In some ways, smartphones were a mistake. While access to pretty much the entire library of humankind’s knowledge in your pocket comes with wonderful possibilities, it’s also resulted in a digital world you’re never truly able to shut off. That email will find you, and after 6:00 p.m., it feels like a threat. Presentness feels endangered and precious, to the point where people pay exorbitant sums just to get away from it all for a week. Drop-tops feel endangered and precious in a similar way. At 70 MPH with the roof down, adding shareholder value through a Bluetooth call simply doesn’t enter your mind. Voice-to-text can wait until you’re parked; for now it’s just you and the road. That presentness’s been harder and harder to find as the number of affordable convertible models has dwindled, yet the Mazda MX-5 still promises the relief you’re looking for.
Whether you live in Canada or the United States of America, this is the least expensive new convertible you can buy by a considerable margin. The entry-level trim (Sport in America, GS in Canada) costs less than some well-specced economy cars, but it’s not some garden-variety compact car that’s had a run-in with the tin snips. It might just be the best-value real, thoroughbred sports car on the planet.
[Full disclosure: Mazda Canada let me borrow this MX-5 for a week so long as I kept the shiny side up, returned it clean with a full tank of premium fuel, and reviewed it. Fuel was paid for by yours truly.]
The Basics
Engine: Two-liter twin-cam 16-valve four-cylinder engine.
Transmission: Six-speed manual.
Drive: Rear-wheel-drive.
Output: 181 horsepower at 7,000 RPM, 151 lb.-ft. at 4,000 RPM.
Fuel Economy: 26 MPG city, 34 MPG highway, 29 MPG combined (9.0 L/100km city, 7.0 L/100km highway, 8.1 L/100km combined).
Curb Weight: 2,372 pounds.
Base Price: $32,045 including freight ($38,590 in Canada).
Price As-Tested: $32,640 including freight ($39,090 in Canada).
Why Does It Exist?
God bless Bob Hall and Mark Jordan, and godspeed Tom Matano. It’s difficult to imagine a world without the Mazda MX-5, but in some ways, it’s amazing this lineage happened at all. Hall first communicated the concept in 1976, ideation really started in 1982, and it wasn’t until 1986 that the project got final approval. By the time the first Miata (or MX-5, or Roadster depending on where you live) hit the market in 1989, the convertible sports car market was utterly decimated. Apart from an ancient Alfa Romeo, there wasn’t much out there for drivers looking for playful, affordable, rear-wheel-drive, wind-in-the-hair thrills. Mazda’s decision to take a classic formula and make it actually reliable caused an instant sensation. We’re talking mark-ups, waitlists, a surge of desire that opened the floodgates for the biggest burst of automotive joy since the 1960s. Mazda’s convertible set the stage for the BMW Z3, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Porsche Boxster, Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, and Toyota MR-S among countless others, and while just about everything else in the genre has either faded out or taken a break since their respective launches, the MX-5 is still here. Still sticking to fundamentals, and still offering evidence that roadsters are for lovers regardless of income.
How Does It Look?
It’s been more than a decade since we first saw the fourth-generation MX-5, and it’s still nothing short of beautiful. The classically elegant dash-to-axle ratio and short deck are here, of course, but so are compound curves that captivate, surfacing that almost looks shrink-wrapped around the mechanicals, a convertible top that stows elegantly flush, and fenders that rise and fall in sports car tradition. A facelift for 2025 may have introduced a blocky radar sensor to the grille, but it also brought in new lights with integrated DRLs that cleaned up the front end. Drape it all in Soul Red Crystal paint, and the MX-5 still punches well above its price bracket. It may be theoretically possible to design a prettier entry-level convertible sports car, but practically, it’s difficult to imagine how.
What About The Interior?
Slide behind the wheel of the cheapest new MX-5, and it’s hard not to notice exactly what Mazda’s stripped out to meet such an aggressive price point. The color-matched door trims of more expensive models have been thrown out, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a whiff of soft-touch plastics anywhere. None of that really matters though, because the fundamentals are just so right. It starts with the way you sit down, but not way down, in a soft-yet-supportive non-height-adjustable seat mounted on ramped tracks to offer a slight boost the closer you sit to the wheel. Speaking of the wheel, it’s a wonderfully thin-rimmed affair wrapped in delightfully supple smooth-grain leather. Naturally, the shifter and handbrake match, with the former falling just about a stretched hand’s width from the wheel and perfectly in-line with the console armrest. A telescoping steering column added several years ago seals the deal, and surprisingly compliant door armrests are the cherries on top. Everything you touch in the MX-5 feels ergonomic and high-quality, and everything else just melts away.
Granted, the fight between keeping compact dimensions and building in modern safety means Mazda’s compromised on in-cabin storage. The bin under the console armrest is far too small for any phone larger than an old-school Motorola Razr, the door bins are nonexistent, and you don’t even get a proper glovebox. A lockable bin between the seats is pretty much your only usable cubby, but it’s big enough for the handbook and papers and a pair of gloves. The handle above it releases the simple manual convertible top from its stowed position, and dropping the top ends with clicking it in place with a gentle push from an outstretched arm. As for trunk space, 4.6 cu. ft. doesn’t sound like much, but it’s just enough for a light weekend away or a modest Costco shop. Before you hire Marie Kondo, give Mazda’s roadster a shot. It’ll make you realize just how many objects in your life are unnecessary.
