Which affordable, lightweight sports car, Miata or...

Not A lot Introduction Wanted

{Photograph} by Chris Tropea

At a little bit over 2300 kilos, our check MX-5 is what it’s all the time been: an homage to the essential sports activities automobiles of yore, one which leverages fashionable know-how with out breaking its tight hyperlink to the previous. 

Despite the fact that it has solely 181 horsepower on faucet, the MX-5 punches above its weight class. Credit score the six-speed guide transmission, limited-slip diff, well-balanced chassis and lightweight combating weight. It’s nimble.

Our check automobile is one thing a bit extra particular than the standard: a Miata thirty fifth Anniversary Version, that means it wears the Bilstein dampers from the Membership Package deal, as we speak’s top-performing Miata, however not the bigger Brembo brakes typically paired with them. 

{Photograph} by Tom Suddard

The Subaru BRZ recollects 2+2 coupes of the ’80s and ’90s–just like the Nissan 240SX, Hachi-Roku Corolla and Mitsubishi Starion variants. The BRZ carries 500+ further kilos over the Miata, however it additionally makes 45 extra horsepower. 

We sampled Subaru’s sportiest BRZ variant, the tS. The massive upgrades embody a considerable set of Brembos–the Subaru’s 12.83-inch-diameter entrance rotors tower over the Miata’s by greater than 2 inches–plus Sachs dampers. The Torsen diff comes normal on the 2 completely different BRZ trims. The BRZ tS represents extra automobile on paper than the Miata, however the entire level of the Miata’s existence has lengthy been to do extra with much less.

Value for these two? Fairly shut. As delivered, determine $36,250 for the particular Miata and $38,360 for the BRZ tS. Seeking to spend much less? You will get right into a base Miata for $30,430, whereas the Subaru begins at $35,860. 

Time to Hit the Monitor

Let’s not get too wrapped up in lap instances right here. Whereas that appears like one thing somebody with dangerous lap instances would say, there are some actual causes behind this asterisk. 

Whereas we examined each automobiles on the recent, clean asphalt of Circuit Florida–a brand new, difficult monitor discovered simply west of Orlando–that wonderful floor and the predictability that comes with it does nothing to make up for the Miata’s energy deficit. The Mazda additionally provides up some grip: It wears a set of 215mm Bridgestone Potenza S001 tires, whereas the Subaru wears grippier 225mm Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber. 

This would possibly sound like a little bit of an apples-and-oranges comparo, however the VBox information ought to present some perception into the driving expertise. 

Was it shut? The BRZ outran the MX-5 by almost 3 seconds round Circuit Florida. It’s a big distinction, and as anticipated, blame the variations in energy and grip. 

1. As early as the top of the lengthy first straight, you may see the way it’s going to be an uphill battle for the lower-powered MX-5, significantly after each automobiles make the 3-4 shift. The MX-5 (blue hint) drops off in acceleration charge whereas the BRZ’s crimson hint continues to be pulling sturdy. 2. Regardless of having the bottom brakes, the Mazda does produce some good, sharp brake initiations together with a very good deceleration charge. By the ultimate laborious cease, although, you may see the braking hint shallowing out in comparison with the BRZ’s crimson hint–an indication that these small brakes may very well be fading a bit because of thermal load. 3. By the center part of Circuit Florida, the BRZ bolsters its lead because of its superior grip within the corners and faster reactions. 4. The MX-5 does excel within the tight stuff, although, like the ultimate hairpin earlier than the beginning/end line. As quickly because it’s time to hit the fuel, although, bye-bye, BRZ.

The largest shock revealed by the VBox Circuit Instruments: The BRZ continuously–and we imply continuously–pulls away from the MX-5. We often see a stairstep graph the place one automobile makes use of its energy benefit to outrun the opposite down the straights however permitting the hole to shut within the corners. This time, although, the BRZ additionally does a pleasant job by the twisties.

The mixed g graph–which principally reveals each the lateral and longitudinal g-forces–merely reveals a few steeper features for the Subaru because it makes use of its superior grip and energy to do a number of issues without delay. 

In Circuit Florida’s middle twisties, for instance, the BRZ merely shines by the a number of quick transitions and elevation modifications. This additionally form of factors out the Miata’s evident weaknesses in inventory kind: its chassis softness and physique roll. And this was with the upgraded dampers.

The Mazda produces some good cornering numbers regardless of its narrower and fewer grippy tires, however it does take longer to get into the nook and take a set because of that softness. The MX-5 communicates clearly, although, and has wonderful steering suggestions and cargo, however it feels just like the chassis is reacting in gradual movement in comparison with the sharper, extra instant response of the BRZ.

Circuit Florida’s downhill, left-hand Flip 8 dramatically captures this distinction. The lateral g graph reveals each automobiles exceeding 1g by the nook, however the BRZ rapidly will get as much as the restrict; the Miata has to creep up on the aspect load in order to not overwhelm the tires too rapidly.

