The Best Sports Cars for Older Drivers

"I'm just smiling all the time I'm in it," says Leon of his 2024 Cayman. It's a driving experience like no other, with impeccable handling and the balance of a ballet dancer.

Contributing to the confident driving are ergonomics that put everything from the shifter to the pedals exactly where they should be. It's cozy but not confining. If you want something more placid, there are 4-cylinder and automatic models of the Cayman that handle just as well and offer plenty of up-to-date features including cruise control and heated seats.

Fun on an extra-tight budget: Mazda MX-5 Miata RF

Starting at: $37,010

The Mazda Miata has been around for more than 30 years, and one reason might be it’s got a lot of bang for the buck. It’s a great rear-wheel, manual 6-speed transmission-equipped roadster to pilot along twisty country roads in the sun.

The downside? The Miata is famous for its tight accommodations.

"It’s nimble, quick, fun, but I can’t fit my wife’s insulin supplies and a backpack in it at the same time," says Leon. True, the cabin is so tight that there's no glove compartment on the passenger's side and the retractable hard top (the RF stands for retractable fastback) eats up some of the rear trunk space —although I was able to get a full 70-liter backpack in it, no problem. Still, the Miata is a snug fit for some drivers. I was comfy at 6 feet, but anyone taller might feel claustrophobic, even with the roof down.

Power and performance: Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

Starting at: $68,300

If what you want is to go fast, and a quarter million-dollar Ferrari will ruin your retirement plans, consider a Corvette instead.

It delivers more thrills for the buck than any sports car currently on the market with super-car acceleration of 2.9 seconds from 0 to 60 mph and a top speed of 194 mph. Its mid-engine 490-hp, 6.2-liter V-8 is a breakaway from the traditional front engine Vette, but it translates into handling and performance that puts it in a class with much more expensive competitors with European pedigrees.

The only downside to the Corvette is that some will find the overall styling a bit too dramatic, and you may have to take some yoga classes to improve your flexibility. "It’s an unquestionably great sports car, but it’s not the easiest to climb in and out of," says Edmunds' Kaufman.

Going retro: Mustang GT Fastback

The Mustang GT Fastback provides muscle-car feel at an affordable price.

Ford

Starting at: $45,560

The last V-8-powered domestic pony standing, "the Ford Mustang is probably the most approachable affordable option," notes Kaufman. The American icon boasts a 5-liter engine that feels more muscle car than roadster, and you can reconfigure the digital dashboard cluster to look like the old Mustang analog gauges from the '60s.

The Mustang has solid, supportive seats and excellent accessibility so you don't have to get down on your knees to crawl into the front seat. There's even a back seat, although it's cramped and more suited for the grandkids than seniors.

I found the 480-horsepower special Dark Horse edition delivered good road feel and fairly natural steering feedback (especially for a sports car this size). If you think the roaring 8 cylinders are excessive, there's a turbo-charged 4-cylinder Mustang option as well, with a more compliant automatic transmission. 

Style and panache: BMW Z4 sDrive30i

Starting at: $54,050

Sports cars should be sexy, and the BMW Z4 doesn't disappoint in the looks department.

Considered a luxury roadster, the Z4 is a two-seater rag top with a long sloping front end and snarly front fascia. The soft top only takes about 10 seconds to collapse, which can be done while you're moving (just slow down to less than 30 mph).

The base model rear-wheel drive convertible is an automatic powered by a 2-liter, 4-cylinder engine, which delivers a surprising amount of initial torque. But this is generally a vehicle that favors comfort over raw performance. It smoothes out rough roads and offers more wiggle room for those over 6 feet, and it has a relatively large trunk for a sports car. You can get a couple of carry-on rollers plus a few extras in back, making it an excellent grand tourer for a duet. There are also luxurious extras available, such as a color head-up display, and more powerful engine options, such as a 6-cylinder model with a 6-speed manual transmission.

Electric racer: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N delivers 641 horsepower from its all-electic engine.

Hyundai

Starting at: $66,100

Still struggling to justify spending money on a two-seater that's mainly just for weekend jaunts? Then consider the one electric vehicle in my lineup, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. It's a four-door sedan/compact SUV that seats five, has all-wheel drive and is all electric. The N is Hyundai's performance version that is boosted to 641 horsepower and uses computer programming to deliver synthesized sounds like a throaty combustion engine, replete with software-created shifts.

And while it may be faking the engine sounds and gear changes, it's not faking it when it comes to acceleration, a swift 3.0 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. In fact, the Ioniq 5 N was made for the track and comes with some nifty upgrades, including a rear diffuser, bulging fenders, an aggressive fascia and 21-inch wheels.

On the practical side, it delivers over 220 miles of range, and at an ultra-fast 800-volt charging station, its battery can get from 10 to 80 percent capacity in around 18 minutes. That should be fast enough for anyone.