Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Outside your usual industry running costs, inflation is a huge contributor to the final price you pay at the dealer. Sports cars already aren't a great use of money, fun as they might be, and it seems they feel more expensive than ever. To put that gut feeling to the test, we examined pricing of some of the cheapest sports cars on sale today in contrast with the year of their debut.Note: All pricing figures were adjusted for inflation with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator.Subaru BRZSubaruView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisement2026 MSRP: $30,0952012 MSRP: $26,764The BRZ's excellent rear-drive, front-engine driving dynamics are the reason you buy one, as in true 2026 as it was in 2012 when the Toyota/Scion/Subaru 2+2 debuted. After the price, of course. Today's iteration has crept up in price over the last few years, but inflation-adjusted pricing reveals that the two are still relatively close in price. In fact, today's BRZ is actually cheaper, with the 2012 model's inflation-adjusted MSRP totaling $39,428.15Honda Civic SiView the 2 images of this gallery on the original article2026 MSRP: $31,4951986 MSRP: $8,279The Civic Si traces its lineage back to the 1980s, with an iconic hatchback silhouette you can't get anymore. Honda may have moved past the traditional hatchback design, but today's Si is still an excellent, affordable subcompact. Adjusted for inflation, the price of one has risen by just $6,000 or so in the following decades, with the Si's inflation-adjusted MSRP totaling $25,223.61.Subaru WRXSubaruView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisement2026 MSRP: $32,4952002 MSRP: $24,520The Subaru WRX was a pricey thing by the time it got to US shores for the 2002 model year, as its inflation-adjusted $46,231.90 MSRP reveals. For that kind of money, you can get the hottest WRX on the market today, the tS. Its upgraded brakes and suspension aren't an STI stand-in, but they sure sharpen up the WRX while making the sedan appear an even greater value.Mazda MiataChase BierenkovenView the 2 images of this gallery on the original article2026 MSRP: $30,4301989 MSRP: $13,999The Miata, like the BRZ, has actually managed to get cheaper over time. In 1990, pricing was just a hair under $14k, which, translated to 2026 dollars, comes out to $36,691.66. How Mazda is able to make a more efficient, faster, more entertaining sports car with more power and modern features at an inflation-adjusted loss is beyond reasoning. The new Miata is also, arguably, the most true to its original on this list, having maintained its front-engine, rear-drive layout and naturally-aspirated four-cylinder for its 30+ year lifespan.Volkswagen GTIVolkswagenView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisement2026 MSRP: $34,5901983 MSRP: $8,500The GTI, next to the Civic Si, is the defining hot hatch of the 1980s, the genesis for the genre. The Rabbit GTI, as it was called then, debuted in 1989 with a four-cylinder engine, a manual transmission, and front-wheel drive. Today's Golf has since lost its manual, but take heart in knowing the inflation-adjusted price of just $29,362.93 hasn't changed much in the following decades. While today's GTI is undoubtedly more expensive, it delivers significantly better performance, safety, and efficiency for just a few thousand dollars more.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.