If you’re looking to compare the Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. Chevrolet Camaro, you’re probably at a crossroads, as these two performance machines are cut from very different cloth. The Camaro is a cornerstone of muscle cars, and the Mazda MX-5 Miata is an icon in the world of smile-inducing performance and finely tailored handling.
See how the Mazda MX-5 Miata proves that a powerful drive triumphs over pure power as we compare Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. Chevrolet Camaro performance, safety, and technology.
The Camaro is a muscle car; straight-line acceleration is its forte. The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a meticulously balanced sports car designed for pure handling bliss and everyday efficiency.
By horsepower alone, Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. Chevrolet Camaro performance seems like a shutout. The Mazda MX-5 Miata offers a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 181 horsepower, while the base-trim Camaro 1LS has a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 275 horsepower.
However, the Camaro is over 1,000 pounds heavier than the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Specifically, the Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport has a base curb weight of 2,341 pounds, and the Camaro 1LS has a base curb weight of 3,351 pounds.
Comparing Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. Chevrolet Camaro 0-to-60-mph times reveals that the Camaro 1LS has a manufacturer-claimed time of 5.4 seconds, while the Mazda MX-5 Miata clocks a Car and Driver-tested 5.7 seconds1.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata will be right on the Camaro’s tail, but when corners appear, that’s where the magic of a Mazda MX-5 Miata begins.
The Camaro’s history can be viewed as a legacy of sledgehammer-like design; its priority is being able to muscle you up to speed.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata was created with precision, using a near-perfect 52/48 front/rear weight balance and a viscerally engaging front-mid engine layout for supreme handling and a five-sense connection to the asphalt below.
You’ll have to test drive a new Mazda MX-5 Miata for sale to fully feel the magic, but the balanced design of the Mazda MX-5 Miata can make it rather evident.
And the Mazda MX-5 Miata gives a taste by numbers: It has a tight turning circle diameter of 30.2 feet wall to wall. Car and Driver claims that the 2023 Camaro has a turning circle diameter of 38.4 feet wall to wall.2
But as a final Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. Chevrolet Camaro performance metric, the Mazda MX-5 Miata with a six-speed manual transmission delivers an EPA-estimated 26/34 MPG (city/highway),3 while the base-trim turbo-engine Chevy Camaro 1LS with a six-speed manual transmission gets an EPA-estimated 19/28 (city/highway).4
| 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport | 2023 Chevrolet Camaro 1LS | |
| Engine | 2.0L 4-cylinder with VVT | 2.0L 4-cylinder Turbo Engine |
| Horsepower | 181 hp | 275 hp |
| Torque | 151 lb-ft | 295 lb-ft |
| Base Curb Weight | 2,341 | 3,351 |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual or automatic | 6-speed manual |
| 0-60 mph | 5.7 seconds1 | 5.4 seconds |
| Est EPA MPG (city/hwy) | 26/343 | 19/284 |
| Seating | 2 | 4 |
Lease a new Mazda MX-5 Miata, and you’ll get great standard safety features to complement the corner-carving performance with confidence. To show how great they are, let’s look at what the Camaro offers as standard on its base-level 1LS trim.
Among the standard Camaro 1LS safety features, you get a rearview camera and electronic stability control.
The base-trim Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport, meanwhile, gives you a standard rearview camera, a rear cross-traffic alert, a lane-departure warning system, blind-spot monitoring, and advanced Smart City Brake Support.
Standard Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. Chevrolet Camaro safety features are a blowout. The Camaro charges extra for blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, and a lane-change alert; it does not offer Smart City Brake Support, and its closest equivalent is an optional extra.
The base-trim standard tech is mostly a tie between the two vehicles, but the Mazda MX-5 Miata gets ahead. Here’s a quick breakdown of the key tech features you’ll find in a base-trim Mazda MX-5 Miata at our Mazda dealership in Houston:
For the Camaro 1LS, you’ll find:
From cornering capabilities and MPG excellence to standard safety and tech features, comparing a Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. Chevrolet Camaro reveals that a powerful driving experience can exceed outright horsepower. If you’re ready to feel what the Mazda MX-5 Miata is all about, come by Greenway Mazda today for a test drive, and get a great rate on this iconic sports car at our finance center.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a bit slower, but it’s like pitting a gymnast against a sprinter. In standard configurations, the Camaro does 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, while the Mazda MX-5 Miata has a Car and Driver-tested 0-to-60 time of 5.7 seconds.1 However, the Mazda MX-5 Miata has an 8-foot smaller turning circle diameter, making it far more agile.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata dominates the Chevy Camaro when it comes to gas mileage. Specifically, with a six-speed manual transmission in both models, the Mazda MX-5 Miata delivers an EPA-estimated 26/34 MPG (city/highway),3 and the Chevy Camaro, with its standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivers only an EPA-estimated 19/28 (city/highway).4
The Chevy Camaro is a bigger car than the Mazda MX-5 Miata, but this helps create a disadvantage for the Camaro in the corners. The Camaro is a full 34.2 inches longer than the Mazda MX-5 Miata, and when comparing Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. Chevrolet Camaro base trims, the Camaro weighs over 1000 pounds more than the Mazda MX-5 Miata, eating up that extra horsepower and then some.
| New Mazda MX-5 Miata | New Mazda MX-5 Miata RF |
| New Mazda MX-5 Miata Lease Deals | Used Mazda MX-5 Miata |
1This information is not verified by the official manufacturer and shall serve solely as unofficial general information. For details, visit: https://www.caranddriver.com/mazda/mx-5-miata
2This information is not verified by the official manufacturer and shall serve solely as unofficial general information. For details, visit: https://www.caranddriver.com/chevrolet/camaro/specs/2023/chevrolet_camaro_chevrolet-camaro-coupe_2023/427717
3EPA-estimated mileage. Actual results will vary.
4EPA-estimated MPG city/highway: Camaro LS/LT with 2.0L 4-cylinder engine and 8-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission 22/30; Camaro LS/LT with 2.0L 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed manual transmission 19/28.
