Mazda MX-5 Miata vs Mini Cooper S Comparison

These two couldn’t exist on more different ends of the fun spectrum.

On the classic sports car side, we’ve got nothing else but the iconic Mazda MX-5 Miata, here in its popular mid-tier Club trim (or GS-P in Canada). This two-seater prioritizes driving enjoyment over all else. Contributing writer—and former Miata owner—Jeff Wilson is itching to drop that top and sing the praises of purity.

I’m in the green corner with a car in a very different shape. The 2025 Mini Cooper S is a thoroughly modern take on what constitutes fun: it’s still got the go-kart spirit, but there’s a greater focus on smile-and-delight features inside the cabin. Can it still satisfy?

This head-to-head is  brought to you by WeatherTech.

Mazda MX-5 Miata: The Miata came in for the subtlest of facelifts for this year. As Mazda tells it, the head- and taillights are tweaked, with different LED signatures. There are new wheel designs and this tester’s Aero Grey paint—or, as Wilson refers to it, “witness relocation” grey. Even in this monochrome look and a decade into its life, the ND Miata remains a pert, attractive little package.

Mazda has upgraded the cabin, too. Chief amongst the improvements is an 8.8-inch screen with some actual touch capabilities, an even sharper analog gauge cluster, and… added padding to the center console? Such comfort! The MX-5 cabin is best described as “functional.” The design is reasonably attractive in that now-standard Mazda way, but there’s a lot of flat black in here (tan leather is optional on the fancy-pants top trim). Excellent Recaros give it the comfort and support the Mini driver can only dream of. As you’d expect, the cabin is very snug, especially for the passenger, who will have to deal with an oddly-shaped footwell and the flimsy removable cupholder right by their knee. The Miata demands compromises from its riders.

Mini Cooper S: This is still recognizably Mini and, at least compared to the low and lithe Mazda, about as bulbous as this mosquito bite on my neck. I know the Sea Foam Green isn’t to everyone’s liking, but frankly I think it’s excellent. Same goes for the cool five-spoke alloy wheels. I’m not entirely sold on the triangular taillights but hey, they’re customizable, so that’s pretty cool. Mini doesn’t even charge a subscription fee for that!

The Mini is about what’s in, what’s cool. It’s fashionable. It… slaps? Do the youths still say that?

It’s major contrast inside too. The Mini has one of the most smile-inducing cabins you can have in this price range, with a big focus on renewable materials and fun textures. The knit on the dashboard is a bit like a rough denim, and partially made with recycled bottles. The creme vegan leather seats are good enough to fool most people. Mini has kept the fun toggles down below, including the shifter. Best of all, there’s actually space in here, not just for people but their things, too. Go on, try to put your phone somewhere secure when riding two-up in the MX-5.

Mini Cooper S: This is still recognizably Mini and, at least compared to the low and lithe Mazda, about as bulbous as this mosquito bite on my neck. I know the Sea Foam Green isn’t to everyone’s liking, but frankly I think it’s excellent. Same goes for the cool five-spoke alloy wheels. I’m not entirely sold on the triangular taillights but hey, they’re customizable, so that’s pretty cool. Mini doesn’t even charge a subscription fee for that!

The Mini is about what’s in, what’s cool. It’s fashionable. It… slaps? Do the youths still say that?

It’s major contrast inside too. The Mini has one of the most smile-inducing cabins you can have in this price range, with a big focus on renewable materials and fun textures. The knit on the dashboard is a bit like a rough denim, and partially made with recycled bottles. The creme vegan leather seats are good enough to fool most people. Mini has kept the fun toggles down below, including the shifter. Best of all, there’s actually space in here, not just for people but their things, too. Go on, try to put your phone somewhere secure when riding two-up in the MX-5.

Miata: The changes this year haven’t just been visual. Mazda has made changes to the steering column and its tuning, ensuring the helm remains razor sharp. “While it’s still not the same as an olden-days sports car with unassisted or hydraulic steering in terms of road feel,” espouses Wilson, “as far as electrically-boosted steering goes, this is about as good as it gets.” He’s not wrong: the steering is pure and quick without ever veering into the territory of “darty,” relaying just the right amount of detail from those modestly-sized front tires. It’s the sort of car you can trust mere feet after taking off. Jinba Ittai and all that.

It’s a clever feat that Mazda upped the 2.0-liter’s power to the current 181 horsepower years ago and yet the Miata remains so well-rounded. Goldilocks would approve of the masterful blend of thrust and agility. The soft suspension tuning is a welcome change from so many hard-riding cars, too. Yes, the Miata leans in corners. It does so to give the driver a better understanding of the remaining grip. Get into the groove and the MX-5 is almost zen-like in its smooth, graceful progress.

The shifter deserves praise too. Short in height and in throws, it’s snick-snick smooth between the gates and an absolute joy to row. Driving in stop-and-go traffic, one is reminded that the Miata doesn’t have a surplus of low-end torque to rely on, but that trade-off is more than worth the brilliance found on winding roads.

Cooper S: Both of these cars have 2.0-liter engines, but Mini bolts a turbo onto the one crammed under that short hood. That gives it 201 horsepower, a 20-horsepower advantage over the MX-5. Torque is a comparatively massive 228 lb-ft. With the seven-speed dual-clutch, the Mini is the quicker car in most situations; not by much when both drivers are committed, but so much more accessible. And you know what? It even sounds pretty good!

To drive the new Cooper S is to experience fast food in four-wheeled form. There’s that initial hit of satisfaction with the perky turbo four and Mini’s traditionally pointy front-end. Chasing the Mazda down a good road, you quickly find the limits of the all-season tires. Harder to accept is the numb steering when you really push: I find myself taking second bites through longer corners to make up for the initial vagueness.

As our pal Jerry Vo said in the original four-car comparison this Mini took part in: power is nothing without control. The Mini is good enough to drive to encourage the driver to get more involved, only they can’t. A few times now, I’ve pulled for a paddle shifter that just doesn’t exist. Switching over to Go Kart mode does make for more aggressive shift logic, but it’s still no replacement. Same goes for flicking the World’s Tiniest Shifter into L.

I’m not going to chastise Mini for getting rid of the manual—I’ll level with you, in the world of three-pedal setups it was only okay. But at least give folks the option to get more involved.

Miata: In America, the Miata is the more expensive of this pair, coming up just shy of $39,000 including options and destination. Of course you can get a lot of car elsewhere for that coin, but the Miata isn’t exactly an EcoBoost Mustang competitor. Think of it more as a cut-rate Boxster or Z4 alternative and it starts to make sense. You won’t find this driving purity elsewhere.

Canadian pricing is a different story at $44,595 CAD, enough to give the MX-5 a 10-percent advantage over the Mini.

In that original four-car comparison, these two very different cars actually tied. We saw that they got to their scores in very different ways, too. "Where one car's strengths would help bolster its score, it would also offset the weaknesses of the other car," explains Jeff.

The MX-5 remains a pure, delightful driver's car, but it asks major compromises of its driver (and passenger) should it be enlisted into daily duty. That's where the Mini shines: it's a joy to sit in, and aligns with our digital, always-online era.

We're here to pick the most fun car though, and in the summer, the highs that the Miata provides on winding roads outweigh the drawbacks of its cabin. It wins today—but a winter rematch might have us thinking differently.

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