Mazda MX-5 2.0 (ND) versus Toyota GR86 . 0 points of retained value between them.
On paper, the gap between these two looks modest: 47 bhp, 192 kg, and about £3,700 new. But those numbers compound in meaningful ways. The GR86 delivers 228 bhp from a 2.4-litre flat-four, hits 62 in 6.3 seconds, and still manages 180 bhp per tonne. The MX-5 2.0 is the lighter, more elemental machine at 1078 kg, and its 168 bhp per tonne figure is genuinely respectable — but the GR86 beats it on that metric too, while also costing less per horsepower at £129 versus £142. That is a clear win on value density, not just headline figures. What makes the GR86 the smarter buy today is that it does not sacrifice the character the MX-5 is celebrated for. Both cars are rear-drive, naturally aspirated, six-speed manual, and built around chassis feel rather than horsepower bragging rights. The GR86 simply adds more of everything useful — more power, more room, a fixed roof — without retreating into comfort or convenience. It is still an enthusiast-first machine, just a more complete one. On depreciation, neither car has enough auction data to call a bottom, so that argument cuts neither way. What you can say is that buying used on today's market, the GR86 gives you a stronger performance package per pound spent. The MX-5 remains a brilliant car — but brilliance with fewer compromises edges it out here.