Overview & Reviews

When the Mazda MX-5 Miata debuted for 1990, this snazzy little convertible was an instant hit. Marking a revival of the affordable sports car in a stripped-down roadster format popularized by British automakers in the 1950s and '60s, the MX-5 Miata brought reliability and modern engineering to the concept. Buyers lined up outside Mazda dealerships and gladly paid well over sticker price for the fetching new Miata.

Though the initial mania has long since faded, the Mazda MX-5 Miata continues to be a very popular convertible. Today's third-generation car continues the trend. It still changes direction like a go-kart, communicates the character of the road clearly to the driver and accelerates with an inspiring growl from its inline-4 engine. If you're in the market for an affordable sports car that provides plenty of top-down, open-road thrills, we highly recommend putting a new or used Mazda Miata on your list.

Current Mazda MX-5 Miata
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a two-seat convertible powered by a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine good for 167 horsepower. Depending on trim level, you'll find this power routed to the rear wheels through a five- or six-speed manual transmission or an available six-speed automatic. With the automatic, engine output drops to 158 hp.

The Miata is available in three trims: Sport, Club and Grand Touring. The lightly equipped Sport is aimed at enthusiasts on a budget, while the Club trim's added performance upgrades (strut tower brace, high-performance tires) and styling tweaks kick the Miata character up another notch. The Grand Touring is downright luxurious with its automatic climate control, leather upholstery and heated seats.

Customers who like the idea of combining open-air exhilaration with fixed-roof refinement can order a Miata with a power-operated retractable hardtop. The "PRHT" might seem to run counter to the Miata's less-is-more philosophy, but its simple design adds just 70 pounds to the car's curb weight and transforms top-up motoring into a much quieter, more weatherproof experience.

For more than two decades, the Mazda MX-5 Miata has been one of the purest forms of automotive fun, and the latest edition is no different. While we'd probably stick with a lightly equipped version for duty as a weekend toy, the many luxury features and roomier cabin of the latest generation make the Miata a more plausible choice for daily driving duties.

Used Mazda MX-5 Miata Models
The current third-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata dates back to 2006 when it was completely redesigned. A stiffer, more sophisticated chassis, a more powerful engine, a roomier interior and greater interior refinement were key improvements. A change in SAE testing methodology the following year reduced the horsepower rating to 166 from the initial rating of 170, but there is no functional difference. Initially, the lineup consisted of six trim levels: Club Spec, Base, Touring, Sport, Grand Touring and Third-Generation Limited Edition. For 2007, equipment was reshuffled into four trims -- SV, Sport, Touring and Grand Touring -- and the power-retractable hardtop (PRHT) also arrived that year.

A Special Edition model in Icy Blue paint was offered for 2008. That year also saw a 5-hp drop for cars with the automatic transmission. The following year the Miata received a mild refresh with tweaked exterior styling, engine revisions for a bit more power and fuel economy, a more aggressive suspension and some new convenience features. For '10, the PRHT was discontinued in Sport trim, and the value-oriented SV trim (available from 2007-'09) was dropped. Special editions continued to be offered and were essentially loaded Grand Touring PRHT models sporting unique colors and trim.

Right up through 2011, stability control was only available on the Grand Touring and then only as an option. For 2012 that safety technology became standard equipment across the board.

The second-generation MX-5 Miata was in production from 1999-2005. This Miata was the same size as the original MX-5, so while the cockpit was more cramped, the car felt much livelier and more responsive to drive, though its cornering limits were much lower and its ride was much worse. The addition of a glass rear window to the cloth convertible top made visibility better (the old plastic window would become cloudy from sunlight, requiring replacement).

This second-generation Mazda Miata was powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 140 hp and 119 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission was standard and a four-speed automatic was optional. As before, base models were sparsely equipped, but items like leather upholstery and Bose audio were available on upper trims. In its second year, a streamlined model lineup including the Miata and Miata LS with three simplified option packages was introduced, while a Miata Special Edition with a six-speed manual debuted. For 2001, the adoption of variable valve timing bumped output to 142 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque, while the Special Edition's six-speed manual became optional on the Miata LS. For '04 a turbocharged Mazdaspeed model arrived featuring a 178-hp turbocharged engine, high-performance suspension and unique exterior styling enhancements.

