7 Alternatives To The Mazda MX-5 Miata

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is one of the most popular sports cars in the United States, with it being the fifth bestseller in that category in 2024. This roadster from the Japanese automaker first hit the market back in 1989 and has enjoyed over three decades of success. At just 154 inches long, the MX-5 Miata is able to pack quite a punch in such a small package. The current 2025 model comes with a Skyactiv-G 2.0L I4 engine that gives the car a maximum output of 181 hp and 151 lb. ft. of torque, and it feels like even more because of the size of the car, especially if you have that convertible top down. The car is also routinely rated extremely highly among drivers surveyed by Consumer Reports when it comes to reliability. Of course, what makes the Miata even more appealing is its price, as it has a starting price of just $29,330. That is a relatively small amount to pay for style and power.

Despite so many things to love about the Mazda MX-5 Miata, there could be a reason it doesn't tickle your particular fancy, like if you aren't a fan of its aesthetic or maybe want a bit more horsepower. If you still want a sports car similar to the Miata, there is no shortage of options available to you. We are going to look at seven different models from various automakers that make for terrific alternatives to the Miata that you could head to a dealership and drive away with today.

For the best alternatives to the Mazda MX-5 Miata, your best bet is to stay with the many other Japanese automakers on the market, and there probably is no better option out there than Toyota. The company produces two different sports cars that would make for a great choice, with the most analogous of them being the Toyota GR86. This model first hit the market for the 2022 model year, making the beginning of the second generation of the Toyota 86 series. The GR86 is also the model that is just above the Miata on the list of best-selling sports cars.

What you do get with the Toyota GR86 is significantly more power. There is a 2.4L four-cylinder boxer engine underneath the hood that can deliver 228 hp and 184 lb. ft. of torque at peak performance. Although that is significantly more oomph than the Miata, that does take a toll on its efficiency, as it able to only get 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. Meanwhile, the Miata has a fuel economy of 26 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. 

That extra power does not come with as much of a price increase as you might expect. The 2025 Toyota GR86 has a starting price of $30,000, not even $700 more than the Mazda. Although, the top trim of the GR86, which is called the Hakone Edition, has a lower starting price than the Miata's 35th Anniversary top trim, which are $35,270 and $36,250 respectively. The GR86 makes for a worthy competitor.

If you don't need to stay in the price range of the Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Toyota GR86 and still want something similar to those vehicles, Toyota has another sports car model that is a bit more expensive that would be another great alternative. That would be the Toyota GR Supra. It does have a starting price of $56,250 for the newest 2025 model, so that price hike is quite significant from the GR86. However, you are paying for a great deal extra for the GR Supra, which Toyota has been producing since the 2020 model year.

You see a tremendous upgrade in power with this sports car, which is fitted with a 3.0L I6 engine that has a maximum output of 382 hp and 368 lb. ft. of torque. For both statistics, it outperforms what the MX-5 Miata is able to accomplish by over double. When you consider that the starting price is nearly double that of the Mazda, that feels to be a justifiable price increase. You are also paying for a more luxurious vehicle, featuring a good many amenities and features that come standard on the Supra that you need to pay extra for on the GR86.

The latest 2025 model of the GR Supra has also received a rather impressive score from Consumer Reports, which is the first model year fully surveyed by the publication. Obviously, the Toyota GR Supra will not be for everybody who is looking for a Mazda MX-5 Miata, but if you have the extra cash to spare, you're getting a serious upgrade.

If the Toyota GR86 makes for a great alternative to the Mazda MX-5 Miata, then it only makes sense that the Subaru BRZ also makes its way here. This car was a collaboration between Toyota and Subaru, with the former calling its version the GR86 and the latter calling it the BRZ. With Toyota being the more popular brand overall, the GR86 is the better selling of the two, but the Subaru BRZ is just as quality of a vehicle to consider. Granted, it does have a slightly heftier starting price of $31,210 for a new 2025 model, but the two cars are essentially identical to one another aside from some superfluous branding differences.

The BRZ still features a 2.4L four-cylinder boxer engine under the hood that can generate 228 hp, which is more than the Miata is capable of handling. Oddly, the listed fuel economy for the BRZ is ever so slightly better than the GR86, as the company claims it can get 27 mpg on the highway. Granted, that is within the margin of error, but any efficiency improvement is welcome in the long run. It has the same 20 mpg in the city estimation as the GR86, though.

Other differences boil down to things like the infotainment system being what Subaru utilizes, as the company has its own Subaru Starlink system. Regardless of its similarity to the Toyota, the Subaru BRZ would still make for a grand alternative to the Mazda MX-5 Miata. It ultimately just comes down to personal preference between the minor differences.

