Honda's Civic, currently one of North America's best-selling compact cars, has sold over 15 million since its introduction to the region in 1973, with over five million manufactured in the US. Today's 11th-generation car comes available in sedan, hatch, and hot-hatch body styles with a choice of gasoline and hybrid powertrains. Buyers have praised it for its upmarket interior and driving dynamics. As a result of these, along with its 47-mpg highway fuel efficiency and overall practicality, the Civic has received recognition from automotive publications.But a new standard Civic starting at $24,695 can't be defined as sporty and even though the range includes the hot Type R, it’s at almost double the price at $47,395. So, this got us wondering: if the number of seats isn't a priority, and you're interested in a spirited drive for a price less than the standard Civic, could these forgotten sports cars on the used market be for you? Hyundai Genesis Coupe (2010) $4,000 — $13,000 Bring A TrailerLaunched in 2009 as a 2010 model year for the US market, Hyundai’s Genesis Coupe rivaled Infiniti’s G37 and was the replacement for the older GK-Tiburon/Coupe. Used prices for Genesis Coupes are currently low, with the usual market sites like Autotrader and Edmunds featuring a number of 2010 coupes starting at around $4,000 for early, high-mileage examples that need some mild to medium work.For this price, you can grab either the 2.0L R-Spec or the 3.8L Grand Touring. Choosing to go for well-looked-after examples from the 2010 year of production can empty $13,000 from your pockets. Nissan 350Z (2003–2006) $4,000 — $20,000 Bring A TrailerWhen Nissan launched the 350z in 2002, it became the star of the drifting world, as demonstrated by its starring role in Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift, and also saved the Z car legacy left by the 300ZX and its predecessors. Now these Japanese icons are over 20 years old, their used prices have plummeted.Like the South Korean Genesis, the Z can be yours for as little as $4,000. We've focused on model years between 2003 and 2006 which can be had for this range. Hopefully, being a Nissan, their bullet-proof reliability and galvanized bodies should still hold strong to this day. Remember, though, to check if any recalls have been carried out, and check for any evidence of maintenance, as 350s burn oil fast. While this oil-burning issue was documented for workshops, it was not part of Nissan's official safety recalls, and it's been a well-known issue amongst owners, particularly with the '05 - '06 RevUp engines. For $20,000 or more, you should be able to afford well-looked-after examples with no accident history and under 30,000 miles. Pontiac Solstice (2006–2007) $5,000 — $20,000 Bring a TrailerFrom one movie star to another, not only did the Solstice have a staring role as Autobot Jazz in Paramount’s / Dreamworks’ Transformers, but it was a crucial car for Pontiac as it served as one of the brand’s halo cars, reviving the brand’s performance division. Sadly, Pontiac’s demise meant keeping up with maintenance for the little roadster could prove to be a challenge. As a result, used prices for this MX-5 buster can be had for as little as $5,000 for earlier model years between 2006 and 2007 cars on Autotrader and Edmunds, with accident-damaged write-offs coming in at less.We found what appeared to be a tidy, 95,000 mile silver '06 example with a black interior on the site for $5,500. We also came across a limited-run GXP with just under 40,000 miles for under $20,000. Prices do appear above this figure, but $20,000 should be enough to own a good one. Few seem to remember the Solstice, despite its movie appearance and wicked exterior, which makes it one of the best forgotten sports cars you can now buy for less than the price of a new Honda Civic. Saturn Sky (2007) $5,000 — $20,000 Bring A TrailerProduction for GM’s Saturn Sky, which shared its platform with the Solstice and Opel GT, only lasted for three years, making it another forgotten sports car likely heading for classic status. Ballpark price figures for Skys start around $5,000, which, like the others, gets you into tatty, high-milers in need of some TLC.Edmunds advertised a 2007 base model with over 170,000 miles for $4,995. While this didn't appear to sustain major accident damage, it was 'rough and ready' from the photos — sustaining scrapes, dents, clouded light clusters, and a saggy roof! But at $20,000, limited-run 'Red Line' models with no more than 30,000 miles were featured. Chrysler Crossfire SRT6 (2005) $7,000 — $25,000 Bring A TrailerBefore Chrysler was forced to axe their under-performing Crossfire due to its controversial 'humpback' styling and outdated Mercedes SLK platform, they sneaked in a limited-run, supercharged, 330hp SRT6 model. Today, their prices are on the way up thanks to their limited availability and forgotten status.Right now, 2005 registered cars can be snagged for anywhere between $7,000 to $25,000. Classic.com shows one actually sold at the bottom of that price range at the Mecum Kissimmee 2026 auction. And the best bit – it had just over 25,000 miles on the odometer. So $25,000 should reel in a museum-grade piece. Dodge Daytona Turbo Z (1985) $9,000 — $20,000 Bring A TrailerIf