A price cap of $65,000 may seem arbitrary when considering performance cars, but it’s a good place for drivers to find some of the most attractive options.
Above this figure, buyers quickly find themselves in six-figure territory with little to no significant gain in vehicle performance.
At the other end of the spectrum, cars priced below such a benchmark price may offer solid entry-level features but ultimately fall short in delivering high-end performance.
With such balance in mind, Edmunds has compiled a list of the five best-performing cars you can buy for around $65,000.
The selection represents the pinnacle of performance without resorting to exorbitant prices:
The Audi RS 3 is a small sedan with a big presence, especially at this price, with enough space in the back, even for people of 1.80 meters
Audi RS 3 – Manufacturer’s MSRP: $63,395
If you’re old enough to remember motorsport of the 1980s, you know why the RS 3’s five-cylinder engine is special.
It was a five-cylinder that powered Audi’s greatest ever motorsport achievement, the Sport Quattro, with which the brand won four World Rally Championship titles.
The RS 3 relives that glory with a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder producing 401 horsepower, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels.
It huffs and puffs its way to a 0-60 mph time of less than 4 seconds, while still maintaining livable everyday comfort, excellent technology, and room for 6 feet in the backseat.
It’s a small sedan with a big presence, especially at this price.
The 2024 RS 3 costs $63,395. Based on the compact sedan A3, the RS 3 has a special five-cylinder engine with 401 hp.
BMW M2 – Starting MSRP: $66,075
With 473 horsepower from a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, a neat coupe body style and your choice of a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic, the 2025 M2 ticks all the boxes for small cars. .
In Edmunds testing, an automatic-equipped 2024 M2 – which had 20 fewer horsepower – hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and covered the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds.
The M2 is also a driver’s car with rear-wheel drive handling, an electronically controlled limited-slip differential and purposefully flared fenders stretched over high-performance rubber.
Perhaps best of all, the M2 matches its bigger brother, the M4, in performance with a smaller, lighter and cheaper package.
With 473 horsepower from a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, a neat coupe body style and your choice of a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic, the 2025 BMW M2 ticks all the boxes for small cars. Boxes.
Cadillac CT4-V – Starting MSRP: $62,890
Many people only know Cadillac for its line of SUVs headlined by the Escalade.
To them, the CT4-V Blackwing should seem like the hidden option outside a restaurant menu.
This small sedan features a 472-horsepower 3.6-liter turbocharged V6 that drives the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission.
Standard adaptive dampers provide real flexibility in everyday use and controlled, confident driving.
At the Edmunds Test Track, a manual-equipped CT4-V Blackwing sprinted to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and reached quarter mile in 12.8 seconds.
It may lose a few tenths to the M2, but it makes up for it by being one of the most attractive and inspiring driver’s cars on sale today.
The 2024 CT4-V Blackwing. The Blackwing version of the small CT4 sedan comes with a 472-horsepower V6 engine and costs $62,890
Ford Mustang Dark Horse – Starting MSRP: $60,530
If you want to experience the Mustang at its peak of internal combustion, the Dark Horse may be your last chance.
Few things will make you feel more patriotic than the 500-horsepower song of glory from the Dark Horse’s V8.
And as the only V8-powered car on this list, the Dark Horse offers a uniquely American take on performance driving.
The Ford Mustang itself is an iconic American car, known for its performance and style.
By emphasizing its American roots, Ford aligns the Mustang Dark Horse with a sense of national pride.
The 5.0-liter mill drives the rear wheel through a six-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic transmission.
It accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, with braking performance comparable to that of some supercars.
It’s pricey for a Mustang, but it performs well enough to justify the cost.
The 2024 Mustang Dark Horse is equipped with a 500-horsepower V8. The Dark Horse is the most powerful Mustang for 2024 and costs $60,530
Hyundai IONIQ 5 N – Starting MSRP: $67,475
The Ioniq 5 N slightly exceeds its $65,000 price target. But it’s such a standout as a performance car – and not just as a performance EV – that it would be a disservice not to include it on the list.
With a peak power of 641 hp, all-wheel drive and SUV-like functionality, the 5 N is truly distinctive.
In fact, there is more to it than just insane acceleration, as with so many electric cars.
Sure, it sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds and covers the quarter mile in just 11.2 seconds, but it also has enough grip and braking performance for track use.
Hyundai has even gone to the trouble of adding a special mode that mimics the sound and feel of a gasoline-powered car, giving performance enthusiasts a familiar point of reference.
The 2025 Ioniq 5 N. The N emblem indicates that this is the powerful 641 hp version of the Ioniq 5 EV. With a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $67,475
If a price tag of around $65,000 is within budget for a performance car, the above options are worth a look.
There is a huge variety, both in terms of the purity of the experience and the everyday usability. Almost every buyer can find a car on the list that meets his or her needs.