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This makes sports sedans versatile enough for many occasions, be that a trip to the local store, dropping kids off at school, or a weekend outing with the family. It's pretty hard to go wrong here, performance-wise. But for all their breadth of talent, sports sedans aren't typically tuned for outright efficiency, as they tend to prioritize raw power and thrilling speeds instead. Still, it is possible to get up to 33 mpg out of a sports sedan (think the 2024 Acura Integra), though at that level, compromise does come in the form of power output. The most efficient sports sedans typically come with smaller engines, which can mean better fuel economy and lower output in the 200-horsepower range. 

However, because this list was made with enthusiasts and thrill-seekers in mind, we are considering only 300-plus-horsepower monsters. We've also excluded electric models and stuck to 2021-or-newer vehicles, so you can benefit from something modern without actually paying new-car money. 

2024 BMW 540i xDrive Sedan: 28 mpg combined

Part of the eighth-generation 5 Series that debuted for the 2024 model year, the BMW 540i xDrive Sedan is a great option for both sporty-feeling driving and family use. It offers up to 18.4 cubic feet of trunk space, and rear seats with a 40-20-40 split fold, allowing you to load longer items while still having a seat or two in place for passengers. Passenger space is also generous by sports sedan standards, particularly up front where the 540i xDrive serves up 39.1 inches of headroom and 41.3 inches of legroom. Those in the rear get 37.7 inches of headroom and 37 inches of legroom. 

As for performance, the 2024 BMW 540i xDrive Sedan packs a 375-hp punch courtesy of BMW's B58 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, which is noted for being pleasingly smooth and responsive. As you'd expect, that output helps make the 540i xDrive a properly quick sedan that sprints to 60 mph in exactly 4 seconds, according to Car and Driver's testing.

If you're considering this sports sedan, you'll find that used ones with fewer than 65,000 miles on the odometer start from around $40,000, according to CarGurus. Aside from the 540i xDrive, those considering a BMW are also likely to be interested in the 382-hp 2022 BMW M340i Sedan (26 mpg) or 2024 BMW 840i Gran Coupe (24 mpg).

2022 Audi S3: 27 mpg combined

A souped-up version of the regular A3, the Audi S3 is a premium pocket rocket that fits into the sports sedan club quite well. At 177.3 inches long, 71.5 inches wide, and 55.7 inches tall, it is compact enough to thread through narrow streets, and for such a small car, there's a reasonable amount of cabin space. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, and three kids or two average-height adults will easily fit in the back — though long-legged adult occupants won't want to sit back there for long periods, as there's just 35.2 inches of legroom to work with.

The S3 is also deficient in areas like trunk space (you get just 8.3 cubic feet), but it more than makes up for any such shortcomings with fantastically entertaining driving manners and an energetic engine. The engine is the EA888 turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, which makes 306 hp and 295 lb-ft, allowing the compact sports sedan to scoot from 0 to 60 mph in an impressive 4.3 seconds.

If that's not enough to get your blood pumping, there's always the option of the racier RS3 sedan. That model gets a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five that returns an EPA-rated 23 mpg while producing 401 hp and 369 lb-ft. It was able to achieve a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.3 seconds during testing by Car and Driver. If it's the one you want, you could buy a used version of the 2022 RS3 with fewer than 65,000 miles on the clock for less than $50,000. The tamer S3 sedan, for its part, is priced from just under $30,000.

2021 Cadillac CT4 Premium Luxury: 25 mpg combined

Cadillac's CT4 is available in several different flavors, including the Premium Luxury. Although it came standard with the 237-hp, 2.0-liter turbo-four, buyers could option the CT4 Premium Luxury with a 2.7-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine good for 310 horsepower and 350 lb-ft. 

CT4s with the 2.7-liter engine achieve their best mpg by routing that output to the rear wheels, granting up to 25 mpg combined. Fitting an all-wheel-drive system drops that figure to 24 mpg. That slight gap disappears when you move up to the punchier CT4-V models, though, as both the rear- and all-wheel-drive models return 23 mpg from the same 2.7-liter engine. 

The CT4-V is uprated by 15 hp and 30 lb-ft of torque, resulting in a peak output of 325 horses and 380 pounds of twist. If you're looking at the 310-hp CT4 Premium Luxury models, well-looked-after examples with fewer than 65,000 miles on the clock can be had from around $24,000. However, it is not until around $29,000 that you can find a 2021 CT4-V. 

No matter which one you go for, you get up to 38.3 inches of headroom up front and a generous 42.4 inches of legroom. Sadly, there's not as much room in the back (36.5 inches of headroom and 33.4 inches of legroom) and you also have to make do with just 10.7 cubic feet of trunk space. 

2023 Kia Stinger: 25 mpg combined

Whether it's price or economy, the CT4's closest competitor on this list is the handsomely styled Kia Stinger. In rear-wheel-drive GT-Line form, its base 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder returns 25 mpg combined, matching the CT4 Premium Luxury. AWD versions drop that to 24 mpg. All that's on top of the stout 300 hp and 311 lb-ft you already get from the turbo-four.

Still, if you find yourself wanting more muscle, there's the option of a 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6, which produces 368 hp and 376 lb-ft in the GT2, though fuel economy drops to 20 mpg in both RWD and AWD models.

Whether you get the more efficient or the more powerful version, you'll find that interior space is decent enough, with front passengers benefiting from 38.3 inches of headroom and 42.6 inches of legroom. For their part, occupants out back get 37 inches of headroom and 36.4 inches of legroom. 

At 23.3 cubic feet, the cargo area is big enough to accommodate a reasonable amount of gear, too, and you'll also like that the 2023 Stinger is available from around $27,000 for sub-65,000-mile examples.

2023 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4MATIC: 24 mpg combined

Due to its rather restricted rear-seat space, the stunningly beautiful second-generation Mercedes-AMG CLA-Class might not be the first car that springs to mind when you think of a sedan for your small family, but the AMG CLA 35 is perhaps as fun to drive as small luxury sports sedans get. At the heart of it all is a 2.0-liter turbo-four that produces 302 hp, allowing the sprint from rest to 60 mph to happen in 4.4 ticks.

While that's blisteringly quick, it is entirely possible to up the ante even further with the wilder AMG CLA 45, which makes 382 horsepower from its turbo-four. Its 0-to-60 time is a lightning-quick 3.7 seconds. This model also has a relatively frugal-for-a-sports-sedan economy figure of 23 mpg, despite being the CLA-Class' most extreme offering.

If, however, you'd rather not deal with the limited space in the rear, you could always go with the 320-hp Integra Type S. That model achieves 24 mpg while offering 36.4 inches of headroom and 37.4 inches of legroom. By comparison, the AMG CLA models come with 35.7 inches of rear headroom and 33.9 inches of rear legroom. The Integra Type S is even ahead on cargo space, boasting 24.3 cubic feet compared with 11.6 cubic feet for the CLA 35.

Keep in mind, though, that a used Integra Type S will be priced about the same as the AMG CLA 35 if it has fewer than 65,000 miles on the clock. A cursory glance at CarGurus listings shows that excellent examples of the Integra Type S will set you back just under $37,000, at the very least. The AMG CLA 35, meanwhile, costs from around $35,000.