How Does It Drive?
On paper, 181 horsepower doesn’t sound like much. That’s all the two-liter inline-four in an MX-5 is capable of kicking out, a figure dwarfed even by a similar 2.5-liter engine in the marque’s mainstream economy car. Except that figure alone is only worth so much, as the MX-5 has three powerful allies: Revs, weight, and gearing. Not only does this modest engine spin to 7,500 RPM, but each horsepower only has 13.1 pounds to push around. With help from short gear ratios, the end result is zero-to-60 mph in about six seconds, plenty quick enough to be proper fun without inviting too much trouble. You’ll be shifting often, and you’ll want to, thanks to the fantabulous snick-snick action of the six-speed shifter and the power peak arriving at 7,000 RPM. There’s real reward in chasing the revs here, which fits given the etymology of ‘Miata’.
Mind you, there’s also reward in taking it easy. That sensational gearchange mechanism even makes serious short-shifting fun, and reasonable torque off-idle makes changing up-and-down the ‘box early not only natural in traffic, but satisfying at the pumps. Despite an EPA combined rating of 29 MPG (8.1 L/100km), I actually averaged 34 MPG (6.9 L/100km) in the real world without much effort and with plenty of city driving. Talk about having your cake and eating it too.
So what can’t this convertible do on tarmac? It’s reasonable to think that the lack of a limited-slip differential in the base trim is a perceptible drawback, but it’s not nearly as big of a deal as you’d expect. If there’s a weak spot in the way the MX-5 drives, it’s in the steering. Like in just about every new car, it’s assisted by an electric motor, but there’s a strange mass damping effect just off-center that manifests itself as a stiffness and a slight reluctance to return to true center. Feedback through the helm is relatively light, but it’s that aforementioned trait that really feels strange in the context of the steering on the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86. Still, this fly in the ointment certainly isn’t enough to ruin the MX-5, and there are other ways it communicates.
The base suspension’s refreshingly soft, pitching and rolling around like a puppy on a polished wood floor. That might get irksome on track, but on the road, it’s both comfortable and tactile, writhing and wriggling with excitement while screaming at the top of its lungs about exactly what the car’s doing. Even with the immediacy of such a short wheelbase serving up confident rotation, you’d need appendages made from actual ham to spin the MX-5. It’s designed to play, and not beat you up or tire you out in the process. It’ll make you want to drive from the canyons of Los Angeles to the mountains of Appalachia via Banff, and there’s no higher praise than that.
Does It Have The Electronic Crap I Want?
Maybe, maybe not. See, this is a base model, and while it does feature air-con and electric windows and motorized mirrors, it strips out a lot of fripperies. Let’s start with what’s actually on deck: A 2025 facelift introduced Mazda’s now-outgoing infotainment system, which is simply worlds better than the unit on prior models. The screen’s richer and has smaller bezels, but isn’t overpowering. The menu structure makes excellent sense, and while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto aren’t wireless, they are here. So are automatic headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control, and a shockingly cromulent six-speaker stereo.
However, you won’t find heated seats, or auto-dimming mirrors, or clever bendy headlights here in this pared-back convertible. There’s no automatic climate control, no Homelink, the list goes on. Other than heated seats, I didn’t find myself missing any of that, and I even got on with the satisfyingly tactile rotary controller for the infotainment. A knob for volume, three knobs for heating and air-con, and one knob to select gears with. It’s really all you need.
Three Things To Know About The Base Mazda MX-5
- No limited-slip differential here.
- The cheapest trim is manual-only.
- Standard dampers make for remarkable ride comfort.
Does The Base Mazda MX-5 Fulfil Its Purpose?
Yes, yes, a million times yes. The Mazda MX-5 is joy distilled, a whiff of that crisp October air the morning of the Scholastic book fair in an age of indifferent smog. A reminder that life is meant to be fun, an expression of ecstasy that doesn’t own you. It’s reasonably priced, it has a proper warranty, and even gets surprisingly stellar fuel economy. At $32,640 as-tested ($39,090 in Canada), it’s less expensive than a Honda Civic Si, about the same price as a loaded Toyota Corolla sedan, and right in the ballpark of just about every well-specced subcompact crossover under the sun. Sure, it might not have the space or quantity of cosseting gizmos of a regular car, but that’s a worthy tradeoff for stowing the convertible top and living in the moment with an ear-to-ear grin. Just add SPF 50.
What’s The Punctum Of The Cheapest New MX-5 You Can Buy?
The most smiles-per-dollar of any new car, full-stop.
Top graphic image: Thomas Hundal
The less “tech” on a Miata, the better.
Enough ink has been spilled about the Miata, but it really is deserving of all its praise.
I learned how to drive on an NB and kept it over 15 years. Every car I’ve bought after has been “better”, but a Miata is always a refreshing amount of pure joy.
Maybe a hot take, but I think the ND is the best Miata. It combines all the best parts of its predecessors without any of the drawbacks. And 10 years after release, it still looks amazing where older generations haven’t aged quite as well.
“The cheapest trim is manual-only.”
THIS should happen more often, like in the old days.
One of the reasons I’m happy to be 5’9″!
