes to in making sure the machine handles and feels on point, it’s arguably one of the steals of the century, whether you buy new or used.
Sources: Mazda, Subaru, Toyota.
