2017 Fiat 124 Spider Road Test and Review

Fiat's retro-themed renaissance, which began with the 500 subcompact, continues this year with the 2017 FIAT 124 Spider. Taking its name and inspiration from a classic Fiat roadster that was born back in 1966, the new Spider also happens to take its underpinnings from a modern classic: the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. That means the two cars are a lot alike, although the Spider sports an entirely different engine than the Mazda. On the other hand, they're both vastly different from anything else on the market, since they offer an otherwise unmatched combination of relatively easy-to-afford pricing, and rear-wheel-drive, open-air performance.

And besides, that shared Mazda platform has earned rave reviews for its athletic ride and handling as is.

The MSRP for the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider opens at $24,995, and as you might expect from the Italian brand, that's a bit higher than for the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. Yet the difference actually comes to just $800. Further, if you compare the Spider to the least-expensive convertibles from other European brands, the Fiat ends up costing thousands less. Take the BMW Z4. It's a different sort of beast, so to speak, then the Spider, but the point is that if you want a roadster from the BMW brand, it will cost you about twice what you'd pay for the Fiat: the Z4 is stickered from $49,700. Similarly, the Audi TT Roadster has an MSRP of $46,400.

The entry-level 2017 Fiat 124 Spider is the aptly named "Classica." For customers, that translates into standard features like a six-speaker audio system, Bluetooth connectivity, LED taillamps and premium-cloth seating, along with performance enhancers such as a turbocharged engine and electronic locking differential. It's really everything you need in a roadster, but Fiat has a lux-oriented Lusso edition as well, complete with heated leather seats, Fiat Connect infotainment and a rearview camera.

Nor has Fiat forgotten about enthusiasts. Thus, the Spider gets the full treatment from Fiat's Abarth in-house tuning department. Distinguished by exclusive design details, upgraded performance components and a chromed, quad-tip exhaust, the Spider Abarth also can be ordered with Recaro racing-style seats and Brembo brakes.

Like the current Mazda Miata, the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider supplies a standard six-speed manual transmission and an available six-speed automatic gearbox, and both leverage the enthusiasts' preferred rear-wheel drive setup. But there's a big difference under the hood, where the Spider packs the same 1.4-liter turbocharged MultiAir engine that's earned so many fans in the FIAT 500 Abarth. The four-cylinder unit can yield 164 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft of torque, which is 5 more horses and a notable 36 extra lb.-ft of torque than on tap in Mazda’s naturally aspirated, four-cylinder powerplant. That said, the Spider does outweigh the Miata by roughly 100 lbs., which results in them having just about the same power-to-weight ratios.

You've got to give credit to Fiat designers. Except for the sharp-ish creases over the wheel arches, the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider showcases an impressively distinctive look with numerous design cues from the original. Particularly effective in this regard are the dual "power domes" on the Spider's hood, along with its front grille and air intake, all of which draw on details from past models and all of which set the Fiat apart from its rival—as do the Spider's rounder LED headlights.

Meanwhile, Fiat again borrows the best of the Mazda's features by using the same, simple-to-operate manual soft top. In fact, as is the case in the Miata, Spider drivers can let the sunshine in without even having to leave their seat.

Yes, the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider is a fairly tight fit for many drivers, since it provides a bare 37.5 inches of headroom. That's the same as in the MX-5 Miata, of course, yet it's also slightly less than you get in the rear seat of a Toyota Yaris subcompact. However, that ceases to be an issue when you drop the top, and the Spider does boast 1.5 more inches of legroom than the midsize Toyota Camry.

The appearance of the Spider's cockpit is clean and uncluttered and eminently Mazda-like, right down to the freestanding infotainment screen on the top of the dash and the available headrest-mounted Bose audio speakers. The Fiat does have more soft-touch surfaces, though, for the comfort-minded.

There's nothing quite like cruising around in a convertible with the top down and the music turned up, so the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider puts a clear focus on audio performance, too. The standard system fits six speakers in the confines of the Spider's cabin, while also serving up a USB port, auxiliary input and Bluetooth for audio streaming (and handsfree calling). Then, for the ultimate open-air sound track, Fiat brings out a nine-speaker Bose system that includes both a subwoofer and speakers directly integrated into the headrests.

With the optional Fiat Connect 7.0 infotainment system, owners welcome a 7-inch touchscreen, navigation, voice recognition and access to three popular Internet radio apps: Aha by Harman, Pandora and Stitcher.

The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider has yet to be tested by the IIHS or NHTSA—and neither has the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata—yet engineers did develop a special body framework designed specifically for a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive convertible. Per Fiat: "the high-strength, high-rigidity, lightweight structure... helps dissipate energy and improve protection in the event of a crash." And the Spider additionally has a number of high-tech driver-assistance measures to help you avoid a crash in the first place. Among them are sonar-based rear parking assistance, a rearview camera system, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection. Naturally, there’s also a full complement of airbags on board, highlighted by advanced multi-stage units that vary inflation rates based on impact severity.

The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider will no doubt attract drivers as the rare Italian roadster that nearly anyone can afford. Yet Fiat also has a special Spider for drivers who demand more exclusivity. The Prima Edizione Lusso will be limited to only 124 examples, each configured in the Spider's range-topping Lusso trim and wearing dramatic, special-edition-only color theme: the exterior is finished in a signature shade of blue called "Azzura Italia"; the cabin is appointed with premium leather seating in a sophisticated Saddle brown; and an individually numbered commemorative badge delivers the finishing touch—for the car. Drivers get a special-edition package of their own that includes Fiat wearables and a dramatic poster.

It may be tough to talk about the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider without talking about the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata, but it's going to be easy to tell them apart—both from the outside, where classic Fiat design cues come forward, and from the driver's seat, where the Italian brand's turbo engine takes the spotlight. That makes for the ol' win-win scenario for customers, who now have their choice between two of the most appealing roadsters to hit the marketplace in a long, long time.