Mazda MX-5 vs Nissan Z: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Mazda MX-5 burns about $2,550 of fuel annually against $3,450 for the Nissan Z. That $900 yearly gap compounds to roughly $4,500 over five years and $7,200 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Mazda MX-5 leads in both cycles — 27 mpg city and 36 mpg highway against 19 and 28 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Mazda MX-5 is recorded with 2 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, 2.0), the Nissan Z with 1 (SIDI). Across 25 recorded Mazda MX-5 configurations and 15 for the Nissan Z, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Mazda MX-5 is offered with Rear-Wheel Drive, the Nissan Z with Rear-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Two Seaters and Two Seaters respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Mazda MX-5 emits 298 g/mile of CO2 versus 405 g/mile for the Nissan Z. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.