Owning a sports car or a muscle car is something of a rite of passage for every proper gearhead. However, buying a solid one today is not as simple as it used to be. Aside from BRZs and Miatas, which are always the answer, new sports cars are ridiculously expensive, and countless popular used options are now sadly out of most buyers' reach. This includes everything from classic muscle cars to cool '90s and 2000s JDM icons and more. And those that are still cheap are usually cheap for a very good reason, and even if you get a good deal, maintenance and repairs could easily make your first sports car the worst financial decision you've ever made.However, between the overpriced icons and the depreciated luxury maintenance nightmares still hides a small segment of ridiculously fun and underrated sports cars that many buyers are completely oblivious to. Most are easy to work on, many are scary-fast, and a good chunk of them are surprisingly cheap to buy and own. Those are the sports cars we'll be shedding some light on in this list.We won't be talking about obvious choices that are already common in American garages, like the Mustang, Camaro, Challenger, or Corvette. Following are ten sports cars that you don’t think of during regular conversation that could be great options for your garage.All the specs and information provided in this article are courtesy of the respective car manufacturers. 2003 Lexus SC 430 Overlooked Luxury Performer Bring A TrailerEver since Top Gear called it the "worst car in the history of the world," the SC 430 has been a sports car gearheads steered clear of. That's fair, since it's more of a luxury grand tourer, but no one can deny the build quality and power it offers, either. It was offered as a coupe or convertible model with a silky V8 engine giving it plenty of power, and the retractable hardtop allowed it to be a fun and exciting car to see and drive. What Makes It Underrated? The Lexus SC 430 makes 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque from the 4.3-liter V8 engine, which is good for a sprint to 60 MPH in 5.9 seconds, but that wasn’t fast in 2003. This car leans more toward grand touring than track-day fun, making in an underrated performer. To be completely fair, a five-speed automatic, which was the only transmission offered, does nothing to improve driving engagement. However, as far as we know, the SC 430 is very reliable and robust as a used choice, which is very good news since prices for these currently run in the mid-teens for examples in good condition. 1988 Mitsubishi Starion Overshadowed Turbo Lag Grassroots Motorsports As many Japanese sports cars were shifting toward FWD models, the Starion appeared to provide turbocharged power and an RWD layout. The wide-body looks and styling gave this car the aggressive feeling desired. A 2.6-liter turbocharged engine mated with a five-speed manual to produce 188 horsepower and 234 lb-ft of torque. This was enough power to reach 60 MPH in 6.5 seconds, which was a respectable time in the 1980s. What Makes It Underrated? The Mitsubishi Starion was on the market in America for less than a decade in the '80s, but it could have lasted longer if other Japanese sports cars didn’t have such a strong foothold. The interior quality, ergonomics, and features are all distinctively '80s, and the turbo lag, combined with the heavy weight, held this sports car back. 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe Compromised Comfort Bring A Trailer The 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe entered the market with a fantastic sporty appearance, sleek body lines, and an aggressive fastback style. This car added something to the Hyundai lineup that had been missing: a sports car worthy of desire. The Coupe 2.0T is the most common version, giving you a turbocharged engine that produces 210 horsepower and 223 lb-ft of torque out of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. A 3.8-liter V6 producing 306 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque was also available, making this car more exciting. What Makes It Underrated? As an everyday car, the Track trim has a stiff ride. This means owners must compromise between comfort and performance. Lower trims seem noisy on the road, and the small four-cylinder engine isn’t nearly as exciting as the V6. 2006 Pontiac GTO Great Car, Wrong Style Hemmings Pontiac brought back the GTO name for 2004, making one last-ditch effort at saving the brand. This GTO arrived with the Corvette's LS1 engine for the first model year, but in 2005, it received a more powerful LS2 unit. The LS2 GTO is still a serious muscle car even by 2025 standards, outputting 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, which allows this car to dash to 60 MPH in just 4.8 seconds. However, they remain notoriously underrated. What Makes It Underrated? As powerful and impressive as the 2006 GTO is, it became an underrated sports car because it never matched the style expectations. Some purists didn’t like the Australian Holden Monaro roots of the car, which caused many to avoid this car. That’s too bad because it's an excellent performer and will leave most other sports cars in the dust. 2001 BMW Z3 M Coupe Oddball Style Keeps People Away Cars & Bids The 2001 BMW Z3 M Coupe could be the mullet of the automotive world. When you start at the front of the car, it looks sleek, long, and low, like a sports car should, but then it bulges into a