finding an SRT-6 is becoming rare, then finding a Daytona Turbo Zs on today’s roads is like finding gold dust. Despite its scarcity and boasting a drag coefficient less than that of an F-16 fighter jet when it was new, it hasn’t yet translated into skyrocketing used prices for the little coupe, which means you can buy this American turbocharged eighties' hero for a reasonable sum.Therefore, $9,000 should get you into clean, standard examples and around $20,000 should get you into the best of those with low miles and a documented past. Although it was an earlier concept, in April this year, a one-off Daytona Turbo Z Concept that also served as the Indy Pace Car for the '83–'84 IndyCar World Series sold on Bring a Trailer for $25,222.Finding one though is hard, so dig deep in your searches, past the usual marketplaces to internet forums and owners clubs. Being the old-timer on this list, watch out for electrical failures and rot, which are two of the biggest issues for a car of this age. Subaru BRZ (2017–2018) $14,000 — $24,000 Bring A TrailerAround 30,000 or so first-generation BRZs and its Toyota-twinned GT86 were manufactured and sold between 2012 and 2020/2021, so there is a wide array of examples to choose from on the used market. Between $14,000 and $24,000 will get you into later 2017–2018 models, but expect to pay around $15,000 for accident-free, high-mileage examples. At this price, you can get a 2018 'Premium' model with just over 100,000 miles in white with tidy bodywork.But you can also get into the ‘Series. Yellow’ for $20,000, although these can range to around $24,000. Whichever BRZ you opt for, you’ll be getting one hell of a talented, forgotten sports coupe whose smiles per hour will easily exceed its mph top speed. It’s a forgotten contender because it's been in the shadow of its Toyota-twin in both the limelight and in sales. Jaguar F-Type (2014) $16,000 — $39,000 Bring A TrailerThe Coventry marvel has stirred up a riot since its arrival at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, when it wowed the media and fans with its exterior design, but the biggest surprise about this 911-rivaling, big cat is its used value now, which has plummeted since its launch. Autotrader, Edmunds, Car Gurus and more all list early 2014 F-Types under $24,695. Now, V6 models which have neared 100,000 miles and the possibility of a knock or two recorded, can be had for as little as $16,000, but more amazingly, who would have thought 495 hp from a 5.0L supercharged V8 can also be yours for less than the Civic?Currently, a handful of clean, accident-free 2014 V8 S roadsters have also appeared on the used market for under $24,695 with less than 150,000 miles. Clean examples with under 60,000 miles for both the V6 and V8 can range up to about $39,000 (depending on mileage and history). It’s an astonishing amount of car for the money and one worth purchasing for enjoyment, because, like the BRZ, it’s the smiles-per-hour, as well as value for money that make this our star – considering what their prices were when new. BMW Z4 M Roadster (2007) $20,000 — $30,000 Bring a TrailerIt was inevitable a Beemer would feature on the list, and here it is. Possibly one of the most forgotten M cars in existence along with its predecessor. A total of 5,070 roadsters were built across a two-year period. Around half of these made their way to the USA, so finding used examples shouldn’t be a problem, but finding one for less than a new Civic can prove to be more challenging. Happily, a handful of roadsters from 2007 have dipped under the Civic's price. The majority of these can be had from around $20,000.The main worry for the ones lurking at this end of the market are botched-up, crumpled ones. We came across a silver 83,000 miler advertised for $19,995 on Edmunds, which history checks reported was involved in an accident. Despite this, though, we also came across a black one with 72,000 miles which had a clean accident-free record for under $20,000. Not bad for an M-Powered Beemer which can hit 155 mph. So you can expect near factory-fresh ones for those priced at $30,000 and over. Plymouth Prowler (2000) $23,000 — $35,000 Bring A TrailerPlymouth’s ‘97 Prowler is one time-capsule which has been, well, lost and forgotten in time. Despite being hammered with criticism from the press when it was new, the hot-rod wannabe turned heads wherever it went. Thanks to this, used prices have remained high, but like the Jag, you can now start to own one for less than the Honda hatch. For $23,000, you can take home a year 2000 model with a service record and no fender-benders.Two 2000 registered examples with under 40,000 miles were sold in February this year through Bring a Trailer for less than $24,695. Opt for a garage queen with under 10,000 miles, and you'll be looking at $35,000. So if you're thinking about owning one of these mini-looking Indy-racers, watch out for problems with that exposed front suspension, which can suffer from ball joint failures. Of all the cars mentioned, it's the most extreme to look at and even has the potential to be the most outrageous to drive.Sources: Honda, Toyota, BMW, Jaguar, Bring A Trailer, Classics.com, Autotrader, CarGurus, Edmunds
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