Mazda MX-5 vs Caterham 420R Twin Test | Who makes the best convertible sports car?

On the lookout for a two-seat roadster? Watch as we compare to extreme ends of the scale with the Mazda MX-5 and Caterham 420R.
Witness our reviewers, James and Adam, tackle the question that everyone is asking this winter. Do I need a hardcore two-seat road-legal race car, or a comparatively sensible but less exciting everyday roadster.
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Filmed and edited by Matthew Vosper.
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[@BarryCatt]

Good Lord! I’m 62 and I can get in and out of my Caterham faster than that with the hood on. It’s a totally practical, all year round daily. Just takes practice. ‘Nuff said. Cheers ‼️

[@ParkersTV]

Adam actually doesn't fit all at with the hood on, his head becomes a structural part of the roof.

[@madshartmann3684]

@@ParkersTV how tall is he?

[@ParkersTV]

6 feet 2 inches

[@Runoratsu]

@naibafabdulkobor The Miata can do the ski trick as well tho! Just done it for my skiing vacation… A PRHT NC, RF ND or hard-topped any gen, plus seasucker ski rack, and off you go! =^.^=

[@JamesJoyce12]

no one - in the history of the world - ever described a Caterham as 'totally practical'

[@masterseven4499]

Well, I happily bought both of them. The MX-5 ist a great daily-driver and the Caterham is the perfect choice for mastering the Swiss Alps or a race track. I love them both!

[@paulgardner9763]

Loved this vid, took delivery of a Caterham 420R in December and its wild ! The SV model as here, remarkably comfortable and very well made though I know they aren't exactly cheap. The legendary steering you'd expect, and very strong Ford engine, fierce performance by anyone's standards. Great sports car :)

[@daniel90cta]

Caterham makes the Miata look huge

[@skithewhitestuff]

The Caterham is the best dry weather car EVER!

[@Yay-hovah]

Drive it in 90 degree weather and get back to us.

[@davecoalwood9487]

@@Yay-hovah hello mate...i love it in really hot weather. If you don't then use the half hood.

[@skithewhitestuff]

@@Yay-hovah Tick, its great, also got a nice tan

[@underballbutter]

The better question is which would you prefer as a second car

[@paullubliner6221]

It depends on 2 things: One, where one is in life. Second as a pimary driver is feasible, depending where you live.

[@thierrylerinckx1340]

Caterham's are really wonderful. Still bought the Mazda. I configured A 340R without too many fancy options which would have cost me 62000€ before road tax. I paid exactly half of that for my MX5. Soo a Caterham,absolutely! As long as money is of no concern. I still think I wouldn't risk trying a Catheram for fear to kill my wallet.

[@wordsmithgmxch]

My last car came down to a coin-flip between precisely these two cars. Coin came up MX-5. Unavoidably in such situations, there's always a twinge of buyer's remorse. THAT issue was sorted when -- driving down to southern France on a tour -- I passed a Caterham on the autobahn. The weather was deteriorating, and the bloke (goggles, leather helmet) had slowed down to perhaps 80 kmh. Probably figured it wouldn't get all that intense and hadn't installed the boot. I left that sodden, rain-lashed soul thanking my lucky coin that it had come up MX-5. Yeh, past 70 I turned into a bit of a wuss.

[@Runoratsu]

Not too long ago I got into a real downpour with my NC Miata while on the Autobahn… I can tell you, above ~160 kph (~100mph), you'll stay dry, no matter how hard it rains. You'll just get a little bit of overspray in the cabin. Nevertheless, I was happy when the rain had let off a bit again and the next exit came along so I could get below ~30kph without drowning and close the roof (PRHT w/ smartTop, I don't wanna use it above that speed really).

[@businessmanph]

I wished they really drag raced.

[@williammememan6002]

Basically, if you want a road car for commuting that's also pretty fun you get an MX5. If you want a sports car that's crazy fast and incredibly fun that you can drive on the road if you want, you get a Caterham

[@saschab.7154]

The Catherham is first a Lotus Super 7 copy as the Mazda NA bases on the Lotus Elan. So, the Best Roadster is a Lotus Exige. I say this as a german Mazda Mx 5 nd owner. Only negative: Exige is expensive..

[@paullubliner6221]

Copy? Not at all. It IS well developed well beyond the Lotus 7's "economy" (a bit too flimsy" as in flexible) chassis. The Exige is too heavy and besides, it's glued together as an Airfix kit.