hatchback/wagon combination in the rear, which looks and seems strange. Under the hood is a very capable 3.2-liter S52 straight out of the E36 M3 sold on the American market, sending 315 horsepower and 251 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. This is enough power to send the car to 60 MPH in 4.8 seconds, making it a fun and fast sports car. What Makes It Underrated? In today’s world, the Z3 styling is loved by many, especially those looking for oddball cars that offer something strange. When it was new on the market, it was nicknamed the “Clown Shoe,” which is an indicator of the polarizing style offered. The Z3 is also heavier than other pure sports cars in its class, but it can be a fun and unique car to show off. 1987 Nissan 300ZX Complexity With Good Performance Cars & Bids The 1980s version of the Nissan Z-car was the 300ZX. It brought strong performance, especially in the Z31 turbo version, which produced 205 horsepower and 227 lb-ft of torque. This was enough power to send the car to 60 MPH in about 7.6 seconds, which was respectable during the middle of the 1980s. For the 1987 model year, the Nissan 300ZX received styling, handling, and features updates with aerodynamic bumpers, vented rear rotors, a revised nose, and an updated rear. What Makes It Underrated? Despite the 300ZX’s style and performance, this car was often overlooked because parts and maintenance cost and complexity could make it a bit of a headache to own. Some thought it was quirky in some areas, but for those willing to handle the upkeep, the Nissan 300ZX continually delivers excitement on the road and track. 2018 Lexus LC500 A Heavy And Expensive Sports Car Lexus If you have the money to spend on a high-priced sports car, the 2018 Lexus LC500 is an amazing option. It’s a high-tech luxury sports coupe with a strong V8 engine under the hood (forget the hybrid model, it’s not worth any gearhead’s time). You might not be able to turn any wrenches on this car, but the roar of the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 that sends 471 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque (via a 10-speed automatic) to the wheels is incredible, and the 4.4-second 0-60 MPH is all you'll ever need in this luxury GT. What Makes It Underrated? Despite world-class build quality, monster V8, and supercar-esque design features, the LC500 remains much more affordable than its competitors like the Porsche 911 or Aston Martin Vantage. Sure, it may not be as quick off the line since it's also a heavy car, tipping the scales at more than 4,300 pounds, but it more than makes up for that in sheer luxury and style. 1995 Honda Prelude Rarely Mentioned JDM Sports Car Edmunds The conservative profile of the 1995 Honda Prelude shouldn’t be taken for granted. This car came with high-revving VTEC engines and excellent handling to be one of the most fun and active sports cars of its time. It delivered strong driver engagement from the 2.2-liter engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission, which sends 200 horsepower to the wheels. Although a sprint to 60 MPH takes 7.1 seconds, the Prelude is a lot of fun to drive when you have an open road in front of you. What Makes It Underrated? The conservative styling and lack of impressive sprint times keep the Prelude on the shelf for many enthusiasts. Among JDM sports cars from Honda, the Prelude barely gets a mention, especially when considering the brand has created the Civic Si and Type R models, Integra Type R, and NSX. Still, the precise handling and control through corners can make the Prelude a bit of a guilty pleasure for some gearheads. 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Rotary Engine Fun And Headaches Bring A Trailer The Mazda RX-7 was getting a little old by 1991, but that didn’t stop it from continuing to be an impressive and fun rotary-engined sports car. As a unique model. This car might be tough for most gearheads to maintain, but it sure is fun to drive, thanks to the independent rear suspension, impressive steering, and four-wheel disc brakes. A turbocharged 1.3-liter rotary engine put out 182 horsepower, which reached the wheels via a five-speed manual transmission to send the RX-7 to 60 MPH in only 6.1 seconds. What Makes It Underrated? Many gearheads avoid the Mazda RX-7 simply because it’s powered by a rotary engine. These engines aren’t known for their dependability and have poor fuel mileage compared to traditional engines. Still, if you’re willing to drive this car and let it be fun for you, the RX-7 could be your favorite sports car. 1999 Acura Integra GS-R Not Enough Power, But Plenty Of Fun Cars & Bids You would think that a lightweight sports car with the dependability of Acura and Honda would be much more popular than other models. The 1999 Acura Integra GS-R is powered by a 1.8-liter VTEC four-cylinder engine that sends 170 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque to the wheels. This engine mates to a five-speed manual transmission and makes it possible for the car to reach 60 MPH in only 6.9 seconds. What Makes It Underrated? In a world where the Mazda MX-5 Miata had spent ten years proving that low-powered sports cars can be fun, the 1999 Acura Integra GS-R shouldn’t have been underrated, but it was. The competing Mazda made it difficult for Acura to convince shoppers to buy this car, but the Integra GS-R could be the fun and active sports car that you love to toss around on the road.