Miata Is Always The Answer (MIATA), but we’d be lying if we said that answer hasn’t started to feel like a punchline. For decades now, this has been the response repeated again, and again, and again, when asked, “What do I buy if I want something fun and affordable?” And for good reason: the Mazda Miata has consistently been one of the best sports cars on sale at any price, because it offers endless fun without getting in its own way, thanks to excelling at the basics.
But the current ND generation is coming up on a decade old, and it isn’t the incredible deal it once was. A hybrid successor may be on the way, but that won’t arrive until the end of the decade, and there’s no telling what straying from the classic formula will do to the famed nameplate. Not ideal for Miata fans, that’s for sure. However, if you’re a Miata hater, or just plain want a Japanese roadster that doesn’t have an MX-5 in the name, we’ve compiled a list of a few affordable Japanese convertible alternatives that may include the alternative you’ve been looking for.
This list explores seven Japanese roadster alternatives to the 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata, compiled in order from the cheapest to the most expensive. The average price ranges have been determined by consulting websites and marketplaces such as Autotempest and Classic.com, and you can expect to find vehicles for sale in good-to-great condition, according to them.
Honda Beat
Average Price Range: $5,000 to $11,000
Engine
656cc 3-cylinder
Power
63 hp
Torque
44 lb-ft
Transmission
5-speed manual
Drivetrain
RWD
Weight
Starting off strong on this list are a few Kei car options, and the cheapest roadster version you’ll find in 2025 will be the Honda Beat. Built at a time when the Yen and egos were soaring, the Beat aimed to combine the best engineering Honda had to offer from 1991 to 1996 in the tiniest and most affordable package possible.
It’s an absolute riot, with a mid-engined design, a high-revving 3-cylinder engine, rear-wheel drive, and one of the brand’s excellent manual transmissions at your beck and call to control it all. Many say that Kei cars drive like go-karts, and while that may be a bit of a stretch, it is still the best way to describe what it’s like driving in a Beat with the top down. If your curiosity gets the best of you, you won’t be disappointed.
Suzuki Cappuccino
Average Price Range: $6,000 to $12,000
Engine
657cc turbocharged 3-cylinder
Power
63 hp
Torque
63 lb-ft
Transmission
5-speed manual / 3-speed auto
Drivetrain
RWD
Weight
Suzuki’s Cappuccino took a different approach to the Kei sports car formula, one that’s a little closer to the Miata, but much higher revving. Produced by an automaker that tried to make a dent on our shores and failed, the Cappuccino was produced from 1991 until 1998, and featured a turbocharged engine in the front that sent its power to the rear through either a 5-speed manual or 3-speed auto.
For the first half of its life, it could rev all the way to 9,000 rpm, a shocking height for any vehicle, but thanks to modifications for the 1995 model year, that upper limit moved to 9,300 rpm. Hearing something rev that high, and then seeing this tiny car drive by is a sight to behold, and it’s incredible to hone, thanks to its 50:50 weight distribution. Available in T-top, targa, and full convertible configurations, there’s a Cappuccino for anyone.
Toyota MR2 Spyder
Average Price Range: $8,000 to $16,000
Engine
1.8-liter 4-cylinder
Power
138 hp
Torque
125 lb-ft
Transmission
5-speed manual / SMT automated
Drivetrain
RWD
Weight
Moving out of the Kei car class, we offer you the Toyota MR2 Spyder, the final generation of Toyota’s famed mid-engined sports car (but maybe not for much longer). Launched in 2000, it took a different approach compared to its predecessors, focusing on lightweight design over outright power. The only powertrain was a 138-horsepower 4-cylinder, once again fixed midship, and sending all of its power to the rear wheels.
Interestingly, in addition to the 5-speed manual, it also came with a Sequential Manual Transmission (SMT), which is halfway between a manual and automatic, as it forces you to purposefully shift the gears, though there’s automatic rev-matching and no clutch to push. Some liked it, some hated it, and that went for the rest of the car, too. However, ask anyone who’s driven one, and they’ll tell you it’s an experience like no other. If you can appreciate the looks, it’s worth a test drive.
