Skip advert
Advertisement

Fiat 124 Spider review – The MX-5’s classier cousin? - Performance and 0-60 time

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

Performance and 0-60 time

The Fiat 124 Spider develops 138bhp from its 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and maximum torque of 177 lb ft is available from just 2,250rpm. That’s much lower down than the more rev-happy Mazda MX-5, which develops max torque at 4800rpm in the 1.5-litre car or 4600rpm in the 2-litre.

The 124’s 0-62mph time is dispatched in 7.5 seconds – just shy of the 7.3 seconds that the 2.0-litre MX-5 requires to do the same. The 1.5-litre Mazda takes 8.3 seconds.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Forget the gloom, Car of the Year proved we're in a performance car golden era
eCoty
Opinion

Forget the gloom, Car of the Year proved we're in a performance car golden era

Fewer manuals and higher weights than ever. But 2025's best performance cars were still thrilling
3 Jan 2026
The BMW M2 CS should have been amazing, so why was it the biggest letdown?
BMW M2 CS
Opinion

The BMW M2 CS should have been amazing, so why was it the biggest letdown?

Meaden found his perfect two-car garage at this year's evo Car of the Year, but it doesn't feature Munich's latest
31 Dec 2025
Alpina relaunches under BMW Alpina as a ‘standalone brand’
Alpina B3 GT Touring
News

Alpina relaunches under BMW Alpina as a ‘standalone brand’

BMW Alpina text will adorn the rear end of the cars to come from this new arm of the BMW Group
5 Jan 2026