Yahoo Autos 2024 Mazda Miata RF Club vs Subaru BRZ tS Comparison Test
From the July/August issue of Car and Driver.
They banned menthol cigarettes in California. Your author has already run through the supply he smuggled inside the regime's borders. The closest approximation the gas station sells is "Crisps," a non-mentholated ciggie that tastes less like a cough drop and more like rotting tree bark. It's tough out here.
Homogeneous and sanitized for our protection, the car market offers less choice too. Sports-car addicts have to look to the past to get their fix of flavor. It's tough out there.
But all hope is not yet lost—for car enthusiasts, at least. There aren't many left, but some small, affordable rear-wheel-drive two-doors with manual transmissions and gasoline exploding in their beating hearts still exist. These micro machines may get lost in a sea of swollen SUVs and pickups with beltlines that rise past their roofs, but the feeling and fun they deliver far exceed their exterior dimensions.
The 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata is fresh off a mild rejuvenation, featuring a few styling tweaks, a retuning of the steering rack and limited-slip rear differential, and an electrical-system upgrade that drags its tech into the 21st century. We asked for the hardest-edged variant of the hardtop RF, which also happened to be the most expensive. The RF Club starts at $41,395, but unlike the $33,670 softtop, this one comes standard with the Brembo BBS Recaro package, which adds—as the name so clearly suggests—Brembo front brakes with fixed four-piston calipers, 17-inch forged-aluminum BBS wheels shod in 205/45R-17 Bridgestone Potenza S001 summer tires, and a pair of Recaro chairs that fit us perfectly. That automotive triumvirate is optional on the ragtop, where it adds a major $4800 to the bottom line. The slick Zircon Sand Metallic paint job tacks on another $450.
Meanwhile, the $36,465 2024 Subaru BRZ tS (which stands for "tuned by STI") inches closer to an unfiltered STI model, although it stops short. It carries a window sticker that's $5150 higher than the base model's, and there are no powertrain changes to the 228-hp 2.4-liter flat-four and six-speed manual; instead, it's all about enhancing stopping and turning. All four corners possess new Hitachi passive dampers, with variable valving for the front pair. The BRZ's brakes get an upgrade as well, with fixed Brembo four-piston calipers clamping 12.8-inch discs in the front and two-pots pinching 12.4-inchers in the back. Our test car wraps its 10-spoke 18-inch wheels with 215/40R-18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer rubber.
With full tanks of gas and no menthols for hundreds of miles, we set a course for Mother Nature's skyscrapers in Sequoia National Park to see which of these two sports cars' driving experiences takes us deeper into flavor country.
Interior and Exterior
We're pretty sure the Chicks weren't singing about either of these cars' interiors with their hit "Wide Open Spaces." Both are small on the outside and just as cozy inside, but that's where the similarities end.
With just two seats and a big ol' bulkhead immediately behind, the MX-5 practices space efficiency in ways the four-seat BRZ does not. The Mazda's cupholders are removable and swappable between different locations. The glove compartment is a lockable box behind and between the seats. There's enough room ahead of the shifter to hold a wallet and little else, and the storage tray under the center armrest barely fits the key. The Miata wraps around you like a boa constrictor, but the retractable roof that folds away in 13 seconds is your way out of its hold. We did find the switch controlling the power top to be counterintuitive, dropping the top when pushed upward.
The BRZ's cabin feels more spacious, which is to be expected, thanks to that upholstered and padded parcel shelf, a.k.a. the rear seats. They'll hold a beagle puppy or some groceries. You can, however, fold those seats flat to expand the trunk enough to fit four tires and a jack. Up front, two permanent cupholders live within a butterfly-door enclosure toward the back of the center console, almost guaranteeing your Blue Raspberry Slurpee gets elbowed during a vigorous three-four upshift or parking-brake application. All BRZ models are fixed-roof affairs; if you want more headroom, bring a Sawzall.
The MX-5's interior wins on character. Sure, the BRZ tries to inject some visual vim with blue striping on the seats and a couple of STI logos scattered about, but the basic design dates to 2013, and the plastics appear to have been selected for their price rather than their looks. The Black/Blue interior (the only interior color scheme) is cavelike. Our Mazda test car lacks the brightwork afforded by the Grand Touring trim's optional nappa leather. Still, the layout and design offer more variety than the BRZ, and we have always liked the way the exterior color makes its way inside through that swath of body-colored plastic atop the door panels.
Mazda fits its latest infotainment software in an 8.8-inch display that now includes two USB-C ports, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and wireless Apple CarPlay, with extra kudos for the ability to control it via either the touchscreen or the physical knob on the center console. Subaru situates the BRZ's 8.0-inch screen lower, which requires more glances away from the road, and it washes out in direct sunlight. Wired smartphone mirroring comes by way of older USB-A ports, and there's a 3.5-mm auxiliary port, a relic for people who can't quit their iPod Nano.
Both have aging exterior designs, but the BRZ tS gets unique wheels and badging. The Miata's refresh brings LED running lights and taillights—you're forgiven if you can't spot the difference—and new wheel designs.
We would have preferred to run this test with the softtop convertible, which would bring the two cars closer to price parity. In addition to raising the price, the RF's folding hard top introduces a unique frustration: poor rearward vision. The humps directly behind the occupants' heads obliterate over-the-shoulder sightlines, limiting confidence in lane-change maneuvers, which especially stinks when you're not sure the Tahoe two lanes over can even see you in the first place.