[@jamesrowlands1943]

The mx5 0-60 time is the same as the Caterham 160, which had a 660cc suzuki engine...

[@markgjecaj6263]

Hey guys respect for the video 👍 great job 👏 . But you can never even compère those cars against each other. Both have their proms and cons, if I have to choose the 7 day night. The only way you can test them is on the track 👍

[@UWfalcin]

Wonderful. I will just start with an MX-5 and then move up to the Caterham! 😄👍🏻

[@1SaG]

Price? 2016 Autocar review I found gives the 420R's price as nearly 34,000 GBP. Not exactly a bargain when compared to the MX-5. As much as I love the Caterham for its simplicity, I wouldn't even consider this to be a valid comparison. If I wanted sub 4-second 0-60-times, I'd get a bike (as in "motorcycle") instead for much less than what either car costs. Then get a used Polo or something for everyday driving. The Caterham is *almost* as impractical/flawed as a bike so why not go all out and enjoy some truly direct and unfiltered driving? I've driven Elises, Exiges and the KTM X-Bow and while they're all great fun, they're still cars and can't offer you what a bike can offer you when it comes to driving pleasure, thrills and feeling connected to the road.

[@Greg-jn8cc]

You can't fall off a Caterham though.

[@marktilley7222]

Which makes a better crumpet collector, and would it be as good as an XKE?

[@siraff4461]

I like the review but where was the drag race? I mean it's all well and good acknowledging the Caterhams speed but it would be nice to have it visualised too - preferably with some cornering involved aswell. The only reason to buy a Caterham is for the fun of it so throw it around a bit and show us.

[@elrisitos9821]

Mx5 can be a good daily AND a fun car The catherman is not a good daily but it is much fun. This is 2 differents car for different usages. Can't be really compared

[@paullubliner6221]

You obviously do not own one.

[@elrisitos9821]

@@paullubliner6221 I own a mx5 nd 1.5, what's the problem ?

[@Spazza42]

The only reason this video exists because they had both cars to test and feature at the same time. Why would anyone compare a 1000kg, 180bhp roadster that can be used everyday to a 500kg, 210hp track ready kit car? The MX5 fully spec'd out is £26k. The Caterham with every optionable extra is over £50k *AS A KIT* (add an extra £3.5k if you want Caterham to actually build the damn thing too!). I'm sorry, I have nothing against these two guys in the video, but what a f*cking ridiculous comparison - these cars don't even occupy the same part of the market, hence the performance difference and absurd price gap. Seriously, you're clutching at straws for videos if this is what you guys are coming up with. *Down voted.* Oh, and cheers for the shot of the road kill at 2:18 too, jeez....

[@ParkersTV]

Does this mean you didn’t enjoy the video?

[@reinierrooi5650]

Spazza, thanks for the info. You're talking sense, you know what's going on.

[@quacksackerthegreatstarfir6996]

Neither car is really very practical for everyday use. These are what you keep in the garage for the weekend while your daily driver gets to sit out in the rain and snow

[@paullubliner6221]

You ride the bus do you?

[@dkpirie]

Great video as always. James is so well spoken & posh "Cheerio" :-) , which makes such a nice change from so many presenters these days that mumble and mispronounce words.

[@ParkersTV]

Glad you enjoyed it! James will be pleased to know his poshness comes in handy sometimes.

[@jimclark1095]

Caterham all the way, so much more a pure drivers car, just go and drive one.

[@maoristereo]

Why hasnt this chanel blown up yet?

[@marktilley7222]

Caterham should have pulled away without bothering with the roof at all and apologized at the finish …

[@davidhayes4814]

It is a bit like comparing a boat with a super bike ...... or a tree with a dog..... woof.

[@LynxEng]

Those 2 were enthralling

[@dkpirie]

Which two? The the Mazda & the Caterham, or James & Adam. :-)

[@OGPedXing]

Ok I love me some mx5 but looking out over the bonnet in a moving car to see your suspension is is epic. "Yeah, Bilsteins." 😂

[@ingraam7]

Mega. Good work lads.

[@ParkersTV]

Cheers Richard!

[@robertl2856]

Great review thanks

[@somabalogh5135]

Caterham with this roof in GB is sucks, it always rains...

[@dumbbeerholder]

if you keep above 50 mph, the rain goes over your head, Simples

[@somabalogh5135]

That’s why you need to buy an RF Miata🤩!

