Best Coupes 2024

The definition of a ‘coupe’ has changed quite a lot over the last few years. It used to strictly mean a two-door car focussed on style ahead of practicality. Now, though – and whether you like it or not – its shorthand for any car with a bit of sporty style added, including SUVs and four- or five-door family cars.
But for this shortlist we’re looking at traditional coupes, which is to say stylish two-door cars ranging from sporty to pure luxury. Some manage to play both sides, and some reinterpret tradition for the modern age while others are forward-looking and futuristic. Take your pick.

With turbocharged engines, rear-wheel drive and lots of power, the Supra is at the sporty end of the spectrum, but the automatic gearbox, comfy interior and decent amount of boot space mean it’s just as comfortable on a road trip as it is the race track. Previous Supras were tuning legends and the embodiment of Fast & Furious culture, and it’s nice that Toyota has acknowledged this with the new one’s aggressive looks and its muscular character. Purists can even have it with a manual transmission now. A Japanese muscle car, reinvented but still very much in touch with its heritage.
Search for a new or used Toyota Supra on Auto Trader

The new 4 Series Coupe uses its 3 Series Saloon foundations to good effect, but with a very different look and feel thanks to its swoopier lines and sportier set-up. The massive grille isn’t to everyone’s taste, but there’s a ton of tech and it delivers unique style for keen drivers. While it’s obviously less practical than a 3 Series, you can have your 4 Series with a sensible small petrol or diesel engine, as well as a big, powerful six-cylinder one. It’s reasonably practical, too – a two-door car you can potentially buy with head and heart in agreement.
Search for a new or used BMW 4 Series coupe on Auto Trader

The debates have raged since the 718 Cayman was launched. Did dropping the previous version’s charismatic six-cylinder engine for a turbocharged four-cylinder rob it of its core appeal? Perhaps for some people, but the car is so good that it remains top of the class. Even if you think the engine doesn't sound quite as exciting it arguably packs a meaner punch and the rest of the car is superb. It steers and handles like few cars at any price point, and it has a beautiful cabin. The two luggage areas even give it an element of practicality. In tacit acknowledgement of the engine criticism, Porsche even revived a six-cylinder option with the GTS and GT4 versions, so you can have your cake and eat it, should you wish.
Search for a new or used Porsche 718 Cayman on Auto Trader

The Mach-e may have appropriated some Mustang heritage, but thankfully Ford still offers a proper petrol-powered Mustang coupe. Fair play to Ford for that. New for 2024, the seventh Mustang is the best sort of anachronism - a muscle car with a massive V8 engine, rear-wheel drive and a manual gearbox. At £56,000, it's the cheapest new V8-engined car on sale, too. It's not the most sophisticated thing, but with 440-horsepower, that romantic heritage and the sort of noise that will wake up your ancestors, it's very highly recommended.
Search for a new or used Ford Mustang on Auto Trader

Ferrari Roma

Ferrari is known for its razor-sharp supercars, but the company started out by building sporting coupes of a more luxurious type. The latest Roma channels that spirit and reinvents it for the modern age in glorious fashion. It may not be the fastest or sharpest Ferrari in the line-up but, all things relative, it's still way quicker than any rivals. It’s also gorgeous to look at, lovely to be in, and its slightly softer character (for a Ferrari) is probably more enjoyable for most drivers, more of the time. A Ferrari for grown-ups, and a glorious modern twist on a classic formula.
Search for a new or used Ferrari Roma on Auto Trader

The Continental GT is obviously monumentally powerful and fast, whether you go for the V8 'base' car or the full-fat range-topper topper with a glorious 12-cylinder engine. Its greatest trick, however, is making you feel special even when you’re just pottering about or on the daily commute. You could be doing the most boring journey possible, but if you’re doing it in a Continental GT it’ll make you feel on top of the world.
Search for a new or used Bentley Continental GT on Auto Trader

Concept cars look great at motor shows, and for years Lexus teased us with a succession of futuristic coupes that looked way better than anything it actually sold. Then, shockingly, it actually built the LC and, all of a sudden, you could drive a Lexus that looked every bit as good as those swoopy design studies. It’s as if the design process involved slicing at the clay model with a Samurai sword. The LC is utterly gorgeous inside and out, obsessively well-made, individualistic, very beautiful and super cool.
Search for a new or used Lexus LC on Auto Trader

Many consider Alpine ‘the French Porsche’ but it’s more like a Gallic twist on the lightweight traditions of Lotus, really. Whatever, the A110 trades heavily on Alpine’s past, reinventing its classic Berlinette coupe for the modern age. The result is an incredibly light car that rewards keen drivers and makes more of its modest power than you’d expect. It’s also fantastically comfortable, with ride quality more like a family hatchback but with the responses and agility of a true sports car. It’s small and you’ll need to pack light, but as the embodiment of less-is-more chic, the Alpine is like a breath of fresh air.
Search for a new or used Alpine A110 on Auto Trader

It seems wrong to call the Aston Martin Vantage an “entry-level” sportscar because it feels so special – especially the new-for-2024 version, which has an interior befitting a £160,000 coupe. The previous Vantage did not. The 665-horsepower twin-turbo V8 engine gets it to 62mph in 3.5 seconds, but raw speed isn’t really what the Vantage is about. It’s about having a dual character – sharp sports car on one hand, luxurious touring coupe on the other – and doing them both exceptionally well. Mission accomplished. This is a car you can use as a comfy daily driver, or as the thing you take to a b-road every other weekend for giggles. Brilliant.
Search for a new or used Aston Martin Vantage on Auto Trader

Replacing the outstanding GT86 was never going to be an easy job for Toyota, but the company nailed it. The GR86 sticks to the GT86’s basic formula – good looks, reasonable price and, most importantly, awesome rear-wheel drive handling. But it improves things with a better engine, more tech and a neater interior. It’s not the quickest or most practical coupe on sale by a long stretch, but the 234-horsepower 2.4-litre engine FEELS much stronger and more responsive than the GT86’s did. That helps bring out one of the purest, most fun handling experiences in any new car. You can pick a low mileage one up for less than £30,000 now, too. Absolute bargain.
Search for a new or used Toyota GR86 on Auto Trader

The CLE is a merging together of the C-Class and E-Class Coupes. Not literally, obviously. But apparently, C-Class Coupe owners wanted more space, and E-Class Coupe owners wanted their car to be more fun to drive. (Nothing to do with the seemingly endless and confusing array of Mercedes models getting out of hand, obviously.) Enter CLE. To be honest it doesn’t offer masses of space and nor is it that much fun to drive, in the purest sense. However, it does seat four in relative comfort, and is very easy to recommend because it’s just really comfy and luxurious. The interior feels special – especially at night when the cabin backlighting is fully illuminated – and there’s even a rare diesel option, so you can keep your running costs down.
Read our full Mercedes-Benz CLE review here

Don’t mention James Bond. Don’t mention James Bond. Don’t mention James Bond. Okay, Aston Martin says the DB12 “redefines and reinvents what it means to be a tourer.” And also something else about “taming tradition” but we’re not sure what that means. Anyways, the DB12 doesn’t redefine, reinvent, or tame anything, but you’ll be pleased to know that it is just a very wonderful luxury sports car. Stunning cabin, amazing sound from the 4.0-litre V8 engine, supreme long-distance comfort, and even two little seats in the back for very small people or very big easter eggs. Plus, something about James Bond. Damn.
Find a new or used Aston Martin DB12 here