NC Miata Horsepower by Setup: Our Dyno Data
Stock pulls on our dyno show about 128-137 hp for an NC 1.8 and 158-167 hp for a 2.0; tuned, the medians are 147 hp (3 cars) and 177 hp (1 car).
A 2.5 swap with cams has a median of 219 hp (7 cars), and turbo cars run from 255 to 425 hp depending on engine and hardware. All figures are crank, measured on our own dyno, and sample sizes are small.
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NC horsepower by setup
| Setup | n | Median hp / Nm | hp range | Paired n | Before | Median gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 stock hardware | 3 | 147 / 181 | 139-147 | 3 | 131 / 164 | +16 / +17 |
| 2.0 stock hardware | 1 | 177 / 195 | 177 | 1 | 163 / 185 | +14 / +10 |
| 1.8 headers / bolt-ons | 6 | 152 / 182 | 150-155 | 4 | 138 / 170 | +13 / +14 |
| 2.0 headers / exhaust | 3 | 186 / 209 | 185-190 | 1 | 167 / 188 | +19 / +21 * |
| 2.0 cams | 2 | 203.5 / 225 | 201-206 | 1 | 195 / 217 | +11 / +11 † |
| 2.5 swap, stock cams | 5 | 190 / 250 | 183-192 | 1 | 173 / 209 | +19 / +63 ‡ |
| 2.5 swap, cams | 7 | 219 / 270 | 210-226 | 0 | none | none |
| 1.8 turbo | 2 | 324 / 418 | 275-373 | 0 | none | none |
| 2.0 turbo | 5 | 290 / 341 | 272-339 | 1 | 280 / 302 | +59 / +140 § |
| 2.5 turbo | 5 | 344 / 462 | 255-425 | 1 | 326 / 401 | +18 / +61 § |
* Two pulls from one chart, not proven to be the same car. † Retune on the same hardware: the cleanest evidence of what a tune alone did on a modified car. ‡ The "before" is the car's old 2.0 engine, not a 2.5. § Lower boost against higher boost on the same car, not stock against turbo.
Read this before you quote it
- On our dyno, not remote. Almost every car here was tuned on the DMS dyno. Only one post with numbers states a remote tune: 2.5, Stage 2 cams, 220 hp / 270 Nm, and it doesn't say where that was measured.
- Small samples. A median of 3 is a description, not a prediction. Don't generalise from the n=1 and n=2 rows.
- Possible duplicate. Two of the three 1.8 stock-hardware records may be the same car.
- Mixed hardware. Each row mixes parts. Turbo rows also mix boost levels, so don't compare them directly.
- The 425 hp is a record on one 2.5 build. Our normal kit limit is 380 hp.
- Excluded from medians: a high-compression 2.5 (236 hp / 290 Nm, internal engine work), a 370 hp car on MS3 tuned elsewhere, marketing figures and rows with unverified data.
Stock baselines
| Engine | Measured stock pull |
|---|---|
| 1.8 | 128 hp / 170 Nm; 137 hp |
| 2.0 | 158 hp / 192 Nm; 167 hp / 188 Nm |
| 2.5 | 180 hp / 227 Nm |
Two or fewer pulls per engine. This shows how far two "stock" cars can differ, so it isn't a stock rating.
How we measure
Crank hp and Nm, DIN 70020 where taken from sheets, on our DynoRevolt 2WD dyno in Artemida. No customer names. Converting to wheel horsepower: use our WHP to HP calculator, and treat it as an estimate.
Tune your NC
Custom remote MazdaEdit tune, same-day map, 2-3 revisions usually: $480 NA, $650 turbo outside the EU. Miata NC remote tuning.
FAQ
How much horsepower does a stock NC Miata make?
Our measured stock pulls: 128-137 hp on a 1.8 and 158-167 hp on a 2.0, crank. That's two pulls for each engine.
How much does a tune add to a stock NC?
On stock hardware, +16 hp / +17 Nm median on a 1.8 (3 records, possibly 2 cars) and +14 hp / +10 Nm on one 2.0.
How much power does a 2.5 swap make?
Median 190 hp / 250 Nm on stock cams (5 cars), and 219 hp / 270 Nm with cams (7 cars).
How much can a turbo NC make?
Medians of 290-344 hp on 2.0 and 2.5 cars. Our normal kit limit is 380 hp.
Is this what I'll get from a remote tune?
Your result depends on your car. These are mostly on-dyno cars.
WhatsApp Yiannis directly
Usually replies in about 3 minutes.
Mon-Sat, 10:00-21:00 Athens time. Sometimes Sundays too, if he’s in a good mood.