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Though the 124 Spider had relatively poor sales, it's still an exciting sports car with great performance and good fuel mileage.
The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider shares a similar design to the Mazda MX5, although that's the only feature they share. The Fiat 124 is a pure sports car that's comfortable and offers extrasensory handling.
When Fiat revealed the 124 Spider in 2016, it left a lot of sports car enthusiasts with excitement. The company announced that the 124 Spider's inspiration is the iconic fourth generation of the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Furthermore, Mazda helped with the overall design, engineering, and interior.
After its release, the 124 Spider became one of the best-selling Fiats in North America. But this didn't last long because the 124 Spider sales spiraled downwards, and Fiat ended its production in 2020. The reason for this was that the previous Fiat models had issues with reliability, making many of their customers angry. So, when the company released the 124 Spider, they had a tough time competing with rival vehicles like the Subaru BRZ and the Toyota 86.
Even though the 124 Spider had some poor sales, it's still an exciting sports car with plenty of performance and good fuel mileage. What's even better, Fiat released a more refined model of the 124 Spider called the Abarth.
Let's find out more about this vehicle and why it's a good used sports car that you can buy today.
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Under the hood, there's Fiat-Chrysler's single-overhead cam, turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder. This engine produces 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Owners of the 124 Spider can choose a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission.
The 124's steering is light and direct and offers the same smoothness that one would expect from a family sedan, and there is substantial body lean in corners. However, when things get serious, the car's suspension compresses, and the steering becomes firm allowing the 124 to rotate through twisting roads steadily.
The car offers a lot of feedback when it reaches the limits of its traction. Also, the vehicle can shift its weight from side to side and immediately take off when it's changing direction. The Abarth model does this better with its Bilstein shocks, which is impressive because most cars have a hard time switching from one direction to the next willingly.
The manual transmission is better than the automatic transmission; the pedals are set up for effortless heel-and-toe shifting. However, the Abarth model has a "Sport" driving mode that sharpens the responses of the automatic transmission.
According to Fiat, the car can go from 0 to 60 MPH in 6.8 seconds; however, rivals like the Miata MX5 can get to 60 MPH in 6 seconds. Although, the 124 Spider is fun to drive and has a good transmission.
The 124 has a simple cabin, but the material doesn't look or feel cheap. Soft-touch plastics cover most of the interior and feel good when touched. The air-conditioning and the Mazda-sourced touchscreen are easy to use, although the interface menu might require little attention from the driver to operate successfully. Also, the touchscreen functionality locks when the vehicle is in motion, and a knob below the shifter controls the menu.
For infotainment, base models of the 124 Spider have manual climate controls, while the expensive trims have automatic controls and heated seats. The Bluetooth and auxiliary audio imports have no issue; however, Apple CarPlay and Android Audio aren't supported. This might upset owners who like those apps, but overall the infotainment system is decent.
Fiat ensured the manual convertible top was easy to use. You'll wonder why other two-seat roadsters use heavy power-operated ones. You just unlatch the locking mechanism and toss the top over your shoulder. Experienced owners can do it quickly and safely while still in the driver's seat.
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According to U.S. Car News, the Fiat 124 Spider price ranges from $18,800 to $26,400, and the average price is $23,000. According to Kelly Blue Book, the Abarth model can go for around $30,000. This line of pricing makes the Fiat 124 Spider more appealing than the Subaru BRZ and the Nissan Z.
The Fiat is a good-looking car; it's a perfect mix of modern and retro appeal, with details that hark back to the original and all the modern touches. Compared to the Miata MX-5, the 124 Spider looks less aggressive than the Mazda; it has a simple and more elegant look.
If you don't mind ignoring the lack of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the 2017 Fiat 124 might be a good option. It offers good gas mileage, and you can get it reasonably. Also, considering that not a lot of units were made and production stopped, the 124 Spider might become a collector's item in the future.
Marcus is a car enthusiast who loves writing about them. He travels frequently and always seeks out the best driving roads to really test a car's limits. His favorite cars are anything with a manual transmission, and he's been known to spend hours just shifting through all the gears.