The kink into Flip 10 reveals one other nice instance of the BRZ’s capability to multitask, whereas the MX-5 wants a while to settle. The BRZ is ready to negotiate the kink earlier than the braking zone at a gradual pace, whereas the MX-5 wants to start out bleeding pace earlier, even utilizing the kink as a part of the braking zone so it doesn’t overload the tires earlier than the laborious braking and turn-in for the right-hand entry into Flip 10.

Below braking, each automobiles produce some wonderful numbers, which is especially spectacular for the MX-5 contemplating it’s geared up with the pretty small base brake package deal. Whereas this package deal doesn’t have the thermal reserve discovered within the elective Brembos–it was exhibiting critical indicators of fade after only a lap and a half–the suggestions, really feel and chew are distinctive. 

Till these brakes overheat, which is rapidly, they work like a attraction for each deceleration and nook entry, permitting you to set the entrance and rear axles with precisely the slip angle you’re searching for. The MX-5 can nonetheless dance, it simply dances slowly with that mushy inventory suspension.

Not-So-Arduous Information

By the numbers, it’s clear the Subaru has made strides in closing the hole towards reasonably priced sports activities automobile dominance. Ergonomically, the BRZ simply outclasses the MX-5 because of extra elbow room, a greater seating place–the Mazda’s seat sits far too excessive off the deck and places the wheel in your lap–and wonderful sight strains. 

The Subaru’s wheel/seat/pedal/shifter relationship is each bit pretty much as good as the rest on the market as we speak, and even taller drivers can comfortably put on a helmet and preserve an inexpensive seating place with out having to recline greater than obligatory.

How do two longtime rear-drive favorites examine? We discovered the Subaru’s cockpit extra snug and appreciated its decrease seating place. {Photograph} by Chris Tropea.

In fact, the Miata has by no means had helmet room points, given that you’ve your entire sky to swallow your head, regardless of how small or giant it could be. The highest-down facet continues to be the MX-5’s killer app, and dropping or elevating the highest is well achieved with one hand and no have to ever depart the motive force’s seat. 

The Subaru additionally will get rear seats–tiny and cramped as they could be–and trunk house that may open into the cabin as soon as these rear seats are folded down. It’s an actual automobile that can be utilized for actual issues three hundred and sixty five days a yr.

{Photograph} by Chris Tropea.

And look, loads of you studying this proper now use Miatas as your sole technique of transport, and we get that that’s a factor. It may be completed. We’ve completed it, too. But when practicality is concerned in any respect in your resolution between these two automobiles, there’s a transparent winner in that class, and it rhymes with “Blubaru.”

However the “winner” of this comparability is much less clear. Sure, the BRZ–explicit in tS trim–is an exceptionally track-capable automobile proper off the showroom ground. These 12.8-inch entrance rotors plus Brembo calipers and Sachs dampers see to that properly. 

{Photograph} by Chris Tropea.

However past the specs, the BRZ simply presents nicely. Its limits are exploitable, the driving place is world class, and it has sufficient energy to make the throttle a critical possibility when balancing the chassis in corners–and even simply honing it a bit.

The Miata is … the Miata. There’s a motive it’s been The Reply® for years, if not many years, and the truth that our check automobile carries a thirty fifth Anniversary badge signifies that Mazda captured some magic when it unleashed this components on the plenty–and the plenty have been fast to embrace it. 

What lets the MX-5 down? Three issues that may very well be improved within the store: the much less grippy tires, the facility deficit and the mushy, mushy suspension. {Photograph} by Chris Tropea.

Nonetheless, these are each area of interest automobiles. Mazda bought fewer than 9000 Miatas in 2025, and Toyota and Subaru mixed bought almost 13,000 coupes throughout that very same interval. These will not be precisely Camry numbers, so when you’re questioning why we’ve transitioned from a crowded market filled with accessible sports activities automobiles and sports activities coupes to full area of interest attraction in only a couple many years, there’s your reply.

So the actual winner right here is us. We get to have fun that the final remaining examples of this format simply occur to be wonderful and never carryovers working out the clock. Wow, that’s an excellent large cop-out, isn’t it?

Okay, look, we love Miatas. We personal Miatas. Our whole world relies on the truth that the Miata is superior.

However golly, this BRZ/GR86, significantly in its factory-upgraded kind, is simply an distinctive automobile actually pushes the envelope of what a mass-market automobile firm can ship for round $40,000. 

It’s an distinctive package deal that basically challenges the king of the small-sports-car hill to be a solution of its personal–a solution that gives actual utility and practicality together with no-compromise sportiness.

Mazda is because of freshen the MX-5 any day now. We’re anticipating a critical have a look at the subsequent technology by summer season of ’26. With pretty much as good as its competitors is, it’s time for Mazda to reassert itself as the reply if it desires to maintain up.