Although the Toyota GR Supra makes for a great alternative for the Mazda MX-5 Miata, it may be out of the price range for a lot of people. If you are someone who is able to put down a bit more money but can't quite reach that Toyota, then an excellent Miata alternative for a sports car would be the Nissan Z. This is the seventh generation of the Japanese automaker's Z-car series that goes all the way back to the Nissan Fairlady Z/Datsun 240Z for the 1970 model year. While the Nissan GT-R sports car is way out of most people's range with a starting price tag of over $121,000, the Nissan Z brings things back down to earth quite a bit with a starting price of $42,970.

That may not be nearly the price increase from the Miata as the Toyota GR Supra, but it is an even larger upgrade when it comes to power. The Z comes standard with a 3.0L twin turbo V6 engine that has a maximum output of 400 hp and 350 lb. ft. of torque, making it the most powerful standard issue powertrain on this list. You also have the option to have this engine NISMO-tuned version of this engine that increases the output to 420 hp. It has a combined fuel economy of 20 mpg thanks to 18mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway, so it isn't exactly the most efficient vehicle out there. However, if you simply want a massive performance upgrade to the Mazda MX-5 Miata and can spend a little extra money, the Nissan Z will deliver.

We finally move away from Japan and over to South Korea for the next entry on this list. We also move back to a model that is somewhat comparable in price to the Mazda. That would be the 2025 Hyundai Elantra N. What really sets this apart from all the previously mentioned models is that this is a sports sedan rather than a sports coupé. The Elantra N is for people who still want the power and performance of a sports car but would like the space and comfort that a four-door vehicle can provide. After all, it's tough to cram an entire family into the Mazda two-seater.

While this is a larger vehicle, it does not skimp on power. Under the hood, you get a 2.0L turbocharged I4 engine that has the ability to generate up to 276 hp and 289 lb.-ft. of torque. Because of its size, you may not necessarily feel that it has an output of nearly 100 hp more than the MX-5 Miata, but that extra power is very much present. It also has the best fuel economy of all the alternatives mentioned thus far, with a combined 24 mpg, averaging out the 21 city mpg and 29 highway mpg. These efficiency numbers still don't hold a candle to the Miata, but they are closer.

If a brand new 2025 Hyundai Elantra sounds appealing to you, the starting price will be $34,250. Yes, that is more than the Mazda, but you are getting a vehicle that can double as your performance ride and your family car.

If you want to get yourself an American car instead of the Mazda MX-5 Miata, you can always get yourself one of the most classic sports cars of all time, the Ford Mustang. This car has been a staple of the company since the mid-1960s, and with its most recent generation that began with the 2024 model year, Ford may be making some of the best Mustang models that it has ever had. According to drivers surveyed by Consumer Reports, the 2025 model and 2024 model are both excellent in terms of reliability and owner satisfaction.

The 2025 Mustang comes standard with a 2.3L EcoBoost I4 engine that has a rating of 315 hp and 350 lb. ft. of torque. You also have the option to upgrade to the much larger 5.0L V8 for 480 hp and 415 lb.-ft. of torque if you want to get a GT model. The top level has a modified version of that engine that gets you 500 hp. Of course, these upgrades are going to cost you quite a bit, but even the standard engine way outperforms what the Miata can do. At its very base level, a 2025 Ford Mustang has a starting price of $31,920, and Ford gives you a ton of trim options to choose from to tailor the Mustang to exactly what you want it to be. The Mustang is an icon for a reason.

There are people who just have their sights set on Mazda because the company is known to have well-liked, reliable vehicles and automatically jump to the MX-5 Miata because that name has been such a cultural touchpoint for over three decades. While that is the only sports car that the company makes, as its lineup is dominated by SUVs, there is still another smaller vehicle that you can get, the Mazda3. The automaker has been producing this car for a little over 20 years and is available in both a hatchback and a sedan. For an aesthetic experience that resembles a sports car without actually being one, the Mazda3 sedan is a great alternative to the popular Miata.

In terms of power output, the Mazda3 actually outpaces the Miata with a Skyactiv 2.5L Turbo I4 that can generate up to 250 hp and 320 lb. ft. of torque. Because it is a true sedan, it needs that extra power, so the feel of it isn't as strong. You are also getting a price break with this car, as it has a starting price of $23,950, nearly $6,000 less than the sports car. The idea of that sports car is so enticing, and the Mazda MX-5 Miata really delivers. However, if you realize it may be too impractical for your lifestyle, definitely check out the Mazda3.