I want to love the Miata, but 29mpg from a tiny little two-seat car is depressing. That’s small pickup-truck territory these days. I guess at least it’s not as bad as the NB, which gets gas mileage on par with a couple of current F-150 engine options despite being even smaller.
It’s been nearly 30 years since I had a car with fuel economy as bad as a current-gen Miata, and weirdly enough that station wagon shared an engine block with the Miata… so I guess it checks out. There’s just been 30 years of improvement since then, and Mazda’s just phoning it in.
I get 26 MPG on my supercharged NB Miata. I didnt bought it/modified it for frugality. The only car that makes me look back after I parked, multiple times. I love it.
You can get an F-150 that does 26MPG highway, 25MPG city… so you’re right in the ballpark.
My NC gets ok fuel economy, as long as you drive it ‘sensibly’. Except of course why would one buy a sports car and drive it sensibly all the time?
First thought: This car looks extremely cool. It is great this car exists at this price.
Second thought: I presume it is still too small for a driver that is bigger than extra medium. So far, the score is Miata 3 – Misanthropic Stig 0. Even with my recent 80 lb. weight loss, I suspect Mazda will still be pitching a shutout in the “can I fit in this Miata” competition.
Third thought: For me, the answer is still never Miata.
No joke. Congrats on the weight loss. I recently dropped 25 and felt like a hero. Still, being 6 ft tall and older means this lovely car is a no go for me.
I’m 6 feet tall with a 34 inch inseam and remember when Johnson was president.
ND Miata is my daily.
Where there’s a will there’s a way.
You’re my hero. Cheers!
We aim to please.
I have an NB and a Fiat 124 Spider, the Miata’s more handsome Italian cousin. I am 6’2″, 34 inch inseam, and I fit in both . . . but just barely. The NB is a 5 speed manual. The Fiat is a 6 speed auto. If you have long legs, choose the auto. It is so easy and convenient.
I daily the Fiat, and have done multi-hour roadtrips. It is good as a highway cruiser, but not great.
The only reason I would not get the base Miata is the lack of heated seats. In a convertible, heated seats are 110% required to extend the joy of top-down driving through fall, into winter, and early spring. In fact, I drive more with top up in the summer because the heat is unbearable and I like AC.
Miata household here. Lots of things in life are unnecessary. Miata isn’t one of those items. It’s therapy on 4 wheels. It’s the key to grab to go get groceries when the weather is decent. The 20 minute drive when you just need to decompress and step out of your mind. It’s brought more happiness to me in the past few years I’ve owned it than I had ever expected. My only regret is that I hadn’t bought one 20 years earlier. I want a second one to keep near stock since this one is getting more track focused. I would also like to enjoy one in the winter without changing the suspension and stressing about the salt and sand. I should get a halfway rusted out one and let entropy finish the job as I enjoy it.
Delightful car that is just too small IMHO.
The boxster (RIP) has much more useable space especially when taking the wife on a weekend trip. I also do enjoy the extra ponies you get with the Boxster.
That interior looks so nice. I’ll probably never own one because at my height I’d have to look over the windshield to see anything (although that might be a good opportunity to invest in some cool driving goggles…), but just looking at the interior layout I know I would like one of these.
The other day I was coming out of a docs office, that what is olds do for fun, and lo and behold parked next to my ND was a 88′ Celica!
With another elderly man.
It looked, the car not the old owner, from the back, smaller. And while it’s longer it was surprisingly small.
Sometimes you forget how small cars were.
Jinba Ittai!
Yes, life IS short, you should get yourself a Miata. Buy one new so Mazda will keep making them!
Running up and down the twisties, topless and with the convertible top down, running the tach near redline, and tossing the car from one curve to another is pure automotive bliss. Joy on 4 wheels!
…and if you can’t drive stick, buy the 6-speed manual anyway. It’s a super easy, lovely snick-snick that anyone can learn to drive and love in about 15 minutes. Like riding a bike, once you start driving stick, you never forget. It’s also a great anti-theft device! Part of the joy of driving is rowing your own., and the manual really lets you ring out the hp and torque from the willing 4-banger.
Once you drive one, you’ll really get the Miata’s credo “Horse and Driver as One”, or as my daughter (who I taught to drive stick on a 91 Miata) put it…
“Dad, you don’t drive a Miata; you wear it!”
I spent this whole summer mostly by myself at a remote cabin in Alaska. You know what I looked forward to most about returning home at the end of it? Driving my Miata.
At this point, every new Miata review headline should just be What Will It Take To Get You People to Buy a Miata? You can get a brand new ND3 Miata plus a lightly used daily driver crossover for roughly the price of the average new car in America. A Miata costs peanuts to insure, fuel, and maintain. It’s softly-sprung enough to daily drive, comfortable/quiet enough to road trip, and feisty enough to tear ass up your favorite canyon.
Don’t make me spam you with Shia Labeouf gifs. Just do it. Buy the darn thing.
You asked the question, but you don’t really want the answer. The Miata is for people who want a Miata. To get me to buy one, you’d have to change it so radically you’d hate it. At a minimum:
* Hatchback
* Seats four adults
* not a convertible
* minimum of 50MPG, electric preferred
* no transmission at all
* AWD
* enough ground clearance for occasional dirt road use
And sure, the thing for me to do is just buy a different car. But you asked what it would take to get me to buy one, so here we are.
