New Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata - Which One of These Budget Sports Cars Does The Former STIG Pick? 

I’ve driven them both, the GR is quicker and has a higher top speed, but if your going for a Sunday morning drive on a cool sunny morning, your getting into the Miata every time, it’s great motoring at any price level

I can’t get over how beautiful the MX looked sailing around that track

MX-5. All day. The roof comes down, and the RF is gorgeous. That's why there's one in my garage.

86, miata, civic si, type r, wrx, gr corolla and upcoming 400z japanese makers are killing it in the affordable fun car segment, all of these cars one of the most fun options in their segment

Almost 30k miles on my 2020 nd2 so far 0 issues, none. Overall average since new 32.4 mpg, and I redline it all the time. Hands down miata nd2 club soft top manual in soul crystal red with appearance package is the way to go.

Curious to see how the Miata soft top would’ve done. It’s lighter and has a lower center of gravity…not to mention a few grand less expensive. Thanks for the great review!

I cant wait until the new self driving cars come out. Then I can sit at home and watch TV, while my car drives itself to the local race track and has a race and comes back home! So much fun!

It's official, color red makes you faster in a lap-time as compared to the test lap.

Go with Mazda.

We had several of the new BRZ’s at the SCCA Solo National Tour in Las Vegas and they were very balanced. However being classed against the Type R made for an interesting battle.

I'm convinced the ND MX5, particularly the RF version, will be a VERY sought after collectible in 10 years, much the way the S2000 is today.

Great video. Fun to watch. I'm really looking forward to your new series "The underdog". Thanks guys

I love the Miata, especially the current gen. I'd still go with the GR86 though if I was in the market for a new car.

Makes me appreciate my old gen 86 even more how they talk about these lightweight cars

Great video , almost didn’t recognize you guys without there being any trucks around 😁 Traded in my FR-S for a 2019 Miata soft top . Both are great really fun cars that are simple, not weighed down by a ton of toys. . Miata just feels faster plus convertible ❗️

Fun fact: Both the GR86 and Miata (soft top) has a clubsport edition available in Japan. There is even a lighter 990S Miata (you know the weight).

I had a 2013 FRS and I loved it. I would love to get a new GR86 today. Great car. It’s an easy decision for me since I can’t fit in a Miata at 6’3”.

The miata nd2 is the most fun car u can buy right now, and it looks incredibly good, once u lower and put spacers, looks exotic.

I have a Miata 2019 as testet and you are so right About what you said . A great little sportscar and its also fun at legal speeds .

Great review guys!

Maybe a bit of this time diff is due to the tires. Both great driver cars!

Now that's a fun video! Love it!

Great video! I really love your car versus car videos 👍🤠

i see a lot of older ladies down here in florida driving the mx-5. one lady told me it was her ''fun'' car. i had to smile because she had her poodle in her lap and it looked like the poodle was driving.

Really nicely done!

Always great to see Paul's reviews and opinions from a racers prospective . I'd choose the mazda .it's been the bench mark for many years but Toyota kutos for them finally building something exciting

I already made my dicision and ordered a MX-5 Softtop G184 with Recaros this March 😍 Can't wait for it to arrive.

Great comparison. Thx!!!

No contest here, Miata MX5 is a legend, bang for the buck, super handling, and drop-dead gorgeous. May be BMW Z3 but too expensive.

I spent about $1100 on new springs and Koni adjustable shocks and now I can pull hard turns on canyon runs in my Miata and then dial it in soft again if I want a supple ride. It’s so easy to turn these things into weekend racers. I’m 6’1”/225lbs and I fit just fine. Also I put a full cart at Costco in my trunk and drivers seat, so it’s not so impractical in the ways people make out. All my road trips I get an average of 38-41mpg depending on the road type and whether I’m driving hard. Keep it under 70 mph and it sips fuel. Hard driving is 28mpg. Great car.

miata is more beautiful....the style that will likely become collectible someday

I’d take the GR86 just based on styling alone. Not to mention I like the bigger size and backseat even if it’s for kids lol

Ordered the 2024 ND3 rag top due early next year in Sydney. Can’t wait

thx for the video, grate one.. I guess the GR86 with the standard 17” wheel inches might improve handling

I like Toyota a lot, and I like the GR86, it's a great car. But for sheer driving pleasure on the road not the track, top down in my MX5 ND in the early summer countryside with a bit of opera blasting out the Bose headrest speakers - that's automotive nirvana.