[@shaunwalton8058]

Lotus invented the formula, not Caterham.

[@gjbspark]

I have had both cars...the mx5 being tuned by BBR to 210bhp, (they have my car on their website..reg v3bbr}my Caterham was an R300 tuned to 232bhp..that's 421 bhp p/t...no comparison R300 all day long

[@randallplett6842]

maybe the drive test they should've switched cars. I bet that Adam would have changed his mind on the Caterham after a few minutes behind the wheel.

[@BigDuke6ixx]

No way does an MX5 give you 85% of the thrills you get from a 420R. More like 50%.

[@lazyboxfish7113]

More like 35%. The other guy needed to have driven it. I don't know why they don't drive each other's cars for an unbiased opinion on both.

[@jogb9515]

Would really interested in seeing the actual performance comparison.

[@1SaG]

Caterham would annihilate the MX-5. But that's hardly the point, IMO.

[@paullubliner6221]

@@1SaG It isn't the point?

[@andrewfalzon4671]

A caterham is a type of category and the Mazda is different

[@pwatom22]

Yes, but consider, you will be driving a £500 golf most of the time if you buy the 7. With the mx5 you will be driving your favorite sports car every day.

[@lok481]

Caterham is the king. MX5 is a hair dressers car. I have never liked them and I never can. I’ve tried! A man does not look cool in an MX5, he does in a Caterham!💪🏼

[@clivepritchard]

two great drivers cars but I don't really see them competing for the same buyer.

[@Jaccayumitty]

No? They're both on my shortlist.

[@patrickvanrinsvelt4466]

No track test?

[@bluesky8872]

Where is the airfield located?

[@ianashton886]

Is the Caterham an SV ?

[@DavidJackson-zc4eq]

Yes it is, a pork pie version 😁

[@palmermonsen9098]

Very top gear

[@turinggirl6432]

mx-5 is a great comfort sports coupe. caterham is great for unhinged hysterical driving

[@rhiantaylor3446]

Did the short guy even drive the Caterham ?

[@rogerm695]

Where is the runway ?

[@1962lp2h]

No way the mazda delivers 85% of the thrills of the Caterham, it's too modern and soppy - Caterham wins every day and twice on Sundays, the video was far too mazda biased, nobody includes putting the roof up in a straight drag race.

[@paullubliner6221]

Nope! Miata is but 65% of the thrills of a well sorted out Seven. Those pesky Laws of Physics you understand, period.

[@smilepermile8165]

1962lp2h Idiot - you clearly haven't driven a 184ps MX-5 with that caterham-biased opinion

[@IamDude2]

@@smilepermile8165 when you drive an mx-5 and call people idiots from your keyboard, you a real man lol

[@wolfmath8615]

(3:55) btw.. an AirCon in a convertible looks always ridiculous to me :-D

[@jonfrancis5942]

Looking for a cheap 1 and install a Toyota 4 lt V8.

[@peterthompson9854]

By what calculation is a MX5 85% of the thrills of a 420R? The calculation is the wrong way round. Should be 15%!

[@SpecialFX99]

You really just compared a track car without any type of driving comparison? 🤔

[@MadelnMachines]

85% of the thrills? Surely not.

[@Yay-hovah]

The Caterham is a track car that pretends to be a street car while the MX-5 is a street car that pretends to be a track car.

[@paultaylor701]

Don mx5 a street car that pretends to be a street car

[@smilepermile8165]

@@paultaylor701 wtf are you talking about?

[@elazotacunaos4752]

@@smilepermile8165, the MX5 never pretends to be a track car, that's what he's talking about

[@smilepermile8165]

@@elazotacunaos4752 Have you read what he wrote? He's saying the "MX-5 is a street car that pretends to be a street car"

[@jamesdean8951]

Cracking video - If you can afford a Caterham and a second car it’s a good call - but that’s still only 100% thrills for half (or less) of your driving time. If you cannot afford two cars I’d say 85% of the thrills 100% of the time looks like a good compromise.

[@IamDude2]

James Dean sorry did you say 85%, in an mx5?

[@smilepermile8165]

@@IamDude2 You clearly havent driven the 181hp version MX-5

[@IamDude2]

@@smilepermile8165 you clearly haven’t driven a Caterham!

