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All too often the most prohibitive aspect of track driving is cost. Not only do the various costs of just entering a track day, or the inevitable maintenance required for running any car at the track add up, but the cars themselves can be a barrier to entry. The truth is many drivers don’t own track capable cars and a few trips to the track isn’t enough incentive to go out and buy an expensive (what is essentially a) toy. The good news is, there are plenty of great track cars, or track capable cars on the used market with options for most drivers.
Whether you’re looking for a car that can act as both a decent daily and a little track star, or a solid secondary vehicle dedicated to track work there are some cars out there that you may not have considered. Yes, the Mazda Miata will always be a solid option, but for the sake of variety we have excluded it here as the obvious choice. There are other go-to sporty cars on offer, but sometimes you need to take a different path. Here are 10 very attainable track day capable vehicles you should, but may not have considered, costing $15,000 or less. With plenty of examples of each, existing on the used market, you’ll be on the racetrack in no time!
10 Ford Fiesta ST
Front 3/4 view of red Ford Fiesta ST parked.
The Ford Fiesta ST is one of the most playful hot hatches, that can handle light track work right from the factory. A well-sorted chassis and sizable tuning community along with relatively inexpensive aftermarket modifications cook up a recipe for cheap thrills, especially on track.
The Fiesta’s tiny footprint means consumables such as tires and brakes, items that are often abused on track, are extremely affordable too. Its stiff suspension makes it a star in the corners, but a tad rough on roads, nothing a younger driver couldn’t handle though. In the long run, a Ford Fiesta ST might be one of the best entry level cars to track in terms of sheer maintenance cost savings.
9 Volkswagen GTI (Mk 7)
Front 3/4 view of red 2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI driving.
The GTI is not just a hot hatch for the street. With a recipe, that has been refined and perfected over decades, the chassis and power band on the GTI are well tuned to perform on the track as well. With a set of sticky tires and strong brakes, the average driver can put down very respectable times in a GTI. Performance package equipped cars are idea for their power jump, cooling capacity, and most importantly, the limited slip differential which in these cars makes a great difference in performance driving situations, especially putting power down on the track.
GTI will push hard in the corners but with enough front end slip to keep novice drivers in check. The handling and powertrain comes alive when in sport mode and in the higher rev range. With an effortlessly torquey mid-range, the turbocharged 2.0 liter “feels” like a larger displacement engine. Sporty/track driving in the GTI is sure to put a smile on your face.
8 Honda Civic Si (Gen 9)
Front 3/4 view of orange 2014 Honda Civic Si parked.
Okay, so we had to throw in a Japanese classic in for good measure. The Civic Si remains one of the best entry-level performance bargains on the planet. There’s a reason V-TEC became so popular, and it’s because it’s so good at making smooth power up high, but saving fuel when the 2.4 liter inline-4 isn’t being pushed hard.
2014 models came with 205 horsepower, but everybody knows how well Honda engines take to modifications including upgraded turbo kits. Since the Civic Si is a common car, finding spare parts should never be a problem, and like some other vehicles here, consumables like brakes and tires are very plentiful.
7 Ford Mustang EcoBoost
Front 3/4 view of red 2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost parked.
It’s not all about the 5.0 liter Mustangs. The EcoBoost Mustang has proven itself to be a worthy powertrain for the popular pony car. With some modifications, EcoBoost Mustangs are plenty quick, and light enough for a muscle car to be fairly brisk in the corners too.
Light suspension upgrades will help fix the squishy ride, wider tires will help the big muscle car grip, and brakes should go a long way to making the EcoBoost Mustang a track warrior. Since the engine is turbocharged, there are plenty of tuning options available too if more power is desired.
6 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec
Front 3/4 view of red Hyundai Genesis Coupe parked.
Hyundai’s first serious sporty car happens to be a bit of a gem. With an all-motor 3.8 liter V-6 putting out between 311 and 348 horsepower depending on model year, this front engine, rear-wheel-driven coupe makes a stellar daily, and has some equipment that is track appropriate. In model years 2009-2016, all R-Spec Genesis Coupe’s came equipped with Brembo brakes, the best in the business for stopping power, and often used by track enthusiasts.
