What makes a great performance car? Well, for one, it has to be fun. It has to be something you dream about, something worth getting up early for and displaying proudly at your local Cars and Coffee. Then, driving the long way home to take advantage of that twisty road.
Even in an era dominated by SUVs, there are dozens of great performance cars to choose from, ranging from the cheapest hot hatchback to the most expensive V-12 monster—and, yes, even a few performance SUVs. Whatever you have the budget for, there's really no way to go wrong when looking for your next sporty ride.
Using the same distinction from our annual Best of the Best awards, we've picked our favorite performance cars of 2025 (so far). These are the cars we simply couldn't get enough of—the ones we'd have in our driveways, money no object. As the year persists, more performance cars will undoubtedly make this list. But for now, these are our top picks.
Audi RS E-Tron GT
912 Horsepower
Price: $168,295
Why We Love It: The 2025 Audi RS E-Tron GT is an absolute missile. With 912 horsepower and 757 pound-feet of torque directed to the wheels via a 97.0 kilowatt-hour battery pack and two electric motors, it takes this electric performance sedan just 2.4 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour. That’s quicker than many supercars.
Even with all that power, though, the E-Tron GT has a supremely comfortable ride with a glass-smooth suspension and a serene cabin loaded to the brim with the best materials Audi offers. At $168,295 to start, this punchy performance sedan certainly isn’t cheap. But in this case, you do indeed get what you pay for.
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Audi S3
328 Horsepower
Price: $49,995
Why We Love It: Audi is in a driving renaissance lately. Nothing much has changed on the outside, but plenty has changed with handling, feel, and sporting character–Most obviously on the facelifted 2025 Audi S3. With the newest generation of EA888 inline-four squeezing 328 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque out of 2.0 liters, it also has the performance chops to be a real contender, even if its 4.4-second zero to 60 doesn’t sound that impressive today.
It may be the middle child of the A3 and RS3, but it delivers such a lovely RS3-lite driving experience that it almost feels like a bargain for its $49,995 base price compared to its five-cylinder big brother. You get the RS3’s trick rear diff, a little bit of fake inline-five sound through the speakers, and handling that more or less matches the RS3 on a backroad. Less-than-RS3 is no more. The S3 is just damn good.
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BMW Z4 Manual
382 Horsepower
Price: $71,825
Why We Love It: BMW rarely builds a sports car, but when it does, it ain’t always a hit. The 2025 BMW Z4 M40i with the Handschalter (German for “hand shift”) package dropped, and almost all of us were skeptical. Even with that delightful B58 inline-six pushing 382 horsepower and 369 pound-feet connected to a ZF six-speed manual, good for a 4.2-second zero to 60, the execution is often BMW’s sports car problem, not the parts.
Good news: The manual Z4 is a delightful exception to everything we’ve come to accept about new BMWs. It’s relatively lightweight at 3,514 pounds, exceptionally small and simple, and has an actually lovely manual transmission. It’s simple and easy to use, fast as hell, rides beautifully, sounds good, and is a genuinely engaging sports car, if a little numb and non-linear. The manual Z4 is easy to fall in love with, and stands among the best that BMW makes right now, including proper M-cars.
Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider
819 Horsepower
Price: $515,400
Why We Love It: Big V-12-powered grand tourers are nearly extinct. But Ferrari remains a bastion for those who believe there is no replacement for displacement. The 12Cilindri is the only non-hybridized, naturally aspirated V-12 passenger car still on sale, bringing a gargantuan 819 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Despite no fancy power boosters, it can sprint from zero to 60 in 2.9 seconds, onto a top speed of 211 miles per hour.
The Spider version, which we drove in February, delivers a gorgeous driving experience. It’s the ultimate grand tourer, able to cruise big distances without being uncomfortable, and providing real pleasure through twisty roads. Still, the crown jewel is the 6.5-liter 12-cylinder, capable of revving to an astronomical 9,500 rpm.
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Jeep Wagoneer S
600 Horsepower
Price: $67,195
Why We Love It: The Jeep Wagoneer S makes this list thanks to its electric powertrain. The dual-motor setup gives the SUV a supercar-like 600 horsepower and 617 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to propel the five-seat SUV to 60 miles per hour in just 3.4 seconds, and that’s one aspect that makes it so much fun to drive, especially for the price.
The Wagoneer S Launch Edition we drove started at $73,590, which isn’t cheap, but it’s mind-meltingly fast. It’s enough power to make you forget you’re driving a large, heavy family vehicle that can seat five and haul up to 61 cubic feet of cargo space. Despite its size, the Wagoneer S has a near-perfect 50-50 weight ratio, making it easy to handle and toss into a corner and power out with precision.
