Can't Afford The New Kia Stinger? Here Are Some Cheaper Alternatives

It's amazing that we live in a time when a Kia may not be the most affordable option.

The new Kia Stinger is a shockingly good value with a starting price of around $32,000. The Stinger enters the market with almost no competition at its price, but some people still may not feel comfortable spending so much on an unproven model. We absolutely endorse the Kia Stinger, but the fully-loaded twin-turbo V6 model will cost up to around $51,000. This made us wonder, could we find five amazing used alternatives that were all available for less than the Stinger's $32,000 base price?

One of the issues that keeps coming up with the Stinger, is the fact that it has a Kia badge. We think that people need to get over the fact that Kia used to build some less than exciting cars, but for those who simply can't cope with this fact, we have an alternative. You won't have to worry about people judging you based on your car's badge with our first choice, the Porsche Panamera. We were staggered to find so many of these cars for less than $30,000. These weren't just base models either. We found plenty of S and 4S models with less than 100,000 miles. The Panamera S and 4S came with a 4.8-liter V8 with 400 hp, which is more than the Stinger. Although, you will have to deal with the looks of the original Panamera.

You won't have to worry about oozing style in our next choice, the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe. BMW was a bit late to the four-door-coupe market, but it definitely nailed it with this gorgeous model. For less than $30,000, we found plenty of 640 and 650 models in the four-door Gran Coupe body style. The 640i came with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six with 315 hp. This may be less potent than the V6 in the Stinger, but we also found 650 models, which came with a 445 hp 4.4-liter V8 under the hood. Sadly, we couldn't find a M6 Gran Coupe within the budget, but this is still a lot of BMW for less than $30,000.

The 6 Series is a great car, but there may be speed freaks out there who want a little more performance for their $30,000. We found several examples of the Mercedes CLS 550, as new as 2014, for less than $30,000. The CLS 550 came with a 4.7-liter V8 with 402 hp going out to RWD or 4Matic AWD. If that's not enough, we also found the previous generation CLS in the more powerful AMG trim. The CLS 63 AMG came with a hand-built 6.2-liter V8, which pumped out 507 hp. It may not have the affordable maintenance of the Kia, but it's amazing to think that a powerful AMG Mercedes can now be had for the same money.

Many of the people who buy the Kia Stinger will do so for its large proportions and practical lift-back hatch, rather than all-out performance. We wanted to include another practical choice on the list, the Audi A7. We still believe that the original design of the A7 is one of the best that Audi has ever come up with, and they can now be had for less than $30,000. Like the Stinger, the A7 comes with AWD and a large, lift-back hatch area to place large objects. The A7 may not be able to match the output of the V6 Stinger, but it does produce a healthy 310 hp from a 3.0-liter supercharged V6.

The final car on our list is our budget option, the Volkswagen CC. This was the first car to bring the four-door-coupe trend to an affordable level. The CC was offered with two engine options, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and the rare 3.6-liter VR6 with AWD. The 2.0-liter model sent 200 hp to the front wheels only, but did come with an optional six-speed manual transmission. Those who could live without the third pedal could opt for the VR6 model, which pumped out 280 hp to 4Motion AWD. The Volkswagen CC is easily the most affordable Stinger alternative on the list, with prices that are well below $10,000 on the low end.

Can't Afford The New Kia K900? Here Are Some Cheaper Luxury Sedans

The Kia K900 is a highly impressive luxury sedan, but what could you get on the used market instead?

As much as we loved the Kia K900 when we reviewed it a few years ago, we never would have predicted Kia would give the car a second generation. Revealed at the 2018 New York Auto Show, the 2019 Kia K900 takes everything we loved about the old K900 and wraps it up in a more handsome body. Pricing has not been announced, but we expect the new car to be priced close to the current car's base price of around $50,000. Still, this is a lot for a Kia, and there are plenty of options on the used market if you prefer a car from a different brand.

Audi A8

Not impressed by Kia's flagship for $50,000? How about Audi's top-of-the-line luxury sedan for the same money? This isn't just a run of the mill A8, this is the performance-oriented S8. We found S8 examples as new as 2014 (with as little as 25,000 miles on the odometer) for less than a new K900. A base K900 is powered by a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 borrowed from the Kia Stinger, producing 365 horsepower. The S8 produces a whopping 520 hp from a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. How's that for a performance bargain?

