5 Cheaper Alternatives To The GR Corolla That Are Just As Fun

With its sporty hatchback design and beefy engine, the Toyota GR Corolla has earned its fair share of fans who appreciate having a relatively low-key car that's still a ton of fun to drive. SlashGear recently gave a perfect score to the 2024 Toyota GR Corolla Circuit, calling it "the new standard for hot hatches" in our review and praising its "solid fuel economy" and "unbelievable handling characteristics." We also called it "fun on any road at any time, but ready for the track."

The sticker price of the 2024 GR Corolla starts at $36,500 and only climbs from there as you add on perks and packages. While that's not mind-blowing expensive, it can also be a daunting cost for many drivers looking for a new car, especially as inflation and other economic factors have many of us tightening our belts more than ever. Fortunately, there are still plenty of newer vehicles on the market that cost less and are still just as fun as the Corolla.

Some of them, like the Corolla, offer advanced technology within their infotainment systems that can make the interior of your vehicle feel like a living room. Others can offer smooth rides and engines that can deliver around 300 horsepower — if not more — which is one of the reasons that the Corolla is such a blast to drive. If you're looking to save some money, here are five cheaper alternatives to the GR Corolla that are just as fun.

With a starting price of $34,950, the 2024 Hyundai Sonata N Line is a little more affordable than the Toyota GR Corolla, and you're getting a great car at that price. SlashGear reviewed the 2024 Hyundai Sonata N Line and scored it a very impressive nine out of 10, highlighting its fresh-looking style and punchy performance that's still practical for everyday driving. Under its hood is a 2.5L Turbo MPI/GDI four-cylinder engine ⁠that can generate 290 horsepower, which might not win many drag races but will still be very fun to push to the limit. It's also fairly fuel efficient, with a rating of 27 combined city/highway mpg. Its eight-speed wet dual clutch transmission includes paddle shifters for even better hands-on control at the wheel as you go for a joyride.

The 2024 Hyundai Sonata N Line is a very stylish and modern-looking vehicle that will turn heads as you drive by. It sports 19-inch alloy wheels, a rear lip spoiler, fender-mounted turn signal indicators, a gloss black window trim, LED projector headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED tail lights, and heated gloss black side mirrors that are as functional as they are eye-catching. It also sports Hyundai's N-design fascia that is even more striking in the front than it is in the rear.

The car also has a state-of-the-art interior with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display that are compatible with Bluetooth and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as Bose Premium Audio, a rearview monitor, and integrated USB-C and wireless charging for your devices. Inside is also N unique sport front seats with microfiber inserts, a panoramic sunroof, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminum-alloy sport pedals, and ambient lighting.

You can save yourself a few thousand dollars and get a car that's cheaper than the Toyota GR Corolla by opting for one that's just slightly older — the 2023 Dodge Challenger, which starts at $32,800. Even though it's not this year's model, the muscle car offers plenty of fun and a max horsepower that's about equal to the Corolla — its 3.6-liter V6 can deliver up to 303 hp at 6,350 rpm, as well as 268 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. The affordable SXT trim comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. With a fuel economy of 19 city mpg and 30 highway mpg, it's got a combined rating of 23 mpg.

You'll have to pay extra for more advanced safety features, but the 2023 Challenger comes standard with traction control, anti-lock brakes, and anti-rollover stability control. While an integrated navigation system doesn't come standard, you can use Apple AirPlay or Android Auto with its 8.4-inch touchscreen radio. It might not have all the bells and whistles of some other hi-tech options, but with the Dodge Challenger, all the fun will be in driving around and showing off your powerful ride. The 2023 Dodge Challenger SXT is available in black, white, granite, nickel, gray, Frostbite Blue, B5 Blue, F8 Green, dark red, bright red, purple, Sublime lime green, Sinamon Stick orange-brown, and an eye-catching Go Mango orange hue. Not only will you have fun with the Challenger — you'll have fun in style.