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Mercedes-AMG CLE53
443 Horsepower
Price: $75,450
Why We Love It: Slotted neatly between the new C-Class and E-Class models, the Mercedes-Benz CLE might be the best of both worlds. The hot AMG CLE53, in particular, takes mid-range performance to the next level with a powerful turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine making 443 horsepower, sending it to 60 miles per hour in just about 4.0 seconds flat.
The CLE53 also makes a strong impression in the corners, with its quick steering, tight suspension, and impeccable body control. And you can even get it in a convertible. Of all the performance cars we’ve driven so far this year, the CLE53 is very underrated.
Porsche 911 Carrera S
473 Horsepower
Price: $148,395
Why We Love It: A Carrera S is never the 911 anyone truly desires. That accolade goes to a 911 Turbo, or a 911 GT3. Yet the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera S, complete with 473 horsepower, 390 pound-feet, and a blistering 3.1-second zero to 60, has the numbers to be an aspirational 911. It also has the price of an aspirational 911: $148,395 of your hard-earned for a base car.
The truth is that new Carrera S is a lovely car that stands on its own, rather than as a funnel for the higher-tier 911s. With the facelift and extra performance, the Carrera S feels like more of a 911 pillar alongside the GT and Turbo cars, and feels like a main course rather than an appetizer. The steering is weighty and relatively talkative, the handling is typically impeccable, and its just damn fast and comfortable.
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Porsche 911 GT3
502 Horsepower
Price: $224,495
Why We Love It: The 2025 Porsche 911 GT3 is as close to perfect as modern cars get. In a world of turbocharging and electrification, it bucks the trend with a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six making 502 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque, capable of revving to 9,000 rpm. Power goes to the rear wheels via a seven-speed PDK automatic or god’s own six-speed manual.
Don’t let the 3.2-second 0-60 time fool you. Most performance EVs would walk away from the GT3 in a straight line. But that’s not what the GT3 is about. Through a corner, there is no car more feelsome and satisfying. The hyper-communicative steering and surefooted rear end will deliver nirvana every time you encounter a back road. Even at an eye-watering starting price of $224,495, the GT3 is worth it.
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Ram 1500 RHO
540 Horsepower
Price: $71,990
Why We Love It: Granted, it's no TRX, but the Ram 1500 RHO is well-deserving of a spot on this list. With a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine making 540 horsepower and 521 pound-feet of torque, this supertruck races to 60 miles per hour in just 4.6 seconds. It also has an off-road-tuned suspension with knobby 35-inch tires that make it an absolute beast in the dunes.
The RHO also takes a step up from the TRX in the liveability department with a well-furnished interior and new technology, like a 14.5-inch vertically oriented touchscreen, a lovely 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and even a 10.3-inch touchscreen on the passenger side. The Ram 1500 RHO starts at $71,990, which feels like a small price to pay for that much performance.
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Toyota GR Corolla
300 Horsepower
Price: $39,995
Why We Love It: These days, all-wheel drive hot hatchbacks are hard to find. But of the few options remaining, there’s one clear winner: The Toyota GR Corolla. Updated for 2025 with reshaped air curtain ducts, strips of aluminum tape behind the front bumper to increase aerodynamic efficiency, and an automatic transmission, the lovable GR ‘Rolla gets even better for the new year.
Yes, even with the automatic transmission, it’s awesome. Opting for the eight-speed auto bumps the torque figure from 273 pound-feet to 295, and it pairs perfectly with the Corolla’s playful chassis and turbocharged engine. For $39,995 to start for the manual (or $41,995 for the auto), this car is hard to beat.
Volkswagen GTI
241 Horsepower
Price: $33,670
Why We Love It: There are a lot of great sport-compacts out there, but none offer quite the same mix of fun and daily usability like the Golf GTI, and all for a very affordable price. VW’s facelifted Mk8.5 GTI addresses a lot of the livability complaints about the Mk8 of 2021-2024, while also further honing the dynamics. It lost its manual transmission, but the seven-speed dual-clutch is a near-faultless gearbox, which lessens the loss.
Although 241 horsepower may not seem like much these days, the GTI is light at under 3,200 pounds. It’s a quick car, and it rides and handles beautifully, too. With this new facelift, the GTI is also as attractive as it's ever been, especially on the Autobahn’s optional 19-inch wheels. The GTI is a boring choice, but for a reason. Few other cars fit so seamlessly into the life of a car enthusiast, and none for less than $40,000.
