The 2022 Toyota GR86, as well as the Mazda MX-5 Miata, are your two top options on the market if you're seeking a small, two-seat sports vehicle. One is a convertible, whereas the other is a coupe. The other has become famous over the past 30 years, while the first is the love child of two Japanese automakers.
Similar typical features include a small, highly revving four-cylinder engine, a six-speed manual transmission, and summer tires. Both have rear-wheel drive, similar to vintage sports vehicles. Miata soft top over the detachable RF variant in quest of purity.
1st Place - Toyota GR86
Pros: Handling that is simple to abuse, has lots of zipping, and is surprisingly useful.
Cons: The only point noisier than the engine's grinding noise is a Miata. The dash seems clumsy.
2nd Place - Mazda Miata MX5
- Pros: An eager engine and a lively chassis frequently call for SPF 30.
- Cons: Who concealed the glovebox? Pricey BBS Recaro package; wobbly when turning sharply.
Both cars have roughly the same fuel efficiency.
The manual 2022 GR86 may get highway fuel economy ratings of 27 mpg and city fuel economy rates of up to 22 mpg. The Mazda MX-5 can achieve up to 26 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway when equipped with a manual transmission. In my real-world tests, I got about 26 mpg in both vehicles throughout the course of the week I owned them.
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The GR86 has a larger carrying capacity.
The Toyota GR86 is the best option if you even somewhat need extra load space. Compared to the MX-5's trunk, which has 4.59 cubic feet of room, its trunk measures 6.26 cubic feet. Despite the MX-5's official statistics, I could fit a small carry-on bag inside, but the GR86 would have room for more. Additionally, the GR86's rear seat-back can be folded down to add a few extra cubic feet of storage capacity.
The Mazda MX-5 is more stylish than the GR86 and offers enjoyment in the open air.
There isn't even a sunroof option for the Toyota GR86.
Although aesthetics are undoubtedly subjective when it comes to any vehicle, I believe the Mazda MX-5 to be more attractive than the GR86. Perhaps it's the MX-5 RF's flying buttresses or the sculpted hood and body panels. In any event, I like the MX-5's more angular appearance. Also, if you enjoy having fun outside, Miata is the right choice.
In terms of daily comfort, the Toyota GR86 is superior to the Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Although the Toyota GR86 has a 2+2 seating configuration, most adults find the rear seat to be essentially useless. Children may undoubtedly fit in the rear, however during our time driving the car, we mostly used it as additional storage. Having said that, I classify it as a two-seater.
On a daily basis, we discovered the GR86 to be significantly more comfortable to handle than the MX-5. The front seat occupants have additional head and legroom, and the seats themselves seem more comfortable. For a compact coupe, the GR86 is also simpler to get into and out of.
The Toyota GR86 has many standard features but misses out on optional features.
Push-button start, an 8-inch touchscreen, and a six-speaker audio system are standard on all GR86 versions. Along with a pair of USB ports, Apple Carplay and Android Auto are also included as standard. Summer Michelin Primacy HP tires are mounted on 17-inch wheels that are part of the base trim package.
The interior is given a slight facelift by upgrading to the Premium trim level, which adds Alcantara seat inserts, 18-inch black wheels, and an improved 8-speaker audio system.
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Random and Unexpected.
The 2022 Toyota GR86 is the more affordable of the two. It starts at $31,490 CAD ($27,700 USD), while a fully equipped model, not including paint, extras, freight, or personal development insurance, costs $36,890 CAD ($31,800 USD).
Starting at $40,300 CAD ($35,350 USD), the 2022 Mazda MX-5 RF has a fully equipped model that costs $44,300 CAD ($38,550 USD). once more not including paint, accessories, freight, pdi, etc. So even while the starting price of the MX-5 RF includes a fully loaded GR86, the soft top model is more reasonably priced at $33,300 CAD ($27,650 USD) at launch.
Safety
The 2022 Mazda MX-5 RF includes the previously stated blind spot sensors, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, auto high beam, and emergency automated braking as standard equipment (even with manual transmission).
Only the automatic transmission comes standard with the 2022 Toyota GR86's automated high beams, lane departure warning with lane keep, and automatic emergency braking. When you upgrade to the Premium model, you'll receive blind spot sensors with rear cross-traffic warning in both the automatic and manual versions. However, only automatic transmission vehicles include emergency braking, lane departure, and lane keeping.
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Which sports car is therefore better? In comparison to the Mazda MX-5 Miata, we considerably enjoyed the 2022 Toyota GR86. The GR86 doesn't give up sporty driving qualities for a more comfortable ride, and we appreciate the fact that there is a little bit of extra storage space. The Toyota GR86 is the vehicle to choose if you want a sports coupe that is simple to drive on a daily basis.
Of course, starting sports cars have never prioritized comfort. These cars do have great technology and standard heated seats, so they are far from being basic. However, the degree to which their daily utility and convenience varied affected the comparison's outcome.
FAQs Toyota GR86 vs Mazda MX-5 Miata
Q. What is better than Miata?
Answer - BMW Z4. The BMW Z4 is a more luxurious and potent alternative to the Miata that is a member of the pricey group of tiny convertible supercars.
Q. Is the Mazda MX-5 a fast car?
Answer - Even the optional automatic, with its swift shifts and sporty programming, is impressive. In our tests, the soft-top vehicle reached 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds, compared to 5.8 for the slightly heavier hardtop RF model.
Q. Are MX-5 and Miata the same?
Answer - Yes is the simplest response to this query. The traditional Mazda Miata is simply known as the Mazda MX-5.
Q. Why is the Miata so popular?
Answer - Miata's are typically dependable vehicles with easy maintenance needs and reasonably priced parts.
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