Miata Comparison – 1.6 VS 1.8 NA

MIn this article we’ll conduct 1.6 VS 1.8 NA Miata Comparison and give you our thoughts on this subject.

When Mazda unveiled the MX-5 in 1989 at the Chicago car show, the press was enthusiastic about this dynamic Japanese roadster. The expectations were through the roof and the car manufacturer from the Land of the Rising Sun succeeded to overreach all possibilities.

Miata grew to become a legend on the road and further development later lead this model to its fourth generation. However, the first generation of the MX-5 is still a hot topic among Miata fans all over the globe. One of the leading questions regarding the never-ending NA generation is the comparison between Miata with 1.6 and 1.8-liter engines.

What version is better? Which one is more Miata? These and other questions are waiting for an answer in this article. One thing is certain, we shall try to take into account all of the important aspects that lead to a decision if there is any.

Numbers and facts

Let’s go through some basic facts and see how much of a difference there is between the two models and why these roadsters still represent such a hot topic.

Miata 1.6 NA (NA6)
Technical specs:

Miata 1.8 NA (NA8)
Technical specs:

Matt’s NA6 Engine bay (Photo by: Chad Lunn – Canibeat.com)

The 1.6 Miata started with an 85kW iron-blocked engine derived from the turbocharged engine used in the 323 GTX all-wheel-drive car. With 114 horses, pulling this energetic roadster, 0-100 km/h acceleration is possible in 8.3 seconds. This engine featured lighter crankshaft and flywheel, as well.

A later version of this engine (1994-1998) brings a less power to the table, which was probably a decision based on the production of 1.8 engine. However, this new version was not all about stripping down; they added power steering, air conditioning, and stereo as a part of their standard equipment.

When Mazda introduced 1.8-liter engine, it brought forth some additional power into drivers’ hands. Basic car construction remained the same, while there were some additions that added more strength and a better side-impact tolerance. The reason for this additional sturdiness lies in additional bracing of the chassis. Front and rear subframes got a track-bar in order to improve the reaction of the car to suspension stress.

The major difference that 1.8 version introduced was gaining additional weight. The larger engine model weights around 990kg but the extra power offsets these extra kilos, which makes the car able to perform slightly better.

When it comes to equipment, 1.8 has a slight upper hand. Over the course of production, both models came up with some special edition packages for various markets.

The word of the drivers

When it comes to driving experience, 1.6 revs more freely than the 1.8 due to the lighter flywheel. This makes the driving experience a bit more fun, especially if we add that slight oversteer that 1.6 packs. While driving the car we can notice that the materials used for 1.6, especially the early model, seem to have a better quality. Additional design flaw, drivers say, comes in form of the passenger airbag. This safety addition has a bit awkward position and ruins the overall design of the board. On the other side, it goes without saying that 1.8 is a safer car, next to being more powerful.

What drivers compliment the most regarding 1.6 is its torque and its ability to rev faster.

Verdict

Technical aspect puts these two cars really close to each other. The design characteristics remained the same, with just a few interior changes such as integrated speakers on the door panel and some minor details on the board. In other words, the differences are very debatable with people supporting one side or the other. It’s not unusual to hear people saying that both cars are equally great with multiple drivers recommending swapping the engines.

We could conclude that 1.6 Miata is an energetic, dynamic roadster, with 1.8 being a stronger, more down-to-earth brother.

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