I own an nd2 and a gr86 and I love them both - but (even if I ignore the utility advantage of the Toyota) if I could only own one, it’d be the gr86. For as much (deserved) praise people give to the shifter feel of the Mx-5, I like the Gr86’s better. The engagement is a flavor choice but equally good and the power delivery is a fair bit better in the Toyota. I repeat - I love them both! Great review gents.
Well done guys. I took delivery of my 2024 ND3 Aero Grey Metallic MX5 in July this year and I haven’t stopped smiling😊. It is my retirement present to myself and is also my “guilty passion”. I have always eyed it from a distance and before I “pulled the trigger”, bloggers have all advised potential buyers, to first do a “test fit” - sound advice. My decision to buy this fantastic car is based on its heritage/DNA - born in 1989 and still going strong. It is every sense of the word, a driver’s car, at the same time a very forgiving car; which is the reason I take every opportunity to jump into it. ZOOM-ZOOM.
Good review! When I bought my MX5 I looked at both and quite liked the BRZ. Really wanted a soft top though, I drive 75% time with the top down. Also the BRZ weight difference is around 500lbs compared with an MX5 soft top. My GTRS is amazing to drive, very quick and nimble - 112 lbs lighter than the RF and has a lower centre of gravity. I’m 5ft 7 and pretty light at 140 lbs, so combined low weight equals great performance on such a small car. Plenty of room, I even have the drivers seat moved forward. Wife is 5ft 2 so it’s like a ballroom on her side!
I’ve been driving MX-5’s since I bought my NC2 in 2011 and this year I have also acquired the 2024 ND3. I totally agree with you both on the MX-5 it is a truly magnificent little sports car and the smile stays on my face when I drive it. The gearbox in the MX -5 is just a work of art and that is the only point I’m not totally happy with on the BRZ I personally have found that all Subaru manuals feel very notchy and somewhat rubbery in their feel with the BRZ being no exception and this for me is the only downside of the BRZ which other than that and of course not being able to put the top down like the MX5 the BRZ is an exceptional sports car. Next time you take an MX5 for a run Trent why not have the total experience and put the top down and maybe feel even feel a little less squeezey 😂. Thank you both for a great video and comparison.
My girlfriend has a Toyota 86, and I have a NA MX5. Both are brilliant, but the MX5 puts a stupidly big smile on your face, that almost no other car can do.
You never mentioned the one giant advantage the Mazda has - open-air motoring! There's nothing like putting the top down and blasting down a twisty country road. BTW I own a 2014 MX-5 6 speed with the retractable hard top and I love it. Would be nice to have the extra room from time to time, but that's why I also have an SUV. Cheers.
Had the pleasure of driving the latest generation MX5 recently, found myself changing gear a lot, not because it was necessary, but because the gear change was so good. Also correct about the power of the 2L engine, it's the Goldilocks amount of horsewatts. An engaged driver can extract a lot of performance from these machines with the modest killapower on tap.
I bought my WR Blue manual S BRZ in 2022. Great car, as much as I get what they say about the MX5, If I think my BRZ is a wee bit impractical, then the MX5, is more so. The BRZ drives like a lazy six when needed and can rev hard if you like as well. Proper hardtop, forget putting anyone in the back seat, I have absolutely no intention, but to put gear in there or the boot, or fold down the back seat, it's a winner for me. Plus I prefer the look over the MX5 or the GR86.
All things being equal, if you’re tall (over 6’1”) and have to have one of these, the Subaru is your best choice. At 6’2” I barely fit in the Mazda and just make it in the BRZ.
I was just about to put $ down on ND MX5 back in 2022. However I was disappointed because I put 8” subs on parcel shelf of NA. In the NC I could bet truck boxes behind the seats. Lucky for me the twins got a 2nd generation. So I got the VB BRZ. Still the ND is better sports car. Double wishbone, slightly better shifting action & a beautiful engine bay that is unheard of nowadays. If you only can have 1 car the Twins are better choice but if you can afford a car just for fun MX5 is great choice
Was affordable 😂 ❤I had the GTS86 great fun practical and got a great resell after 5 years of ownership. I also had the MX-5 and was too difficult to live with as a daily car, no space, noisy especially in the winter and you always felt vulnerable due to its size and open top. If I’d go again for these It would be the BRZ❤
When I bought my ND2 MX-5 in 2022 I would have liked to have tried out a GR86 or a BRZ, but they'd only just been released, so they were super rare, and I'd have had to eat some depreciation too. I definitely don't regret my (now second) Miata but it would have been fun to test drive the twins. The one thing the twins will never have though is the top down driving experience. These cars feel even faster when you have the wind in your hair.
