2025's Best Four-Door Sports Cars Are Hiding In Plain Sight – Top Speed
Peter earned a Bachelor of Archeology and Creative Writing from the University of Alabama and has since joined his love of driving and riding with storytelling. His voice is full of southern pleasantries and witticisms. Peter has been writing stories about cars, trucks, and motorcycles since 2017, which can be enjoyed in The Gentleman Racer, The Vintagent, Gear Patrol, Iron & Air Magazine, Classic Car Club Magazine, and MotorBiscuit.
Before working as an automotive writer, he spent years as a working musician in NYC, playing shows, making records, and composing for TV and Film. He spent some time learning to race with the Classic Car Club of Manhattan, doing forestry work in Wyoming, roofing in Alabama, and leading the sales team at Matt Umanov Guitars. All of these varied experiences seep their way into his writing.
Some sedans are slow. Some sedans are fast. Some sedans are actually just four-door sports cars. In 2025, four-door performance is heavy. Manufacturers from Detroit to Ingolstadt are doubling down on combustion-era celebration while flirting with electrified futures. What we’re left with is a class of cars that are properly fast and still somehow feel practical and reasonable. This list of the ten best new four-door sports cars of 2025 is more than just powerful four-door sedans. These are proper sports cars, the size of your grandpa’s Buick Le Sabre. These are proper four-door sports cars people will remember.
Sports cars advertise their performance, but some cars are more covert about their unfettered power
The 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTI is the perennial hot‑hatch hero, carrying forward a nameplate that’s been teaching generations how to drive fast in practical cars. The GTI’s lineage goes back to the very first hot hatch, and for 2025, VW keeps its formula clean: a 2.0‑liter turbocharged inline‑4, front-wheel drive, and a body that still says, “I have cargo space and I know how to use it.” Car and Driver’s spec sheet confirms 241 hp at 6,500 rpm, a respectable torque curve, and a well-balanced ride.
On the road, the GTI remains a gem for enthusiasts who don’t want to choose between performance and usability. Its 0–60 mph time is quoted around 5.6 seconds by Car and Driver, making it brisk but not ballistic — a measured, confident performance that rewards smooth inputs and good throttle control. Compared to rivals like the Honda Civic Type R or the GR Corolla, the GTI might not be the most powerful, but its combination of refinement, chassis composure, and usability makes it a smart pick for everyday drivers who care about fun.
The 2025 Toyota GR Corolla is unexpected in the best possible way — it’s a compact hatchback built with rally inspiration, and under its hood is a three-cylinder turbo that somehow makes 300 hp. According to Toyota’s specs, that power is paired with a GR‑FOUR all-wheel-drive system, giving it grip that belies its size.
But the GR Corolla isn’t just about raw output. Its chassis is stiff, its body reinforced for performance, and the way it manages power delivery through corners feels incredibly refined for a car that wears “rally-bred” as more than just a marketing tagline. Against competitors such as the Golf R (or even the Civic Type R), the GR Corolla stands out by offering all-wheel drive, a unique engine note, and a visceral driving experience that makes you feel like you’re piloting something much more expensive.
The venerable Mini Countryman JCW All4 brings John Cooper Works performance to a four‑door, five-seat crossover truly unlike anything you’ve ever driven. The 2025 version is packed with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4, producing 312 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Its AWD system helps it plant itself when needed, even in a body that’s more SUV than hatch.
What makes the Countryman JCW especially compelling is its marriage of go-kart spirit and real-world usability. Despite being a Mini “SUV,” it doesn’t feel bloated or soft — the driving experience is sharp, with enough power to surprise and grip to back it up. Compared to other sporty crossovers or performance wagons, the Countryman JCW trades some outright track attack for livability, but that’s exactly the point: it’s a performance Mini that doesn’t sacrifice much.
The 2025 Honda Civic Type R continues its legacy as a driver’s hot hatch, combining brutal turbocharged power with razor-sharp chassis dynamics. With 315 hp from its 2.0-liter turbo engine, the Civic Type R remains a benchmark for engagement and precision.