If you ever wanted to own a Chevy Camaro, now's the time to finally pull the trigger and buy one, because Chevrolet is saying goodbye to the sixth-gen Camaro. The muscle car will be missed by many, as its high performance makes it just as fun to drive as a GR Corolla, but some of its trims are also more affordable. That includes the RWD 1LT, which starts at $32,495. Even as one of its more basic models, the 1LT can still generate an impressive 335 horsepower at 6,800 rpm with its 3.6-liter V6 engine, as well as 284 lb-ft of torque at 5,300 rpm. The six-speed manual transmission and limited-slip rear differential that comes standard also makes it a ton of fun to shift gears before hitting the pedal to the metal. The Camaro can get up to 16 city/26 highway mpg and also sports 18-inch silver aluminum wheels, LED daylight running lamps, and a dual-outlet exhaust.

The 1LT also includes several standard tech features that make it more convenient to drive, so you can spend more attention on actually enjoying yourself. These include a driver mode selector, single-zone automatic climate control, a rear-vision camera, highly adjustable power seats in the front and rear folding bench seat, a leather-wrapped shifter knob and steering wheel, and special Teen Driver technology. Its Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system can be accessed with a standard 7-inch touchscreen display and includes capability for BlueTooth, Wi-Fi hotspots, SiriusXM satellite radio, and both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The GR Corolla is a really fun ride, but how cool would it be to own a Mustang? Fortunately, it wouldn't be that hard for you to find out, because the 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Fastback is surprisingly affordable and starts at just $30,920. As part of one of the best generations of the Ford Mustang ever, the 2024 Mustang EcoBoost FastBack has the specs to live up to its iconic name. Its turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine is designed with Modular Power Cylinder (MPC) architecture and can deliver 315 horsepower, which slightly outpaces the GR Corolla, as well as 350 lb-ft of torque. It also comes with an independent rear suspension, 3.15 limited-slip rear axle, and 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

You'll also have fun just showing off your car, as the Mustang's looks match its stellar performance. There are 11 color and stripe options, as well additional customized packages, and the EcoBoost Fastback has several eye-catching features that come standard — including a shark fin antenna, dual bright exhaust pipes with rolled tips, and LED sequential tail lights and LED projector headlamps with LED signature lighting.

Its interior is just as fun, with a 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen as its centerpiece and features like a leather-wrapped gear shift knob, dual-illuminated visor vanity mirrors, 12.4-inch LCD digital cluster, and a vinyl flat-bottom steering wheel. The 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Fastback also includes selectable drive modes and has a ton of standard safety and driver assist features, including an SOS Post-Crash Alert System, AdvanceTrac with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a lane-keeping system with lane-keeping alert, road edge detection, blind spot assist, and no shortage of airbags.

While Kia still hasn't introduced an EV variant of its K5 midsize sedan, its newest traditional gas-powered model is filled to the brim with advanced tech that will make it just as fun as the GR Corolla. That includes Kia's Advanced Driver Assistance Systems package, which offers auto emergency braking, lane keeping assist, and assists for forward, rear, and blind spot collisions. While it's nice to have enhanced safety features, the K5 also sports tech that's more fun to use, like its dual panoramic 12.3-inch infotainment displays, which are compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The K5 also has smartphone app-controlled remote start and climate control, surround view monitor, integration with Amazon Alexa, Find My feature, and navigation-based smart cruise control that will monitor the vehicle in front of you and adjust your driving speed accordingly.

Besides the advanced tech, the 2025 Kia K5 is as fun as the GR Corolla in old-school ways too, such as its large and spacious cabin that includes a D-shaped steering wheel with paddle shifters, stylish controls, upscale finishes, and a panoramic sunroof. Its 2.5-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine delivers up to 311 lb-ft of torque and 290 horsepower, which is just shy of the 300 horsepower you can expect from the GR Corolla. Plus, its wide-track, sport-tuned suspension and eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission can handle roads in all kinds of climates.

The K5 looks as fun as it rides with its GT neon green brake calipers, quad-tip dual exhaust, and 19-inch alloy wheels with a gloss black machine finish. The most basic trim of the Kia K5 comes in at an extremely reasonable $26,990, which is nearly $10,000 cheaper than Toyota's GR Corolla.