2019 Mazda MX-5 vs. 2019 Fiat 124 Spider: Which is Best?

2019 Mazda MX 5 Miata Fiat 124 Spider HERO ・ Photo by Mazda / Fiat

If you're in the mood to buy a rear-wheel-drive convertible for less than $30,000, you'll soon come to terms with the fact that there are only two cars from which to choose. Unless you opt for a used car, your short list will include the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata and the 2019 Fiat 124 Spider. Though they don’t look much alike, these two-seat roadsters roll off the same Mazda assembly line and share most of the same mechanical components.

Of course, your personal styling preferences likely will play a major factor in your decision — these cars don't look much alike. But there also are plenty of subtle ways the Miata and 124 differ, allowing each to serve up its own flavor of open-top driving fun. Let’s run through the ways they're different, and we’ll also share our own overall pick between these two ultra-fun, affordable sports cars.

Handling

For nearly three decades, the Mazda MX-5 Miata has used its small size and light weight to offer phenomenal handling thrills. The Miata offers drivers an intimate connection with the road, and instant responses to steering inputs. You're practically sitting on the pavement, and opening the roof brings the rushing wind that increases your sense of exciting velocity. It’s hard to drive one without smiling.

Fiat, meanwhile, tweaked the Miata’s suspension so the 124 Spider could offer a smoother ride and less body roll in cornering. Those changes make the Fiat a more relaxed road-trip companion, even as it retains many of the Miata's strong points, but we’re won over by the Mazda’s truly joyful approach to motoring.

Winner: Mazda MX-5 Miata

Photo by Mazda

Powertrain

The only major mechanical difference between the MX-5 Miata and the 124 Spider is under the hood. Fiat ships one of its own turbocharged four-cylinder engines to Japan, where Mazda installs it in the 124 Spiders it manufactures. It’s a 1.4-liter that makes 160 to 164 horsepower (depending on the trim) and 184 lb-ft of torque.

The Miata, meanwhile, uses a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. Mazda upgraded this engine for 2019, and now it has more horsepower than the Fiat, at 181. Torque still trails the turbocharged Fiat, at 151 lb-ft, but the Miata is both quicker than the 124 Spider and more spirited in a variety of driving conditions. Both cars are available with a choice of a six-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual.

Winner: Mazda MX-5 Miata

Photo by Mazda

Ride and Quietness

We mentioned that the MX-5 Miata is a little friskier than the 124 Spider. This pays off in the Fiat’s greater overall refinement. It has more sound insulation than the Mazda, and its suspension is less likely to jostle you around.

Now, to be clear, the Fiat is not some hushed limousine. It’s still a low, sporty, two-seat roadster. Nor is the MX-5 Miata stiff or noisy for a zippy little convertible. But the 124 Spider has the edge when you want a more relaxing drive, such as on a straight stretch of interstate. Some buyers also will gravitate toward the throaty-sounding exhaust that's available on the 124's Abarth trim. 

Winner: Fiat 124 Spider

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Exterior Styling

If you didn’t know it, nothing about the exterior styling of the Fiat 124 Spider or the Mazda MX-5 Miata would suggest that they’re mechanically related. The Mazda presents a chunky, aggressive, and thoroughly modern face, smirking at the dismissive “cute” label that some critics applied to past Miatas. Slim headlights and taillights emphasize the car's wide, low proportions.

To turn the Miata into a Fiat, the Italian company’s designers turned to its roadster history and borrowed cues from the 124 Sport Spider of the 1960s and 1970s. These include round headlights, an elongated hexagonal grille, and a crease on the doors that curves up and over the handles. Both the Mazda and the Fiat are noticeably small and low by today’s standards, even for sporty cars, but each goes its own way. We’ll let you look at them yourself and choose a favorite.

Winner: Tie

Photo by FIAT

Available Body Styles

The 124 Spider and MX-5 Miata both come standard with a manually operated fabric roof, which easily raises and lowers in just a couple seconds and doesn’t take up any trunk space. On the Fiat, that’s your only option. But Mazda also offers a unique roof option that adds both style and functionality.

The MX-5 Miata RF has a partially fixed roof that sits behind the seats. The section between it and the windshield is a power-retractable hardtop, which stows away at the touch of a button. This configuration gives the Miata RF its own distinctive appearance, and it’s more sophisticated-looking than a soft-top convertible with the roof up. Moreover, the hard roof keeps the car a little quieter and more secure. It costs several thousand dollars extra to upgrade to the RF over the soft-top Miata, but we appreciate that Mazda makes this option available.

Winner: Mazda MX-5 Miata

Photo by Mazda

Interior

While the 124 Spider and MX-5 Miata have significant cosmetic differences on the outside, their interiors are virtually identical. They have the same low dashboard with Mazda’s typical infotainment controls located between the front seats. They also have the same limited cabin storage and tight leg and headroom that are inherent in a tiny two-seat roadster.

But where there are subtle differences, they go in the Fiat’s favor. The 124 Spider has slightly richer trim and upholstery. It also has a slightly bigger trunk: a tiny 4.9 cubic feet compared to the Mazda’s even tinier 4.6. With a race this close, that’s enough to tip the scales toward Fiat.

Winner: Fiat 124 Spider

Photo by FIAT

Pricing

The 2019 FIAT 124 Spider starts at $24,995 for the base Classica trim, slipping in below the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata, whose entry-level Sport trim costs $25,730. The Fiat’s advantage grows if you add features, though. If you want leather upholstery, you can step up to the Lusso trim for just $27,595, while you’d need to buy the Miata’s Grand Touring version for $30,780.

For maximum performance, meanwhile, the Miata’s Club trim starts at $29,590, compared to $29,290 for the 124’s Abarth version. So if you’re otherwise undecided between the two cars, the Fiat’s slightly lower pricing might help tip the balance. There are few differences between the cars’ available features.

Winner: Fiat 124 Spider

Photo by FIAT

Fuel Economy

The 2019 MX-5 Miata has EPA ratings of 26 mpg in the city, 34 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg combined with its standard six-speed manual transmission. The optional six-speed automatic boosts both the highway and combined ratings by 1 mpg.

The 2019 124 Spider, meanwhile, is rated at 26 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined with its six-speed manual, while the six-speed automatic slips to 25 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, and 29 mpg combined. So if you want a manual, the Fiat narrowly takes the fuel-efficiency crown, while if you want an automatic, the Mazda edges it out. Both cars use premium fuel.

Winner: Tie

Photo by Mazda

Overall

In our view, the ideal two-seat roadster is all about maximum driving pleasure. That’s the very definition of a Mazda MX-5 Miata. With sharper steering and handling than the Fiat 124 Spider, along with a more powerful engine, it’s built to zip joyfully along any road you point it toward.

The Fiat 124 Spider is a little more upscale and refined, with richer cabin trim and a slightly smoother, quieter ride. And it’s a bit less expensive. But if we were committing to the impracticalities of a two-seat roadster, we’d go all out for the Mazda.

Winner: Mazda MX-5 Miata

Photo by Mazda