I have an NC3 and may keep it but also want/need a newer car second car. I just enjoy the BRZ/GR and have driving them...they feel like a budget Cayman and are fun as heck without me, getting into trouble.
BRZ has frameless doors, loud tyres and stuff all weight …. It’s ride is quite supple but it isn’t quiet. The Mazda would be similar. If you want great NVH buy a Camry.
I can't tell you how much fun I have on a twisty mountain road in either my Golf 7.5 110TSi or my Kamiq 85TSi. So I agree, a sports car isn't required to have fun.
@J_S209 I drove eight new, powerful 6 cyclinder BMW's over a number of years. They were great to drive, but they weren't without their downsides. You just can't exploit that level of performance on the road and a country road is where I prefer to drive. The depreciation , insurance, worry over damage , etc, all come at an economic and mental cost that I no longer feel the need to bare. PS the cars I mentioned drive deceptively like rear wheel drives if you are not over powering the wheels. This is why BMW has made the 1 Series front wheel drive. Each to his own, but I really am happy with my current choice.
@@fred3527 Fred, I love that you enjoy your cars so much, we are so lucky to have the time and money to enjoy such fun cars. I have a new BRZ which I’m enjoying but I also have a decade old V8 sedan which drinks fuel and is a cruiser but it’s so fun to carve through traffic with it and it will out accelerate almost everything … a very different driving pleasure to the BRZ!
Both are great, but BRZ for me. If you want to drive hard or track with minimal modifications, the BRZ starts to make more sense with its stiffer suspension, fixed roof, and quicker acceleration on straights. Just needs brake pads, fluid, and 0.5q overfill of oil to have fun.
@@damienwallis7921 We have a Fiesta ST and I30N DCT. Swapping between the two is the reason I really notice the weight. Lighter cars can be a lot more fun anywhere and at any speed. I used to think that the N would be a great upgrade but now that we have both I prefer the Fiesta.
I own an nd3 mx5 and my son, a 2024 i30n. Driving back to back, I still prefer my mx5 for the following reasons. Nicer handling. Crazy at the corners. Feels more stable. In short more fun to drive and with the top down, there is simply no comparison. I30n has crazy acceleration, very fast and the stock exhaust, man the sound from the pipes, heavenly. The crackles and pops never fail to put a smile on my face. Alas though, I still prefer my mx5, it is sure footed and sooo much fun. Now, I only need to change my mx5 exhaust and all will be right.. for a sports car, the exhaust leaves much to be desired.
@@keonglim4826 Well there is only one correct path to take then! Replace the original constricted rear muffler with a Goodwin Racing RoadsterSports Race unit and you'll have a permanent grin every time you drive it like I do mine. As you have an ND3 then wait for a Fab9 E85 tune that will heighten that grin to a new level.
I own an nd2 and a gr86 and I love them both - but (even if I ignore the utility advantage of the Toyota) if I could only own one, it’d be the gr86. For as much (deserved) praise people give to the shifter feel of the Mx-5, I like the Gr86’s better. The engagement is a flavor choice but equally good and the power delivery is a fair bit better in the Toyota. I repeat - I love them both!
Great review gents.
Well done guys. I took delivery of my 2024 ND3 Aero Grey Metallic MX5 in July this year and I haven’t stopped smiling😊. It is my retirement present to myself and is also my “guilty passion”. I have always eyed it from a distance and before I “pulled the trigger”, bloggers have all advised potential buyers, to first do a “test fit” - sound advice. My decision to buy this fantastic car is based on its heritage/DNA - born in 1989 and still going strong. It is every sense of the word, a driver’s car, at the same time a very forgiving car; which is the reason I take every opportunity to jump into it. ZOOM-ZOOM.
Thanks for Sharing Richard, it should be perfect coming into summer!
Good review!
When I bought my MX5 I looked at both and quite liked the BRZ. Really wanted a soft top though, I drive 75% time with the top down. Also the BRZ weight difference is around 500lbs compared with an MX5 soft top.