Alpina B7

Next up we have another German flagship sedan: this time from BMW. Like with the S8, this is no ordinary 7 Series. The F01 generation Alpina B7 was built from 2011 to 2013, and prices have plummeted well below the $50,000 mark. BMW's V12 was deemed too heavy for the B7, so Alpina used the M5's 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. Total output is 540 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque going out to RWD or AWD. We found several short and long wheelbase models available, all with fairly low mileage.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Part of the reason why we love the K900 so much is that it offers 80% of the Mercedes S-Class experience for around 50% of the price. Though why settle for an imitation when you can afford the real thing? If you are willing to go back a few model years (around 2014 to 2015), you can afford an S-Class for the same price as a new K900. A 2015 S550 is powered by a 4.7-liter twin-turbo V8 with 449 hp. The Kia offers amazing materials and features for a $50,000 car, but an S-Class for the same money easily tops it on premium feel and prestige.

Jaguar XJ

The German sedans on this list all have their advantages, but they are very predictable. The next car on our list, the Jaguar XJ, is more of a wild card. People seem to forget about the XJ because it has been on the market since 2009. Not only did we find plenty of XJ examples for less than $50,000, we even found a few XJR models for under $40,000. The XJR is the most power car on this list with a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 pumping out 550 hp. If you want your large luxury sedan to drive like a sports car, the XJR is the best option.

So far, it may sound like we are trying to talk people out of buying a Kia K900. On the contrary, we believe the K900 is the ultimate used car bargain. In our past research, we've found used K900 (and Hyundai Equus) models for less than $25,000 with a certified pre-owned warranty. These weren't just the base 3.8-liter V6 models, we found the 5.0-liter 429 hp V8 ones as well. A $50,000 Kia may not make sense to a lot of people, but a $25,000 Kia with the luxury of a $100,000 car sounds pretty good.

2019 Audi A7 Is Actually Cheaper Than The Outgoing Model

But not by much.

Audi revealed the all-new 2019 A7 last October, but these German cars seem to be taking quite a while before arriving at US dealerships. The old 3.0-liter supercharged V6 has been replaced by a turbocharged unit with a 48-volt mild hybrid system producing 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque mated to a seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch automatic. We have known for a while now how much the 2019 A7 would cost in Europe, but Audi has finally released pricing for the US.

The Premium trim starts at $68,000, while the Premium Plus and Prestige trims start at $72,400 and $76,300 respectively. These prices are all excluding a destination charge of $995, which still makes the base A7 around $800 less than last year's model. Audi will also offer an S-line package that includes details such as a black diffuser insert, illuminated door sills and fender badge, and a sport suspension with a 20-mm lower ride height. Nineteen-inch wheels are standard, but 20- and 21-inch wheels are also available.

Inside, the interior layout is much improved over the old model. As you'd expect from a nearly $70,000 car, the A7 includes a wealth of standard features, including a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel with shift paddles, three-zone automatic climate control (with available four-zone), panoramic sunroof, heated leather eight-way power front seats with four-way power lumbar adjustment (with available heated rear seats and 8-way individual contour front seats with ventilation and massage), and real wood inlays. Audi says the 2019 A7 should be available in the US in fall 2018.

Don't Have $100,000 For The New BMW M5? Here Are Some Cheaper Options

You don't have to spend six figures to get an awesome sports sedan.

BMW recently revealed the latest version of its M5 sedan, internally known as the F90. Power from the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 has been upped to 600 hp and BMW added an advanced AWD system that can send 100% of the power to the rear wheels at the press of a button. The new M5 may be an incredibly fast sedan, and the first AWD M car, but it is also the first M5 that starts at over $100,000. Even a base M5 with no options costs $102,600, but what could that money get you if you were willing to toss it around on a used car?

For starters, how about a car that is actually more powerful than the new M5? The third generation Cadillac CTS-V was first sold as a 2016 model. Amazingly, we found a certified pre-owned Red Obsession model for just $58,994. The CTS-V is powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged LT4 V8 that it shares with the C7 Corvette Z06. This engine is down 10 hp compared to the Z06, but it still produces 640 hp. It may not have AWD, but the CTS-V can hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds (.2 seconds slower than the M5). Thanks to depreciation, the third generation CTS-V is now great value.

The Jaguar XFR has been out of production since 2015, so it isn't as powerful as the most modern sport sedans. Don't worry, because the XFR still packs 510 hp from a 5.0-liter supercharged V8. Jaguar models have always been heavily hurt by depreciation, so XFR prices are hilariously low (less than $30,000 in some cases). We even managed to find an XFR-S, which had a more powerful 550 hp engine. Jaguar only sold 100 units of the XFR-S in the US, and the 2013 model that we found is being sold for $52,884 with 17,000 miles on it.