Roman, do you have a super short inseam where the issue fitting in the car is all torso/height related? I'm about the same height with long legs, and I have several inches of headroom plus slide the seat up a bit from all the way back so there's room there as well. In the Miata, the legroom definitely could stand to be extended a couple of inches however, as I can't fit without modifying the seats and/or rails.

Both are great fun to drive sports cars. GR86 for all around if only car. Miata if two or more vehicles. I still have great Sienna for road trips and hauling therefore Miata for me.

As much as I appreciate these cars, I simply cannot fit inside them. I’m 6’4” and about 260 lbs. It just doesn’t work. Haha 😂! Here’s a good story. My buddies and I went to an Auto show in 2003. I was probably 300 lbs then. I was a lineman and played football. I think it was a Honda S2000 I tried sitting in. The sales rep was like “Oh, don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” I couldn’t even close the door lol 😆. I’ve always had really strong and big legs. The door just kept smacking my left leg, bouncing off, and wouldn’t even close. But even worse, I couldn’t get out of it after I sat down. I eventually rolled over and threw myself onto the floor and basically crawled out. My buddies were laughing 😆 so hard, I was too, and even the sales rep got in. After he stopped laughing, he was like “You need to go look at some pickups and SUVs.” It was just hilarious 😂. So Roman, I feel you man. Not every vehicle is designed for us. I’m definitely a truck and suv kind of guy haha. It’s not just by choice, but they’re what I can comfortably fit in. I have owned many midsized trucks and SUVs, and they’ve been great for me even being smaller. Now I have a 2022 Silverado LT with the Duramax. It’s just so big and comfortable. I feel at home. I loved my 04’ Expedition XLT too. I could even sit in the 3rd row comfortably. Those are the two biggest vehicles I’ve had. I even had a 2011 Ford Focus, which was surprisingly spacious for me... a lot more room that my sisters Xterra. It just depends on the vehicle and the space it has. Anyways, these little 2 door sportsters just can’t handle me.

GR86 any day~

It's the GR86 for me too! Awesome car. It beat the Hyundai i20 N for me as well.

Driver Mod needed for the drag race. The GR86 is definitely quicker and faster than the Miata

This was fun! Two great little cars! You can't go wrong with either one...

👍🏻 can't wait for Paul to drive Corolla GR!

Add a little more legroom and replace the tiny four-cylinder with a powerful V-6 and the Miata would be the perfect sports car. Even as is, it is a better built car and more fun than a Porsche or Corvette at one-third the price.

Both are excellent and you'd count yourself lucky to own either. I went Miata because I am addicted to top down cruising, but I very nearly 86 all the same.

I drove Miatas for 22 years as my daily. Smiled Every time I drove it. Can't wait for the MG electric convertible.

thks...great job

Happy to have competition, Honda, Mazda, and now Toyota has sport cars. Competition breeds more performance, more fun, and even lower prices to out price each other. Mazda brought back affordable lightweight RWD sports car and convertible back in 1989, 2013 FRS was a good affordable sports car competitor to the Miata, 2019 ND2 brought more power, GR86 now equals and even a lil faster than the ND2. I'm still happy and smiling top down in my ND2.

Does this Miata have the new Kinematic Posture Control? new for 2022, would be interesting to see how it feels.

I just buy a MX... sorry Miata ST. Deliver next friday(29th april 22). I can’t wait!😁... by the way I leave near Apls. Great video! signed by a french in a good mood.

I have always liked the Miata... I always thought it was slightly underpowered however it looks primarily like they solved that... I would never go turbo.. regular fuel and good fuel mileage. The only thing that at 6 feet... it could be a little cramped?? Toyota doesn't have that however having a Z4 convertible in my past life I do enjoy a convertible.... so for me??? I am also a little curious how a mustang GT would do with these cars however they are quite different cars??

I’m glad I got my 2021 jet black grand touring Mazda, Miata, RF

Is this the 2022 mx-5 with KPC?

I believe the GR86 had the better tires for the testing. Certainly didn't hurt. I'll take the Miata.

