Mazda MX-5 Miata

In Fleet: May 26-June 10
Base Price: $28,860
As-Tested Price: $31,010
Drivetrain: 2.0-liter I4; RWD, six-speed manual
Output: 167 hp @ 7,000 rpm, 140 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm
Curb Weight: 2,593 lb
Fuel Economy: (EPA/AW) 24/25.0 mpg
Options: Premium package including antitheft alarm, Mazda advanced keyless-entry system, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, xenon HID headlights, DSC with traction control, Sirius satellite radio ($1,650); suspension package including sport-tuned suspension, Bilstein shocks, limited-slip differential ($500)
A timeless top-down roadster to be sure, but with each passing year the Mia . . . sorry, the MX-5, er, sorry, um, what is this called again? Mazda has reintroduced the Miata name on the official birth certificate? Is that correct? Or no? Marketing gone much awry.
Whatever.
As I was saying, with each year--and as other cars get better and better--the Miata causes conflict within my driver’s heart. Is there a better modern interpretation of classic roadsters, in both form and function? Certainly not in this price range, if at all. The Saturn Sky and the Pontiac Solstice? Too disjointed top to bottom to impart the feeling of connection the Mazda forms with its driver. Pricier offerings from the likes of Porsche, BMW and Mercedes? That’s an unfair comparison in the Germans’ favor considering price, power and technology; unfair in the Miata’s favor in terms of weight and singular purpose. This car feels and responds exactly as it should, tossed through all manner of corners in all manner of ways. It’s a professional dancer at the top of its game.
And yet, I wish it was somehow better, perhaps a bit cheaper too, given its practical drawbacks. (Be thankful for the plentiful used-Miata and parts market.) The chassis could handle some more power easily, and the gearbox--at one time sitting at the top of the mountain--now feels a little too lose, with too much travel between throws. Blame other cars for surpassing it, and blame me for being seduced by them. This car has been so right for 20-plus years, I feel incredibly guilty for calling out its faults, but an electronic folding hardtop? Like Lord Vader, I fear it’s becoming more machine now than man, which tells you how organic it was in the first place. Not that I’m saying it’s twisted and evil.
Nevertheless, I’m sorry Miata, I’m sorry!
SENIOR EDITOR FOR NEWS BOB GRITZINGER: An MX-5 is always a fun driver, with light weight and ample power to scoot around town. But what this car feels like it really needs is the Mazda equivalent of one of those high-revving Honda VTEC engines under the hood. By contrast, the MX-5 engine often seems raspy and rough until the revs build to near-redline, very much like the four fitted to the Solstice/Sky twins. I guess that’s to be expected for the price, but this one, with the power hardtop, is getting into more pricier territory than any Miata has before, so things such as coarse powertrains and road noise start to become far more noticeable. It’s important to take it all with a grain of salt though--this is not intended to be a soft-ride cruiser by any stretch, yet it is perfectly comfortable and cozy enough to be an everyday driver.
I, too, think the hardtop bubble diminishes the car’s looks, but it does do the job of providing a more secure, quieter and weather-protected cockpit. Top down, the car looks marvelous, darling.
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JONATHAN WONG: Could the Miata use more power? Sure, but does it need it? No, not really, for what it’s trying to be. After all, this is the reincarnated British roadster, and I’m sure people back in the day would have been ecstatic to have 167 hp. Only problem is that it’s 2009, and there are a lot of roadster offerings that pack way more power, but there are only two (really, one) that stack up head-to-head with the Mazda in the price range. That would be the Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky, which have had their tickets to the car lot in the sky punched.
So 20 years after its introduction, the Miata (yeah, they wanted to do away with that name in favor of MX-5, but it’s marketed with both names together) is still going strong and it’s stayed true to the original formula. Most importantly is that the car still encourages you to drive it, instead of just inviting you along for the ride. Steering is light but extremely quick to respond to inputs and it provides good feedback. Gearbox shifts can be performed with your pinky finger, and the light clutch engages very low in the pedal to make banging through gears quickly a cinch.
For the Miata’s 2009 freshening, Mazda increased the redline of the 2.0-liter four-cylinder by 500 rpms and squeaked out 1 hp extra. The extra revs reduced the number of shifts required as you dart from turn to turn, and that’s a nice thing to not have to worry about. The engine still provides almost instant throttle response and delivers power in a nice, linear power band that doesn’t drop off much up high.
When pushed, this Miata again communicates clearly to the driver, and it won’t throw anything at you that will catch you off guard. Suspension tuning is in favor of understeering and even with the optional sport suspension, there’s a surprising amount of body roll.
Interior quarters are tight and storage space is at a premium, with only the rear-center console compartment and glove box providing any notable storage space, which is a given for these cars. The new padded cupholder/center armrest is a nice upgrade over the bare plastic lid, but the majority of the interior is constructed from hard, but OK-looking plastics.
On the outside, the front fascia now features Mazda’s new company face with large lower air dam shaped to make the front of all new Mazda models look like they are smiling. In particular, with our red test car, every time I walked toward it, the thought of Lightning McQueen would pop into my head. Some don’t like the new look, but I think it’s OK, and you can’t help but smile when you see it.
There have been some notes here about the Miata creeping up in price, but it’s worth pointing out that this car is the totally decked-out Grand Touring model with the power tractable hardtop. Right off the bat, when you compare the soft-top Grand Touring with the hardtop, there is a $1,840 difference. There’s still a value player in the Miata lineup with a base soft-top starting at $22,420, which is a heck of a deal, if you ask me.
I’m sure the soft-top remains the volume model, but Mazda’s decision to offer a retractable hardtop is just in response to the changing times. Hardtops were coming out all over the place, and they do offer additional sound deadening and insulation properties that you just don’t get with a soft top. So if you lived in a place that had real winters, it would be better in the winter with a good set of winter tires. It’s clearly a premium option, and the last time I checked, the take rate was pretty good.
With the Miata, Mazda hasn’t had to do too much besides gradually improving it as the years have passed. It remains a fun and thrilling ride right off the showroom floor, but for those who crave more power and tighter handling, there’s a huge aftermarket for this thing. And let’s not forget about the Mazda’s in-house Mazdaspeed tuning division.