Pick one: 124 Spider or MX-5 Miata? That’s the sort of question that could start a fist fight if you don’t choose your argument wisely, but there’s no denying the Fiata and the world’s best-selling two-seat convertible sports car have a lot of things in common. To get things a little more complicated, the twin brothers have different personalities, down to the heart of the matter.
The biggest difference, of course, is the the thing that goes ra-ta-ta-ta-ta under the hood and the number of exhaust tips. Be it the Fiat- or Abarth-badged 124 Spider, you get the 1.4-liter MultiAir four-cylinder turbo with as much as 170 horsepower and 250 Nm (180 pound-feet). Not only is it more suck-squeeze-bang-blow than the 2.0-liter SkyActiv-G in the Mazda, but the way the torque is delivered makes the Fiata feel that bit quicker.
Before drawing a conclusion based on the powertrain, bear in mind the Fiata is gifted with softer suspension, which translates to more body roll during cornering, as well as diving and pitching under braking and acceleration. Vector in the Mopar lettering on the windows and hood insulation pad, and it’s clear Fiat didn’t want to pull off an MX-5 Miata with the 124 Spider, but a car that resonates to a different demographic.
Think of it this way: the Mazda is all about the slow-car-fast driving experience, whilst the Fiat is gunning for that Bella Italia state of mind. More to the point, this is a case of Serena Williams vs. Venus Williams, alligator vs. crocodile, Man's Not Hot vs. Gucci Gang, and so forth. Similar, yet different.
And so, a question must be posed. Is the Fiat 124 Abarth better than the Mazda MX-5 Miata? Not even Doug DeMuro can answer that question in a definitive manner, and that’s perfectly a-OK considering how dissimilar the two roadsters are. “Buy a Miata, buy a 124, I don't care - either way, I suspect you won't regret your decision.”
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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