Has Fiat’s new 124 managed to beat the car it’s based on?
Ever since Fiat released its version of the Mazda MX-5 Miata, everyone is dying to know what it's like to drive compared to its Japanese sibling.
There are quite a few differences between the two roadsters, besides the obvious brand-specific styling approaches. The most significant one is the fact that Mazda only offers naturally-aspirated engines (1.5L and 2.0L) while the Fiat 124 Spider comes with a turbocharged 1.4-liter unit.
To find out how different in character the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider is compared to the car it's based on, the latest episode of Ignition pitted the two cars against each other in a comprehensive comparison test.
At 160 hp vs. 155 hp, there doesn't seem to be much separating the Fiat from the Mazda. But when torque is taken into account, the 124 Spider looks a lot better on paper, boasting 184 lb-ft at 2,500 rpm compared to the Miata's 148 lb-ft at 4,600 rpm. As a result, the Fiat should be better to drive. But is it?
You'll just have to watch the video to find out.