Unexpectedly, my NC scrapes on less potholes than my old Polo, so the ride height is surprisingly good, certainly fine for dirt roads.
The part I think I’m not explaining properly here is that the reason I don’t have a Miata is there isn’t anything about a Miata that I want, and a long list of things about it that would be dealbreakers for me in any car.
I’m glad it exists for people who DO want that, although I wish it didn’t get pickup-truck fuel economy. I like the idea of making a car sporty by just making it smaller and lighter rather than increasing engine power even if I don’t want the car myself. But when you phrase it as “what will it take to get you to buy a Miata,” the honest answer is “it would have to not be a Miata in anything but name.”
So, let’s look at your specs:
*Hatchback: nah, you don’t need this if you give up materialism.
* Seats four adults: this is what friends are for, they have crossovers for the other friends. You don’t need that scene, strike out on your own!
* not a convertible: got you covered with the RF.
* minimum of 50MPG, electric preferred: electric is great for appliances: toasters, Teslas, etc, this is fun car. Fun car go vroom.
* no transmission at all: again, this is fun car. Fun car have manual.
* AWD: huh? Why? Jesus and Henry Ford didn’t need AWD, why do you?
* enough ground clearance for occasional dirt road use: can be done!
Oh well, I tried. Can I interest you in a late model RAV4 in beige?
You don’t need that scene, strike out on your own!
You make a solid point here. I could get by with a car that seats as little as one adult if I absolutely had to make it work, but unfortunately that’s still more adults than the Miata will hold.
not a convertible: got you covered with the RF
I… don’t think you’ve ever seen an RF. The “R” is for “retractable.”
Can I interest you in a late model RAV4 in beige?
There isn’t any late-model RAV4 variant that would meet the basic requirements, even if we wind all the way back to the late-1990s EV version. Admittedly, it’s closer than a Miata.
I’d love to have a Miata. But, at 6’2″, I just don’t fit.
My problem too – too tall to fit. Sad, really, as I loved driving my friend’s NAs and NBs, albeit with the windshield header right in my sight line.
At 6′ 3″ and mostly leg, it is the reason I own a used Boxster instead of a new Miata.
It doesn’t get any better when you’re mostly torso. The one and only time I sat in the driver seat of a Miata I was looking over the windshield rather than through it.
I also got a Boxster 981.
Find someone with a 3rd gen (NC) and see if you fit – it’s the jumbo shrimp of Miatas 🙂
I tried one right when they came out, hoepefully. Nope.
me too. or i would have had one for the last 20 years
If you would love a Miata or MX-5 (depending on what they call it where you live…) And you are above 6″ or more…
https://worthdriving.com/miatas-for-taller-drivers-mod-guide/
According to this you can gain 4″ in additional “head height” through a combination of trimming the seat foam (2″ gain) And installing custom seat brackets (another 2″ gain)…
Potential faff you aren’t keen on doing? Certainly. A Boxter might be a better option, though of course it will come with the Porsche tax in parts costs and additional expensive upkeep bc German car
I enjoyed two MK1 MR2’s for a few years, then got the Miata bug from friends at AX and RX events. Eventually they were WAY easier to find in decent shape for reasonable $ locally.
I bought a super cheap NA in 2020 when the world went to %&%, also as compensation for having to sell the RX WRX for a home roof repair. But the bottomed-out cheap coilovers drove me crazy. Found a cheap-ish NA last Fall with a hard top that I bought mostly for the hard top.
Then in April I found a very nice 2003 Shinsen version with most of what I would have done to it, already done. Sold the NA, kept the hard top, and have been enjoying the crap out of it since. It might finally be a keeper.
If the GR Corolla went away somehow, I would be tempted for a new ND. Maybe the RF model, not sure.
Had a 1985 MR2 for 20 years. Great car. When they came out, I told the wife “let’s go sit in one, no way I’ll fit” (which I thought would be true). Plenty of room, LOL.
When I bought the 1st one in 2011 for RX, people in my region said I need to “talk to Mike, he’s the MR2 guy!” He Club Raced one and owned two others, and a garage full of parts to fix mine. He was also like 6’3″ or something and I was amazed he fit. Not even including the safety gear.
Never ceases to amaze me how some people get bent out of shape over a Miata because “it’s not as stiff as a coupe” and “not fast enough” but also “too expensive” and they fail to grasp that it’s in a class of one. It’s cost effective top down fun that is more accessible and less pretentious than anything else that’s been sold in the past 20 years.
It’s pure automotive joy and the greatest expression of the cheap and cheerful mini roadster formula maybe ever. If you want a coupe, get an 86. If you want 4 seats, a Mini. Fancier, get a BMW or Mercedes. Cheaper, go used. Faster, forced induction or a corvette.
The Miata existing at all in 2026 is a gift, now ya’ll better act grateful before it’s gone or you’ll learn the hard way how good we actually have it. A car that is good for many is perfect for none, the Miata is impractical and not ideal for so many uses cases, but it is absolutely perfect at what it is designed to do, and that is rare and worth celebrating.
