Fiat 124 Spider1.4 Multiair S-Design 2dr
2018
53,477 miles
Petrol
£11,895
NR46ET
The Fiat 124 Spider might be distinctly Italian in flavour and even more so if you plump for a used Abarth variant, but this classic sports car is derived from the Mazda MX-5.
Although it’s no longer produced, the Fiat 124 Spider is therefore a great used bet if you’re after a proper sports car with all of the great stuff that comes with such a thing. Originally appearing at the Los Angeles Auto Show back in 2015, the two-seater has continued to thrill owners ever since.
The bonus with opting for a Fiat 124 Spider, as opposed to the very good and highly plentiful Mazda MX-5 is its exclusivity. You don’t see too many of these Italian-inspired sportsers around and, if you like to stand out from the crowd, that’s a good thing.
Whilst the Fiat 124 Spider has much in common with the ever-popular Mazda MX-5, it’s very much its own car. There’s a 1.4-litre Multi-Air petrol engine keeping things simple under the bonnet, while the Abarth helps squeeze even more fun out of the turbocharged lump.
Meanwhile, handling is a little different to the rather more taught MX-5, which some people will find much more agreeable if leisurely cruising around winding country roads is top of the list. The Fiat 124 Spider is comfortable too, with just enough room inside to make it accommodating without feeling claustrophobic.
If you’re looking for an affordable used buy, there’s a huge amount of choice.
If you love a proper sports car the Fiat 124 Spider will hit the spot and even more so if you head for the Abarth model, which comes with a limited-slip differential that adds to its prime pedigree.
The added extra of buying a used Fiat 124 Spider is that it’s a lot less common than the ubiquitous Mazda MX-5 that it’s so closely related to. In fact, spotting another Fiat 124 Spider on the road will be almost as pleasing as owning one.
While you’re stuck with just the one engine and less pep on tap compared to the MX-5, the Fiat 124 Spider is a neat take on classic sports car design. There’s also two-seat fun to be add, especially with the top down and considering it’s been around for a while, those looks still remain relevant and very likeable.
An obvious alternative is naturally the Mazda MX-5, but other pure sports rivals include the excellent Toyota GT86 or perhaps the Subaru BRZ. If your used budget is more sizeable the Porsche 718 Boxster or Alpine A110 are great too.
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The 124 Spider comes in two distinct flavours: Fiat and Abarth. Both are powered by the same 1.4-litre turbocharged MultiAir engine, but while the Fiat offers a healthy 140PS, the Abarth delivers a punchy 170PS.
Whisper this, but the Abarth 124 Spider is one of the best versions of the Mazda MX-5 we’ve ever driven. While that might upset the MX-5 purists, we’re standing by our wild claim. Its Abarth Record Monza exhaust delivers a rich and evocative soundtrack for your aural pleasure.
Not that we’d rule out the standard Fiat 124 Spider. It’s less hardcore than the Abarth and a more soft-focus take on the Mazda MX-5. Either way, the Fiat is more exclusive than the Mazda, especially in the UK, where only 3,000 or so were sold during its short life.
Fiat 124 Spider 1.4L turbocharged MultiAir petrol: This is the only engine option (albeit turbocharged) for this car, which is slightly disappointing when you consider what’s on offer with the Mazda MX-5. Nevertheless, it’ll get from 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds, with the Abarth variant doing it in 6.8 seconds. Top speed is 134mph for the Fiat and 144mph for the Abarth respectively. Both cars deliver a combined 44.1mpg with a manual gearbox, dropping to 42.8mpg in the automatic version.
The Fiat 124 Spider hasn’t enjoyed quite the same level of success as the Mazda MX-5, which comes in all sorts of model variants. You might get less choice on the trim front, but what there is comes with a strong whiff of Italian style, even if the cars were made at Mazda’s factory in Hiroshima, Japan.
The Fiat 124 Spider Classica comes equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED rear lights, steel double exhaust pipe, black roll bar covers, leather steering wheel with audio controls and leather gear knob, 3-inch display, radio with Bluetooth, USB port and AUX-in plus cruise control with speed limiter. Adding to the package is manual air conditioning 4 airbags and a Keyless Go engine start button.
The Fiat 124 Spider Lusso carries on with everything found in the Classica, but ass 17-inch alloys, a chrome double exhaust tailpipe, silver rollover bars, silver windscreen surround, leather heated seats, automatic climate control, rear parking sensors and camera, fog lights and keyless entry. The interior is also boosted by a 7-inch touchscreen with DAB radio, navigation system, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, 2 USB ports and AUX-in.
The Fiat 124 Spider Lusso Plus is the model to go for if you want all of the trimmings, topped with a 9-speaker Bose audio system, complete with four in the headrests, LED headlights and daytime running lights, adaptative front lighting along with rain and dusk sensors.
The Fiat 124 Spider’s dimensions are:
Length: 4054mm
Width: 1740mm
Height: 1233mm
Ground clearance: 138mm
The Fiat 124 Spider’s boot size is:
140-litres
The Fiat 124 Spider might be pretty exclusive, but it also doesn’t cost a bundle to tax, which is always a bonus. Originally, Fiat 124 Spiders registered before 31 March 2017 incurred a Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rate of £165 for the manual gearbox edition. This rose to £205 for the automatic.
Meanwhile, cars registered after 1 April 2017 were subject to a showroom tax of £215 for the manual and a rather costlier £540 for the automatic. Thankfully, the cost dropped to £150 per annum from year two, making it good value when set against the fun factor it offers.
In terms of insurance, the Fiat 124 Spider variant sits between group 25 to 26. This rises however if you fancy going for the Abarth edition, which falls between 29 to 31 for the Abarth. If you’ve got your eye on a Fiat 124 GT, which is the hard-top edition, you’ll pay premiums at the top end of the spectrum. A bit odd because a metal roof is presumably going to be more secure than a soft top.
Conversely, insurance groups for the Mazda MX-5 range from 25 to 34, depending on the version and the fact that there are a wider range of engine and model options.