Speaking from experience (I'm 18), just get an inexpensive, reliable car to start with. Your insurance as a teen is already going to be insanely expensive and throwing in a 15k sports car on top of that is going to cost you more in insurance than the car itself. Stick to finding reliable, common, easy to repair cars that won't cost you a fortune in expenses you aren't factoring in. Sports cars require more expensive parts to repair, and sports cars can come with more complicated designs that make working on them harder for shops and they'll upcharge you for that too. They'll also guzzle your gas like you shotgun a beer lol. And they may require a higher grade of gas, again, more money. I don't mean to squash any teen spirit but you're going to feel so bad when you finally get a sports car you want and it turns out using it costs you more than its worth. Just, don't fall into the cool car trap. My first car was a Nissan SUV, not exactly my dream car but it was so liberating to have, even though it's unassuming, and just a little personal sorry to attest to what I'm saying, I've been the sole reliable driver in the family, Everytime one of my brother's BMW's or Mercedes needs repair, I'm always there to give rides. My car? Takes 1 day and I send it into Walmart while my mom works on my day off, never need days of rides to get my car repaired like everybody else's. Also, once you have a reliable car, nothing is stopping you from working towards a car you really want later down the road, I'm planning on purchasing a project car soon, and once it's done, it'll hardly cost me a dime on the insurance because its an unassuming, slightly older, used car that would cost them like 2k to cover entirely lol.

GR86, or some other low hp car like that, otherwise insurance will be high af

Miata.

Miata or MR2

Says the guy that doesn't even own a sports car.. It's not only a perfect first sporty car, many people get them after owning other high end sports cars as well, just because of how good of a driving experience they are.

What high schooler has the money to repair a sports car out of pocket? Lol

Can you find an 86 for 15k?

If you’re in the U.S. - have you considered the insurance costs of owning a sports car? Even something like a V6 muscle car will probably be real expensive to insure. Not to mention repair costs, practicality, the odds of you getting into an accident… it’s not a very beginner-friendly type of vehicle

I swear, some of y'all have no idea what a sports car is.

Mustang gt s550

Used corvette obviously. Next question.

You can probably get a lightly used new Z with 400hp and a manual

Miata and BRZ/GR86 are available new in your budget and are the best true sports cars on the market till you get into the $50k+ range. Mustang worth a look for the power, but it’s too heavy IMO o be considered a true sports car.

Used I’d go Cayman or C6 Corvette.

Best Cheap Sport-Adjacent Cars

This list should just be fun affordable cars. I hate to have a “what is and isn’t a sports car?” Arguments but the turbo Mazda 3 is not a sports car. It’s fun and fast but it’s just a fast version of the Mazda 3. Other hot hatch and hot sedan cars have a lot more differentiating it from the regular model besides a more powerful engine.

To many Average Joes and Janes with little to interest in automotive performance, I feel any two door coupe is a sports car, and anything with four doors is not.

So a base Honda Civic Coupe is a sports car. A Kia Forte Coupe is a sports car. A BMW M3 is not a sports car (but a M4 is). A Mercedes E63 AMG is not a sports car.

Also a BMW M4 is just as much a sports car as a Lotus Elise because two doors. Sure it’s bigger, but a Lincoln Town Car is also bigger than a Honda Civic Sedan and both are notasportscars.

Yeah, Miata and FRSBRZ86, that's it, those are the two cheap sports cars. OK, I'd be willing to stretch the definition to the base Mustang just to make certain people angry haha.

But the rest have too many doors, are a hot hatch, or aren't really cheap.

I know the definition of "sports car" is open to interpretation but I'm not sure a FWD Civic SI or Jetta GLI really qualify.

This is just a list of every slightly sporty car under 50k.  Complete clickbait

Miata, brz/frs, gti, civic si

Honda Civic Si, Subaru BRZ, Nissan 370 Z, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Volkswagen Golf R, Toyota GR86.

Mustang

Used GR86

Get something with a stick and learn, it will be so worth it.

Focus ST.

If you want AWD, a Mazda 3 Turbo AWD hatch. Not a coupe tho

Look at a Scion FRS, they are identical to the toyota 86 and brz, but they are cheaper because Scion is not very known.

Listen I'm going to say it.

Get a sporty hatchback.