If I was definately going to do more track days in the future (which I haven’t done in years, even before selling my FRS) then an 86 would be a no-brainer. And that is where I’ve gotten hung up in the past with the Miata, needing to step up to the Club to get the limited slip (which is probably helpful with winter driving too – it was in the FRS, anyway).
But knowing that it’s unlikely it will see a track day anytime soon, it makes the Miata very tempting.
Beauty of the Miata is the aftermarket is so incredibly deep, that it’s also perfectly reasonable to buy a base Sport, drive it for a couple years, and slap one of a half dozen different limited slip diffs into it for relatively cheap when it’s time. If the goal is to modify beyond stock the sport is a great place to start since you’re not spending extra on suspension and a diff that you don’t actually want. That said, Club is the sweet spot, and the BBS/Brembo/Recaro package really does make the car perfect.
Drove my ND1 to work today, trying to get as much time in behind the wheel before the weather changes here in Oregon (I’ve got summer tires on it that I put on in Texas, need to change those at some point to enjoy it year round). As an added benefit, the Miata is also the most fuel efficient car in the household.
A base ND is the way I would go. However I’m tossing the factory suspension for Ohlins, adding an OS Giken diff, and some 17x9s with 245 RE71RZs. I’ve driven my friends ND that is set up this way, and it is perfect.
“In some ways, smartphones were a mistake. While access to pretty much the entire library of humankind’s knowledge in your pocket comes with wonderful possibilities, it’s also resulted in a digital world you’re never truly able to shut off.”
I solved this problem by not owning a smart-phone. It’s like people nowadays don’t realize that phones can be turned off while charging.
Back in the late ’90s and early 2000s when I had to carry a travel work phone for my job, that phone got turned off as soon as I got to the hotel each night and not turned back on until the next morning.
I remember the last time I was given a smart-phone for fieldwork and it didn’t even have a button to turn it off. I had to ask a co-worker how to get to the part where you had to swipe through a bunch of sub-menus to finally end up where you could tap an icon on the screen to actually turn it off – and then it would ask you if you were sure you really wanted to do that.
Now that I’m retired, I don’t have to worry about smart-phones at all. Plus, we have an MGB convertible we can take to the local A&W for a top-down lunch so we have the best of both worlds.
This statement is how I learned that a Wrangler now starts at $36K and a Bronco at $40K. Out the door pricing might make the gap smaller, but yikes my intuition was way off on both of those.
Crazy to think a base model wrangler starting at closer to 40k then 30k same with the Bronco. You would think a base wrangler would be 30k. Then again base RWD 4runner starts at like 45k or something stupid. Crazy times we live in.
yep I miss the days when the wrangler was the entry level Jeep.
The base models largely exist so the salesperson can say “But for only $50 a month more you can also get…”
I was also curious. The second cheapest convertible in the US appears to be the MINI Cooper C at $36k including destination. I’m not sure why I would choose that over a MX-5.
I guess if you love unreliable British cars?
Aren’t these unreliable German cars now?
True they are owned by BMW but the ICE Cooper is still built in the UK if I am not mistaken (not sure about all the other “minis” which are not really mini hah)
Ha, I learned something. Keep Calm and Carry On then.
BMW have a big plant in Oxford building MINIs, no idea if they export those ones to the US.
Only for the past 23 or so years 😉
Back seats. Those of us who love the wind in (what’s left of) our hair but also have kids have few options.
Unless your kids are disabled due to not having lower limbs, I don’t think a Mini’s backseat is where anyone would want to sit.
The only spec I could find for rear seat legroom was 30.8″. I assume that’s with a 5’2 driver. I’m in agreement with you.
It’s not that bad. My wife and I are not tall people, and the kid was 6 when we bought it. He’s now taller than me, so the search for a bigger back seat is on. The Mini (triple blue, 2005, S convertible, 6MT) has been a ton of fun!
backseats
See my legroom comment below.
Space. At 6’2″ I do not fit in an MX-5. I do fit well in a Mini convertible.
(Ours is 4 years old and basically trouble-free.)
The base model Wrangler has always been too expensive for what it is. At least now it isn’t fully stripped down and has some equipment standard.
I remember shopping for them in ~1994 and reeling from learning that they cost almost $15K and didn’t include a radio or air conditioning or anything we take for granted now.
There is just a built-in audience of Jeep fans and they know what they got, I guess.
It doesn’t seem that long ago that you could get a base model with crank windows and no AC for low $20s, but time comes for us all I suppose.
Life is short. Buy the Miata
We have a 2006 NC and a 2016 ND in the family. The ND really does average 34 mpg while having a ton of fun. The NC is noticeably roomier and gets around 27-28 in mixed driving. My son drives the 2016 as a daily, including putting winter tires on it too soon. If you can live with just capacity for 2 and a smallish trunk, it’s really worth considering a Miata. Something not in the review too, but they are very dependable cars too… There’s not really any major common issues with these cars and there are many out there with 200,000 plus miles on them. It really is one of the best combinations out there of cheap cost of entry, cheap running costs, dependability, fun, and open top driving.
Just bought an 03 with 204K miles and friends have assured me 300k is totally obtainable.
I approve this message!
As far as I can tell, the common issue (at least here in the UK) is “they rust”, which would be a problem for most cars if they lasted as long as an MX-5 does.
