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Sports cars might be dwindling in the marketplace but we’ve found ten that are the perfect daily driver for 2022.
The Best Daily Drivers of 2022
As crossovers and heavyweight electric cars take over the road, building sports cars is harder to justify for many companies. One keen approach is to make those sports cars more comfortable, capable, and livable for everyday tasks. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best daily driver sports cars of 2022. Unlike lists you might find other places, we’re not jamming this full of six-figure supercars that only the 1% can actually afford. Even in the few instances where we mention cars that do cost more than $100,000, excellent used examples can be found well below that figure. We’re also not including milquetoast cars that have no business being here like the Honda Accord, the Nissan Maxima, or even the very excellent Kia Stinger sedan. With that in mind, let’s get into the best daily driver sports cars of 2022.
Nissan GT-R
We do start off with a six-figure car but keep in mind that the GT-R lists for less than $120,000. While that is objectively a lot of money, it’s important to consider just how fast this sports car actually is. With 565-horsepower or more depending on trim, it’s capable of sprinting from 0-60 MPH in just 2.9-seconds. That’s fast enough to embarrass a lot of folks with cars that cost twice as much. Additionally, the GT-R is well known for being basically a bulletproof supercar. Big maintenance bills and random breakdowns simply aren’t the norm for the GT-R and that simply can’t be said of its major rivals.
Mazda Miata
Practically no list involving sports cars could be complete without including the Miata to one extent or another. For 2022 Mazda has sharpened the steering and handling just a touch more than in previous years and it’s not like this thing was a dog beforehand. The Miata has rightly won its place on numerous top ten best lists because it’s so good in the bends and offers just enough power from its four-cylinder engine to satisfy the purists. Sure it might not have a turbo but that’s not a problem for us.
Audi R8
As the most expensive car on our list, the Audi R8 has a lot of work to do to be worth its $151,895 MSRP. Of course, we feel like it does just that by offering a stout and reliable 562-hp V10 and a true supercar experience without compromising on-road comfort or practicality. No, you won’t be able to haul as many groceries or people around in the R8 as you would in other cars, but it offers such an outstanding driving experience without compromise that we can’t keep it from this list.
Porsche 911
If there’s one car on this list that blends the world of supercar and sports car it has to be the Porsche 911. It starts at just a shade over $100,000 and it’s worth every penny. There’s also no need to go for the fancy turbo model to enjoy the biggest benefits of 911 ownership either. This car offers sublime handling, nearly telepathic responses, and a classic shape that will never go out of style. It’s also worth noting that when it comes to value for the dollar, the normal 911 seems to make a good case over its more expensive siblings.
Ford Mustang GT
American automakers have really figured sports cars out over the last decade and the Ford Mustang GT is an excellent example of that. Its 5.0-liter 450-horsepower V8 snarls in an old-school muscle car sort of way while its suspension and steering feel like they’ve been ripped out of a proper road-course race car. We also love the styling and reliability on offer from the regular Mustang GT. Finally, having an MSRP of just $37,275 is just insane when compared to some of the other metal here.
Jaguar F-Type
The Jaguar F-Type also has a 5.0-liter V8 but it’s supercharged and always mated to a silky smooth automatic transmission. The F-Type is for the driver who wants to have the sporting nature of a muscle car on tap but for the most part just enjoys cruising. That’s what the F-Type is great at. The entire car feels like high-end luxury from the exterior and interior design details right down to the physical materials used for the seats, the trim, and the switchgear. It’s not the fastest thing here but it’s perhaps the most theatrical of the bunch.
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
It’s hard to justify going after any of the lower-end Chevrolet Camaros but the ZL1 is a totally different beast. It still offers the everyday driver niceties that we’d want if we really had to use it regularly but it also has a high-strung nature we love. Chevrolet really proves how capable its cars can be with something like the Camaro ZL1. It has the same sort of incredible feedback that the six-figure cars above seem to offer and starts at under $70,000. It can also be had with a proper manual transmission and three pedals. When it comes to sheer power and engagement behind the wheel, the Camaro is very hard to beat.
Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ
For those with a little less cash to flash, the new Toyobaru twins are just amazing. Everything that could’ve been complained about in the old cars is gone and almost everything we could’ve asked for has been improved. There’s more power, better ergonomics in the cabin, better visibility, improved handling, and sharper feedback too. If there’s any downside, it’s got to be the fake exhaust noise piped into the cabin but a quick fuse pull will fix that right up.
Porsche 718
Buyers who want that Porsche experience without the 911 price tag can look at the almost equally impressive 718 lineup. Choose from the drop-top Boxster or the hardtop Cayman coupe and either way you’ll end up happy. Porsche offers four and six-cylinder engine choices as well as a bevy of options that allow buyers to customize their car to their heart’s content. Just keep in mind that hitting six figures isn’t too hard if you tick too many boxes.
Chevrolet Corvette
It’s not hard to determine what the best performance value on the market is today thanks to the Chevrolet Corvette. There’s simply nothing out there as fast, as agile, and as affordable at the same time. Sure, we’d love for Chevy to offer a stick shift but the automatic transmission already in the car is an excellent second choice. In addition, it’s honestly just fine as a daily driver thanks to excellent storage options and a very comfortable ride setting. For the money, there’s nothing on the planet that beats it.
