Fiat Spider’s Italian flare
Mazda’s Miata has been the king of the roadster for 30 years. How does Fiat’s fun new offering compare?
If the Mazda MX-5 Miata taught us anything, it’s that fun cars don’t have to be expensive, complicated or unreliable.
It’s been almost 30 years since that car was introduced, and almost 30 years since it forever altered the perception of what a roadster should be. Sure, others came before it — the MGs, Triumphs and Lotuses from Britain; the Alfa Romeos and Fiats from Italy — but Mazda single-handedly resurrected the segment from the ashes in the late 1980s by bringing something those cars didn’t: Japanese reliability.
Tired of its roadsters being remembered as little more than relics of bygone days, Fiat is ready to take another shot at droptop dominance with the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. And in the ultimate “if-you-can’t-beat-’em-join-’em” fashion, the 124 Spider is based on the very car it hopes to challenge in the sales race. More than a re-badged Miata Three-and-a-half years were spent designing and refining what brand executives hope will be a true halo car for Fiat, and it shows.
The 124 Spider may ride on the fourthgeneration Miata’s architecture, but every bit of bodywork and drivetrain has been swapped out to set it apart from its platform mate.
Like its Mazda sibling, this new Fiat is made from a monocoque unibody with suspension subframes bolted to the front and rear. The two ride on the same 90.9inch wheelbase, though the 124 Spider measures more than five inches longer than the Miata, giving it a decidedly different silhouette hearkening to the Fiat 124 Sport Spider of the 1960s. The overall design follows the course mapped out some 50 years ago, with classic looks that are reserved where the MX-5 is aggressive. If you’re looking for a companion for those new perforated leather driving gloves, the 124 Spider would be it.
Italian escargot
Regardless of trim, all cars come with a 1.4-litre Multi-Air turbo four cylinder under the hood. This powerplant sports forced induction, but it’s not the turbocharged Miata that fans have been asking for.
With160 hp (164 hp in Abarth guise) and 184 lb-ft. of torque, it makes more power than the Miata’s 2.0litre, but not enough to wow. Turbo lag is minute, with the full monty of torque on tap from as low as 2,500 r.p.m.
The standard transmission is a sixspeed manual, boasting short throws and a friendly clutch. It definitely feels different from the Miata, but not better or worse. Low gears are a touch on the short side but make a nice companion to the 1.4-litre when you feel like banging through the gears.
The available six-speed auto is a bit of a mixed bag: great on the highway, but a touch out of its element when the twisties beckon. Putting it in manual mode helped, forcing the Aisin unit to hold the gears a little longer. However, the steering wheelmounted paddles are only available on automatic Abarths. The transmission could also benefit from a sport setting.
The suspension setup, double wishbone up front and multi-link around back, is soft in the right places and at the right times.
Retuned shocks and springs provide a firm yet comfortable ride, making the 124 Spider equally happy carving up corners as cruising the highway. I found the124’s suspension to be more comfortable than the Miata, but still capable in the corners.
Steering, too, is weighted to allow the car to pull double duty. It is not an adjustable setup, but the electri- cally power-assisted rack and pinion system is equally light and tight depending on the situation.
Stuck in the comfort zone
The exterior of the 124 Spider stands in stark contrast to Mazda’s roadster, but not the interior.
The door panels, to the dashboard and centre stack feel too familiar, down to the infotainment system taken straight from the Mazda and dropped into the Fiat, including console-mounted media controls. This is actually kind of a shame, because FCA’s Uconnect is more user-friendly.
The cabin, however, feels a touch tighter than the Miata. An aluminum header in the soft top, designed to reduce wind flutter, does taller drivers no favours for headroom. The verdict: 2017 Fiat 124 Spider If the MX-5 Miata is the standard by which all roadsters are measured, where does that leave this new Fiat?
Everything that makes the Miata so lovable — its light weight, great balance and near-impeccable handling — carries over to the Fiat, making it a viable alternative to a car that has dominated the segment for close to 30 years.
So which one is better? It all boils down to taste.
The Fiat brings the same level of enthusiasm and performance as the Mazda, but in a distinctly Italian package that comes across as slightly more modest. It’s unlikely the 124 Spider can overtake the Miata as the king of compact roadsters, but it’s certainly a worthy contender in affordable, topless fun.