GTI, Mazda3 something like that like sure it's not sleek but it gives you so much more as a daily driver, storage and movement, it's FWD so it'll do wonders in the winter and snow. The DSG Automatics are great. (Downside is when it goes you replace the whole transmission but with the rise of CVT's that's now commonplace.)

Now Maintenance is the big one, if you take care of it properly and follow the German Demands. (it will last you.) The worst things in life is buying a Euro car that's been trashed and failed to be properly maintained. But by god when they have been they're great.

Easy working on something for maintenance but however be warned that more and more technology is put in the machine so you need the readers to properly read, diagnose, clear and fix the issues.

NC PRHT
Please get the manual, It's so much more fun.

2013 Mustang GT. Bought mine for 19k. It's a must in the manual. You will never get tired of it and is very reliable!

Check out used Subi BRZ, Toyota 86, or Scion FRS. They are not the fastest cars, but are fun, cheap little sports cars. Also maybe a used v6 or Ecoboost Mustang.

Mazda3 hatch MT

automatic NB miata lol

Mini Cooper JCW. Should be able to find one in that price range. My mother absolutely adored hers. She typically drives Corvettes (has had C4,C5,C6,C7s now) but she raved about how good the handling was and how well it accelerated when you put your foot down at highway speeds. They’re really fun little cars.

Honda Civic Si
Mazdaspeed3
Mazda MX5 Miata
Saturn Sky
Saturn Ion Redline
Chevy Cobalt SS
Toyota Corolla XRS
Toyota Matrix XRS
Pontiac Vibe GT
Toyota MR2 Spyder
Acura RSX Type S
Scion tC (best models are 2011+)
Ford Fiesta ST

Miata is the obvious choice, but I'm going to suggest an unconventional answer:

Fiat 500 Abarth. It's a straight-piped, turbocharged go-kart. Drive one, it's hilarious.

Can get a good used one for $10K. Is it more reliable than a Civic Si? No, but I will fight anyone that the Abarth is more fun.

Miata or MR2 Spyder

Echoing peoples comments on the Si. If you can find an 8th gen Civic Si with the K20, they’re really fun cars. Problem is 8th gen Si’s are usually pretty beat up so its hard to find clean examples.

The Si probably is the best choice.

The saturn ion redline and chevy cobalt ss are fairly slept on if you want something unique. Build quality isn't as good as a honda, but they are probably cheaper.

You might be able to find a high mileage ford fiesta ST around $10k

86 and Miata are really the only viable answers here.

Define affordable lol, off the top of my head probably some BMW 3 series models or dodge chargers

Does it have to be new? If not I’m gonna go with a c5 vette.

Hyundai N cars.

Yes. A Veloster N has better steering and tossability than an M2 and an Elantra N will match or beat your M340i around a track.

How do you define sports car? The Civic SI is often called a “sports coupe/sedan”.

My immediate response to your question is Mazda Miata. I did a late night drive from Nashville to Atlanta last month driving a brand new Miata, and it was probably the most fun I’ve had in 10 years driving.

MX5 ND2, GR86, Lotus Elise, Porsche Cayman / Boxster. More or less sorted by maintenance budget :).

Hot hatches: GR Yaris, Renault Sport Megane mk3, Hyundai i30N.

Two car garage MX5 + Fiesta ST mk8 ? Edit - or less sensible but even more fun: entry level Caterham + what ever is left on a hot hatch, e.g. a solid mk5 GTI.

Lots of options as 40k is a reasonable budget for this.

C6 Z06. Surprisingly practical as it has the big hatch in back

I take BRZ over stinger, unless it's freezing, when I am going out alone or with just 1 person. Stinger is a fun car too but doesn't handle so well as BRZ and the steering feel is not as engaging, it's still much faster.

Focus RS 🧐 a bit over 300hp awd hot hatch. Very mod friendly as well

Have the frs and big agree. Such a fun car for the price

Mustang gt 5.0

or a BRZ if you can find one.

Stinger is a good option, but it's worth pointing out that the Stinger isn't really a sports car. Nothing wrong with that mind you, but I wouldn't really call it a competitor to anything listed above.

That said, it totally fits with the OP's needs, but it just feels weird seeing it listed after Elises, Caymans and MX5s.