When buying a JDM car for the first time, the Mazda Miata is among the most frequently considered vehicles. Luckily, that doesn’t increase prices due to high demand, and it remains a favorite among beginners and tuners who want to swap any engine with more than four cylinders in one. However, for several reasons, your first JDM car doesn’t have to be a boring Miata. First, almost everyone buys it as a first JDM car, so why not be a little different and get a Toyota Celica GT-Four or a Nissan Fairlady 350Z if drifting is your passion?
There are other aspects that the Miata is slightly disadvantaged, such as it isn’t as tunable as most of its competitors and the engines are underpowered when stock. Nonetheless, it makes a great daily driver car due to its reliability, and it’s also fun to drive due to its lightweight rear-wheel-drive platform and an almost perfect 50/50 weight distribution. Purchasing, maintenance, and running costs such as insurance and service schedules are inexpensive, and other options you should consider shouldn’t be different. So, which are some of the best Mazda Miata alternatives?
Toyota Celica
Can’t afford a Toyota Supra, why not get a Celica? It also makes an excellent Mazda Miata alternative for anyone looking to upgrade from one or who doesn’t consider the Miata overrated. One might argue that the Toyota Celica is front-wheel-drive and, thus, less superior to the rear-wheel-drive Miata. But that is the only area where the Miata outshines the Celica. The Celica is more practical due to its 2+2 seating capacity, larger trunk space, better looking, and more driver-focused coming from a rallying dynasty, especially if you get a GT-S or GT-Four.
However, not all Celica generations are the same, and there are those better or worse than others. The best generation is the sixth generation (T200), produced from 1993 to 1999. Its predecessor, T230, is the least desirable as Toyota didn’t make any turbocharged or all-wheel-drive variants, and it’s among the most riced-out cars in the car community. If a T200 Celica GT-Four is expensive and you don’t want a front-wheel-drive car, you can get the fifth-gen (T180) GT-Four, which is more affordable. The fourth-gen (T160) Celica GT-Four or All-Trac Turbo is cheaper and has the same 2.0-liter turbocharged 3S-GTE engine as the T200 and T180 GT-Four.
Prices for the Toyota Celica might be higher, but it offers more bang for the buck than the Mazda Miata. For example, a T200 Celica GT-Four will sell for figures above $20,000. You can get three clean NA Miatas for that money or two with enough change for mods. Base spec models start at around $5,000 but aren’t as fun to drive, and getting a turbocharged NB Miata is a better option.
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Honda S2000
The Honda S2000 might be nowhere near the Mazda Miata’s price range, starting at around $25,000, as it’s one of the most overpriced JDM cars today, but it’s an alternative if you don’t have a specific budget. Part of the reason it’s expensive is that it’s not legal for importation to the United States, and sellers are putting high price tags on the few available for sale, creating market manipulation. Another factor contributing to the S2000’s high prices is that only around 110,000 units were produced during its 10-year production run from 1999.
Not only does the Honda S2000 look better than the Mazda Miata, but it’s also a better sports car overall, which defends the buying price. For starters, it has a better engine that made around 240 horsepower when new, which is topped with Honda’s magic sauce, VTEC. It’s also among the sought-after JDM sports cars, especially by enthusiastic drivers, due to the 6-speed manual transmission, the only transmission option during production. The only downside is that only one engine option was offered, even though Honda says that the engine in the S2000 AP2 is different.
Which model year Honda S2000 should you buy? Any model year is fine since there’s no difference between the AP1 and AP2 except for the LED taillights and headlights in the AP2. Both generations got a Torsen LSD as a standard feature and electronic stability control, making handling seamless, and a roll hoop improving body rigidity. Getting such features in a base model NA, NB, or NC Miata is impossible.
Read Our Honda S2000 Buying Guide
Mazda RX-8
A Mazda RX-8 is what you wouldn’t expect to be on this list. Still, since it’s cheaper than a Mazda RX-7 or Mazda Cosmo, it makes the perfect alternative for any Mazda enthusiast who feels that they should buy any other Mazda but a Miata. Prices don’t differ by a considerable margin, and it’s on the maintenance costs that the Mazda Miata is a better option due to engine-related issues in the RX-8. Other than that, the Mazda RX-8 is more accommodating, and if you chase practicality and comfort in a sports car more than anything else, it’s the car for you.