I placed an order for a new '22 MX-5 Club several weeks ago! Now I wait for it to be built in Mazda's Hiroshima plant. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later 🤞

Miata is always the answer

amazing ....well done..

9:22 it shows Supra GR86, lol

Would a simple sway bar change, make the GR86 as neutral feeling as the Miata though?

Curious if anyone noticed one of your graphics said "SUPRA GR86" UUUUUH😏

A Mazdaspeed with a turbo. Would be a dream. Miss my old Mazdaspeed

Be interesting to have the MX-5 on the Michelin tyres. I think there would be only a half second difference between the two of them. Also if a soft top was used I think the times would have been lime ball.

The Miata is fun to drive down the road at 45 MPH with the top down. A weekend-only car for sure, but a great weekend car.

Mazda mx5 rocks. They were selling a fresh second hand for $700. Sported up. I want it, but i was in college. Was broke.

i go for mazda miata,i loved it

Roman, I am similar sized. I have been shopping Miatas, but also don't fit in them. However, I have heard the NC's are bigger. There are none close by for me to "try on". Can you tell me if you fit (comfortably) in a NC?

I wonder how the mx5 does with PS4S like the GR86 instead of the S001? I have the PS4S on my 2020 RF and the grip is much better than the stock Bridgestones. I bet that 1 sec difference would be much closer.

As a fan of all TFL's you guys are major reviewers and major influencers. You guys should start talking down all this market adjustment BS instead of acting like it's the norm.

Put the same tires on the MX-5 and it will take a second off the lap. They’re both great cars.

Damn you drag raced a whole 40 feet!

Mazda soft top with forged wheels and Bilstein shocks would have been better.

The slight push of the 86 can easily be corrected.

Yeah their Affordable but when I checked today It was like 36k for the 86.

I wish I could get a mx5. I sat in one and could not get my eye level below the visor. My head was touching the roof liner. Definitely could not track it with a helmet on. I’m going to get a BRZ or GR 86 if stock is ever available this year.

Ugh I love the GR86 but I CANT!! I just love a convertible car!! I prefer more so the look of the 86 but I enjoy the fun of the MX-5 😅. Maybe or rather HOPEFULLY one day I could own an 86 alongside a Miata!! Both affordable so I don’t doubt it’ll be possible!!

I prefer toyotas, never thought ablut mazda before. But the fact its convertible and that it looks better, in my opinion, i might go with that. I was also thinking of a supra but thats another class

LOL, suitcase swap attempt is hilarious. 😁

They can't do that with electric yet. If we can get away from lithium and find a better chemistry or get super capacitors rolling they could be much lighter.

I thought the GR86 can do 0 - 60 in 6.5 seconds. Losing 2 seconds at altitude seems a lot and would make it really under-powered.

I am a biased, but I know which one I would pick.. LOL

Is it the Miata with the sports package and better suspension?

01:21 looks like Roman was about to do something. Good try though 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Proper spec should of been the soft top Club edition ...

Taking the RF all day.

Gr86 any day. Gazoo Racing making toyota cool again

And WHY are they using 2 way radio's ???

They actually do a 6.1 to 100 kmh which 62 mph in 3rd gear so about high 5 sec to 60 mph

Miata soft top brings more smiles from all people 3-100 who see it…..also better for weekends and road trips. GR 86 is the slightly better boy racer.

86 please!

If only the 86 had an sunroof or convertible option.

Fun to drive yes, sucks that they still are pretty slow though wouldn’t hurt to have at least 200 lb ft torque to get going around curves better

Miata!!!! Even though I can’t fit.

miata bc droptop and i am still scared of subaru headgasket issues

Regarding the GR86 its not that fuel efficient considering you only can get the same MPG on the supra with more weight and 150 more horsepower.

Well I’m a little biased but nothing beats top down fun.

Funny - I think in Europe the prices of these 2 cars are inverted from what they've said

I am 6’1. More headroom Miata please.

Mx 5 for me its a drop top and more nimble not to mention the engine is gar better anf morr reliable than the subi

Man it's really a tough choice. The 86 is a bit more livable and it's a more focused track car BUT the mx5 is more fun. The Miata owner in my heart says mx5 but the rational part of my brain says gr86.

The gr86/brz has a serious rtv issue which is what puts me off.