Comparison Review: 2022 JCW Mini Cooper Convertible vs 2021 Mazda MX-5

There are two ways to make a summer sports car. There’s the Mini way which is to take a two door coupe and chop the roof off. Or there’s the Mazda way which is to start from the ground up with a convertible design and then add the hard top later on. But of the two, which way is better? Between the two, the 2022 Mini JCW Cooper has the more powerful engine. It is a turbocharged 4-cylinder that produces 228 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque (170 kW & 319 Nm). The 2021 Mazda MX5 Miata is powered by a naturally aspirated 4-cylinder that has to make due with 181 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque (135 kW & 205 Nm). The Mini has low-end torque from the turbocharged engine while the Miata 2021 likes to be revved because that’s where all the power is.