In my humble opinion, convertibles take a good car and make it worse. Chassis stiffness suffers, reducing the effectiveness of the suspension, introducing a tremendous amount of body noise and affecting handling.
Chassis stiffening additions to help the vehicle cope with the absence of a roof add weight. I’m not certain whether a convertible top weighs more than a steel roof but my instincts tell me it’s a wash, to slightly worse with the convertible. THEN, to add weirdness to worseness, folding the top down moves its weight to a completely different place which has its own effect on handling.
Wind noise.
That’s it. End of complaints. I’d pay extra for the RF so I had a proper roof.
To each their own. Your points are valid, and would certainly affect track times.
For me, though, the Miata is about driving experience on normal roads and having fun at low speeds. Noise, vibration, and harshness make the experience more exciting! If I want a rigid, sterile ride, I drive my Tesla. For a raw, religious experience, I hop in the NB Miata.
(top down for best experience)
Same. My daily is a Model 3 which I love and is an excellent driver’s car as well (flame me. I don’t care. I love it) but for very different reasons than the Miata; a lovely 2002 NB that loves the canyons just to the south of me.
This is exactly why I don’t like them. Besides being built for short people so as to be uncomfortable, cowl shake ruins any driving experience for me.
Really? Really?
Modern cars are sterile experiences, and that’s fine for many, or most, uses.
But cowl shake is beautifull in the Miata. Makes the car alive.
This man gets it! Hallelujah!
I agree with the sentiment in that the convertible version of a normal car is always worse. In the case of the MX-5 however, it was conceived from the very beginning as a convertible, and hasn’t deviated from that core design principle. Also, despite the existence of a spec race series, the Miata was never intended (by Mazda at least) to be a track day weapon, it’s always been about the pleasure of enjoying a daily drive.
That’s a point, that it was designed from the outset as a ‘vert. And I looked up the specs on the RF – it weighs over 100 lbs more! That’s a yipes for sure.
And yet it is the single most raced vehicle in the US, and has been for decades. Despite being slightly floppier than if it were a coupe, it’s still got some of the best suspension geometry available, is extremely lightweight and therefore easy on consumables, dead nuts reliable, and the layout for a decent performer. It’ll never win crazy high end races at power dominated tracks, but it still makes a great track day toy and is hard to beat in competitive AutoX.
Oh for sure, but that’s all sort of an accidental result of making a great daily driver’s car. If you set out to make a mass-production race car you will either end up with an Ariel Atom or some sort of Z-series Corvette, neither of which has the MX-5’s economics and everyday usability- an Everyman’s Racer first has to be an Everyman’s Car.
For me, I don’t care about racing or how it does, I have no tolerance for cowl shake (and not much use for a dropping top or the compromises in storage and interior space in the Miata due to the stupid top).
Can I interest you in a lightly used RAV4 in beige?
I daily a GR86 in bright blue and it doesn’t shake like a frightened chihuahua over bumps. Not sure why you seem so personally insulted that someone doesn’t like shaky convertibles, but it doesn’t say much for having an identity and the apparent attempt at insult over it is awfully lame.
^^^ Has clearly never owned a convertible.
DD-ing a 2009 Mercedes-Benz convertible which now has over 135K miles.
Still solid, still quiet, still handles super well.
Still easier to get in and out of when the roof is down.
Handling is more affected by weight of luggage or passengers when fully loaded than whether the roof is up or down.
Could never imagine life with a CLK or E Class Coupe instead, much less a sedan.
Joe Wall approved
Premium fuel? I don’t see a turbo anywhere, so I’m curious why it is required.
87-octane can be used, but with 13:1 compression, the ECU pulls timing. Besides, premium fuel is recommended, so it’s only fair to whoever drove this MX-5 next that the recommended octane’s met. The golden rule and all that.
Turbos are not the prerequisite for premium fuel use.
Some cars are just set up so that premium fuel is required to get the best performance and cleanest burning.
Yep, my 2013 Si also wants premium fuel, while I could run it on 87 Octane, it’ll pull a bunch of timing and limit VTEC, plus why would I want to handicap my performance sedan like that? If I wanted to be cheap on gas, I’ll drive my 03LX that will run on burrito farts.
13:1 compression ratio is the entire reason.
Evidently there’s a flex-fuel version that can run on E85 and delivers a bit more power, but this little go-cart barely weighs over a ton. You can skip extra power and just run with it.
My F150 had TWO turbos, but was happy drinking 87.
The induction does not maketh the requirements.
Premium fuel is rough right now too, midgrade is ~50 cents more expensive than regular and premium is ~80 cents more than regular.
I am not driving my Focus ST as much because even with midgrade it’s a ~$6 dollar difference for 12 gallons of fuel.
The E-30 tune pays for itself after a couple of fill ups (not really but it is more fun)
I am currently shopping for a car.
My wife wants me to get a Miata if I want one. My fun brain says yes, my logical brain says it’s a bad choice at the moment. My fun brain was borderline convincing my logical brain to go look at the new ND3 on the local dealer lot. Literally this morning this internal dialogue was taking place. And now this article?
Maybe it’s a sign….
If you do not and they go away will you regret it? We have limited time to enjoy life. Enjoy life.