The main reason you should get a Mazda RX-8 over a Mazda Miata is that the RX-8 has a better platform to swap an engine. Building and tuning the 13B engine will frustrate you as it doesn’t have as much potential as the one in the RX-7 due to lower compression. Mazda also detuned it for reliability and lower emissions. Common engine swaps include Honda K-series, Toyota JZ and UZ engines, LS V8 engines, and the twin-turbocharged 13B-REW from the RX-7.
For approximately $5,000, you can get a well-kept Mazda RX-8 with minor engine issues, a bargain for a sports car produced in the mid-2000s and early 2010s. Take it up as a project car, swap the engine, and you’ll have a better car than a Miata that is more comfortable to drive and practical thanks to its 2+2 sitting capacity and larger trunk space. The Mazda RX-8 even has more doors.
Read Our Mazda RX-8 Buying Guide
Honda Integra
Like the Toyota Celica, the Honda Integra is a front-wheel-drive JDM sports car but still a worthy alternative to a Mazda Miata even though the Miata beats the Integra by a margin on paper. Both vehicles remain in production today, which speaks volumes of how great they are, but Honda enthusiasts were disappointed when Honda unveiled the Integra as a Sedan. Why should you buy an Integra over a Miata? The first reason is the engine options available in the Integra, which might be underpowered untouched but can make massive power in the hands of a good tuner with the right parts, including non-VTEC engines.
The Honda Integra also has better looks, doesn’t need much to make it stand out, and has more seats and a larger trunk. The only downside is that the rear seats in the Honda Integra might be uncomfortable for adults and tall children, and the plastic trims will fade and crack if the previous owners neglected the car. Also, there’s a high chance that your Integra might be stolen, as it ranks high among the most stolen JDM cars in the United States. So you better have a garage if it’s the alternative you pick over a Mazda Miata.
Picking which model to buy might be tricky due to varying prices and engines between generations. The third and fourth gen 4 Integra have the highest demand, but it’s not legal yet to import a gen 4, so the gen 3 is the best option if you want a newer model year. However, if you are getting a gen 3 Integra Type-R, get a JDM spec, as it’s 33 pounds lighter and has better interior build quality and suspension components than the USDM Type-R. Prices range between $5,000 and $30,000 depending on the spec, with the gen 1 and gen 2 Integra being cheaper since none of them is available with a VTEC engine unless it’s a swap.
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Mitsubishi Eclipse
Every JDM car lover dreams of owning a car from the Fast and Furious movie franchise, but all of them except the Mitsubishi Eclipse have high price tags. You can easily get a DSM Eclipse (first and second generation built on the Diamon Star Motors Platform) for under $5,000 and $10,000 tops if it’s in mint condition with a few tasteful mods. However, the low price tag comes at a cost. Owners neglect most Eclipses since they are hard to work on, and aftermarket support isn’t that sufficient, contributing to the low prices.
With those disadvantages, you might wonder how anyone would pick a Mitsubishi Eclipse over a Mazda Miata. If you find a clean one, why not buy one? Especially if it has a sunroof, a convertible soft top, or an AWD GSX with the 4G63T, one of the best four-cylinder JDM tuner engines. You should inspect the car thoroughly since, regardless of how good it might look and drive, there’s a chance you’re buying a half-baked project car that was hurriedly touched up so that it can be listed for sale. Most owners recommend getting the first-gen or second-gen Eclipse since Mitsubishi flopped while making the third-gen and fourth-gen before they turned the Eclipse into an SUV.
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Suzuki Cappuccino
The Suzuki Cappuccino might be small, but it sure packs a punch and matches pretty well with the Mazda Miata, considering its size. However, unlike other cars on this list, it doesn’t have significant advantages over the Miata since it’s less powerful and smaller. It’s for anyone who wants something fun to drive, is convertible, and doesn’t care about practicality or how they and the passenger fit in the car since the interior is pretty cramped. One thing is guaranteed, though, you’ll have more smiles and unforgettable memories in a Suzuki Cappuccino than in a Mazda Miata.
Prices for the Suzuki Cappuccino average around $10,000, precisely in NA or NB Miata price range which raises the question, is it a better alternative to a Mazda Miata? Nonetheless, you should get one before prices increase due to high demand, given that it’s among the most sought-after Kei Cars. And like other Kei cars, it was never sold in the United States. If the car is too slow for you, K-series and Hayabusa engine swaps are common, cheap, and easy to do. If those are unavailable, any 4-cylinder engine will do.
