Is The Fiat 124 Just A Dressed-Up Miata? The Two Roadsters Compared

Following its debut in 1989, the Mazda MX-5 Miata instantly proved that owning a good-looking, high-quality sports car didn't necessarily mean spending a fortune. Base pricing for the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata was set at $13,800 (just over $34,000 today),and its superb handling and driver-focused design made it popular with buyers who appreciated the sensory thrill of driving a thoughtfully planned and executed sports car. Soon enough, the Miata rose to prominence as a segment-defining legend.

In 2012, Fiat-owned Alfa Romeo signed a collaborative agreement with Mazda to co-develop a sports car based on the MX-5 Miata. A few years ago, Fiat Chrysler merged with the Peugeot group to form Stellantis. But because Alfa Romeos were built in Italy at the time and the new model was to be assembled in Japan, the Miata-based sports roadster was later branded as a Fiat. That car became the Fiat 124 Spider, which — along with the performance-oriented Abarth version — was based on the fourth-generation MX-5 Miata that debuted in 2015. Accordingly, the Fiat 124 Spider shares its platform and several other key bits with the Mazda drop-top. The interiors are essentially the same, too, with one main distinction being the different manufacturer's logos on the steering wheel.

There are also some key distinctions between the two roadster cousins, though. The engines are different, and the Fiat 124 is slightly bulkier than the Mazda Miata. There are also notable differences in attitude: While both are made with a focus on the driving experience, the Miata is a little tamer while driven hard, while the Fiat requires a little more attention from its driver. This is due in part to differences in the suspension tuning, but let's take a closer look at how these two cousins match up. 

The Mazda Miata remains true to its pedigree as a small, lightweight, and nimble roadster that's both affordable and easy on the eyes. The current fourth generation version began life with the 2016 model, and was originally priced from $24,915 before an $820 destination fee was applied ($865 in Alaska). In our review of the 2025 MX-5 Miata, we found its basic formula to be welcome in an age of bloated EVs and computer-controlled everything.

The current Miata is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine that puts out 181 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque. It's a bit more responsive and has a slightly different exhaust note than the 124 Spider. In 2017, the Mazda MX-5 Miata line saw the addition of the MX-5 RF — short for retractable fastback. Like the name suggests, the Miata MX-5 RF has a power-operated hard metal roof that tucks away behind the seats with the push of a button. By 2019, the Miata was offered with the SKYACTIV-G inline-four engine, but the car's dimensions remained the same at 154.1 inches long, 68.3 inches wide, and 48.6 inches tall. Cargo capacity stayed modest at just 4.6 cubic feet, although nobody is buying a Miata to move pianos.

About a year after the launch of the fourth-generation Miata, Fiat introduced the Fiat 124 Spider for 2017 as a spiritual successor to the original Fiat 124 Sport Spider that left the assembly line in 1985. It was priced just above the Mazda Miata at $25,990 and had a 1.4-liter turbocharged MultiAir inline four-cylinder engine producing 160 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque (four extra horses in the Abarth grade). As with the Mazda Miata, power is directed to the rear wheels via either a standard six-speed manual transmission or the available six-speed automatic. 

In Car and Driver's testing, a manual-equipped 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth went from zero to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds. That's more than half a second slower than a stick shift 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF, which needed just 6.1 seconds to reach the same speed. The lighter soft-top Miata was even quicker at 5.7 seconds from 0-60. However, the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth can hit a top speed of 144 mph, while the Miata RF's top speed is limited to 137 mph. In addition to being a touch faster on an open straight, the Fiat 124 Spider is slightly longer than its Mazda sibling at 159.6 inches, making cargo space a tiny bit more generous at 4.9 cu. ft. Cabin space is nearly identical in the two roadsters, with each offering  43.1 inches of legroom and 37.4 inches of headroom to its driver and single passenger. Unlike the Miata, however, the Fiat 124 Spider is no longer available to be purchased new, as it was retired after the 2020 model year. This means buying used is your only way to own a Fiat 124 Spider in 2025; you might be able to pick one up for around $20,000.