First faceoff review: vs. Miata
 

At Popular Mechanics:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars...?click=pm_news

SPOILER:


BRZ wins the faceoff.

ruh roh.

Interesting how the Miata "could not catch" the BRZ in the mountain roads. That actually isn't what I was expecting.

I would like to see some side by side track numbers on something like Streets of Willow to see where these two cars really fall. Miata offers great driving feedback and predictable limits as well, so I'm a little surprised.

Another Great Review !!

They keep coming :)

Thanks for sharing!

^ You are welcome.

Interesting that they indicate the BRZ has the harder suspension - I found the MX-5 NC plenty firm when I test drove it....

:bellyroll:

Great post! I would think that the FRS/BRZ would outrun the MX-5. Sure it's a great handling car, but the extra oomph in the FRS/BRZ would probably begin to put some distance between the two given enough time.

ruh roh... I have a feeling that we might be saying this often?! LOL :bonk:

Well I guess it's not really a surprise. They even called out in the review that the traction control system in the Miata feels ancient.

I guess the real question is how does the 2013 "sky active" Miata compare.

Another positive review. It almost makes me wonder of the journalists are on the take. Don't get me wrong I find it HIGHLY encouraging; but I do not want the BRZ's bubble blown up so big that when I drive the car, it pops under the weight of its own accolades. All that notwithstanding, I really am excited about this car!

At least it was compared to another car this time around.

:lol:
pretty surprised. Thanks for sharing! :thanks:

that was a good read... thanks for posting op!

To be fair, that miata is the heaviest that they make, and I'm willing to bet tuned vs tuned the double wishbone suspension on the miata is going to pay dividends on a course...

Still looking hot :)

Ah good point, didn't notice they were tested the retractable hard top version.

Not only heavier but also the most dynamically challenged with the highest center of gravity. That explains the suspension complaints at the limit.

I guess they had to make it somewhat fair to the BRZ comparing hard top to hard top, but no driving enthusiast who wants the most out of a car will order the Miata with a hard top.

Wait a minute. They spent a week with the cars and that's all they wrote??? What gives?!

That was the least engaging face-off I've ever read...The only thing I got from it was that the BRZ squeaks ahead of the Miata in their canyon runs and that gap would probably increase on a track. Everything else was something we already knew.

I'm not surprised at all, I've had 2 current gen miatas, the last one was a power retractable hardtop sport. The problem with the miata like they said in the article is the soft suspension setup. I actually disagree with the engine sound. Both of my miatas engine sounds very coarse but then again I haven't heard the BRZ in person, it might be even coarser.

That'll be 2014 actually.

Not really, the soft suspension on the miata is on both soft top and hard top. I had both current body style miata, both with sport suspension.

I keep forgetting Japanese 2013 model year = our 2014 model year. It will probably be here next year.

Isn't the hard top Miata noticeably rougher at the limit on the suspension? I think that's the point, a soft top Miata is what the suspension was designed for and dynamically what the car was designed for. Add hundreds of pounds isn't doing the car any favors.

The top only adds 79 pounds according to wiki.

Loving this quote...

"The Subaru turns into a corner so aggressively and with such mastery that it almost makes driving it at anything less than its limit a little boring."

So does that mean unless driving the car at the track it is boring and soulless as a daily driver?

Weird for some reason I thought it was more. Maybe I was thinking of a different car with a hardtop option. 80 pounds isn't that much, that's like the difference between riding along with a passenger.

It means hang on when riding with me. :D

80 lbs is more like a kid.

I think he was talking about a JDM girl.

Yep, and the remedy for that is
MOAR POWERS!!!!!

Bla, I still hope it isn't completely boring in regular driving from home to work to grocery store. I know the steering response/road feel is suppose to be phenomenal. I just hope day to day driving will be fun and not just at the track/auto-x.

You must be in some type of fog Tranz...come on you know this car is going to be fun to drive. I bet you will be one of the first to post how fun it is to drive.

:word:

Driving 10/10ths is crazy on public roads unless it is a 90hp 2700 lb car. Also they said the Miata is more fun and engaging on tighter back roads but didn't explain why the BRZ wasn't as fun.

I just need to wait until I get to test drive it myself (same theme that we have had going on here for sometime). While all the reviews are great, I need to wait and see how I feel behind the wheel on regular roads. I'm not some maniac who will be driving recklessly to work. But if the overall feel/road response is how the reviews sound, I am very hopeful. :thumbsup:



I agree. We will just have to wait and see. The car does sound very promising.

They said the miata's softer suspension made it more fun on the rough road.... when they said tighter, I assume they meant narrow sketchy paved roads. The emphasis was on the road surface, which was also its strength over the brz earlier in the article.

"The Miata has a soft suspension that sucks up the worst potholes and roughest road surfaces. The BRZ is firm. It may be too firm, in fact—maybe not for true sports car nuts, but if our commute included lots of potholes and frost heaves, we'd probably grab the keys to the Miata."

Hmm...That's a little worrying. I don't have a ton of wheel time in the NC2 Miata, but I never really thought of Miatas as great cars for the long haul. And the BRZ is worse? Hmm.

Sounds like they are saying for DD the Miata is the winner.

For the track the BRZ is the winner.

I'm wondering is the optional sports suspension on the Miata would have made a difference. Also, I still believe the RX8 is closer to the BRZ than the Miata. But either way it was one of the first reviews not done at the track.

interesting review. Thanks for finding it

Is this real? Why are there no other comparison reviews yet? Usually there is a press embargo and all of the sites have similar stories at the same time.

yeah i dont know how much credit i wold give to this article. its interesting and worth the read but it basically just sounded "like i like the brz more because" i would also like to see the miata with some rx8 sways. thats kind of what i imagined how the car should have come from the factory.

Miata is soft even with sports suspension.

Based on my admittedly limited Miata test driving experience I find that an interesting statement - I mean, what production car in that price range is going to be firmer short of a WRX or track-pac'd muscle car? IIRC it seemed as firm as an Integra I drove for a week, about the same as my quite stiff 1st gen Tiburon.

They are comparing a brand new car to a 2005 design, you should hope it would be better.

I wouldn't take their match up too seriously anyways, PopSci isn't really known for their car reviews. They're approach on most car reviews seem to be positive, as they likely know they will take a lot of heat if there is too much criticism. Leave the car comparisons to the experts if you want a more accurate review. Just my opinion...

Wait, the WRX is firm???

My NA Miata is putting my dentist's kids through college... :p
(and my chiropractor's too!).