S2000 vs Miata NB — which roadster wins?
The gap is narrower than you think. One is more fun to own, the other more fun to drive.
Both are affordable Japanese roadsters from the same era. One makes 240 horsepower at 8,900 RPM. The other makes 140 horsepower and is lighter. Here's how they actually compare on the road.
On paper: no contest
Honda S2000 AP1: 240 horsepower, 2,800 pounds, 6-speed manual, limited-slip differential, double-wishbone suspension all four corners, 9,000-RPM redline. Mazda Miata NB: 140 horsepower, 2,400 pounds, 5 or 6-speed manual, open differential (LSD on Sport models), macpherson-struts, 7,000-RPM redline.
On a spec sheet, this isn't close. The S2000 has 70 percent more power and a more expensive suspension. On a racetrack, it's even less close — the Honda is about two seconds a lap faster at a typical 1.5-mile club circuit.
On the road: actually close
Drive both on a real road — mountain switchbacks, fast sweepers, the kind of surface that has bumps and crests and blind corners — and the gap shrinks. A lot.
The Miata NB is lighter, smaller, and has steering that talks to you constantly. You can use more of its performance on a public road without ending up in a culvert. The S2000 needs its tires hot and its VTEC engaged (above 6,000 RPM) to feel alive — and that threshold is higher than most real-world driving allows.
This is the eternal tension: the S2000 is the more capable car. The NB is the more rewarding car for the driver who isn't at 10/10ths all the time.
Ownership reality
The S2000 is more expensive to own. Tires wear faster (wider, stickier). Clutch replacement is a genuine 1,200–1,800 job. The F20C engine is reliable but picky about oil — don't skimp on service intervals. The soft top is sturdier than the Miata's but also more expensive to replace.
The NB Miata is as cheap to run as any sports car has ever been. Consumables are shared with 30 million Mazdas. A clutch job is 600 dollars at an indie shop. Insurance is laughably low. Parts are cheap enough that you can mod or race without guilt.
Price in 2026
Clean NB Miatas (2001–2005, Sport or SE) run 11,000–17,000 depending on miles and history. S2000 AP1s run 26,000–38,000 for documented, well-maintained cars; AP2s run 35,000–55,000. The S2000 costs roughly twice as much to buy, twice as much to insure, and about 50 percent more to maintain.
The honest answer
If money is no object and the car will live on good roads and occasional track days, the S2000 is the one. It has a ceiling the Miata will never touch.
If this is a practical weekend car, or a first enthusiast car, or a car you want to be able to drive hard without feeling guilty about the tire bill — the Miata NB is the smarter pick, and arguably the more fun one in real-world use.
- S2000 is objectively faster. NB Miata is more rewarding on real roads.
- S2000 costs roughly 2x to buy and 1.5x to own.
- Miata rewards the driver who isn't at 10/10ths.
- S2000 needs VTEC and heat to shine — higher threshold to enjoy.
- For most buyers, the Miata is the smarter pick. For track fantasies, the S2000.
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