Coupes under $50k

  1. Home /
  2. 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

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

2020 Mitsubishi ASX Exceed
Car Style

Road trip: Tweed Area gin run in a Mitsubishi ASX

A weekend away with a Mitsubishi ASX in Byron Bay beckoned but a detour was in order to check out some highly recommended Aussie-made gin

Performance Car of the Year 2004 Readers Take
Performance COTY

Performance Car of the Year 2004 – Reader’s Take: classic MOTOR

Little did Lucky Bastard – aka Strap-On – know what he was letting himself in for when he joined PCOTY

News

Lamborghini treat father-son creators of 3D-printed Aventador to the real deal

The Italian supercar maker rolled out the ultimate Christmas present for the Backus family – an Aventador S!

Car buyers no longer care about manufacturer cheating
Opinion

Car buyers no longer seem to care about manufacturer cheating

It seems that car buyers don’t just accept being treated with contempt by manufacturers. They reward it

Aston Martin Valhalla 2019
News

Is Aston Martin in trouble?

Any interruption to the new product pipeline and additional cash burn could bring the blowtorch

What is the performance car of the 2010s decade
Features

Opinion: Are these the best performance cars of the decade?

Of all the greats the 2010s gave us, which deserves to be crowned as the best of the lot?

Last Ride
Opinion

The last litre: we pick our dream final drives for when the oil runs out

The ultimate choice for the ultimate last drive with the world’s final litre of fuel

Performance Car of the Year 2004 Road Test
Performance COTY

Performance Car of the Year 2004 – Road Test: classic MOTOR

The track is one thing, but PCOTY glory insists on real-world brilliance. It’s here that the heroes lift to another level…

Will Power
Features

Will Power’s Dream Garage

The Queensland-born IndyCar superstar on the three cars he’d most cherish in his ultimate garage

2019 opinion columns David Morley
Features

Opinion columns of 2019: David Morley

Morley’s been writing since before most of MOTOR’s staff was born

Performance Car of the Year 2004 Track Testing
Performance COTY

Performance Car of the Year 2004 – Track Testing: classic MOTOR

If there’s one place that sorts the gems from the toys, it’s Winton Raceway – arguably the toughest test in PCOTY. Helmets on!

2019 Volvo XC40 T5 long-term review
Reviews

2019 Volvo XC40 T5 long-term review

Honey I shrunk the COTY winner! Inwood downsizes into a 2019 Volvo XC40 T5 long termer, but should he temper his expectations?

Retro XR Falcon
Features

Retro: 1967 Ford XR Falcon

Success at the mountain elevated our first Aussie muscle car to legend status

BMW M3 CS review
Reviews

BMW M3 CS review: Farewell to the F80

Strap into the 338kw/600Nm CS for our final drive of the F80-generation BMW M3

Opinion

WhichCar’s year in review

It’s been a big one, but here were the big items of the year revisited. Onwards and upwards into 2020!

News

Is Puma’s ‘Gaming Sock’ perfect for sim racers?

That’s right, gaming socks are a thing now

Performance Car of the Year 2004 Drag Testing
Performance COTY

Performance Car of the Year 2004 – Drag Testing: classic MOTOR

What’s the fastest local car? Is 250 still quick? What’s scary at big speed? Can Avalon’s 3km of unrozzered runway answer all of life’s meaningful questions?

Porsche 911 GT2 RS
News

The best drivers’ cars of 2019

Our second annual special edition magazine looks back at all the best metal we’ve driven in 2019

Toyota GR Yaris Performance Pack not coming to Australia
News

Toyota GR Yaris Performance Pack no-go for Australia

No plans for optional go-fast bits on Aussie hot hatches

Toyota GR Yaris specifications revealed
News

Toyota GR Yaris specifications revealed

Toyota goes it alone with all-new turbo hot hatch

Toyota GR Yaris prototype review
Reviews

Toyota GR Yaris prototype review

Prototype of Toyota’s upcoming pocket rocket channels the spirit of the WRC homologation

Tesla Model 3 Performance Track Mode tested
Features

Tesla Model 3 Performance Track Mode Tested

Oversteer in an electric car? Yes, it’s possible

Track-focused mid-engine V8 Ferrari comparison
Features

Ferrari track-focused V8 supercars comparison

We pick the best of five-generations of track-inspired Ferrari V8 ‘Special Series’

News

Cigarette tossers to cop up to $11K fine, 10 demerit points

Thinking of casually flicking your ciggie out the window? Think again.