2024 Mazda MX-5 RF vs. Toyota GR86

Ever since we ran the MX-5 against some 86s (and it’s been a while), the comparison has always been slightly skewed. It’s clearly a hardtop against a roadster, as well as an easy drop-top against a more obviously focused sports car – or, as in more recent editions, the test pitted a widely available Mazda against a limited-edition Toyota trading at prices like it’s GT3. Obviously, anyone after a convertible is faced with only one choice here. But the other similarities—light weight, rear-wheel drive, quick four-cylinder engines and standard six-speed manual transmissions—are so compelling that bringing the two back together after the MX-5’s very modest facelift proved irresistible.

In addition, there is the inevitable fact that cars of this type are becoming rarer by the day. Even since comparing the GR86 to the BBR’d MX-5 less than two years ago, the Jaguar F-Type and Audi TT have finished production, another pair of cars you can count on to put the wind in your hair and a smile on your face. On your face. Things got so bad that even Toyota, a big proponent of modern driver-focused cars, stopped taking UK orders for the Supra. And they don’t seem to be coming back. We now live in a world without a Fiesta ST, where every Golf GTI is an automatic, the BMW M2 lists a manual as an option, there is no combustion engine Hyundai N and an AMG A45 costs £65k. Still, you can go to a Mazda dealer tomorrow and order a 1,000kg, 7,500rpm six-speed sports car. Maybe even leave with one. As long as it’s possible, and as long as Toyota claims the GR86 is limited availability on its website (or there are mileage vans in the ads), we’ll be driving them in close proximity to each other. Because (spoiler alert) they’re both great.

Despite the age of the foundations and despite all the efforts of the gray paint, it is not difficult to still be immediately charmed by the little Mazda. A minor visual update (really cleaned up the lights) kept it looking modern and fresh – albeit still a bit loaded in RF form – and just seeing such a small and unassuming car on a 24th plate is encouraging. The interior, although the architecture was introduced before the GT86 facelift, remains superior to the GR in its layout, functionality and choice of materials. The new infotainment setup looks smart and almost elegant in isolation compared to Toyota’s etch-and-sketch screen, the fonts are a model of legibility and the important controls just work. As with so many MX-5 packages, it’s hard to wonder why so many other manufacturers overcomplicate the basics.

Of course, both Mazda and Toyota have the advantage of being small, light and seemingly simple. With each passing day, this combination becomes more desirable for anyone disenchanted (or worse) with overweight and overengineered performance cars. Just look at them here on the road, with lane space and some obvious undercarriage. The compromises necessary to achieve this goal are also not drastic; photographer Oli squeezed into the back of the Toyota just fine, and a good deal of shopping can go into the back of the Mazda. Modest doesn’t have to mean missing out, and when barely a week goes by without someone telling you how sustainable vegan upholstery is on a 2.5-tonne plug-in V8, the joy of driving in two honest (that is, without the help of a lithium-ion battery engine) 30 mpg+, for sports cars below 200g/km it rises exponentially. Heavier powertrains mean heavier brakes, tires, suspension and overall cars.

It takes about three minutes in the MX-5 to convince you that motor vehicles of virtually every stripe can handle being around 500kg lighter and four-fifths the size. Maybe you’ve been introduced to this 184bhp engine since 2018 (and with the 234bhp Toyota since ’22) and you’ll want a little more, but chances are the joy of manual transmission, hedge-jumping and cornering will be enough of a distraction. . This latest ND update also brought the best of the platform, the MX-5 a little less roly-poly than it was before. The new limited slip differential means it comes out of corners more decisively, the power goes exactly where it’s needed, and this works very well in conjunction with the Competition setting for the DSC. Pushing the limits is no longer the leap of faith it once seemed, thanks to a more forgiving chassis and smarter assists. You’ll probably still want the BBR springs for looks and more accuracy, even if you don’t find them essential anymore.

Other than that, little has changed – it didn’t need to. Throttle response, pedal feel and shifting were faultless, meaning it continues to be among the best on sale. The steering isn’t that perfect and having a wheel that’s a bit too big doesn’t help your sense of connection, although such is the willingness of the whole package that confidence comes through. Cammy’s four-cylinder bark remains quite pleasant; the ride is basically well sorted for the job. If modern cars are fashion-forward and lightweight in nature, the MX-5’s contemporary take on a classic sports car is still the perfect tonic.

