Coupes under $50k
- Home /
- Best coupes under $50k
Whether you’re just starting to drive or heading into a mid-life crisis, coupes appeal to all of us. Luckily, these days you don’t need to spend big money to enjoy the thrills of the swept-back driving experience.
While you are able to buy a Subaru BRZ or Toyota 86 for less than $40,000, choices start to expand once you’re shopping under the $50,000 so let’s start there.

Toyota 86
It is getting a little long in the tooth, but the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ combo still offers sports car thrills for an affordable price. Available in manual or automatic with a choice of specification levels, the Toyota 86 has stood the test of time despite external pressure to fill it with extra power.

Mazda MX-5
With the nameplate just celebrating its 30th birthday, there’s small wonder why so many flock to the Mazda MX-5 for an engaging top-down drive. Even if you’re more of a hard-top fan, Mazda now offers the RF version which includes a folding metal roof.

Hyundai i30 Fastback N
A relatively new player to the coupe game, Hyundai’s i30 N was transformed into a four-door coupe following the success of the hatchback. Sleeker styling marries with everything that made Hyundai’s first true hot hatch great

2016 Detroit Motor Show: 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan GTE revealed
The reveal of Volkswagen’s latest plug-in hybrid based on the Tiguan SUV is overshadowed by an upcoming Dieselgate meeting with the US environmental watchdog

2016 Detroit Motor Show: Infiniti Q60 revealed
All-new Infiniti Q60 coupe gets a powerful new engine to go with its head-turning body

2016 Detroit Motor Show: No Holden Bolt EV
Chevrolet’s ambition to become “a global brand” does not include selling electric vehicles such as the Bolt EV in Australia

2016 Lotus Exige S Roadster review
Now you can get the supercharged, track-focused Lotus Exige S as a ragtop. Has it lost its razor edge?

When Porsche drove its 956 racers on Australian roads
You drive your track car to the circuit? That’s cute

2016 Detroit Motor Show: Mercedes-Benz E-Class revealed
The 2016 Mercedes E-Class has been revealed as the maker’s new technology flagship

2016 Detroit Motor Show: Is the Buick Avista the next Holden Monaro?
Buick Avista teases a muscular rear-drive two-door sports coupe that could shape the future of Holden performance

Top 10 Tuning Disasters
Sometimes things are just better left alone

Inside Toyota Motorsport
MOTOR explores Toyota’s German motorsport HQ and finds a stash of racing gems

Detroit Motor Show: Buick Avista revealed
Stylish 2+2 performance coupe a contender to replace Commodore

Wheels Car of the Year 2016: People’s Choice – Group 2
What’s your Car of the Year? Have your say in the second of five polls

2015 Mini Cooper JCW First Drive Review
Our first local drive of Mini’s performance flagship finds a rewarding hot hatch with speed and class to burn.

2016 Subaru Forester tS review
Subaru is about to bring us a new flagship Forester, adding an STi-tuned chassis to the turbo XT. It shows promise…

2015 Toyota RAV4 Review
The Toyota RAV4 is a deservedly popular mid-sized SUV. Strengths include low-cost servicing and great front seats. This review covers RAV4s prior to the December 2015 facelift.

Wheels Car of the Year 2016: People’s Choice – Group 1
What’s your Car of the Year? Have your say in the first of five polls

Top 5 Affordable Track Stars
The best circuit performers under $30K

Hyundai’s ‘Veloster Raptor’
We flogged an ‘experimental’ Megane RS-chasing Veloster Turbo and interrogated the Aussie engineers heating up Hyundai’s hatch

Wheels Car of the Year 2016: The selection process
How the COTY nominees are chosen

Geek Speak: Flat-plane crankshafts
What they are, who does ’em, and why they’re good

2015 Holden Astra VXR First Drive Review
Hot hatch reload with a Holden badge. Quick, sharp dynamically, and aggressively priced, the VXR is a primo hot hatch option.

Aussies snapping up sports and premium cars in 2015
Premium car makers in high demand as Aussies buy up big

2016 Peugeot 308 GTi 270 review
Peugeot is about to drop a small but powerful explosive device into the hot-hatch market with its new 308 GTi 270. Stand well back

2016 Volkswagen T6 Transporter review
Volkswagen has smartened up its genre-creating Transporter range, with better diesels and updated cabins

Nissan R32 GT-R drag racing compilation
Japanese madmen wrestling eight-second monsters