Yahoo Autos Watch the Best Affordable Roadsters Battle the Best Hot Hatches
Not everyone has $100,000 to spend a brand new sports car. Even base Porsche 911s are pushing six-digit pricing nowadays, as it seems all the latest and greatest fun cars are well out of reach for the average enthusiasts. Luckily, there's still a few affordable cars out there that can provide a fun driving experience, and Autocar brought the ones you can buy in Europe together.
Among the competitors in Autocar's latest mega test are the Fiat 124 Spider, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Ford Fiesta ST200, Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy, and Citröen DS3 Performance. Unfortunately, the last two cars aren't sold in the U.S., and none of the limited edition "200" trim Fiesta STs were sent to our shores.
We already know both the Mazda Miata and Fiat 124 Spider are excellent cars. They're fun to drive, affordable, and fuel efficient. Additionally, they're virtually the only choices on the market if you're looking for a new roadster under $50,000 right now. The Fiat and the Miata both have their differences, but it's hard to make a bad choice either way.
The Fiesta, while in a similar price range, is a vastly different machine. It's a front-wheel-drive turbo hatchback, capable of carrying five people or quite a bit of luggage. That doesn't mean it's not fun to drive, though. It's light weight, stiff suspension, and excellent chassis make it a blast to throw around corners.
And as Autocar puts it, the ST200 is nearly as fun as the Mazda when really getting into it, but also does a lot more for the owner day-to-day. That makes it the winner in its latest showdown, further proving the Ford Fiesta ST is one of the greatest affordable fun cars around.
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