But the Type R isn’t just about peak power — it’s about how that power can be applied to the road. The car’s steering, suspension, and six-speed manual transmission are tuned to give you feedback, challenge, and reward in equal measure. In daily driving, it’s surprisingly usable, and on twisty roads, it feels like it’s right at home. When compared with rivals like the GR Corolla or the Golf GTI, the Civic Type R still feels hardcore in a way that’s thoughtful rather than gratuitous.
The 2025 BMW M3 is a modern icon: a performance sedan that fuses track-bred engineering with everyday usability. The S58 twin‑turbo inline-six offers a broad power band and a high-revving character, making the M3 feel both aggressive and refined. While the base non-Competition model produces around 473 hp, the M3 remains a visceral driving machine, one that BMW purists continue to revere.
But what sets the M3 apart isn’t just its horsepower — it’s its balance. The car’s rear-wheel drive (or optional xDrive), its steering feel, and adjustable suspension make it a highly competent road and track tool. When pitted against rivals like the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing or some AMG sedans, the M3 doesn’t rely on power alone; it has monster precision, predictability, and that classic BMW feel in the corners.
The 2025 Audi RS7 remains an indulgent powerhouse: a sleek, five-door liftback that sacrifices nothing in speed. Its twin-turbo V8 churns out approximately 621 hp, making the RS7 one of the most potent four-door performance cars on the road. The Quattro all-wheel-drive system ensures that power is delivered with composure, even under aggressive acceleration.
What’s remarkable about the RS7 is how effortlessly it blends utility and menace. It has aggressive acceleration numbers, but rides like a luxury cruiser when you’re not wringing its neck. Against rivals like the CT5‑V Blackwing or AMG GT 4‑Door, the RS7 doesn’t compete purely on horsepower — it uses its size, grip, and sophistication to deliver performance that’s terrifyingly competent without ever feeling raw in a crude way.
These models can accelerate on par with a 90s supercar while offering practicality and modern features, all for a reasonable price.
The 2025 Mercedes‑AMG GT 4-Door, specifically the GT 63 variant, is a statement of excess in the very best way. With a bi-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and around 630 hp, this is a car that makes no apologies for being loud, fast, or emotionally extravagant. It’s a four-door coupe that wants your pulse racing.
Its performance isn’t just about the engine — AMG has tuned this car to feel aggressive in every setting. Whether you’re launching from a stoplight, navigating canyon roads, or cruising on the highway, the GT 4-Door commands attention. Compared to other high-horsepower rivals like the Blackwing or RS7, the AMG GT prioritizes raw sensation and drama: it’s not the most practical, but for those who demand presence, it’s a tour de force.
The Cadillac CT5‑V Blackwing is Cadillac’s last great combustion-era V8 super sedan: a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that snarls and roars with unapologetic force. It delivers 668 hp in its 2025 iteration, a number that places it firmly among serious performance machinery. This isn’t a timid luxury car; it’s a statement, a muscle car heart wrapped in four doors.
Underneath, the Blackwing is more than power — but, damn, it’s hard to see past all that power. Giving something that much power means that Cadillac had to do serious work on the chassis and brakes. The option for manual transmission makes it feel like a love letter to enthusiasts. Compared to luxury performance competitors like the M3 or AMG GT 4-Door, the Blackwing brings a uniquely American flavor: raw, emotional, and loud. Unlike many overrefined European rivals, it doesn’t hide its power — it celebrates it.
Choosing a compact car doesn’t mean that compromises have to be made when it comes to power and performance – these pocket rockets are proof.
The 2025 Porsche Panamera Turbo E‑Hybrid (or top-tier Panamera) pushes the envelope for what a four-door Porsche can be. With a combined system output of roughly 680 hp, the hybrid Panamera blends electrified torque with a powerful combustion engine, producing relentlessly strong performance while still offering four doors and a usable trunk.
What makes the Panamera matter to people emotionally is how it retains that Porsche driving character even in hybrid form. The chassis is precise, the steering is weighty, and the power delivery feels layered. Compared to rivals like the RS7 or AMG GT 4-Door, the Panamera’s edge is its scale and sophistication: it’s a luxury GT with the heart of a track car, but with real-world usability dialed in.
Sources: Car and Driver, Road & Track
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