Lexus SC430
Average Price Range: $10,000 to $21,000
Engine
4.3-liter V8
Power
300 hp
Torque
325 lb-ft
Transmission
5-speed automatic
Drivetrain
RWD
Weight
The first-generation Lexus SC was essentially a Mk4 Supra wearing nicer clothes, and it’s become a bit of a cult favorite as of late. Its SC430 successor? Not as much, but this could be changing, and you have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor. With the second generation, Lexus decided to take a more comfortable approach to the car, with a hardtop convertible design and looks that were certainly something.
Luxury and ease of use were paramount, but the company wanted to ensure it still had performance, so the only powertrain offered was a 4.3-liter V8 producing 300 horsepower that was only available in a few other vehicles across the Toyota/Lexus range. No manual was offered, but the power was sent to the rear wheels. While we won’t argue, it’ll offer the engagement of the Miata, it will be more comfortable over long trips, and its reliability should be a high point.
Nissan 370Z Roadster
Average Price Range: $13,000 to $30,000
Engine
3.7-liter V6
Power
332 hp
Torque
270 lb-ft
Transmission
6-speed manual / 7-speed automatic
Drivetrain
RWD
Weight
The Nissan 370Z Roadster isn’t a car you hear about much, and maybe it’s time that changed. Sold in the US from 2009 until 2019, the roadster version of the famed 370Z had a long run, but it died a bit earlier than its fixed-roof sibling, mainly because it simply didn’t sell as well. This car has 332 horsepower on tap from the formidable VQ V6, and it sent all of that power to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual or 7-speed automatic transmission.
The manual, in this instance, is fine, but we won’t say it’s going to be as good as the Miata’s. However, this car will be quicker and faster than the Miata; expect a 0–60 mph time of just five seconds. It’s also rather affordable, and there’s a robust aftermarket available for the 370Z, which will allow you to push the potential of the uncommon convertible.
Autozam AZ-1
Average Price Range: $15,000 to $28,000
Engine
657cc turbocharged 3-cylinder
Power
63 hp
Torque
63 lb-ft
Transmission
5-speed manual
Drivetrain
RWD
Weight
Alright, we know, the AZ-1 isn’t a roadster. It’s just a tiny car with gullwing doors and a mid-mounted turbocharged 3-cylinder engine that you can drive around in with said doors raised sky-high, and, to us, that’s more than enough. If you haven’t heard of Autozam, it was the wild idea of Mazda that also spawned a Suzuki variant, and when talking about the absurdity of the late 1980s, early 1990s Japanese automotive industry, it simply can’t be left out.
It’s one of the most interesting cars of the era, and with just over 4,000 built over two years, it’s incredibly rare, especially stateside. This rarity and uniqueness are why it commands the prices it does, but it’s also going to garner more attention than the Miata, too. Just drive around with the doors up 24/7, and we bet you won’t even be able to tell the difference.
Honda S2000
Average Price Range: $20,000 to $45,000
Spec
AP1 (1999–2003)
AP2 (2004–2009)
Engine
2.0-liter 4-cylinder (F20C)
2.2-liter 4-cylinder (F22C1)
Power
240 hp
237-240 hp
Torque
153 lb-ft
162 lb-ft
Transmission
6-speed manual
6-speed manual
Drivetrain
RWD
RWD
Weight
Redline
9,000 rpm
8,200 rpm
And finally, no list of Japanese roadsters would be complete without including one of the greatest of them all: the Honda S2000. When Honda set out to create this car, it had the same goals that Mazda had with the Miata, except it went even further with more power. Two different engines were used throughout its life, one an evolution of the other, but both featured natural aspiration, and the famed VTEC system for increased performance at the top of the rev range.
It wasn’t going to blow you away, but it was going to make its power known, and you’d be able to control all of it through a sublime short-throw 6-speed manual. The AP1 and AP2 versions both have their differences, and we’ve explored them in detail before, but know that, out of all the cars on this list, this is the one that is most likely to give the Miata a true run for its money (and even beat it). For many, it’s the ultimate Japanese roadster, and it’s easy to see why.
Sources: Autotempest, Classic.com
AloJapan.com