Like all sporty cars, there are always some enthusiasts who want more power, no matter how much it has when it leaves the factory. But in the case of the Mazda MX-5 Miata especially, a horsepower rating well under 200 doesn’t cut it for many, even in a car that weighs less than 2,400 lbs.
This is where the aftermarket comes in, happily supplying turbos, superchargers, and even V8 swaps for those with deep enough pockets. But if it’s a turbo these people seek, why not start with the ND Miata that came from the factory with a turbo, the Fiat 124 Spider?
What Makes The Fiat Different?
2017 Fiat 124 Spider front 3/4Fiat
The Fiat 124 Spider is the result of a partnership between Mazda and Fiat. Mazda got some help paying for the development of the ND generation, and in return, Fiat got a version for themselves as a cost-efficient way to bring back the legendary 124 Spider. The exterior differences are obvious, with the Fiat receiving totally unique and retro styling, with only the doors, A-pillar and roof being shared with the Miata. The longer nose and tail add 5.5 inches of length in overhangs and provide a slightly larger trunk as a result, but the wheelbase and hard points all remain the same as the Miata underneath.
Inside the cabin, the changes are much more minimal. There’s unique seat skins, interior door trim, gauge fonts, badges, and a different shift knob. That’s it. But considering the Miata’s fairly nice materials for the time, this isn’t really a bad thing, and feels more solid than what you’d likely get with an interior done entirely by Fiat back in 2017.
2020 Fiat 124 Spider InteriorFiat
Unlike the Toyobaru twins (Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ), Fiat and Mazda made the great decision to use different engines to further differentiate their cars. The Miata stuck with its naturally aspirated 2.0-liter 4-cylinder in America that made 155 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque when it launched. Fiat used their 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder from the 500 Abarth that did a slightly higher 160 hp but a much stronger torque rating of 184 lb-ft. To compensate for this extra torque, the Fiat needed to use the third generation Miata’s manual instead of the new 4th gen’s 6-speed.
Surprisingly, the Miata puts up the faster 0–60 mph times, in the low 6-second range, versus the Fiat’s high-6 second range. When you’re not flat out, the Fiat is the more effortless cruiser of the two thanks to that lower-end turbo punch, but because that tiny engine relies so heavily on its turbo, there is a decent amount of turbo lag and a higher boost threshold. The two engines do a great job of giving these cars distinct characters and Fiat did retune the dampers to compensate for all this and give the 124’s handling its own unique feel as well.
2018 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth front 3/4Fiat
For those wanting even more performance, Fiat also offered a 124 Abarth. While it only received four more horsepower and no extra torque, it puts that power to the ground better thanks to a limited slip differential that the standard cars didn’t receive. You can also hear the engine slightly better thanks to the Abarth throwing out the mid-pipe resonator, and with the Abarth-exclusive Sport mode, the turbo spools up earlier for a more urgent feel.
That mode also gives you heavier steering, and if you have the optional automatic transmission, the shift points also change. It handles this slight bit of extra speed better thanks to Bilstein dampers, and you were able to get Brembo brakes as an option.
2018 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth rear 3/4Fiat
As far as appearance changes go, you get a different front bumper and a larger grille and fog lights, a sportier rear bumper with quad exhaust tips, along with unique wheels, tires and badges. You were also able to get red mirrors and accents, and/or the stripe package that makes most of the hood and trunk black, and combines it with side stripes.
2019 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth Rally Tribute interiorAbarth
Inside, you got unique gauges that included a red tachometer, a red stripe on the sportier and Abarth-badged steering wheel, red stitching throughout, suede-like microfiber on the lower dash, a unique shift knob, and your choice of either ribbed red and black leather seats or sportier Recaro seats with more of that microfiber. There was also an option for a Bose stereo on the Abarth that wasn’t offered on the regular 124.
Pricing
fiat 124Fiat
The 124’s pricing only adds to the appeal of it over the Miata. Despite Mazda making nearly three times more MX-5s than 124s during these years, there’s almost nearly as many 124s available for sale on the used market. Because of this – along with the faster depreciation of a Fiat compared to a Mazda – prices of the 124 are a couple of thousand dollars lower.
Looking at the 2017-2020 model years of both with clean vehicle histories, the Fiat ranges from $12,000–$22,000 for the regular 124 and from $16,000 up through the mid-$20,000 range for the Abarth. The most pristine example is $31,590 due to these being rarer and out of production. The cheapest Miata of this same age range is $14,500 currently, and they can also go all the way up to about $29,000, not counting the limited-production 30th Anniversary Edition that can get as high as $40,000 for its asking price.
Only time will tell how much more valuable the rarer Fiat may be in the future, but with just a four-year run compared to the 11-year run (and counting) of the ND Miata, it’s almost a guarantee that the Fiat will be the better investment long-term if you don’t plan to drive it till the wheels fall off. In the short-term, though, the Miata’s stronger resale value means you’re more likely to be able to buy one, drive it a few years, and then sell it without losing a huge amount of money.
Which One Should You Buy?
2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata 30th Anniversary Edition Front AngleVia: Mazda
Putting aside the differences in price, there are strong pros and cons to both. Despite us talking up the Fiat this whole time, the Miata is still a near-perfect sports car. It got even better in the midst of the Fiat’s four-year run, when Mazda introduced the ND2 upgrades for the 2019 model year that included a stronger engine with 181 hp and a 7,500 rpm redline, among other things, which put the Miata back on top from a horsepower standpoint, although its 151 lb-ft of torque still is far less than the 124 Spider.
2019 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso frontFiat
The other perks of the Miata are that it’s offered in an RF retractable hardtop version for those who don’t want a soft top, and its less complicated, naturally aspirated, Japanese-built engine is likely the more reliable powertrain compared to the Fiat.
That’s not to say that the Fiat will be unreliable though. The consensus online appears to be very positive about the 1.4-liter turbo engine as long as scheduled maintenance is done on time, which might be a bit of a challenge if you’re not handy enough to do it yourself, since there’s not a lot of Fiat dealers around anymore.
The rest of the 124 using Mazda components and being assembled by Mazda in Japan certainly bodes well for the build quality and reliability of the rest of the car as well, and any repairs on the non-Fiat components should be able to be handled by a Mazda dealer at least.
The perks of the Fiat are its slightly bigger trunk, its extra grunt around town at lower revs thanks to its turbo, its more unique nature compared to the dime-a-dozen Miata, and arguably, it’s meaner sound, especially with an aftermarket exhaust or muffler delete. Both cars are great in their own ways, so it just comes down to which attributes are most desirable to you.
But if you’re a turbo lover, the best choice is clearly the “Fiata”.
Base Trim Engine
1.4L Turbo Inline-4 Gas
Base Trim Transmission
6-Speed Automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
160 hp
Base Trim Torque
184 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
Fuel Economy
26/35 MPG
Infotainment & Features
7 /10
Sources: Fiat, Mazda, AutoTempest