[@smilepermile8165]

@@IamDude2 You proved my point that you've never driven the current MX-5. I've lived with a Caterham 360s and when it starts raining at short notice in the UK, the roof takes several minutes to put up, unlike the 4 seconds it takes to put the ND's roof up. At least I know what the real-world is unlike an ignorant man-child like you

[@joetaka7620]

@@IamDude2 Comparing a £35k Caterham to a £25k MX-5, wow you're so dumb. Also comparing a kit car with 1957 level of crash protection to an actual car with 2015 level of crash protection.

[@KangoV]

I'd take a Radical RXC.

[@redtale6527]

Mazda should have squeezed in a 2.5l.

[@massimolettuce]

I would not compare them, because overall as a daily the MX-5 does a lot better. The Caterham is fun, I know. However I would buy a main car and then a Caterham if anything doing it the other way around, no. The fact that the Caterham does not have a roof is already a bit concerning. I'd compare the Caterham to a Zenos, a Morgan or a BAC Mono (you get it...)

[@paullubliner6221]

You drive what please?

[@aerofoxoosvn]

1.5? ...???? Did I miss something or do y'all mean 1.6 (:

[@timalexander1762]

I was rather hoping you lot would resist the urge to ham it up like every other Top Gear wannabe.

[@ParkersTV]

Unless you play it dead serious when making car-related content, you’re always going to be accused of being a Top Gear wannabe. Occupational hazard.

[@timalexander1762]

I can see that. And I apologise - on reading my comment it looks quite rude; it wasn't meant that way. But I think, deep down, you know what I mean ;) If I want comedy, I watch comedians. Oh ffs, that sounds a bit rude as well. I just don't know when to stop, do I?

[@ParkersTV]

Don’t worry, if we didn’t want the comments we’d disable them! We do see what you mean. Not all of our videos are comedic (see below) but we usually get a better overall response from the more light-hearted ones. Alpine A110 vs Porsche 718 Cayman | Which is better? kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJWWfpdqjrlsgJI

[@timalexander1762]

This was why I made the (admittedly rather blunt) comment. Your more serious content is among the best out there, and I worry that the pressure to include comedy might inevitably detract from the high level of presentation, as it has done for most other motoring channels. @@ParkersTV

[@HonestJohncouk2000]

**backs away, slowly**

[@NotusJohn]

Nauseating review.

[@paris8132]

Other issues with the Caterham: reliability and difficulty to service and/or repair if you're not living in GB. But hey, if there's a chaotic Brexit and the sterling goes down 25%, it may become a bargain :)

[@Steve-jq4st]

I’ll keep my 3.4 litre naturally aspirated 2007 Boxster S.

[@realitykicksin8755]

OK Porsche Boxter S will stay the best once again

[@PawanKumar-nx1eu]

Diffrentarkets mate. Double the price.

[@paullubliner6221]

Unitil it's stolen.

[@g0fvt]

The later MX-5 is a porky thing, over a ton. but does have a fair amount of power, certainly a lot more practical. Super Sevens are awesome fun but I could not use one everyday.

[@operamatthew]

though this video is stupid. choosing and mx-5 over a caterham seems even more stupid to you are a car guy and it’s not your daily.

[@kingdong7981]

What a STUPID 'review'. If anybody were to take this article seriously, they would put caterham out of business!! These are two very different cars, for two very different types of driving, at very different times of the day and year! MX5 for daily going to work all year and a quick Sunday blast when you feel like it. Caterham for planed good weather days out, track days and club events. If I were the owner of Caterham, I'd be very pissed at this very negative 'review', even if it is a little tongue and cheek!

[@clivesimpson-wells5952]

What a load of bollocks

[@smartiecooper4702]

This is a totally ridiculous comparison. Its laughable.

[@polopowered]

If you want the ultimate Roadster, you buy an MX5. End of. Next.....

[@SvenTviking]

Latest MX-5 has lost it’s looks. It’s all bulbous now.

[@smilepermile8165]

No, you're just blind. Thats all.

[@XstaticState69]

Only whimps drive MX-5's!

[@smilepermile8165]

Says the whimp who hasn't even driven an MX-5 lol

[@XstaticState69]

Caterham Rule!

[@smilepermile8165]

@@XstaticState69 You just proved my point that you haven't even driven the current MX-5 😂 You're an idiot comparing a £34k caterham to a £20k MX-5

[@IamDude2]

@@smilepermile8165 take your little digit out of your little exhaust pipe pal

[@smilepermile8165]

@@IamDude2 Aww karen whats wrong? You're too buthurt that you got offended with your sh1tty kitcar?