Skip advert
Advertisement

Fiat 124 Spider review – The MX-5’s classier cousin? - MPG and running costs

The drop-top Italian posses a distinctly calmer persona than the Mazda that it shares its underpinnings with

Evo rating
RRP
from £21,050
  • A characterful cruiser
  • Lacks finesse when driven enthusiastically

MPG and running costs

While the engine itself is a Fiat unit, the remaining components are all Mazda, and built in the same factory as the MX-5 – so there’s no need to worry about stereotypical Italian reliability plaguing the 124 Spider – and servicing and repair costs should be reasonable too.

The Fiat returns a claimed 44.1mpg – again, a number that sits neatly in between the 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre models of the Mazda MX-5. The former returns 47.1mpg while the larger-engined car manages 40.9mpg. The slightly higher weight of the 124 Spider means you may spend a little more on consumables like tyres and brake pads over the MX-5, but the difference will be minimal.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The 124 Spider’s 148g/km will attract a first-year road tax bill of £200, followed thereafter by the standard rate of £140 a year.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Used Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk5, 2004 - 2009) review – one of the best VWs of the last 30 years
VW Golf GTI Mk5 front
In-depth reviews

Used Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk5, 2004 - 2009) review – one of the best VWs of the last 30 years

Volkswagen's quintessential hot hatch saw a stunning return to form in Mk5 guise. It’s aged like a fine wine and is an appreciating modern classic tod…
2 Sep 2025
Boxster and Cayman are dead – Porsche’s sweet-spot sports cars axed
Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4
News

Boxster and Cayman are dead – Porsche’s sweet-spot sports cars axed

The ultimate goldilocks sports cars of our time finally bow out. The segment has lost its all-time great benchmarks
2 Sep 2025
Best cars of the 1990s – the ultimate driver’s cars from three decades ago
Best '90s cars
Best cars

Best cars of the 1990s – the ultimate driver’s cars from three decades ago

The 1990s was a goldilocks decade in some ways – new technologies married old-school sensibilities in sensational driver’s cars
30 Aug 2025