Best track day cars in 2025

There’s no other way of putting it: the Porsche 911 GT3 is an absolute weapon on a track day. In the right hands, there’s very little that can hold a candle to it. It's absolutely stunning.

And while the Porsche 911 GT3 is sharp, responsive and engaging, if you’ve got £190k to drop on a RS variant, you won’t be disappointed… unless you crash it. Which is a distinct possibility as the limits of most driver’s talents will be reached long before this car breaks a sweat.

Essentially, this is the benchmark by which all high-performance track cars are judged. Serious applicants only – no time wasters.

If a Porsche 911 is out of your budget, then the Honda Civic Type R is the next best thing. Not that you'll get the latest one on a shoestring, mind, because starting prices for brand new ones these days sit at around the £50,000 mark. That's a lot of dough-ray-me, especially for a Honda.

You'll forget about the price as soon as you exit the pit lane, though. Crank the driving mode up to eleven, and you'll experience a car that's scalpel sharp in its direction changes and responses, while the controls that you interact with are positively bristling with feel and sensation. The immense power of the 329PS turbocharged engine will also have you tussling for track space with some very exotic machinery.

And when you're done, simply stick the car back into comfort mode for a cosseting drive home. Provided that you haven't already lunched your tyres, that is.

It was a toss up between a Caterham 7 and the Ariel Atom to include here. Both are blindingly quick and have seemingly limitless levels of grip.

The Caterham 7 is perhaps the most impractical car on this list. If you're looking for a daily driver, this certainly isn't it. These cars are an unbearable pain to live with on a daily basis, and offer almost zero in the way of protection from the elements or anything else: there's a folding hood, but you'll need to be an Olympic gymnast to get in or out of the car with it in place, and a degree in engineering to erect it. You can forget about power steering or servo-assisted brakes, too. It’s you just you and your machine.

However, this simplicity makes the Caterham 7 arguably the purest driving experience you can have in a car, and a true track day legend. Just pray it doesn't rain on the way home.  

If, like most people, you spend 95% of your in-car life commuting to and from your place of work, then you probably don’t want to arrive needing a shower and change of clothes. After all, that’s what cycling’s for.

So, the Ford Fiesta ST is ideal, because it’s a joy to live with day-to-day yet will offer genuine on-track thrills in the way only a hot hatch can. It's a cracking little car with sublime handling and a gutsy engine, complemented by cheap running costs.

If you’re feeling flush, then seek out its big brother, the Ford Focus RS. That has a button marked ‘drift’ so it must be a proper track car.

The Mazda MX-5 won’t win any straight-line drag races, but we challenge you to find a more rewarding car to drive around a set of corners.

The earlier the model you get, the ‘purer’ your driving experience, but even the latest generation (and its fire-breathing sister, the Abarth 124 Spider) guarantee plenty of giggles. It's a hugely capable sports car that's won over a huge number of fans over the years. 

Plus, it’s a soft-top, so on the three days per year that we don’t get rain in the UK, you can knock yourself out and get sunburn. OR, you could be a softy and choose the RF model with its folding metal roof.

Head to any track day and you will undoubtedly see at least one of these pugnacious BMW M2 coupes circulating with gusto. They are a darling of this type of driving, and for good reason.

For starters, the BMW suspension and brakes are superb, so you can trust in the handling and stopping power of the M2 - these are often underrated abilities on track until it's too late to avoid a sticky moment. As for power, the M2's glorious 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine comes with a turbocharged 370PS, or you can have 410PS if you opt for the Competition version.

Either way, the M2 is more than quick enough for any track event whether you choose one with the manual gearbox or dual-clutch auto. You'll also find the M2 settles back into civilian life on the public road easily and comfortably to cruise home without any drama and even reasonable fuel economy.

The Nissan GT-R is a legend. Not only is it one of the best cars to steer in online gaming platforms like Gran Turismo, it’s also an amazing steer IRL (as the kids say).

Just looking at the spec sheet of the hardcore NISMO version makes us feel a bit sick: 600PS, 0-62mph in 2.5 seconds, a Nürburgring lap time of 7:08:679.  These things even come with a G-force meter, so you know what kind of monster you’re unleashing.

All of which makes it the perfect track day car, if you’ve got the stomach.

Beloved of club sport racers everywhere, the Renault Clio even has its own racing championship, such is the appeal and heritage of this hot hatch.

At around the time that this version of the Clio was produced, the Renaultsport stable was at the top of its game, and was responsible for some of the finest hot hatches ever made. Later efforts failed to live up to those standards, and Renault now no longer offers Renaultsport products, so you'll have to look to the used market for some of its greatest hits. And we suggest you do, because they're immense fun, and will be super-affordable

You could choose the 200 Cup or the 220 Trophy, both of which used a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-pot. Or, if you're feeling more flush, check out the Renaultsport Megane of the same era. Again, an absolute weapon of a car.

Ever since the first Mini joined us 1959, its wheel at each corner go-kart-like handling has been a recipe for success, and that's remained the case with the reimagined BMW-built cars.

Like many of us, it’s grown old and got a bit more … umm… well-rounded, but it’s still great fun. Especially in John Cooper Works guise. This gets a 2.0-litre engine with 230PS, which is just about enough to cope with the extra weight. As with all MINIs, it’s a tad excitable on the ride front, so it’s best sticking to the smooth bits of tarmac as opposed to country lanes to get the best out of it. Perfect for tracks, then.

Wait a minute. A Hyundai? In a list of the best track day cars? We know, but hear us out because the Hyundai i30N is definitely worth taking for a spin.

Why? Well, because it’s got nearly 300PS and its handling was overseen by a man who used to run BMW’s M Division…

Sure it might not be as powerful as some of its rivals, but it’s certainly raucous and it's certainly fun. We also like some of the smart tech, like the automatic rev-matching function, so you look like a proper hero on the track.