2017 Fiat 124 Spider: A Masterstroke

In the long, complex history of Fiat, the 124 Spider roadster has played a significant role. A global success and one of the brand’s all-time bestsellers in North America, this vehicle put the Italian manufacturer on the map as a maker of legitimate sports cars.

And that is why word of the return of this Fiat has been met with such joy. When news broke that the 124 Spider was going to be essentially based on the latest generation of the Mazda MX-5, however, a wave of scepticism ensued. The MX-5 is one of the best cars on the market, so trying to improve it was a dangerous endeavour with a greater likelihood of failure than success.

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Even I had my doubts about FCA’s ability to pull this off, but I’m pleased to say that I was dead wrong.

Differences

As soon as you take the wheel of the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider, drivers who are very familiar with the MX-5 will instantly notice that there’s no comparison.

And yet, both cars come from the same plant in Hiroshima, with the exception of the engine. The MX-5 has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder that generates 155 horsepower and 148 lb.-ft. of torque, while Fiat uses its 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo that develops 160 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. in the 124 Spider. This engine is sent to the plant in Hiroshima to be inserted into the modified body, which is nearly five inches longer than that of the MX-5.

Initially, I didn’t care too much for its look, but it’s grown on me. And my girlfriend likes it too, and she’s a harsh judge when it comes to a car’s appearance.

The car’s passenger compartment is the same, except for the materials you find inside. Fiat offers a little more luxury, like brown leather trim in the posher versions. You won’t find FCA’s Uconnect system behind the infotainment screen, located high in the middle of the dashboard. Instead there’s Mazda’s in-house system, including the console-mounted rotary dial.

The car’s suspension is similar to that of the MX-5, but is more comfortable, while the stabilizer bars are adjusted to be firmer than on the Mazda.

The gearboxes are different as well. The MX-5 features a choice of either an exceptional six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. The choice is the same for the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider, but the automatic is made by Aisin and is found in such cars as the Dodge Dart. Meanwhile, the manual comes from the Mazda3, not the MX-5.

Why, you ask? Apparently, the MX-5’s gearbox couldn’t handle the car’s extra torque...

The Fiat 124 Spider is heavier, but the additional power gives it a weight-to-power ratio of 6.7 kg/hp, versus a ratio of 6.8 for the MX-5. You’ve probably already guessed this, but they are promising similar fuel consumption and performance.

Even the prices are comparable: the basic MX-5 goes for $33,815 and the fully-loaded variant for $41,111. The basic Fiat 124 Spider costs $33,495 while the Abarth will run you $37,995.

Show of force

There are three versions of the Fiat 124 Spider: the basic Classica, the luxurious Lusso ($36,495) and the sporty Abarth.

The Abarth is something else: it has four more horsepower, Bilstein dampers, optional Brembo brakes as well as wheel-mounted gear selectors and a Sport mode for the automatic transmission.

Where to begin? The basic version with the manual transmission is a tad disappointing. While its engine is more powerful than that of the MX-5, it’s too quiet, to the extent that you can drive 100 km/h in fourth gear without hearing cues that you should be shifting gears. Since the power is available in high gear, the engine has an annoying lag in low gear. You get used to it, though, and you learn to compensate by keeping the engine speed higher.

It will make some miss Mazda’s naturally-aspirated engine.

The clutch is needlessly long, and shifting gears is light-years from the experience you get from the MX-5’s manual gearbox. Then again, FCA’s automatic is better than Mazda’s.

Despite its overly soft suspension, the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider features the same exceptional handling as the MX-5. On mountainous, narrow and winding roads, I danced a European waltz with the car.

The driving experience is greatly enhanced with the Abarth. The Bilstein dampers make it just as dynamic as the MX-5, if not more so.

There’s a Mopar performance package that can be installed on the Abarth that includes the addition of reinforcements to the chassis, an exhaust system to accentuate the engine sound and a blowoff valve that helps your entire neighbourhood hear the sound of the turbo.

When we put the 124 Spider Abarth on the autocross track, we realized how good this adaptation from Fiat truly is. The brand’s engineers took the MX-5 and managed to turn it into a car that seems more complete and more mature.

With a better manual gearbox and reliable Fiat engines, I would say that the Fiat 124 Spider is better than the MX-5, but if you’re in the market for a more direct car, you have to turn to the Mazda.

In the end, they represent two complementary products and a victory for the Italian brand.