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Nissan Fairlady 350Z
No one loved DK in Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift, but everyone fell in love with his Nissan 350Z. The film was centered on Japan’s drift car culture, and the 350Z was at the center of it as it is today. It’s the most powerful car on this list and the only one that offers value for money if you put horsepower per dollar into consideration. Prices start at approximately $5,000 and rarely go above $15,000, even for one with a few engine and cosmetic mods, thus making it the perfect Mazda Miata alternative. The only downside with the 350Z is that you can’t get one with a turbocharged engine like its predecessor, the 300ZX.
The base spec 350Z is the cheapest as it doesn’t have an LSD, traction control, and interior creature comforts, making it a perfect drift car project. All other models, which include enthusiast, performance, touring, and track, have an LSD but are priced higher, and the LSD might not hold long enough. But regardless of which spec to buy, try as much as possible to get a 350Z with the 3.5-liter VQ35HR, as it’s more efficient, has lesser issues, and is more durable than the VQ35DE. Also, the VQ35HR had more power when new due to an increased compression ratio, a dual intake system, and high revving nature. Thus, it responds to bolt-on mods and tunes better.
Aftermarket support for the 350Z is excellent, making ownership a breeze. It doesn’t matter whether you want to turn yours into a drift or show car, as parts are readily available and cheap. If you want to learn to work on cars, you can start by repairing minor issues on your 350Z since it isn’t complicated. And there’s always someone in the owners’ community to help should you get stuck.
Read Our Nissan Fairlady Z Buying Guide
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Toyota MR-2
The Toyota MR-S is among the most underrated JDM cars and the best alternatives to the Mazda Miata. Its mid-engine rear-wheel-drive platform distinguishes it from other front-engine JDM sports cars from the 80s and 90s, and it’s more fun and engaging to drive than any of them. Being a Toyota, MR-2 ownership costs are meager, and reliability is top-notch, making it the perfect daily driver car. The same can be said for the Miata, so why should you pick the MR2?
Apart from being a proper driver’s car, the Toyota MR-S is stunning, especially the W30, dubbed the Japanese Porsche due to its close resemblance to the 911. Older generations have a timeless design that gives the 80s and 90s nostalgia with pop-up headlights and a boxy rear end. The Toyota MR-2 has better engine options than the Mazda Miata, including the high-revving 1.6-liter 4A-GE in the W10, and the turbocharged 2.0-liter 3S-GTE in the W20 is the best engine you can get in an MR-2. What the W30 Celica with the 1.8-liter 1ZZ-FED engine doesn’t have in performance and tunability, it compensates for with looks.
If you consider an MR-2 as a Mazda Miata alternative, plan for a budget of around $10,000; you will spend the same if you buy a Miata. However, the MR-2 is one of the cars that will go up in value, especially the W10 and W20, since it’s becoming harder to find one, and people slowly realize it’s the sports car they never thought they’d buy.
Read Our Toyota MR-2 Buying Guide
Toyota Levin
Toyota isn’t praised enough for making the Toyota Levin as the Supra steals the spotlight from it and other smaller Toyota sports cars such as the MR-2 and Celica. But most buyers will only pick the fourth-gen AE86 popularized by drifting in Japan and appearances in movies, animes, and video games that most car enthusiasts enjoyed when growing up. It was also the last rear-wheel-drive Levin, as all generations made after 1987 are front-wheel-drive. Regardless, all generations look great, and it’s easy to see why anyone would pick a Toyota Levin as an alternative to the Mazda Miata based on appearance.
Buying a Toyota Levin shouldn’t cost you more than $15,000, and it’s more car for the money, given that it has better practicality than a Mazda Miata. In addition, it has better tuner engines, the 4A and 5A engines which even a teenager can build in the comfort of a home garage, and some YouTube videos to guide them. It won’t be long before they figure out how to install minor power upgrade mods such as individual throttle bodies, exhaust, and an aftermarket camshaft.
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Honda Beat
Priced at below $10,000, the Honda Beat is the perfect alternative to the Mazda Miata if you don’t mind its tiny body size and underpowered engine. It’s nicknamed the baby NSX as it has a mid-engine rear-wheel-drive platform. This makes you immediately want to buy one but remember exterior dimensions are proportional to cabin space, and it isn’t practical in any way as the trunk space can’t fit a small suitcase. You buy a Honda Beat to throw around the track on the weekend as your extra car that you can have fun in without breaking the bank.
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