Mazda Miata vs. Toyota GR86: There Are No Losers Here

There are no losers here. This is not a cop-out, a case of a wishy-washy writer not wanting to draw a conclusion here. My mind overflows with thoughts on these two, but the main thing is that we as car enthusiasts are damn lucky that we have two affordable, world-class rear-wheel drive sports cars. In a slightly more rational world, Mazda would not sell a Miata, and Toyota would not sell a GR86. We can also foresee a not-too-distant future where they don't exist, or exist in a very different form.

Where else to go with a GR86 and a Miata but Lime Rock Park? The old-school Connecticut road course that's become something like a home to many of us, however, in the spirit of low-dollar motoring, we decided to forgo the track itself for the excellent infield autocross course. Also because it's easier to do slides there, and isn't that at least half the point of owning a car like this? Plus, the roads around the track are excellent, traversed by sports-car drivers for decades, and you have the makings of as thorough and relevant a test for these types of cars as we could ever think of.

The fourth-generation "ND" Miata debuted eight years ago and our love has only grown since. Two staffers own NDs, and after one day of driving, I started doing the math. It's the purest sports car on sale today. Mazda developed a unique platform for the car, keeping dimensions tidy and weight remarkably low, well under 2400 pounds for this well-equipped GT soft top. Since 2019, the Miata gets power from a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder that makes 181 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. Price as tested, $33,910.

Toyota's GR86 is the fresh one, arriving just last year. If the Miata is the modern take on the classic roadster, this is a classic take on a sports coupe. The Datsun 240Z to the Miata's Lotus Elan. It rides on an updated version of the platform developed for the original Toyota 86 (née Scion FR-S) and its not-quite-identical twin, the Subaru BRZ. Parked next to anything except an ND Miata, it's a small car, certainly no larger than a 2+2 coupe need be. This is a Premium model, mechanically identical to the base car except for 18-inch wheels and summer tires. Curb weight is 2848 pounds, which is very light compared to pretty much any new car but an ND Miata, and price as tested is $31,750.

Given that these two are the only affordable, lightweight sports cars on the market, it's remarkable how different they feel. Their execution of a similar idea is quite different, and myself, plus R&T staff writer Brian Silvestro and editor-at-arge Travis Okulski, on hand to help with evaluation and photography, found ourselves discussing their details at length. In between bouts of sliding the cars around.

I often worry that familiarity breeds contempt in cars, yet after many hours in ND Miatas over the years, it still feels like a revelation. The Miata is defined by its size, shorter even than the original of 1990, and smaller than pretty much anything on sale today. If you want something to stretch out in, get a different car, yet if you're willing to be just a little more snug than usual, you're rewarded with a world-class driving experience.

It has the more ideal sports-car chassis, with double-wishbone suspension up front and multi-links out back. Double wishbones are more expensive and harder to package than McPherson struts, but allow for better camber control in cornering without the need for a stiffer spring/damper setup. Dave Coleman, the engineering ace at Mazda North America, once said that the best, most exciting roads are usually the worst when it comes to surface quality, so a sports car shouldn't be overly stiff. Out on the road, the Miata provides a near-perfect balance of ride and handling and a feel that matches the best sports cars of old. It takes a moment for the car to take a set, as it has a lot more body roll than most modern performance cars, but once it does, it can be driven on the throttle. It's a joy, and testament to the fundamental rightness of the Miata's design. The engine is a gem, too. Updated for 2019, it got more power, though more important, it got more revs. It sings to a 7500-rpm limiter, delivering smooth, linear power all the way there. Add in a perfect gearbox and it's impossible not to fall for the Miata's charms.

Though very different in philosophy, the GR86 has a lot to offer too. It's, perhaps, the more serious car of the two, stiffer, sharper on turn-in, and maybe even a little quicker point-to-point. The fact that it has distant origins with more pedestrian cars and its larger size mean that the GR86 can't match the Miata for absolute purity and focus, yet there's so much to love here.

The driving position is spot-on. As with the old 86, the GR86 is one of those cars that feels right immediately when you get in. The seats are far nicer than the standard Miata chairs, with much more bolstering though no meaningful sacrifice in everyday comfort. You can get better seats in a Miata, but you need to option the expensive, yet desirable $4500 BBS/Brembo/Recaro package, which as the name suggests, adds gorgeous forged BBS wheels and larger Brembo brakes. Toyota and Subaru nailed the steering wheel, too, with a thin rim and small diameter that helps give the car immediacy and a sense of lightness. The Miata's steering is ultimately a little more feelsome, yet the Toyota's is still excellent. I love how pointy the front-end is, too. The GR86 turns in sharply and the rear follows in an instant, providing tons of driver confidence and speed.

Testing numbers from Car and Driver indicate that the two cars are just as fast as each other, at least at road speeds, but the Toyota feels quicker. Its relatively large 2.4-liter flat-four has a lot more mid-range torque and flexibility than the Miata's 2.0-liter inline-four, so in-gear performance feels superior. Still, the engine isn't as smooth and sweet as the Miata's, and the gearbox is a little more rubbery and imprecise. The GR86 has a bit of rev-hang, too, where the throttle is held open momentarily after the driver releases the pedal. This helps with emissions, but makes it harder to shift smoothly. It's a behavior the Miata never exhibits, and as such, going up and down the gears in the roadster is more enjoyable.