10 Cool 2-Seater Cars: Small Size, Big Thrills (2024)

Feb. 16, 2024 6:00 PM ET by Lucia Forlini Cataldo Interior / 8 Comments

Starting price: $28,985

An icon of small-scale fun on wheels since 1989, the Mazda MX-5 Miata continues to reign as the people's sports car, demonstrating time and time again that you don't need outrageous speeds, outrageous horsepower figures, or heaps of money to get a huge grin on your face every time you go for a drive.

The 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata belongs to the model's fourth generation (ND), first launched in 2015 and updated for the 2019 model year. Lightweight and agile, in keeping with the model's defining traits, the Miata gracefully navigates twisty roads and squeezes every drop out of the 181 horsepower produced by its 2.0-liter inline-four engine, paired with a six-speed manual as standard (a rarity in any car these days).

Starting price: $77,900

When the Jaguar F-Type leaves the market for good at the end of the 2024 model year, it will not only be sorely missed by enthusiasts all over the world, but it will also leave a sports car-shaped hole in Jaguar's lineup, as the iconic British brand will be left without a flagship two-seater sports car. The death of the F-Type has been brought on by Jaguar's rapidly accelerating electrification program, which will kill off every ICE car in the current lineup as the brand plans to go all-electric by 2025.

The current F-Type is a fitting farewell to the model and to Jaguar's internal combustion history: two special editions named the 75 and R75 have been created for the occasion, both available as coupes or soft-top convertibles. The R75 also offers the most powerful engine in the F-Type family, a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 producing 575 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission sending power to all four wheels.

Starting price: $53,600

The BMW Z4 Roadster shares its powertrain options with the Toyota GR Supra, but the BMW is the less aggressive one of the two. Its overall character is less about high-speed thrills and more about luxury top-down cruising. Its upmarket interior comes with classy upholstery, a 10.3-inch infotainment screen, and a soft top that quickly folds itself away with the push of a button.

The rear-wheel-drive BMW Z4's powertrain options include a 255-hp four-cylinder engine or a 382-hp six-cylinder mill, both of them turbocharged, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel as standard. A six-speed manual is also an available option, but only for the inline-six version. The manual transmission also comes with a few additional features, such as stiffer anti-roll bars and upgraded wheels and tires.

Starting price: $68,300

Providing premium-level performance while priced at a (relatively) affordable level, the two-seater Corvette C8 is firmly holding onto its place as America's favorite sports car. Its looks evoke an exotic supercar, while its luxurious interior makes it a viable choice as a daily driver or a weekend road-tripper (according to Chevrolet itself, the rear compartment is spacious enough to fit two sets of golf clubs).

Part of the first generation of mid-engined Corvettes, the 2024 model is powered by a 6.2-liter pushrod V8, producing 490 horsepower, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sending power to the rear wheels. If you prefer your two-seat thrills with truly mindblowing performance, you can go for the 670-hp Corvette Z06.

Starting price: $70,400 (Boxster), $68,300 (Cayman)

Balancing the visceral driving experience of a classic Porsche with a host of modern-day tech features, the Porsche 718 is a mid-engined delight, doing its best to shake off the uncharitable nickname of "the poor man's Porsche".

The 718 comes in two variants: a convertible roadster (the 718 Boxster) and a coupe (the 718 Cayman). Prospective buyers have a rich variety of engine options to choose from for both cars: a 300-hp 2.0-liter flat-four, a 350-hp 2.5-liter flat-four, a 4.0-liter flat-six (producing 394 hp in the GTS and 493 hp in the GT4 RS Cayman and Spyder RS).

While a 911 is the more practical choice with its small back seats, the 718's compact proportions and space for only two make it a near-perfect sports car.

No longer on sale

The convertible version of the iconic Audi TT, the TT Roadster is a chic drop-top with a classy cabin and a punchy powertrain. Sadly, the Audi TT is being discontinued after 25 years of production. The 2023 model is a fitting farewell to a beloved nameplate. An ultra-rare "Final Edition" TT (only 50 examples were made available in the US) comes with a host of exclusive cosmetic touches, among them a gray convertible top, a Palomino Brown interior, and a Goodwood Green paint job.

The TT's turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four produces 228 horsepower, sent to all four wheels via Audi's famous quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Starting price: $49,900 (200 units for 2023)

This exhilarating version of Toyota's hot hatch is named after the pseudonym former Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda uses in his own motorsport endeavors. Weight saving is the name of the game with the Morizo: everything that isn't strictly essential to propel the car forward is swiftly disposed of, including rear seats (hence its inclusion in a list of cars with two seats), door speakers, the rear wiper, and window motors. The end result is a car stripped down to the minimum necessities, 84 pounds lighter than the Circuit Edition GR Corolla. Other cars out there may be faster, flashier, or more powerful, but the Morizo is a lightweight nugget of joy that's designed to be taken on a racetrack and thrashed around to its limits.

The Morizo's 300 hp comes from the 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine it shares with other GR Corollas, the only difference being a slight boost in torque (295 lb-ft to 273 lb-ft). A six-speed manual transmission and rally-inspired all-wheel-drive system complete this compact but hilariously fun package.

Starting price: $42,210

First introduced for the 2023 model year, the seventh generation of the Nissan Z is dotted with styling cues that evoke nostalgia, such as the 300 ZX-inspired taillights and quarter-panel insignia from the 240Z. The model has a rich history going all the way back to 1969, and its latest incarnation draws extensively on its heritage.

On a structural level, the Nissan Z hasn't changed that much. Like previous generations, the new Z is a true two-seater car, with no barely-usable back seats. The interior, however, has been given a slight refresh, with available power-adjustable leather seats and automatic temperature control. The Z is powered by a 400-hp twin-turbo V6 engine, with either a six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic transmission; the high-performance NISMO version adds another 20 hp to that figure but only comes with an automatic.

Starting price: $46,440

The fourth generation of the Toyota GR Supra was one of the most instantly recognizable two-seaters in the history of cinema thanks to the Fast & Furious movie franchise. The fifth generation pays homage to the legendary nameplate it carries. Developed in partnership with BMW, its styling cues echo previous incarnations of the Supra, while under the hood its German powerplant propels it from 0-60 mph in as little as 3.7 seconds (with the 382-hp inline-six form).

The other engine choice is a 255-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged mill.

As in the BMW Z4, power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. However, only the Supra's six-cylinder engine can be paired with a manual gearbox.

Starting price: $182,900

Even though the regular 911 has four seats rather than two, the high-performance editions remove the rear seat to save weight, meaning the GT3 and GT3 RS both have just two seats and can be included in the list.

The most track-capable models in the 911 family, the GT3 and GT3 RS may look similar to the regular 911 but are closer in terms of performance to a full-blown race car. The interior, however, is still just as comfortable as it is in the rest of the lineup, making the GT3 a triple threat of track performance, daily driving, and long-distance road tripping.

Power comes from a 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine that produces 502 hp (in the GT3) and 518 hp (in the GT3 RS). The GT3 needs only 3.2 seconds to hit 60 mph with the automatic transmission, while the GT3 RS takes that time down to exactly three seconds.