Logical brain says I’ll be doing a ton of miles, mostly highway, and this isn’t the right car for the job. It also says that I need more utility than this offers, and that I’d need a 2 car solution.
Fun brain says that an FRS was perfectly fine automobile for all my needs for 9 years, so what’s the problem?
The big issue I’m having with this option (or a GR86, or a Civic Si, or a CPO Cadillac CT5) is premium fuel at $5+/gal. That’s a hard pill to swallow for 20k miles/year….
At that annual mileage you need a Prius, or maybe a Civic Hybrid, to be fiscally responsible. Then you can join the daily stampede in your soulless appliance like everyone else.
If that sounds like a fate worse than death, take one MX-5 and call me in the morning.
I did some math. At 20K annual mileage it will cost you about $1250 more per year in fuel costs to have an MX-5 vs a Civic Hybrid.
Use that information as you will.
Assumptions (as of Sept. 22, 2026):
34MPG Highway for MX-547MPG Highway for Civic Hybrid$4.47/gal for Regular fuel (from AAA.com)$5.36/gal for Premium fuel (from AAA.com)
I went and test drove a Civic hybrid because I do like the hatchback version. It was fine. Maybe even good. But idk if it was $32k good.
So I’m still shopping. I don’t love the Elantra hybrid, but for almost 20% less money and better fuel economy…I’m not sure.
I’ve read good things about the Civic Hybrids from a driving experience. That’s why I chose that instead of the Prius, which would definitely maximize your fuel-dollars, but maybe destroy your soul just a bit more.
Sounds like you really just need to decide if you want practical/frugal or fun, and maybe put a dollar value on fun to see if it is affordable for you.
For me, about $1200/year is cheap if it makes me smile every day. Your situation is unique to you 🙂
Most of my thought experiments ended with “it’s not a goof time to buy a new car”. Partly because of high interest rates, and largely because there aren’t a lot of 2027s on the lots yet (no Civics and they don’t know when) and I don’t want to pay sticker for a 2026 when they will be out in a few weeks.
So right now I’m buying a Volt, which gives me the fuel economy and hatch of the Civic, with the option to trade it out in a few months or partner it with a used Miata for the summer months.
Smart move. It is not a good time to buy a new car.
Good thing about used Miata’s, they are usually not somebody’s primary car (although I had one as my only car for about 2-years in Chicagoland), so there are many low-mileage garage-queen examples out there.
Just avoid the ones that have been raced. They may be low miles, but those are hard miles and usually contain some aftermarket parts of questionable quality. Usually there will be signs of a raced car, such as upgrades to the suspension, wheels, brakes, intake/exhaust, etc. Basically, find one near stock with low miles and it will deliver the smiles.
Worth it!
The Miata ND can run on 87 octane. Modern ECUs adjust the timing to prevent knocking. You’ll lose a small amount of power and when you want the extra power, fill up with the higher octane.
I drive more than that with my GR86. Fuel does suck, though. I’m getting a little over 30 mpg and it needs premium, but at least it’s not hard to get 30. I bought it for the reasons you’re contemplating the Miata. For utility, I got a hitch to tow a trailer for the kayaks or building materials and for a bike rack.
A wise person once said
“In the end, it’s not the things you DO that you regret, it’s the things that you DIDN’T do.”
Buy the Miata!
Life is short – Why deprive yourself?
Couldn’t agree more. Got rid of our NC last Sept and was in such a state of withdraw…just picked up an ND club
Years back I had a bout with cancer. While I was in chemo I decided to get an NC PRHT GT 6 speed. Was a bucket list item and I was facing the bucket.
Found just what I wanted (2010, low miles, immaculate) – and then proceeded to add an extra 100 hp turbo (Fab-9 kit). Was great therapy for me with some help from my brother and a nearby buddy…. and damn if that car wasn’t an absolute BLAST to drive. Crazy quick, great handling too. Could turn on a dime and give change. The power-retractable hard top was just awesome.
I’ve been in remission for years now, and feeling better. Now the NC has moved on to a good home (my bud who helped me with the turbo install now enjoys it) as I really didn’t need 2 Miatas . I’ve still got my 91 British Racing Green (BRG) stock 91 that never fails to bring me infinite joy when I drive it. Took it out today to enjoy our first taste of fall weather. Should see some nice afternoon runs in the next month or two.
Point is, life really is too fucking short, and I’ve decided that if there’s something you want to do, you should do it as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. You never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Be kind, have fun, play and laugh all you can. If you love to drive and love cars, driving a Miata in a proper sportscar like manner is like drinking nectar of the gods that anyone can afford.
Cheers to that and glad you are healthy and enjoying life, proper
I was at that same exact point in my early 20s. It was 1989, the brand new Miata was $14k, and I wanted it. I had a functional but boring DD at the time and ended up buying a 1971 TR-6 project instead for my “fun” car. I sometimes wonder if my whole life trajectory was established with that one decision…
No regrets and I still might get myself a Miata some day 🙂
I’ve had 7 Miatas over the years (down to 1 right now). My only regret is I waited until 2002 to get my first one. Missed out all those years. If I could go back in time and talk to myself in 1990 I’d be saying “Find a way and buy a Miata!”
.. oh, and I’d add “She’s really not a redhead… you’ll find out soon enough!”