My GTRS is amazing to drive, very quick and nimble - 112 lbs lighter than the RF and has a lower centre of gravity. I’m 5ft 7 and pretty light at 140 lbs, so combined low weight equals great performance on such a small car.
Plenty of room, I even have the drivers seat moved forward. Wife is 5ft 2 so it’s like a ballroom on her side!
I bought the BRZ … looked at the MX5 but it was just a little too impractical. Hope you enjoy your MX5! 👍
You guys didn't take advantage of the best part of the MX5... Driving with the top down.
The audio would be terrible
Fair points both of you
@@stevemartegani it's not, try it for yourself
I’ve been driving MX-5’s since I bought my NC2 in 2011 and this year I have also acquired the 2024 ND3. I totally agree with you both on the MX-5 it is a truly magnificent little sports car and the smile stays on my face when I drive it.
The gearbox in the MX -5 is just a work of art and that is the only point I’m not totally happy with on the BRZ I personally have found that all Subaru manuals feel very notchy and somewhat rubbery in their feel with the BRZ being no exception and this for me is the only downside of the BRZ which other than that and of course not being able to put the top down like the MX5 the BRZ is an exceptional sports car.
Next time you take an MX5 for a run Trent why not have the total experience and put the top down and maybe feel even feel a little less squeezey 😂.
Thank you both for a great video and comparison.
My girlfriend has a Toyota 86, and I have a NA MX5. Both are brilliant, but the MX5 puts a stupidly big smile on your face, that almost no other car can do.
You never mentioned the one giant advantage the Mazda has - open-air motoring! There's nothing like putting the top down and blasting down a twisty country road. BTW I own a 2014 MX-5 6 speed with the retractable hard top and I love it. Would be nice to have the extra room from time to time, but that's why I also have an SUV. Cheers.
The 86 is just slightly more practical for boot space, i love the mx5 though
Yeah it has so much more room than the MX5, especially with the rear seats down
Had the pleasure of driving the latest generation MX5 recently, found myself changing gear a lot, not because it was necessary, but because the gear change was so good.
Also correct about the power of the 2L engine, it's the Goldilocks amount of horsewatts. An engaged driver can extract a lot of performance from these machines with the modest killapower on tap.
Driving like a scene out of Fast & Furious?
@Drivecomau a lot like that yes, only difference being mine had even more gears!
Driven both hard on road & track… both 💯 awesome… in the end have MX5 cos no roof & bit more interactive IMHO… 👍😊💥
Way not the soft top ?!
50 kg lighter !
More room for tall people ...
This is one of the reasons I got a BRZ just did a Melbourne cup drive of black spur and it was great
I bought my WR Blue manual S BRZ in 2022.
Great car, as much as I get what they say about the MX5,
If I think my BRZ is a wee bit impractical,
then the MX5, is more so.
The BRZ drives like a lazy six when needed and can rev
hard if you like as well.
Proper hardtop, forget putting anyone in the back seat,
I have absolutely no intention, but to put gear in there
or the boot, or fold down the back seat, it's a winner for me.
Plus I prefer the look over the MX5 or the GR86.
All things being equal, if you’re tall (over 6’1”) and have to have one of these, the Subaru is your best choice. At 6’2” I barely fit in the Mazda and just make it in the BRZ.
I was just about to put $ down on ND MX5 back in 2022. However I was disappointed because I put 8” subs on parcel shelf of NA. In the NC I could bet truck boxes behind the seats. Lucky for me the twins got a 2nd generation. So I got the VB BRZ. Still the ND is better sports car. Double wishbone, slightly better shifting action & a beautiful engine bay that is unheard of nowadays.
If you only can have 1 car the Twins are better choice but if you can afford a car just for fun MX5 is great choice
Was affordable 😂 ❤I had the GTS86 great fun practical and got a great resell after 5 years of ownership. I also had the MX-5 and was too difficult to live with as a daily car, no space, noisy especially in the winter and you always felt vulnerable due to its size and open top.
If I’d go again for these It would be the BRZ❤
When I bought my ND2 MX-5 in 2022 I would have liked to have tried out a GR86 or a BRZ, but they'd only just been released, so they were super rare, and I'd have had to eat some depreciation too. I definitely don't regret my (now second) Miata but it would have been fun to test drive the twins. The one thing the twins will never have though is the top down driving experience. These cars feel even faster when you have the wind in your hair.