Toyota’s vibe is also unashamedly old school. But where the Mazda is a traditional British roadster that’s been modernized – a coastal drive and pub lunch car if ever there was one – the 86 feels like the sports car it once was. This is a front-engine, rear-drive coupe for going uphill or sprinting, sticking numbers, winning a trophy and being home in time for tea and pancakes. It’s a palpably more serious prospect than its rival, from the shift stroke to the taut ride; the latter can actually make the 86 feel too harsh at low speed, even if you don’t stay on it for long. If we’re allowed to steal ‘firmly built’ from the Ford, the Toyota feels built for many years of enthusiastic driving in all sorts of situations – not being quite at home in the city is a price worth paying.

Even more than the MX-5, the two-door Gazoo Racing has everything you need to enjoy driving it to the max. A wheel that doesn’t sit as well (it always feels a little low) responds more naturally whether you go off-center or add lock—that slight disconnect in the Mazda is accentuated by the immediacy and clarity of the 86. The brake pedal offers just a fraction more weight and feel. The gearbox is not so famous – it has to be satisfied only with the first class. The Track mode for the assistance systems offers more freedom and a finer touch than the Mazda, helped by a chassis that provides infinitely more precision. Where the MX-5 might start to feel like it needs saving, the Toyota simply requires a nudge in the right direction. Apart from some very special Porsches, nothing harmonizes all the elements needed to enjoy driving like the GR86.

That was almost the case with the old 2.0-litre 86, and when driven like in the Best Motoring video, the GT could feel fantastic. Where the GR has moved the car so significantly forward – it’s been said before, but it bears repeating – is that this sports car feels consistently great. The engine was never as good as the brakes, damping or transmission – now they are. That said, the 2.4-litre unit is a joy to wait for the upshift to beep or leave a gear in, drive a neat line through a bend or push to the limit of grip, make progress or make mischief. The four-pot, which used to be slightly out of sync with the rest of the pack, is now the perfect partner, another superlative element of an incredibly cohesive and immensely satisfying little sports car. It still doesn’t sound amazing, but you can’t have everything…

Both of these cars then fascinate and entertain like few others – or even try to do so. There’s no mod concern whether a stretch of road could have been enjoyed more in the Sport Plus, as both are set up to perform from the get-go; the only frustration with the gearbox is when you don’t kill the shift; and instead of wincing when a tractor comes the other way, you can revel in Japanese cars that don’t look purpose-built for British B-roads. That doesn’t mean being a Luddite about these things either; cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N skillfully demonstrated the opportunities that the new technology opened up. But it seems a shame that in so many other cases the weight and complexity and asking price have gone up without a corresponding increase in fun. Never have the relative simplicity and sweat of detail made two such gratifyingly fast(ish) cars. They must learn something from this in the future, even if six-speed manuals and naturally aspirated engines won’t last much longer. Both cars have an authenticity that has yet to be replicated anywhere else.

When we were forced to pick one and drive off into the sunset, it would still be the Toyota keys you’d pull out. Even the best ND MX-5 can’t live up to its combination of performance, practicality and driver reward. Just as the Mazda begins to wither and wither, the GR driver revels in its poise, precision and integrity. You feel at the core of everything that does good. Missing out on the fun with a folding roof is worth the driving pleasure on offer. It will forever be a shame that the GR86 didn’t arrive sooner and in greater numbers; even the most dedicated GT fans have to admit that it has been left to languish for the past few years.

But having GR late is better than never, and it’s always worth repeating how good it is. When it comes to the MX-5, the gap between its on-paper stats (no more power, more money) and the driving experience (gorgeous) is wider than ever. Never has a car been less suitable for judging by the numbers. It’s a reminder of how joyous driving can be, and there aren’t many greater accolades than this. Hopefully, cars like these will find a happy home for many years to come – but even if they disappeared tomorrow, they’d be a wonderful tribute to a rapidly disappearing age.

Engine: 2,387 cc, flat four
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear wheel drive
Power (hp): 234 at 7000 rpm
Torque (lb ft): 184 at 3700 rpm
0-62mph: 6.3 seconds
Top speed: 140 mph
Mass: 1275kg-1314kg
MPG: 32.1
CO2: 198-200g/km
Price: £32,495

Engine: 1,998 cc 4-cyl
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear wheel drive
Power (hp): 184 at 7000 rpm
Torque (lb ft): 151 at 4000 rpm
0-62mph: 6.5 s
Top speed: 136 mph
Mass: 1,120 kg (including 75 kg driver)
MPG: 41.5mpg (WLTP combined)
CO2: 153 g/km
Price: £34,300 (price as standard; £34,870 as tested including £570 Aero Gray)