The Mazda MX-5 and Toyota GT86 are rather similar interpretations of affordable rear-wheel drive sports cars.
This is why it should come as no surprise they are compared in reviews. Yes, one is a roadster the other is a coupe, but the pleasure to drive knows no boundaries when it comes to body styles.
Auto Express’ Steve Sutcliffe took both cars to Blyton Park, where they were driven hard around the circuit to see which is faster. Mind you, there’s quite a significant power difference between the Mazda MX-5 and the Toyota GT86.
The former has 160PS (158hp) from a 2.0-liter inline-four engine, while the latter has 200PS (197hp) from a 2.0-liter Boxer naturally aspirated unit. It’s also true that the Toyota is heavier than the remarkably light Mazda.
Despite this significant power gap, the Japanese sports cars were remarkably close to each other when it came to lap times. We’re not going to spoil it for you anymore, so head to the video to find out the winner.