Powertrain and Performance
All MX-5s use a 2.0-liter inline-four making 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. Subaru's powerplant is a 2.4-liter flat-four with 228 ponies and 184 pound-feet. That might seem like the makings for a mismatch, but the Mazda tips the scales at a mere 2454 pounds, 406 pounds lighter than the 2860-pound Subaru, making the boxer-engined car more of a bantamweight than a flyweight.
Despite some major deltas in both curb weight and engine output, the MX-5 and BRZ end up evenly matched at lower speeds. The two are neck and neck accelerating to 50 mph (4.1 seconds) and 60 mph (5.5 seconds), and both require two gearchanges to get there. Beyond 60 mph, a gap emerges. At the quarter-mile mark, the BRZ finishes first, in 14.0 seconds at 101 mph. The MX-5 is slightly behind, requiring 14.3 seconds at 96 mph.
That deviation widens in our other tests. On the 300-foot skidpad, the Subaru's fatter rubber helps the tS achieve a 0.97-g average, besting the Mazda's 0.90 g of stick. Braking is even more disparate, as the BRZ's upsize clampers and larger tires bring it to a stop from 70 mph in 157 feet and from 100 mph in 320 feet. The MX-5 is lighter, but its brakes and tires are not as effective, as evidenced by its 176- and 362-foot stops from 70 and 100 mph.
You might think that the MX-5 RF Club's origami hard top would introduce more opportunities for noise to find its way into the cabin, but our microphone tells a different story. The Mazda is the louder of the two at idle, at 45 decibels against the BRZ's 42. After that, though, the Subaru's flat-four cacophony takes center stage, registering 91 decibels at wide-open throttle and surpassing the Mazda's 88-decibel result. At a steady 70-mph cruise, the two are closer to even, with the RF Club's 77-decibel din just under the tS's 78.
Mazda easily takes the crown when it comes to fuel economy. Over 450 hard-charging miles, the Miata returned 29 mpg, matching its EPA combined estimate. The BRZ tS mustered a paltry 23 mpg over those same roads, although to the Subie's credit, that's 1 mpg better than the feds' combined number. Again, we beat the absolute tar out of these things, so the relative lack of thirst is impressive in both cars.
Driving Experience
While the sequoias nestled deep in the heart of California are remarkably wide, the sinuous roads snaking through their national park are anything but. Fashioned more for tourists than touring, the asphalt winding its way up and into the Sierra Nevadas is replete with decreasing-radius hairpins, off-camber banking, manifold humps and bumps, and a whole lot of signage recommending a 10-mph crawl through the serpentine bits.
These roads couldn't be any better tailored to the MX-5 and the BRZ tS. The Mazda has a slight edge in the tighter stuff, especially when traffic or nerves necessitate a lazier pace. When the going gets slower, the BRZ's flaws are a bit more apparent. The clutch's bite point is at an awkward position in the pedal throw, leading to some jolting starts and around-town shifts. The lever isn't our favorite, either; taller than needed, it doesn't quite slide into each gate with the same satisfaction as the Mazda's. In the Miata, the connection between hands and feet borders on preternatural.
The MX-5's passive dampers aren't any different from before—they're a known quantity we appreciate. Higher-frequency imperfections make their way through, but the softer stuff is dispatched without disturbance, and the body roll permitted allows greener drivers the chance to get closer to the edge without falling off. That said, the BRZ's new Hitachi units are dialed in too. It feels odd when the variable valving on the front end acts differently over sharp bumps from the way the rear does, but once we're moving at an appreciable pace, we're left with more grip and tighter body control that encourage adding 5 mph on the next curve and another five on the one after that.
While the suspension might be the same as before, the 2024 MX-5 picked up some big—and noticeable—upgrades to its steering and rear end. Out back, the redesigned limited-slip differential changes how and when it locks up. There's a greater coupling force on deceleration, which means the 2024 tracks straighter under braking and is less inclined to rotate the rear end; conversely, there's less coupling during acceleration, perking up turn-in responses. In practice, that means it's much easier to adjust the car's path via the right pedal alone. It's still possible to induce oversteer, but there's a new DSC-Track setting for the stability control that lets you slide around without being shut down, similar to the BRZ's Track mode.
The MX-5's revised electric power-steering rack injects the chassis with some moxie, but it couldn't happen without the new differential. The diff's lockup strategy keeps the steering eager and natural. Pair that with reduced friction in the steering system, and the result is a surprisingly relaxed feeling in normal driving. By comparison, the BRZ has next to no on- center chill and hunts left and right in response to even small movements. Neither delivers vintage levels of feedback, but around the sequoias, we appreciate how both offer linear buildup of effort when cornering. However, in day-to-day driving through a crowded city, the Mazda's rack is vastly superior.
And the Winner Is...
We're glad we just got our knives sharpened, because determining a winner in this comparison requires splitting hairs. The BRZ is the clear winner on price (against the RF, at least), and its somewhat usable back seat affords it a little more practicality. The BRZ also offers more interior space and features, and it turned in better braking and skidpad numbers.
But the objective stuff is only half the battle—well, technically, 42 percent of the total points on our ballot. When it comes to what we want out of our sports cars, the Miata has the edge. The MX-5 is more satisfying to drive at lower speeds, its gearbox is irresistible, and after long stints behind both wheels, the Mazda's richer interior proved to be a nicer place to spend time.
To sum up these two rear-drivers, the MX-5 is a more entertaining sports car across a wider swath of driving situations, while the BRZ sacrifices some everyday drivability on the altar of higher limits. Eight-tenths-and-up driving always matters, and both cars are a right hoot in that scenario, but on the transit stages of life, the Miata shines brighter. And that well-rounded personality gives the MX-5, even in less-than-ideal RF guise, a photo-finish victory.
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