2020 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth

Combining more exuberant Italian style with the proven underpinnings of a Mazda MX-5 Miata, the Fiat 124 is an attractive sports car that is genuinely great to drive. In the case of the Abarth, there's also a small bump in grunt to 164 horsepower, although the MX-5 remains more powerful. The Abarth's biggest upgrades over lesser 124 Spiders are to be found in the suspension department, where it receives a limited-slip differential, along with a front/rear Bilstein sport suspension. Together with a fruitier exhaust note, the 124 Spider Abarth is proof that crazy power outputs aren't necessary for an engaging driving experience. The MX-5 may be the default drop-top sports car for many, but if you admire the Fiat's unique style and can look past its poor refinement and lack of space, it's a strong contender.

Starting at an MSRP of $29,390, the 124 Spider Abarth is actually $150 less expensive than last year's model. This price is exclusive of tax, licensing, registration, and Fiat's destination charge of $1,495. If you really do want the automatic model, it'll cost you an extra $1,450 over the base six-speed manual.

A performance-tuned suspension is unique to the Abarth, bringing its overall handling capabilities closer to the MX-5. Along with a standard limited-slip differential, a front strut tower brace, and a special sport mode selector, it all adds up to excellent agility and a drive that fully engages you. The 124 Spider is compact in size, and this only encourages the driver to push on and explore the car's limits.

The steering system is a success - it's light enough for comfortable town driving but also provides sufficient feel when pressing on. Sport mode adds some weight to the system and sharpens responses, setting apart the Abarth from the less powerful 124 Spiders. With the traction/stability control systems disabled, it's possible to induce just enough oversteer to add to the pure, unfiltered driving experience, yet there isn't so much power that you'll get yourself into trouble.

The ride quality is typical of a harder-edged sports car. While it can soak up less severe bumps, poorer surfaces do expose a rather harsh ride that can become tiring quite quickly. It's not helped by the Fiat's lack of adequate sound deadening - vibrations and engine noise are both heard and felt within the cabin. There is a time when that's a good thing, though, and with the addition of the Record Monza exhaust option, the Abarth sings like a rally car of the 80s, raucous and unhinged, and slightly mad.

It's hard not to develop a soft spot for cars like the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth. It's a sports car that harks back to the days when a slimmer weight, a reasonable (but not unmanageable) power output, and a standard manual gearbox with rear-wheel-drive were all you really needed for a fun driving experience. At under $30k, the Abarth also adds worthwhile suspension upgrades and sportier trim to the mix to get close to the benchmark Mazda MX-5 Miata. The Fiat isn't perfect, however - its turbocharged engine isn't as enjoyable to use as the Mazda's naturally aspirated 2.0-liter, the cabin is small, trunk space is only minimal, and both the ride and noise levels could do with a bit more polish. Still, as long as you steer clear of the automatic version, the Abarth will provide many miles of enjoyable motoring without breaking the bank, while its unique styling is a neat contrast to the attractive but more familiar MX-5.

The 124 Spider Abarth is around $2,000 cheaper than the top-spec Mazda MX-5 Miata, so we wouldn't spend much more than this on options as the MX-5 is the better buy at the same price. We'd tick the box for the Record Monza exhaust system which really does endow the Fiat with a sporty exhaust note that makes it feel faster than it actually is. Although the feature upgrades in the Convenience Group are appealing, this is ultimately a sports car, so we'd rather go for the Recaro seats or the Veleno Appearance Group upgrades, adding even more flair to the Spider.

A comparison between these two is inevitable. Both are fun-to-drive, top-down two-seaters that offer an appealing contrast to the excess of so many modern cars. Although the Fiat's turbocharged engine has more torque, the MX-5 Miata's 2.0-liter recently received a power increase to 181 horsepower. Together with its lighter weight and sharper throttle response, it's the Mazda's powerplant that seems more in tune with a sports car driving experience. Each competitor has manual gearboxes providing sweet shifts, and the Abarth's suspension upgrades see it nearly matching the MX-5's handling prowess. But it's the Mazda that has a better balance between ride and handling, retaining its composure better than the Fiat over rougher surfaces. Together with more standard features on its top two trims, the Mazda is still the one we'd choose.

The main difference between these two is the Toyota 86's hard-top roof and its ability to seat four, even if the rear seats aren't that spacious. Together with a bigger trunk and more space inside the cabin, the Japanese car is the one that's more pleasant to live with on a daily basis. Like the Mazda MX-5 Miata, the 86 ditches turbocharging for a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine with 205 hp. Performance is similar to the 124 Spider's on paper, but the Toyota thrives on higher revs and doesn't have the Fiat's annoying turbo lag to contend with. Both are sharp handlers, but the Toyota is even better in this respect. The Fiat has nicer interior materials, though, and a much more pleasing layout - the Toyota feels a bit cheap by comparison. Both cars are rather noisy, but one has to consider the driving enjoyment on offer at this price. If you can fit into the Fiat, it's hard to replace its top-down driving thrills, whereas the Toyota doesn't feel as classy but has a superior powertrain.