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Subaru BRZ Drags Mazda MX-5 and VW Jetta GLI, ‘Cheap’ Battle Ends Unpredictably

Currently, the state of the automotive industry (and the world, for that matter) has us calling an encounter between three cars, hovering around the $40k mark, an ‘affordable’ battle. Sheesh! Luckily, the action more than makes up…
Subaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegion 23 photos
Photo: Sam CarLegion / YouTube
Subaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegionSubaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs. VW Jetta GLI drags and rolls on Sam CarLegion
Once upon a time, affordable base sports cars were not a dying breed and were certainly a lot cheaper. Still, today there is no other way to beat around the bush – though at least the fun factor is still present and accounted for. Let us give you an example.

Sam, the host of the Sam CarLegion channel on YouTube has prepared yet another quirky three-way skirmish with some interesting cars that are not created equal. They do compete with each other in “some ways,” but aside from the affordability factor (whatever that means nowadays), they are not so similar. Sure, the 2022 Subaru BRZ and Mazda MX-5 Miata seem to be on the same page, with naturally aspirated engines and RWD, but according to the specifications at the 1:50 mark, that is about all they have in common.

For example, the Mazda is a lot nimbler but also less powerful. Meanwhile, the VW Jetta GLI is a sporty sedan going against a traditional coupe and a little roadster, also equipped with a turbo inline-four and the iconic seven-speed DSG. But it is also a lot heavier to make up for all those advantages. Anyway, the action in the latest drag and roll series of battles (uploaded on August 14th, 2022) takes place at the secluded (and windy) unprepped Canadian location, so wheel slip can always be a factor.

That is exactly what happened with the slightly modified BRZ (aftermarket wheels and exhaust, no engine tuning), which remains dead last during the digs while the nimble MX-5 has great take-offs on both accounts. Alas, that was still not enough to win at least one of these battles (at 2:33 and 3:35) as the GLI recovers and takes the victory. Interestingly, the rolls (at 5:05 and 6:01) from 50 kph/31 mph and 100 kph/62 mph paint a completely different, a lot more fun picture

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About the author: Aurel Niculescu
Aurel Niculescu profile photo

Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
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