Love my MX5, in 2020 the 86/BRZ was still in it’s first gen, rear seats were super tight, so it was a easy choice for me.
I have an NC3 and may keep it but also want/need a newer car second car. I just enjoy the BRZ/GR and have driving them...they feel like a budget Cayman and are fun as heck without me, getting into trouble.
How do they compare regarding NVH?
BRZ has frameless doors, loud tyres and stuff all weight …. It’s ride is quite supple but it isn’t quiet. The Mazda would be similar. If you want great NVH buy a Camry.
depends what's more important to you. more space, or a drop top. either way, both cars are great.
I can't tell you how much fun I have on a twisty mountain road in either my Golf 7.5 110TSi or my Kamiq 85TSi. So I agree, a sports car isn't required to have fun.
Bum draggin’ fronr wheel drive … keep telling yourself you wouldn’t rather a rear wheel drive sports car over a hotted up shopping trolley. 🤣
@J_S209 I drove eight new, powerful 6 cyclinder BMW's over a number of years. They were great to drive, but they weren't without their downsides. You just can't exploit that level of performance on the road and a country road is where I prefer to drive. The depreciation , insurance, worry over damage , etc, all come at an economic and mental cost that I no longer feel the need to bare.
PS the cars I mentioned drive deceptively like rear wheel drives if you are not over powering the wheels. This is why BMW has made the 1 Series front wheel drive. Each to his own, but I really am happy with my current choice.
@@fred3527 Fred, I love that you enjoy your cars so much, we are so lucky to have the time and money to enjoy such fun cars. I have a new BRZ which I’m enjoying but I also have a decade old V8 sedan which drinks fuel and is a cruiser but it’s so fun to carve through traffic with it and it will out accelerate almost everything … a very different driving pleasure to the BRZ!
Design: MX 5, period.
Both are great, but BRZ for me. If you want to drive hard or track with minimal modifications, the BRZ starts to make more sense with its stiffer suspension, fixed roof, and quicker acceleration on straights. Just needs brake pads, fluid, and 0.5q overfill of oil to have fun.
I drove a BRZ recently and I hated the clutch feel. Bite point is super high and lacks engagement. The Miata gearbox blows it out of the water
I love the mx5 so much! best sports car ever made. Now that’s not supercar, hypercar etc just simply the bee sports car ever made.
Would be interesting to have a MG Cyberster along for comparison.
Interesting? How's the "manual" go in that one?
not really. Evo: “stunning to look at, not to drive, 3 stars”
Costs almost 3 times as much as a base mx5.
The MG isn't really a lightweight and engaging driver's car though, it's more of a roofless GT... plus their road test might've been >270 miles 🤔😉
What a joke that mg is I wouldn’t put it near the other 2 cars
How do they compare to the i-30 N?
I30N is faster but feels like a tub of lard in tight corners. Depends where you drive most often.
@ that’s good feedback thanks.
@@damienwallis7921 We have a Fiesta ST and I30N DCT. Swapping between the two is the reason I really notice the weight. Lighter cars can be a lot more fun anywhere and at any speed. I used to think that the N would be a great upgrade but now that we have both I prefer the Fiesta.
I own an nd3 mx5 and my son, a 2024 i30n. Driving back to back, I still prefer my mx5 for the following reasons. Nicer handling. Crazy at the corners. Feels more stable. In short more fun to drive and with the top down, there is simply no comparison. I30n has crazy acceleration, very fast and the stock exhaust, man the sound from the pipes, heavenly. The crackles and pops never fail to put a smile on my face. Alas though, I still prefer my mx5, it is sure footed and sooo much fun. Now, I only need to change my mx5 exhaust and all will be right.. for a sports car, the exhaust leaves much to be desired.
@@keonglim4826 Well there is only one correct path to take then! Replace the original constricted rear muffler with a Goodwin Racing RoadsterSports Race unit and you'll have a permanent grin every time you drive it like I do mine. As you have an ND3 then wait for a Fab9 E85 tune that will heighten that grin to a new level.
Is it legal to hold a walkie talkie while driving? 4:53
It’s not an offence to use a 2 way or cb radio while driving, the only condition would be when not taking due care and being involved in a collision
If it is legal, it's hypocrisy of the highest order.
I ❤ MAZDA
Different cars! No comparison.
Love my MX5, in 2020 the 86/BRZ was still in it’s first gen, rear seats were super tight, so it was a easy choice for me.