What is the best used sporty car under $9k?

I'm looking at buying a car for $9k or less after the repair bills on my old car started to add up. I want something sporty (not actually a sports car since the insurance rate will skyrocket with this category), but also want to keep fuel economy and reliability in mind. The two models I have been looking at are a 2006-2008 Mazda3 and a 2006-2008 Honda Civic Si. Are there any other car models comparable to these that are both powerful/fun-to-drive and at least relatively low-cost to own?

Mazda 3
Honda Civic
Scion Tc
Subaru WRX
Mazda RX-8

Get a 1998 lincoln mark viii. Insurance is cheap because its a lincoln means smart driver, not a speeder, considerable. Has 300 hp and its fast. They are on par with regular cars for repairs. Its more of a luxury car than a sports car. Its bigger than a mustang. You can find one unmolested with like 74k miles.