When it comes to bang-for-your-buck performance motoring, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is one of the best cars for your money. When it was first released for the 1990 model year, the Miata was responsible for reigniting the world's love affair with the small, sporty, two-door roadster. Before then, the old-school British sports cars that were popular throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, had fallen out of favor, leaving a large gap in the market. These days, the Miata's popularity is still widespread and well-known. It's currently in its fourth generation, also known as the "ND."Every single Mazda MX-5 Miata that's left the factory floor comes equipped with some sort of inline-four-cylinder gasoline engine. Because of the Miata's lightweight nature, these smaller displacement engines provided an adequate amount of power, just enough to facilitate an exciting drive. However, engines can fail and sometimes need to be replaced. Other times, folks simply want something with more power under the hood, so they replace the Miata's stock engine with something else entirely.Let's look at 10 of the best engines to be installed within the Miata as replacements for the model's standard four-bangers. Some of these we're sure you've heard of. Others... maybe not.The following 10 engines featured have been selected due to their relative popularity, along with their reported reliability and ease of installation within the Mazda MX-5 Miata. We're confident in our choices of engine, but of course, "best" is a subjective term. Honda K24A2 Most Popular Stock Application: Acura TSX HondaWhile also being a popular engine to swap into a Miata, the K24A2 is also one of the most popular engine swap mills. One of the hallmarks of the engine and its aftermarket popularity is the fact that it's extremely forgiving when it comes to add-ons and modifications. Parts are also cheap and plentiful. Not to mention, due to its Honda heritage, it's one of the most reliable four-pots produced in the modern automotive market. If you're looking for modest power with durability to boot, the K24A2 looks like a great choice. Jaguar AJ30 V6 Most Popular Stock Application: Jaguar X-Type Next up is an engine not often thought about, but it is one of the most popular V6 engine swap candidates. The Jaguar AJ V6 came with a choice between three flavors, but the largest, 3.0-liter iteration is the one you'd want. It's based on Ford's Duratec V6, which itself is derivative of a Porsche design, meaning it packs a reasonable amount of reliability. The AJ30s are also relatively easy to work on, although certain parts can be a bit expensive. However, these mills do accept performance mods rather well. Ford 2.3L EcoBoost Most Popular Stock Application: Ford Mustang Ford*Specs listed reflect 2018 Ford Mustang figuresWhile the EcoBoost namesake doesn't carry as much reliability promise as some others, the 2.3-liter iteration is nevertheless a popular choice for use in a Miata. The reasoning behind it is its power output, which, even at base level, produces over 300 horsepower without any modifications. In other words, if you're not interested in throwing any aftermarket parts at your engine-swapped Miata, but still want a good amount of grunt, the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-pot is a good contender. General Motors LS1 V8 Most Popular Stock Application: Chevrolet Corvette Bring A Trailer*Specs reflect 1997 model year Chevrolet Corvette figuresMany of you may have already figured we'd touch on the GM LS1 in this list, and you'd all be correct. LS1-swapped Miatas have become increasingly popular over the years, and for good reason. The LS1 is one of the most common V8 engines produced in the United States, and that's reflected in its parts pricing. Not to mention, like the EcoBoost we just discussed, you can just plop the mill into a Miata and not have to throw any more money at it to make it faster or more powerful. However, the LS1 requires quite a lot of custom mounting to get it to fit in the Miata's tiny engine bay. Ford Coyote V8 Most Popular Stock Application: Ford Mustang Ford*Specs reflect 2020 model-year Ford Mustang figuesWhile not as popular as the GM LS1 V8 for Miata engine swaps, Ford's Coyote V8 is a good contender nonetheless. These days, the Coyote V8 stands as Ford's most popular eight-pot by far. Much like with the LS1, swapping a Coyote V8 into a Miata requires some serious custom work under the hood in order to make it fit correctly. However, once placed, your Miata can produce well over 400 horses without any additional tuning. Mazda 13B-REW Wankel Rotary Most Popular Stock Application: Mazda RX-7 (FD) Mazda's 13B Wankel engine is one of the most iconic rotary motors to have ever been produced. Several iterations were built throughout its long life, but the one that's most often seen in Miata swaps is the 13B-REW. It sports a pair of sequential turbochargers and one of the most potent horsepower-to-liter ratios of the 1990s. Getting your hands on one can prove to be expensive, and they're not the most reliable mills. However, these issues may be rendered unimportant because of the cool factor of having a rotary Miata in your driveway. According to the site Rotary Miata, lots of work might be necessary to make this swap work. Mazda 2.5-Liter L-Series Most Popular Stock Application: Ford Escape Mazda*Specs reflect 2009 model-year Mazda 6 figuresIn contrast to the powerful, yet expensive, V8s and the unreliable-but-cool rotary engine, our next popular MIata engine swap candidate is a hum-drum four-cylinder. However, things aren't all bad when you consider the engine's reliability. The mill in question belongs to Mazda's L-Series of engines, and carries the codename "MZR." It's considered one of the most reliable Mazda engines ever devised. Just watch out for the turbocharged version, should you be in need of some extra power, as it's considered to be wholly unreliable. Honda J32A2 V6 Most Popular Stock Application: Acura CL/TL Type S CarsAndBidsThe Honda J32A2 V6 is a motor that's quite fit for a Miata swap due to its simplicity, especially regarding electronics. The stock ECU, or computer, can be carried directly over from the Acura CL/TL Type S and installed within the Miata with few issues, and no reprogramming. Not to mention, Honda's J Series V6 engines are regarded as extremely reliable, meaning your powered-up Miata will be able to go and go without much worry of breakdowns or costly repairs. Toyota 2JZ-GTE Most Popular Stock Application: Toyota Supra Wikimedia CommonsOne of the most popular engines to come from Japan also happens to be a respected contender for a Miata engine swap. The Toyota 2JZ rose to fame as the Supra's engine of choice beginning in 1992. On top of being a popular engine swap option for the Miata, it's also a popular engine swap in general. There are loads of upgrade support on the market for the 2JZ, and it's also considered extremely reliable, so long as you don't go too crazy with the mods, of course. 4BT Cummins Most Popular Stock Application: Construction & Agricultural Equipment StellantisLastly, we're wrapping up our list with a diesel engine. Specifically, the famous 4BT Cummins inline-four turbo, which has been widely used in engine swaps for a couple of decades now. Because these engines began production in 1984, it's not difficult to find yourself a mechanical iteration. This means that you won't have to worry much about making electronics work correctly, as there simply aren't any.Sources: Toyota, Mazda, Ford, General Motors, Cummins, Jaguar, Rotary Miata