10 Fun Cars With Less Than 200 Horsepower

Do you need a lot of horsepower to have fun driving cars? You don’t if you have the right formula for a pleasant ride to wherever you go.

That formula begins with a car that delivers exciting driving dynamics, gives you a small build, and tosses in various ways to keep you engaged with the drive. This could mean you have a roadster that doesn’t offer huge amounts of power, but it is fun to drive. You might not brag about the horsepower under the hood of your car, but you can smile every time you get behind the wheel.

Hyundai Veloster

The Veloster does a lot to give us the fun and exciting drive we want to experience from behind the wheel. You don’t have to move up to higher trims to have fun in this little car. The base engine delivers 147 horsepower and 132 lb.-ft. of torque, which isn’t anything to write home about, but you will have fun when you drive. The chassis is stiffer than in the first generation, and you have a multilink rear suspension, which makes this car easy to enjoy when you want some serious driving fun.

Honda Civic Sport

The formula for affordable fun has been the Honda Civic for several generations. If you want one of the cars that offers less than 200 horsepower but still boasts about how much fun it is to drive, this is the right one for you. The Sport trim brings you a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with 174 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque. You can have a six-speed manual transmission and improve the fun with more engagement during the drive.

Fiat 124 Spider Abarth

One of the smallest but fun cars to drive is the Fiat 124 Spider in the Abarth trim. The Abarth name only adds four horsepower over the base model, bringing the total to 164, but it does give you some tweaks elsewhere. You’ll enjoy the distinct character of this car, along with the unique styling, revised suspension tuning, and shorter gearing that offer you the driving manners you want to enjoy. Step inside and let this impressive little roadster offer you an incredible drive.

Toyota Corolla Hatchback

For the most part, we’ve never thought of the Toyota Corolla as a hot hatch, but it can be a lot of fun in this form. When you want to enjoy a car that looks and feels sporty but happens to be one of the most practical cars, emphasizing fuel mileage and not horsepower, the Corolla is what you want. This Car delivers 168 horsepower and 151 lb.-ft. of torque while adding fun to the mix with an available six-speed manual transmission.

Mazda Miata

The car that symbolizes fun will be on a list of the most fun cars to drive. Because Mazda didn’t think horsepower was a big deal with this car, it has never had more than 200ponies. In fact, the most recent version is more powerful than the last but still only reaches 181 horsepower. No matter, you won’t care about power when you’re out on the road tossing this little roadster wherever you can during your drive. This car delivers on the promise of fun wherever you go.

Mazda3

If you need a little more room than what the Miata offers but still want the fun of one of the most dynamic cars with less than 200 horsepower, the Mazda3 is the car for you. This impressive vehicle comes in either sedan or hatchback builds to ensure you can have the drive you want. You’ll love the 186 horsepower coming from the engine and the impressive way this car handles wherever you go.

Mercedes-Benz A220

It’s the most affordable car in the Mercedes-Benz lineup, and it gives you a small, turbocharged engine to offer you the derive you want on any road. You might only have 188 horsepower, but you can have the luxury fun that makes you smile when you take a drive. Get inside and see what this impressive little car has to offer. You can enjoy the benefits of AWD and the short wheelbase that makes it possible to toss this car about on the track or on any road you find.

Audi A3

Speaking of entry-level luxury cars, the Audi A3 is an impressive model that gives you 190 horsepower and the benefits of Quattro AWD. This is one of the most affordable and enjoyable small cars you can drive. If you want to show off with some tire spinning antics, this car doesn’t mind. You’ll love that you can get the A3 in either a sedan or have it as a hatchback when you drive. Luxury fun doesn’t have to cost too much, as proved by the Audi A3.

Mini Hardtop or Convertible S

You will have one of the most fun cars with less than 200 horsepower when you drive this Mini; you’ll also enjoy the benefits of a dynamic build and unique signature design. The Convertible model is a lot of fun, and you’ll find 134 horsepower coming from the 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine. This car is a lot of fun on any road, making a statement wherever you go. Show off your style and personality with the design theme that’s right for you in the Mini.

Subaru BRZ

This is a car made for fun, but it almost doesn’t work on our list because it makes 200 horsepower. To have this model, you must choose the automatic trim. If you select the BRZ with a manual transmission, you’ll have a car that offers 205 horsepower but will undoubtedly have a lot of fun. That means the BRZ can be one of the cars with the horsepower number we’ve been talking about, or it cannot. What a fun car to discuss, which is even more fun to drive.