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They weren't exactly designed for the visceral, primal thrill of a good drive, with the exception of Mazdas. A good, used Miata will run you about $10k, as new as 2001, with relatively low mileage. A brand-spankin' new Mazda3 is still well under your $25k mark, fully loaded, and designed to, well, Zoom-Zoom. Even a decently equipped Mazda5 or Mazda6 is in your price range, if you can negotiate worth your salt (or can walk into a dealership with an internet price off the dealer website, they're often just barely above invoice).