Mazda MX-5 Miata – Driving Fun, Year After Year

Mazda’s MX-5 Miata has earned the designation classic sports car because it does what the classics always do: deliver reliable performance and fun behind the wheel year after year. It’s a road-hugging speedster that lets you experience the contours and ups and downs without feeling like instability is imminent.

A Timeless Look and Feel

Some sports cars just have that timeless look and feel. The convertible Mazda MX-5 Miata is like that. You have the feeling you’re looking at a car that was used in a Fellini film and it’s easy to imagine Marcello Mastroianni at the wheel with the top down, showing off those super-cool shades. This two-door dream rewards you for attacking a curvy stretch of road thanks to its cutting-edge driver aid system.
It’s called Kinematic Posture Control (KPC), a rear-wheel braking technology that puts you where you belong, right at the center of the driving experience. KPC mitigates body lean while conveying a strong sense of the car’s momentum shifts when cornering. The wheel is highly responsive and delivers solid, authoritative handling. To put it simply, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is a beast.

Smooth Shifting, Power on Demand

Each generation of the Mazda MX-5 Miata is an easy to drive sports car that always delivers smooth-shifting power on demand. A 2.0-liter I4 engine generates more than 180 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque, while its six-speed manual transmission anchors a precision powertrain with a well-tuned clutch and throttle and an effortless shifter.
If you’re the type who loathes constantly shifting through curves and corners, you’ll love the MX-5 Miata’s ability to power along in third gear while causing you to stress about an engine that screams in protest. The Club trim emphasizes all the best components of this remarkable vehicle’s design, including Bilstein suspension, 17-inch Bridgestone tires, and peerless Brembo brakes.

Interior and Infotainment

As expected with a two-seater, the interior isn’t built for luxury, although the driver’s seat and surrounding space give off an exciting cockpit vibe that leaves you feeling fully in command of every shift and turn. There’s no glove compartment and, generally speaking, storage space is limited (the trunk measures just under five cubic feet), though there’s a decent-sized cubby built into the space between seats.
Infotainment tech features a 7.0-inch touchscreen display, while Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard and Bose door speakers play music (messages are heard through speakers housed in the head rests). There are two USB-A charging ports. Safety features include blind-spot warnings, rear cross-traffic alerts, and lane-departure warnings. The Grand Touring trim ups the ante with automatic high beam lights and traffic sign recognition, as well as rearview mirrors that dim automatically, a welcome feature when truck drivers with no sympathy for sensitive eyes comes up close behind.

A Buy You Won’t Regret

Considering the Mazda MX-5 Miata’s performance and powerfully racy build, the price can be a little hard to believe. The base model starts at about $27,000, while the loaded Club trim can be had for just over $31,000. That may leave drivers who haven’t had the MX-5 Miata experience a bit skeptical, but the first time you open it up or zip through a challenging roadway you’ll understand why people never regret buying a Mazda MX-5 Miata.