2.0-liter models of the Genesis Coupe were available and even marketed as the more tuner friendly model, however they proved to be less reliable than the more powerful V-6 models. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe set the performance benchmark for future Genesis models.
5 Scion FRS
Front 3/4 view of orange 2013 Scion FRS parked.
Toyota 86s and Subaru BRZs might be more highly regarded than the Scion brands car, but the FRS was the original, and is essentially the same car as its more expensive counterparts. It’s also the variant that you can find the most examples of under our $15,000 budget. FRS, BRZ, and 86 differ only slightly with the BRZ being the softest of the three and FRS being the most bare-bones.
All of them, however deliver super neutral handling with tons of mid-corner communication never leaving the driver confused about what’s going on with the wheels. You can four-wheel slide the car, and it will be completely manageable on track, with plenty of time for the driver to react.
4 Nissan 350Z
Front 3/4 view of gray 2006 Nissan 350Z parked.
The 350Z has long been a tuner’s dream. There is a massive aftermarket community with plenty of information and helpful modifications for street and track use. Depending on the trim level, the 350Z like some others here are factory-built to handle some abusive driving (all track driving is abusive). Nissan also offers an entire series of NISMO factory upgrades if you are shy about aftermarket tuning.
The 350Z is a great naturally aspirated car to explore limits on track with the lack of turbo-lag/shove. That being said, you can turbocharge or supercharge the 3.5 liter V-6 for some extra poke where needed. The old VQ-series engines are stout and can handle modifications.
3 BMW 1 Series
Front 3/4 view of red 2008 BMW 135i Coupe parked.
You probably thought we were going to suggest an M3 of some sort. While the M3 is a fantastic option, the humble 128i proves that BMW makes other cars with just as solid of a base for entering track days. In stock form the 128i may not be the most hasty of cars, but with a select few modifications, that most track goers eventually spring for anyway, this car provides a solid platform on which to build as your skills on track progress.
A suspension kit, cooling upgrades, and strong brakes can help the 128i become an exciting toy on track that will prove to be quite reliable as well. The straight-six engine is relatively under stressed in the small 1 Series package allowing you to drive it at the limit for longer.
2 Porsche Boxster (987)
Front 3/4 view of yellow 2007 Porsche Boxster parked.
Yes, you can own a mid-engined Porsche for under $15,000. The 987 generation Boxster is a highly capable track car from the factory that can double as your weekend sporty car, or even as a daily driver. Due to pure infamous European depreciation, some Boxster models are now within our budget price range. Many prefer the Boxster’s mid-engine weight distribution to even the mighty Porsche 911.
With less power and better inherent handling characteristics, the 987 Boxster is a wonderful car to both experience, and explore limit handling at the track. The flat-6 engine is an aural masterpiece, and the manual transmission is fairly approachable here. For those looking to enter not only the track driving scene, but also an upper echelon sports car brand, the Porshce Boxster may be your car.
1 Chevrolet Corvette (C5)
Front 3/4 view of blue 2003 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe parked.
Where there’s racing, there will usually always be a Corvette of some kind. The C5 generation was, considered by many, where Corvette started getting serious about competitive driving. With 350 horsepower from a 5.7 liter V-8, the C5 Corvette might be one of the best bangs for your buck when it comes to horsepower per dollar. There are some guidelines for C5 Corvette track-car ownership. First, we would recommend a C5 Coupe model as the convertibles do not offer rollover protection, and are therefore banned from many track-related events.
Second would be to choose a manual equipped car as the six-speed is far better for controlling the power than the antiquated 4-speed automatic. The only exception is for events like autocross, the 4-speed would actually work better as you want tall gears and less actual shifting happening during sessions. GM’s Magnetic Ride Control was offered in this generation Corvette, but it’s generally better to avoid the system for track use as these earlier versions tend to leak fluid.
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