The problem with preconceived notions is that they cause us to miss out on a great deal of reality.
Case in point, Fiat's sexy two-seat convertible, the 124. Put me on the busload of auto scribes who pooh-poohed the notion of a Mazda Miata treated to a full course of Italian soul food. The "Fiata," it was dubbed.
"Really?" I erroneously reasoned. Taking out one of Mazda's finely detailed SkyActive engines and strapping on a coarse Fiat Multiair four-banger seems backwards. Nothing would help Fiat-Chrysler more than tossing out Fiat's European-styled small engines and replacing them with the more refined and efficient ones from Mazda.
As a general rule, that is probably true, but the 124 turns out to be a delightful exception to the rule: Better tuned to American automotive tastes than the Miata.
The market for little, $26,000 ragtops is small, so it makes sense that Mazda and Fiat combine skills and resources in a market niche they have to themselves. Both the MX-5 and Fiat 124 are built on a Mazda assembly line in Japan using a chassis and multiple systems engineered by Mazda.
The Fiat version has the same 93-inch wheelbase, but is five inches longer. The result is a car that is broader at the shoulders and longer front and rear. The result is a car that is sexy, in an Italian way, including the big honking nose that all we sexy Italians proudly sport.
From the driver's seat, the lanky, gull-winged hood is simply lovely. Other critics are less enamored. Ahh, fuhgettaboutit.
In the rear, the lengthened trunk is spacious enough to accommodate a skillful exploration of the grocery store-all the fixings for a proper marinara, and plenty of pasta.
Fiat tweaked the suspension to eliminate some of the body roll endemic to Miata, while also softening the ride with 17-inch touring tires with higher sidewalls.
The big difference is under the hood.
The Mazda is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 155 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. The Fiat's1.4-liter MultiAir turbocharged four-cylinder cranks out 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque.
A six-speed manual transmission is standard. An automatic is optional, but if you need one, you're probably not going to like this purposeful driver's car, which is built for drivers who are alertly attached to the road and eager to meet the challenges around the next turn.
A survey of independent road tests indicates the two cars' elapsed lap times on road courses are similar. On the open road, the cars are anything but. The Fiat is more fun.
The Fiat has light-to-moderate turbo lag, meaning the Mazda has a quicker 0-60 time. But these are not dragsters. The turbo gives the Fiat greater mid-range thrust, which results in a car that is forgiving of the occasional erroneous gear selection, playful in the curves and easily shoots the gap around left-lane hogs on the interstate.
In tight turns, where second gear might be the better choice, the engine has plenty of torque in third to pull the car across the apex and accelerate out of the turn. On the open road, either fourth or fifth gear provide plenty of power to get up and shoot past an 18-wheeler.
With the top down, the Fiat exhaust emits a satisfying, throaty growl.
Steering is light but, because of the slightly heavier front end, less darty than the Mazda's.
The top on both cars is Miata's patented one-button, easy-toss ragtop. No motor, but no fuss. Fiat puts in more sound deadening material, including an acoustic windshield, but these are noisy, open road cabriolets. You want sporty luxury? Go spend three times as much and get a Corvette.
Seating is snug for large people and low for short ones. Either way, there's enough cushioning for longer journeys and more than enough side bolstering to keep a derriere in the seat during hard cornering.
Electronics are more than adequate, with a USB port and center stack, 9-inch screen to display apps and nav. While it certainly is fulfilling to roll down the road with John Fogerty or the Eagles blaring away, but if you're worried about the sound system, you're probably in the wrong car.
The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider is available in three trim levels: Classica ($24,995), Lusso ($27,495) and Abarth (28,195). The Lusso gives you larger wheels and premium heated leather seating.
The Abarth is tweaked to provide four more horsepower, front and rear Bilstein sport suspension, mechanical limited-slip differential, front strut tower bar, Sport Mode selector and a sport-tuned chrome quad-tip exhaust. It also features include a Brembo braking system and Recaro seats for added sportiness.
Our tester was the base Classica and, frankly, it was a perfectly enjoyable companion, one that offers one of the best value propositions on the market.
For Americans, who want some muscle in their cars, the Fiat 124 Spider trumps the fourth generation Mazda Miata MX-5 by offering more oomph and a more compliant ride. If you plan on weekend racing, the tautness and reliability of the Miata might be a wiser choice, but if the goal is pure joy on the open road, Mamma mia, the Fiat is che figata.
Bottom line: Sure, the best parts of the car are Mazda, but give Fiat's engineers credit: They took a Miata and made it better.