Compare the2023 Toyota GR86VS 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata

The Toyota GR86 has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The GR86 Auto has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The GR86 Auto’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GR86 and the MX-5 Miata have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the GR86 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 126 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The MX-5 Miata has not been tested, yet.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the GR86 for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the MX-5 Miata.

There are over 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the GR86’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 8 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mazda is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Mazda is ranked fourth.

The GR86’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 47 more horsepower (228 vs. 181) and 33 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 151) than the MX-5 Miata’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota GR86 is faster than the Mazda MX-5 Miata (manual transmissions tested):

	GR86	MX-5 Miata
Zero to 60 MPH	6.3 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	15.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	98 MPH	92 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the GR86 lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

The GR86 has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the MX-5 Miata (13.2 vs. 11.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

A standard “hill holder” feature keeps the Toyota GR86 with manual transmission from rolling backwards on a steep slope. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer a hill holder feature.

For better stopping power the GR86’s brake rotors are larger than those on the MX-5 Miata:

	GR86	MX-5 Miata
Front Rotors	11.6 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	11.4 inches	11 inches

The GR86’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the MX-5 Miata are solid, not vented.

The GR86 stops much shorter than the MX-5 Miata:

	GR86	MX-5 Miata
70 to 0 MPH	153 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	107 feet	116 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	127 feet	133 feet	Consumer Reports

For better traction, the GR86 has larger tires than the MX-5 Miata (215/45R17 vs. 195/50R16). The GR86’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the MX-5 Miata (215/45R17 vs. 205/45R17).

The GR86’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the MX-5 Miata Sport’s standard 50 series tires. The GR86 Premium’s tires have a lower 40 series profile than the MX-5 Miata Club/Grand Touring’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GR86 has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the MX-5 Miata Sport. The GR86 Premium’s 18-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the MX-5 Miata Club/Grand Touring.

The Toyota GR86’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Mazda MX-5 Miata only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

The GR86 has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GR86’s wheelbase is 10.5 inches longer than on the MX-5 Miata (101.4 inches vs. 90.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GR86 is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than on the MX-5 Miata.

The GR86 Premium handles at 1.00 G’s, while the MX-5 Miata Grand Touring pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The GR86 has standard seating for 4 passengers; the MX-5 Miata can only carry 2.

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the GR86 easier. The GR86’s trunk lift-over height is 27.2 inches, while the MX-5 Miata’s liftover is 32 inches.

The GR86 Premium Auto has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The GR86’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The MX-5 Miata’s power windows’ switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the GR86’s exterior PIN entry system. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The GR86’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The MX-5 Miata Sport/Club’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the GR86’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the MX-5 Miata’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The GR86 has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The MX-5 Miata has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Grand Touring.

The GR86’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The MX-5 Miata’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

The GR86’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the MX-5 Miata Grand Touring.

The GR86’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

A built-in pollen filter removes pollen, exhaust fumes and other pollutants from the GR86’s passenger compartment. This helps prevent lung and/or sinus irritation which can trigger allergies or asthma. The MX-5 Miata’s air conditioner doesn’t offer a filtration system.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the GR86 Auto has a standard Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The MX-5 Miata doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota GR86 and the Mazda MX-5 Miata, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its July 2022 issue and the Toyota GR86 Premium won out over the Mazda MX-5 Miata Club.

The GR86 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023 and 2 more times in the last 11 years. The MX-5 Miata hasn’t been picked since 2019.

The Toyota GR86 outsold the Mazda MX-5 Miata by almost two to one during 2022.