In case you haven’t heard, the current seventh-generation Ford Mustang is one heck of a sports car. In the Mustang, impressive handling and a surplus of power combine for one of the best dollar-for-dollar driving experiences you can buy in 2025. Just as the rest of the industry abandons the V8 for electrification, the Mustang has forged ahead with a new generation of stanchly internal-combustion muscle cars worthy of bearing that particular automotive torch.
But even as good as the current Mustang it behooves every savvy car shopper to at least consider alternatives. Below we rattle off new and lightly used competitors you can find in the same $35,000 to $70,000 price range as the new 2025 Mustang. Alternatives to the Mustang range from lithe Japanese roadsters to brutish German GTs and the last generations of the Mustang’s natural competition from Detroit. While the Mustang deserves strong consideration, we’d be shocked if none of the cars on our list don’t at least pique your curiosity.
The Mazda Miata’s bone fides are, by now, well established. The Miata isn’t the straight-line beast the Mustang can be but then it wasn’t designed to be. Rather the Miata makes the most of its light weight (2,300 lbs. to the Mustang’s 3,600 lbs.) to carve canyons and shave apexes on track days. Both the Mustang and Miata are built for enjoyment, but if connectedness and feel are high on your list for your next sports car, the Miata might be the perfect alternative to the Mustang. Plus, the Miata is competitively priced against the Mustang, ranging from $30,000 for the base model to $41,000 for the RF Club.
As Dodge makes their transition to electrification, the last of the Hemi V8 Dodges still make for a compelling alternative to the Mustang. The Mustang offers superior handling to the Challenger but the latter’s 6.4L V8 makes a convincing case for Dodge with 485 horsepower and 475 lb.-ft. of torque providing for a spirited 4.2 seconds zero to sixty mph. If classic muscle car feels are what you’re seeking, the Dodge Challenger offers a vintage experience in modern guise.
The Camaro was consciously created to compete with the Mustang and has made that mission a competitive one for decades. In order to remain apace with the current Ford, the Camaro offers sure-footed handling and potent V8s to match the Mustang’s. An entry-level V6 offers up to 335 horsepower but the real show for the Camaro is the 6.2L V8 with a robust 455 horse. The Camaro’s top offering, the ZL1 comes equipped with a supercharged version of the 6.2L for 650 horsepower but also tops the Mustang on price at $72,000. The Camaro and Mustang are neck-and-neck in terms of performance, matters of aesthetics and brand loyalties may prove the decisive factor in weighing the two choices.
BMW also knows a thing or two about building enjoyable, powerful coupes. Enter the BMW M2, one of the brand’s strongest efforts in years and well worth considering if you’re shopping for a Mustang. The M2 has a lot going for it: a 3.0L turbocharged inline-six making 453 horsepower, scalpel-sharp dynamics, and a high-tech, high-quality interior. Like the Mustang, the M2 is a 2+2 so there’s seating for four in an emergency or, alternatively, ample cargo capacity behind the front seats. The only real drawback to the M2 is the price, which starts at $63,200.
If you’re at all curious about the dynamics of a mid-engined sports car, there are few better places to start than with a Porsche 718. The new 2025 starts at around $74,000, above our $70,000 threshold. Jump back to the 2023 and were safely within that upper limit. Thankfully, the 2023 718 Boxster/Cayman is every bit the performance machine offering Porsche’s always superb handling and finely tuned turbocharged flat-four engines (the GT iterations with their flat-sixes quickly ballon the price of a 718). When it comes to driving thrills, the current generation 718 rivals its big brother the Porsche 911, and by extension, the Ford Mustang as well.
If the Miata caught your eye but the lack of interior space was a deal breaker, the Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ (jointly built by the two automakers), with its Mustang-like 2+2 spaciousness, might fill the gap. The GR86 offers its own unique charms on backroads and track days with sharp turn-in and standard six-speed manual transmission. Balance and a playful rear end complement a decently powerful 2.4L flat-four with 228 horsepower. Like the Miata, the GR86/BRZ is about smiles per mile over straight-line speed and succeeds based on driver engagement and a low asking price, starting at $31,135.
Of all the alternatives to a Mustang, the Chevy Corvette makes what is likely the strongest case. In trying to keep within a $70,000 ceiling, we’ll skip the high-end performance versions for the “base” Corvette with its 490-horsepower 6.2L V8. Even in its simplest configuration, the Corvette rattles off a 2.9 second zero to sixty sprint. Thanks to the Corvette’s now midship engine placement, balance and therefore handling are excellent. The current C8 gets called a bargain supercar for a reason as it matches up well against performance cars many times as expensive. If you’re considering stretching for the top-end Dark Horse Mustang, make sure to check out the entry-level Corvette as well.
The Lexus LC 500 is undoubtedly a different flavor of performance car from the Ford Mustang. But if rolling GT-style with an aggressive-sounding V8 is what you’re looking for, the LC 500 ticks that box and adds some of the best styling and luxury-level quality of any two-door in recent memory. V8-equipped Mustangs and Camaro as well as six-cylinder 718s are all great sounding cars, but the LC 500’s naturally-aspirated 5.0L offers a V8 symphony for the ages. Finding one under $70,000 isn’t too hard when shopping earlier model years (2018-19).
Like the LC 500, you’ll have to go back a few years to find a Mercedes-Benz GT that’s depreciated to $70,000. But an eight-year-old Mercedes that has held its value that well demonstrates how spectacular the GT coupe really is. The 469-horsepower V8 provides all the thrills a Mustang can offer but comes with powerful brakes and athletic handling that surpasses the Ford. And then there’s the GT’s sumptuous, high-tech interior that’s as comfortable as anything at this price point.
The Supra’s fifth generation came in for a bit of criticism when it first debuted in 2019 for being a BMW Z4 with a Toyota badge. In the years that have followed it’s become clear that that’s not a terrible thing after all. A potent turbo-six makes 382 horsepower and pairs with communicative, accurate steering and a sure-footed suspension to make the Supra one of the most enjoyable performance cars on the market. The Toyota Supra is priced between $57,000 and $60,000.