Sleek, powerful, and classy- three adjectives to describe a worthy convertible and both Fiat 124 Spider and Mazda MX-5 have all these characteristics and more. It is then inevitable for both to be compared to determine which is the best among the two. After all, sibling rivalry is normal especially for twins such as these two.
According to The Telegraph, the Fiat 124 Spider is considered cramped. It is a small vehicle from outside and also inside. Unfortunately, the seats are adjustable but may not even be enough to provide comfort to the taller drivers. Those who are over six-feet tall may be forced to take an uncomfortable and unnatural driving position. Some experts also think that having the roof up in some instances make the cabin feel gloomy and cheap.
Both the Fiat 124 Spider and Mazda MX-5 offer uncomfortable interior. Both the driver and passenger of the two-seater sit too close to the dashboard. With this said, this should be an important factor to consider especially for taller and bigger drivers. If driving comfort is an important factor, look away as both convertibles will not give that.
The Mazda MX-5's dashboard comes intact. Also, one will immediately notice the infotainment system. The infotainment system of the Spider is also easy to understand and navigate. The three rotary heater controls and steering wheel-mounted controls for the stereo are easy to figure out. The materials used were of high quality as well.
As added by Top Gear, the Fiat 124 Spider uses a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine. This is considered important to the Spider as it survives on blips and momentum to keep the wind off the header rail. The Fiat 124 Spider is also reported to be easier to drive compared to the Mazda MX-5. The Fiat 124 Spider is known to shudder when subjected to low revs, however, performs well when the driver sticks to 124 in fifth or sixth.
The Fiat 124 Spider also has more torque compared with the Mazda MX-5, to be exact 29 pound-feet more. However, the Mazda MX-5 feels faster. The MX-5 engine also boasts of eagerness to please endlessly which is considered always entertaining according to the review. The MX-5 is also considered as "old-school" which is not working for its advantage.
The Mazda MX-5 also has a fuel economy of 37.2 mpg compared to the Fiat 124 Spider's 32 mpg. This is another factor to consider especially for the most discerning of buyers.
Having said all these, it may be difficult to determine which among the twins are better. As sibling rivalry is inevitable, the better twin is obviously the Fiat 124 Spider. However, the Mazda MX-5 is not to be discounted as it also performs well and can easily beat other competitors. Unfortunately, it didn't match well with its better twin. See if the video below agrees with the experts.
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