Top-5 Sports Car Leases
Since I started this car lease blog a few months ago, a couple of serious questions have been tugging at my heels:
- Can you have fun and still be practical with a car lease?
- What are the Best Sports Cars under $30,000 and does it make good financial sense to lease them?
My hope was to be able to answer, yes to both of these questions as I rounded up a few of the recent lease specials on sub-$30,000 fun, sports cars. I was pleased to learn that sports cars under $30,000 have lots to offer in performance, economy and overall value. Sports cars in this price category don't have to necessarily be lightening fast (though, the Subaru WRX certainly proves they can!), but they do need to be quick-enough and sexy-enough to look, feel and have a level of driving enjoyment that goes beyond a typical family sedan. I located five cars with attractive lease offers that fit into this budget and criteria:
- Subaru WRX Manual
- Mazda RX8 Manual
- Volvo C30 T5 Manual
- Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Manual
- Volkswagen CC Sport 2.0L Manual
Yes, these cars all offer a certain level of, "fun".
I truly believe that each of these cars have unique features, qualities and style that would make them good lease choices based on personal tastes and desire. However, a couple of them really stand out as providing the best bang for the buck, yet for completely different reasons. Here is a brief summary of each of the five cars:
Subaru WRX 2010
WRX Fastest Car under 30K
If you want to get your pulse up; dollar-for-dollar, nothing comes close to the 2010 Subaru WRX which goes from 0-60 in a mere 5.2 seconds! It also has the most horsepower in the group at 265. The other attraction to the Subaru is the all-wheel-drive handling. With an MSRP of just under $26,000 and a $1,594 down payment, you can lease the Subaru WRX for $294 a month for 42 months.
Mazda RX8
Mazda RX8 for under 30K
The Mazda RX8 definitely looks like the raciest car of the bunch and seems to be priced that way, too. The RX8 has an MSRP of $27,245, Leases for 36 months at $339.00 per month after a rather large, $3,434 Down Payment. The Mazda RX8 goes from 0-60 in 6 seconds flat. The Mazda RX8 does not have the most expensive MSRP Price tag, yet it is the most expensive car to lease.
Volvo C30 T5 Turbo
Volvo C30 under 30K
The Volvo C30 T5 is the third fastest car of the group and is powered by a 5-Cylinder Turbo-Charged 227HP Engine. The C30 is a unique-looking, well-made and sporty hatchback. With an MSRP of $25,450 and $2,509 Downpayment, the Volvo C30 leases for $315.00 per month. Sometimes it pays to be different, and the Volvo C3o T5 has a practical personality of its own that not only looks good but performs and handles like you'd expect from a European Car. It just feels good.
Hyundai Genesis Couple
Hyundai Genesis Coupe under 30K
The Genesis is a great looking, 2-door coupe with a 210HP 4-Cylinder engine. Hyundai also makes a significantly faster V6 version of this car, but it doesn't make the list as it is priced over $30,000. The Genesis 4-Cylinder looks the part of a sports car, but takes 6.8 seconds to go from 0-60 MPH. Hyundai's lease 36 month lease offe, requires a $2,199 Down Payment and $259.00 a month. The 4-Cylinder Genesis has an MSRP of $22,750. So, while it is the lowest priced vehicle in the group, it is certainly not the cheapest to lease.
Volkswagen CC Sport Manual
Volkswagen CC Sport Under 30K
The VW CC Sport is the slowest of the group, going from 0-60 in 6.9 seconds. What the CC Sport lacks in speed, though, it makes up for in good looks, style, features, comfort and value. The CC Sport is loaded with features and convenience normally only found on much more expensive cars: 17" Alloy Wheels, 12-Way Power, heated Seats, 8-Speaker Premium 6-CD Changer Stereo, Rain-Sensing windshield wipers, leather-wrapped steering wheel, blue-tooth, just to name a few of its many luxuries. The other great thing about this good-looking, well equipped car is that provides excellent gas mileage: 22 in town and 31 on the highway. While the CC Sport is the most expensive car in the group, it has the lowest average cost of ownership. Volkswagen is offering an excellent special: $349.00 a month and NOTHING down for 36 months! This is a very reasonable monthly payment for a car with a $28,350 MSRP.
Conclusion for Best Sports Car Leases Under $30,000
The two cars that stand-out and impress for opposite reasons are the Subaru WRX and the Volkswagen CC Sport. You would be hard-pressed to find a faster 0-60 car than the WRX, even if you paid $10,000 - $20,000 more. It would be equally difficult for you to lease as much car for your money as the Volkswagen CC Sport. Realizing that different sports cars appeal to the tastes of different drivers, you could not go wrong with leasing any of these five cars. So, take your pick and enjoy driving one of these fun, sporty cars for the next 3 to 5 years. With the money you'll save on leasing, you can look forward to your next sports car thrill.
Best Sports Car Lease Under 30K
