The Fiat 124 Spider deserves a better argument than simply being the Miata with different badges. It offered a distinct interpretation of the small roadster, one that deserves consideration without having to defeat its Japanese relative. This is a retrospective, not a comeback announcement: Fiat identifies the modern Spider as discontinued, with its North American run ending in 2020.
The interesting question is not whether it was objectively the most underrated sports car of its era. That cannot be settled with a specification sheet. It is whether the qualities that distinguished the Fiat were worth choosing deliberately. The supplied video’s central idea—a lightweight roadster with a more relaxed personality—is a useful starting point, provided we separate styling from engineering, peak torque from immediate response, and the regular Spider from the more focused Abarth.
A familiar foundation, a different identity
Fiat unveiled the revived 124 Spider at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 18, 2015. Its contemporary introduction explicitly connected the design to the original Spider and emphasized travel and enjoyment rather than lap times. The rising body-side line was one deliberate visual link to its predecessor.
Underneath, the modern car shared the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5’s platform. As Tony Quiroga documented in his 2017-model first drive for Car and Driver, Mazda built the Fiat in Hiroshima, with distinct exterior sheetmetal and an unchanged wheelbase. Italian identity here described the design and powertrain contribution, not the location of final assembly.
That distinction makes the project more interesting, not less authentic. Sharing a foundation does not require sharing every priority. Nor does the evidence establish that Fiat intended to replace the Miata. The defensible interpretation is that it offered another way to enjoy the same basic layout, drawing on a separate design history rather than pretending the Mazda connection did not exist.
More torque does not mean instant response
The engine made the clearest mechanical distinction. Fiat’s U.S. launch specification gave the 1.4-liter turbocharged MultiAir four-cylinder 160 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. For comparison, Mazda’s 2017 U.S. specifications rated its naturally aspirated 2.0-liter at 155 horsepower and 148 lb-ft. The Fiat’s substantial torque advantage was real; the horsepower difference was modest.
But a peak number does not describe the whole accelerator pedal. In that period first drive, Quiroga reported a useful turbo surge alongside a delay when accelerating from very low revs. He also found less reason to explore the upper end of the Fiat’s rev range. Those are his driving observations, not ours.
The distinction is between available pulling power and how promptly it arrives. The Spider’s appeal was therefore not effortless acceleration from any engine speed. It was a different rhythm: use the productive middle of the rev range rather than treating every acceleration as an invitation to chase the top end.
Model years matter here. Mazda increased U.S. output to 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft for 2019. Comparing every modern Spider with the original 155-horsepower ND Miata freezes the rivalry at its launch specification and obscures how it evolved.
Refinement was a relative achievement
The touring argument had substance beyond the bodywork. Fiat described an acoustic windshield and other noise-reduction measures in its 2016 technical presentation. Its 2020 U.S. brochure also listed an acoustic headliner. These establish an engineering emphasis, not proof of luxury-car quietness.
Independent assessment was more measured. In his 2017 Classica manual test, Car and Driver’s Mike Sutton reported a modest reduction in road and wind noise, despite little difference in the measurements. He described less eager steering response and reduced body roll, while still finding the Fiat agile and communicative.
That is more useful than calling one car comfortable and the other sharp. Reduced roll, steering response and noise isolation are separate attributes. A roadster can feel calmer without becoming detached, just as it can remain entertaining without being the most responsive choice at the limit. The Fiat’s refinement should be understood within this small-car comparison, not as a promise of grand-touring-car isolation.
The trim changes the argument
The relaxed-roadster description fits some Spiders better than others. Fiat’s 2020 U.S. equipment chart distinguished touring-tuned suspension on Classica and Lusso from performance tuning on Abarth. The Abarth also included a limited-slip differential and front strut-tower brace. Lusso added leather upholstery and automatic climate control, giving the touring theme a more tangible cabin expression.
According to the 2020 manufacturer specification sheet, Classica and Lusso retained 160 horsepower, while Abarth made 164. All carried a 184-lb-ft peak torque rating. Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions were available, so three pedals were a choice rather than a universal feature.
The lesson is to compare actual configurations. An Abarth is not merely a Lusso with louder styling, and four additional horsepower do not explain its chassis equipment. Conversely, someone attracted to the quieter, less urgent interpretation need not regard the performance trim as the only desirable version.
Underrated, without needing to be superior
The strongest case for the 124 Spider is not that reviewers misunderstood an objectively better Miata. It is that a familiar platform can support more than one worthwhile personality. Its torque-led engine, heritage-conscious appearance and touring emphasis offered reasons to choose differently, while turbo response and model-year changes supplied reasons to compare carefully.
That makes the Spider worth remembering on its own terms. A sports car does not have to win every measurement to justify its existence. It does have to offer a coherent experience—and the Fiat’s appeal becomes clearer when its compromises are part of the explanation, rather than edited out of it.
Cover: A 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso 1.4 MultiAir photographed in Warwick, England, in August 2017. This UK-market example illustrates the Lusso discussed, not a 2020 U.S.-specification car. Photo: Makizox / Wikimedia Commons; contrast adjustment by Typ932 · Photo source · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. No new edits to the downloaded photograph; WordPress display-size derivatives remain under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sources
- Meet the FIAT 124 Spider & 124 Spider Abarth — FIAT USA
- Fiat takes the wraps off the Fiat 124 Spider roadster
- First Drive: 2017 Fiat 124 Spider — Tony Quiroga, Car and Driver
- 2017 Mazda MX-5 Press Kit
- 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata Packs More Punch, Features
- Fiat at the 2016 Paris International Motor Show
- 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Manual — Mike Sutton, Car and Driver
- 2020 FIAT 124 Spider U.S. Manufacturer Brochure
- 2020 FIAT 124 Spider — Specifications