…but that’s another story.
In 2004, I was looking for a used Miata, and with the 2 kids in tow, I did’nt like the used one on the lot. There was a 2004 left over (this was late September), and my wife said to get it.
I never thought I’d even own another fixed roof car. Drove it year round (full snows in the winter) for 165K miles, and I loved it, until the bottom rusted out. I bought a used Mini Cooper (manual as a replacement), but my wife thinks a Miata is too small for me to drive now.
Get the Miata and join the Forum on Miata.net and enjoy!
ND’s are great, but if you can’t justify it as a primary car, I have an NC1 as a “fun car”. I drive it about 5,000 miles a year. It’s been just as dependable as anything else I own, despite being 20 years old. It lets me park my truck for most of the summer when it’s not towing my camper and I enjoy my commute so much more with the top down and the ability to row though the gears. I prefer the NC a little bit to our ND because of the extra room, the hydraulic steering, and it just feeling a little more connected to the road, but honestly, they are both just a ton of fun.
I had been seriously looking at NAs back in 2019 and looking at a trading my FRS for something with more utility to make a complementary two car garage. I think this is probably where I’ll end up as the best option – used Miata and used primary car.
$32k is well below the average selling price of a new vehicle, just to give that logic side of your brain something to ponder.
It is a sign. Do it.
I’ve had a lot of cars in my 26-years of working and being able to afford cars. The one I regret selling the most is 2007 MX-5 PRHT. I sold it just before the ND’s came out fearing it would lose value. I want it back.
2 years ago I purchased a GR Supra thinking it would be similar, but nicer. I was wrong. The Supra is so capable that I cannot take advantage of it in my daily life. In an MX-5 you can wind out the first three gears to the redline, and still be at legal speeds with a giant smile on your face.
In an MX-5 you can wind out the first three gears to the redline, and still be at legal speeds with a giant smile on your face.
The more I read why people enjoy their Miata, the more I’m realizing I think my bicycle scratches that itch for me. 20+ gears to shift through, and even at the highest end you’re still (usually) at legal speeds. Plus it’s nice and light at roughly 16lbs, while a Miata weighs a literal ton. It’s “light = fun” and “drive a slow vehicle fast” and “manual controls” (independent brakes! two entire transmissions! no power steering!) and “I built it from scratch” and “handling is everything” taken to limits so extreme they make a Miata look like a mining dump truck.
If I think of the Miata as filling the bicycle niche for people who don’t like bicycles, it makes more sense to me than it does when I think of it as a car that’s pretty bad at most of the things I want from a car. And only half-jokingly, my bike seats more adults (one) than a Miata.
For folks that love the Miata, I’m glad it exists if it brings you the same sort of happiness I get from the bicycle.
I agree 100%. Bicycles, or even Motorcycles, can scratch a very similar itch to a Miata. However if Motos scare you and bicycling where you live is not convenient/safe, then Miata is the answer 🙂
Sadly my bicycle only has 11-gears (1×11 gravel drivetrain), though I am not powerful enough to max it out.
I will assure you that (as an owner of 2 different gens). The first time you experience an evening drive on a back road, with top down, and some good tunes playing – you will understand the joy
I agree with the group, buy the Miata.
More importantly, you married extremely well! Buy that girl some flowers and take her on a date. In your new Miata.
That’s unless SHE secretly wants the Miata. He may end up getting stuck driving her boring car on nice days, and the Miata on unpleasant days.
I’m lucky enough to have found a woman who shares my automotive interests. She’s a willing accomplice, my partner in crime. Who gets to the keys first on a beautiful day is all part of the game!
How many Autopians would love to have a partner who encourages them to buy a Miata!
I stand by my statement. Bags married well.
Because NC’s are the “worst miata”, they’re really cheap (like a tenth of the price of a brand new one). It’s hard to go wrong at that price. Even the ‘worst’ generation is still pretty damn fun 🙂
Yield to the logic of the moment
So are there aftermarket LSDs I can install on it while still enjoying the best HVAC controls that ever existed?
Indeed! OS Giken has a popular option, plus an OEM limited-slip diff retrofit should still be possible on the base ND3.
Once you’ve paid someone to install that OS Giken diff (and as someone who’s pretty handy nothing I’ve read or heard makes me want to tackle setting up a diff) you almost might as well just get the Club unless you absolutely hate auto climate control or something. Club also gets a better suspension?
Bilstein suspension plus the option for Recaro seats/Brembo Brakes/BBS forged wheels
Yeh that was kind of what I thought, imo if you know you’re going to want a limited slip you’re getting a pretty good deal if you get the whole Club Sport package. The brembos alone are worth $$$ though there are more affordably priced aftermarket alternatives.
Setting up a diff definitely requires some extra tools, but it’s not nearly as bad as people say. Especially when you can measure backlash, pinion depth, and bearing preload on the bench. FWIW, a used ND1/2 complete assembly is probably the move. The going rate seems to be about $1,000 on eBay, and you won’t need a dial indicator.
Yeah bolting in a junkyard diff is a very reasonable DIY. I guess I get nervous cause the one buddy who did something like this (added a factory locker to his old 4runner) wound up boogering it up and ultimately needing to pay a shop anyways-and he’s a pretty experienced driveway mechanic.