The newest performance version of the Tesla Model S, the P100D, costs a whopping $135,000. Luckily, there are some used Tesla models that are now much cheaper than that. We found several P85D models for as low as around $65,000. The P85D may not be the fastest Tesla anymore, but it still has 691 hp from its twin electric motors. Starting from around around $90,000, used P90D still undercuts the price of the new M5. The BMW may be faster around a track, but the Tesla will still win in most drag races.

Perhaps none of the super sedans on this list have been special enough for some of our readers. We recently discovered that the Aston Martin Rapide has become a huge bargain on the used market. The Rapide may not be able to match the M5 on performance, even with a 6.0-liter 470-hp V12. Buying a used Rapide is a bit of a gamble in terms of maintenance, but it is worth it to experience the prestige of driving an Aston Martin.

For the final option on this list, we took the easy way out by recommending any previous generation of the M5. It doesn't matter which generation you choose, pretty much all of the old M5 variants can be purchased for well under $100,000. For those who are seeking the best performance bargain, we recommend the F10 M5, which comes with a 560 hp 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that helped spawn the new M5's engine. Prices of the F10 M5 have gone down to less than $40,000. For those who value sound over anything else, the E60 M5 with its high-revving V10 is the best option as well as one of the most affordable choices. E39 prices have been on the rise, but even a perfect example will be less than $70,000.

The E34 is one of the cheapest options, although we don't recommend buying one that has been beat up. Likewise with the original E28 M5, which can be difficult to find in good condition.

Can't Afford A BMW M2? Here Are Some Cheaper Alternatives

A compact performance coupe doesn't have to cost over $50,000.

Even though it is just the "baby M car," we think the BMW M2 may be the best model the company makes at the moment. The M2 certainly offers the best purist experience of the current M lineup, since the other M cars have all become larger and heavier. Even though it is the cheapest M car on the market, the M2 still starts at a whopping $54,500 and will only get more expensive with the addition of a Competition version. Nearly $55,000 sounds like a lot to pay for a 365 horsepower sport coupe. Thankfully, there are plenty of cheaper used alternatives.

Porsche 911 Carrera (997 gen)

The M2 sits at the bottom of the M car lineup, but for much less, budget conscious buyers can scoop up a flagship Porsche. For less than $40,000, it is possible to find a 997.1 generation 911 Carrera or Carrera S. The base 3.6-liter flat-six produces less power than the M2: just 325 hp. We also found more powerful Carrera S models with the larger 3.8-liter flat-six, producing 355 hp. Though it won't match the M2 on interior technology, the 911 is one of the purest driving experiences on the market and the 997 generation is arguably one of the best. You may want to invest in a mount for your smartphone because Porsche's infotainment was pretty lackluster in this generation.

Cadillac ATS-V Coupe

Buyers who want something a little more modern can opt for our next choice, the Cadillac ATS-V coupe. The ATS-V has only been around since 2016, but prices have already plummeted to just above $40,000. We found ATS-V coupe and sedans in the low $40,000 price range with the six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic. Power comes from a 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 producing 464 hp. Not even the upcoming M2 Competition will be able to match the ATS-V on power, and the Cadillac is larger if you need more space.

Audi TT RS

Even though they are actually very different, the Audi TT RS is often compared to the BMW M2. The current TT RS is more powerful than the M2 thanks to its 400 hp 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine, but it is more expensive starting at around $65,000. Luckily, used examples of the previous generation TT RS can be found starting at around half the price. The old TT RS still produces 360 hp from its five-cylinder engine, and unlike the new model it is only available with a six-speed manual transmission.

Nissan 370Z

If you go crazy with the options sheet, it is possible to buy a Nissan 370Z for around the same price as the M2. We like the 370Z, but it is starting to feel old and we wouldn't recommend buying a brand-new one. A used one is a different story. The cheapest examples we found started at less than $15,000, and the prices went higher as the age and mileage shrank. The 3.7-liter V6 engine produces 332 hp, or 350 hp in the Nismo version. Unlike the M2, the 370Z is strictly a two-seater, which could be what certain buyers are looking for from their small coupe.

BMW 135i

The M2 Competition will finally fix one of the biggest complains with the standard M2; it doesn't have a bespoke M engine. The N55 in the M2 is a great engine, but it is used in plenty of other BMW models, including our final used alternative. The BMW 135i was originally sold with the twin-turbo N54 inline-six, but was later upgraded to the N55. We recommend trying to find the rare 135is, which produced 320 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. With some minor tuning, the 135is should be able to keep up with the far more expensive M2 (at least in a straight line).