Throwback Thursday: ND Miata vs. Subaru BRZ
Ah, the good old days…of 2015, that is! Today’s Throwback Thursday takes us back to Summer 2015 wherein MotorTrend compared the then-new fourth generation “ND” Mazda Miata against a pre-refresh Subaru BRZ. So, what’s the deal?
Up first is the ND Mazda Miata. It has a 2.0L inline-4 SkyActiv engine making 155HP/148 ft./lb of torque, paired to a diminutive body, weighing in at a hair under 2300lbs soaking wet. With an “as-tested” price sitting about $2500 higher than the BRZ, it may not seem like a fair fight up front. However, with that slightly larger initial investment comes solid returns, in the form of Bilstein dampers, Brembo brakes and BBS 17″ wheels. More than that, the Miata has a superior front-to-rear weight distribution of 52% (F) and 48% (R) to the Subie’s 55/45 split, respectively, and due to that low weight, despite having less power, the Miata ends up being the superior straight line speeder.
You’re here, at ScionLife, you know about the 2015 Subaru BRZ. Packing a naturally aspirate version of the FA20 horizontally-opposed four cylinder engine, it produces 200HP and 151 lb/ft of torque, which is carrying some 10 inches more wheelbase and about 450 more pounds of mass. This is likely the first, and last, time one of the Twins could be looked at as the muscle car between two choices.
Let’s see what happens from here:
