Head to Head: 2017 Fiat 124 Spyder vs. 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Which Should You Buy?

Though the Mazda MX-5 Miata has earned a reputation as one of the best and least-expensive roadsters on the market, it now faces stiff competition. There’s a twist, too – the Miata’s new foe comes in the form of the Fiat 124 Spider, which is based on the Miata and built alongside it in a Mazda factory. Both convertibles seat two occupants, produce about the same amount of power, and compete at roughly the same price point. That said, the Fiat’s got plenty of Italian ancestry – enough to make these look and feel like two different cars.

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata occupies the No. 1 spot in our sports cars rankings, and the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider is still too new to be ranked, but we’re eager to see how it fares. For now, read on to find out which you prefer. 

The Basics

The Fiat 124 Spider and the Mazda MX-5 Miata are two-seat, rear-wheel-drive convertibles. The cars are based on the same platform, but the Fiat claims another 5.5 inches in length thanks to different sheet metal.

The Fiat 124 Spider is an all-new entry for the 2017 model year. It draws heavily on the Fiat brand’s own heritage for inspiration, as well as the Fiat 500 (and its derivative models) and the Mazda MX-5 Miata.

The Mazda MX-5 Miata made its debut in 1989 and entered its fourth generation last year. It has been declared the best-selling two-seat sports car in history by the Guinness Book of World Records and has a dedicated following of enthusiasts and critics.

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Pricing

Winner: Fiat 124 Spider

The base 2016 Mazda Miata undercuts the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider by just $80, so pricing is a wash at the entry level (the $24,915 Sport for the Mazda, and the $24,995 Classica for the Fiat). The next trim level up (the $28,600 Club for the Mazda, the $27,495 Lusso for the Fiat), the Mazda costs $1,105 more. For the top-level trim (known as the Grand Touring for the Mazda and the Elaborazione Abarth for the Fiat), the Mazda comes in at $30,065 and the Fiat is $28,195.

Though the Mazda Miata uses the same engine throughout its range, the Fiat 124 Spider offers a slightly more powerful engine in the Elaborazione Abarth trim. That means that, at the top level, the Fiat offers a nine-horsepower advantage over the Mazda, for a lower price.

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Safety

Winner: Tie

The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider and 2016 Mazda Miata have not been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This is typical of vehicles in this class, but it means that we have no objective criteria to choose a winner in this category. The convertibles offer a similar menu of active safety feature options in their higher trim levels. 

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Seat Comfort and Interior Refinement

Winner: Fiat 124 Spider

In base trim, these two roadsters’ interiors are very similar. They offer standard cloth upholstery and similarly cozy seats and accommodations. Reviews of both cars show that the base models’ cockpits are about even in terms of hits and misses – some reviewers prefer the Mazda’s straightforward design, while others prefer the Fiat’s Italian flash.

If we look to the Grand Touring, the Mazda MX-5 Miata’s top trim level, we’ll see that it comes with heated leather seats. That’s a nice perk, and it’s appreciated by critics. However, the Abarth model of the Fiat 124 Spider offers an exclusive pair of Recaro sport seats (an $1,195 option), and all models provide sound-deadening insulation on the convertible top, which is only available in the Mazda’s Grand Touring. Some critics say the Fiat’s cockpit feels a little more upscale at this price point than the Mazda’s. In short, buyers who want a more comfortable experience should consider the Fiat over the Mazda.

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Interior Technology

Winner: Fiat 124 Spider

Both roadsters come standard with Bluetooth wireless integration and a basic stereo (the Mazda earns a very slight edge here, since its entry-level stereo has two more speakers). Moving up through the trim levels, the midrange offering on both cars comes with an infotainment system. The midlevel Mazda gets HD Radio and satellite radio. The midlevel Fiat gets a rearview camera, which is not offered with the Mazda, and rear park assist. At the roadsters’ top trim levels, the tech options are still similar, although it’s worth noting that the Fiat is less expensive.

The Fiat wins here due to its lower overall cost and the availability of a rearview camera. In terms of usability, though, the cars are about even. To be fair, there are fewer published reviews that go into detail about the Fiat’s electronics’ ease of use, but since they are so similar to the Mazda’s, we don’t expect many significant differences in critics’ experiences with these cars’ technology.  

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Cargo Space

Winner: Fiat 124 Spider

We mentioned that the Fiat 124 Spider is about five inches longer than the Mazda MX-5 Miata. That doesn’t sound like much, but here’s where it makes a difference. The Mazda Miata offers 4.59 cubic feet of storage in its trunk. The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider, though, offers 4.94 cubic feet. In either case, packing light is a priority.

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Fuel Efficiency

Winner: Mazda Miata

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata is pretty efficient for a sports car, offering up EPA estimates of 27 mpg in the city and 34 mpg highway when equipped with its standard manual transmission. Ordering the optional six-speed automatic transmission boosts highway fuel mileage to 36 mpg. 

The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider falls just short of the Miata’s estimates, coming in at 26 mpg city and 35 mpg highway with its six-speed manual transmission. Opting for the six-speed automatic transmission adds 1 more highway mpg but takes one away from the city estimate. The Mazda MX-5 wins here, but it’s very close. 

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Performance

Winner: Tie

This is a tough call. The new Fiat 124 Spider makes more horsepower than the Mazda MX-5 Miata. It features a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 160 horsepower at the lower levels and 164 in the Abarth model. The Miata makes 155 horsepower from its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in all trim levels.

That said, the Miata’s never been strictly about the horsepower, so we can’t award the win to Fiat on that point alone. The torque numbers add more color to the picture, with 184 pound-feet for the 124 Spider Abarth and 148 pound-feet for the Miata. These specs significantly affect the small cars’ performance, and, again, it seems like the Fiat has an edge. However, Car and Driver’s instrumented tests found that the Miata handily beats the 124 Spider Abarth on the 0-to-60 run (5.8 to 6.0 seconds), so consumers who value off-the-line acceleration will probably prefer the Miata. Similarly, some critics seem to prefer the Miata’s handling, while others prefer the 124 Spider’s.

Both cars are rear-wheel drive and offer both a six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmission. Since the Mazda MX-5 Miata’s never been fairly represented by its specs on paper, it stands to reason that the Fiat 124 Spider isn’t either. Performance, in this case, is a matter of preference.

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Reliability

Winner: Mazda Miata

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is just average in reliability, according to J.D. Power and Associates. The Miata earns a score of three on a scale from one to five. The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider is too new to be rated by J.D. Power and Associates.

However, the Mazda MX-5 Miata comes with a better warranty: three years/36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper and five years/60,000 miles powertrain. The Fiat 124 Spider comes with a four-year/50,000-mile warranty for basic and powertrain coverage.

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The Winner Is: Fiat 124 Spider

Mazda MX-5 Miata enthusiasts might be a little peeved by this call, although anyone who strongly prefers the Miata, for whatever reason, certainly wouldn’t be wrong by going ahead and buying one. For the consumer who’s having a hard time deciding between these two similar cars though, the Fiat 124 Spider is the better bet. In our head-to-head comparison, the Mazda MX-5 Miata racks up two points. It beats the 124 Spider in fuel economy by just one scant mile per gallon. And it wins in reliability, too.

Meanwhile, the Fiat 124 Spider beats the Mazda MX-5 Miata on pricing, interior comfort, and technology options. And don’t forget, the Fiat’s slightly larger trunk means you can carry home a few extra bottles of wine when you go grocery shopping.

If you’re in the market for a 124 Spider, Miata, or another sports car, you should check out the most recent new car finance and lease deals, as well as our Best Price Program.

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