The original, first-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata of 1990 offered a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that delivered 116 hp and 100 lb-ft of torque matched with a five-speed manual transmission. Just three colors were initially available: red, white and blue. Detail improvements saw the Miata through its first several years, with revised option packages, more power from a 128-hp 1.8-liter engine introduced for '94, and ultimately even luxuriously appointed M-editions (special paint colors, a tan convertible top, tan leather interior and 15-inch BBS wheels). Competition-minded individuals might want to focus on the Miata R-Package introduced for 1994, which turned the Miata into a race-ready street machine with drivetrain and suspension modifications. The final year for this first-generation model was 1997 (there was no 1998 MX-5 Miata).

User Reviews:

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  Miata--best kept secret - 2004 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By Roadhugger - February 18 - 2:00 am

  Purchased a 2000 Miata for my wife in June of 2003. I thought the car was a joke until I drove it. Interior is a little small for me but perfect for my wife. The cars handling is outstanding and cant be beat on those curvy, hilly roads. Maybe a little underpowered at the start but once rolling its got plenty of getup and go. Even with an automatic transmission the economy is great at 26mpg around town and over 30mpg on the open road. Plus the car appears to be well built with perfect alignment of doors, hood,trunk lid and body panels. Im now a Miata nut who leaves his T-top Camaro in the garage and takes the Miata out to burn up the roads.

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  Expensive Experiment - 2001 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By basic black - February 5 - 10:00 am

  Fun while it lasted. Good "summer car" value for its price range, if you plan on keeping it for four or more years. SEVERE depreciation in first two years. In fact, the local dealer refused to take mine in on trade for an SUV because they have so much trouble getting rid of used Miatas. Mines for sale. Car also has annoying, minor mechanical problems: Clutch shudder; valve ping; crunchy shifting; hard to keep aligned; the worst paint job Ive seen on any car; ridiculous cupholders.

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  masda miata special edition - 2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By gordon scott - January 27 - 10:00 am

  it is a fun car to drive.we do a lot of road rallys. i have a yellow miata it always get good reviews from people. we never feel inferior at car shows either.reliability has been great i have 17000 miles on the car and so far only lube and oil change has been done. fuel economy on the ralleys has been great for the price of the car, finish reliability,proformance it is a winner in my book

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  Miata Mamas Fun Toy! - 2004 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By Madam X - January 27 - 10:00 am

  I love my little Miata! Its cute, cool and fun to drive! I especially like how it takes turns/curves and at an accelerated speed, too. BUT, I find myself doing ticketable (is that a word??) things just because I can! Call it my mid-life fling, but this is a car Im happy to have met!

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  Some nagging Problems - 2003 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By Hizz - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Love this car, but it does have some nagging problems. I had a 96 Secial Edition and was totally problem free. This one has had two recalls in the first 3 months of ownership and a clutch chatter problem that the dealer tells me is "normal". Cant believe that, but they swear its true.

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  EVERYONE smiles at this car - 2001 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By lifesabrook - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Bought this as a second car -- midlife fantasy, tantalized me from its spot on the car lot. Got great price on 1-year old model with only 8,200 miles on it. I smile when I drive it, and everyone else smiles back. Corners like crazy and maneuvers with confidence. White paint chips easily, and while my car has sport suspension, alarm, gorgeous wheels and stainless racing exhaust, it really needs cruise control; leg position on accelerator gets VERY uncomfortable on the highway. Passenger seat also rattles on bumps when empty and black cloth seats always look "linty."

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  Awesome 1999 miata - 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By ray - December 7 - 6:56 am

  Bought a 1999 miata with 64k mileage on it around 8-9 months ago. Bought it from the original adult owner. About the car: Manula transmission -Low mileage when I bought it -havent done anything aside from 3k oil change -Current mileage on the car for the past 8-9 months is 73k I enjoy driving this little beauty. My gf doesnt like it because its manual and she thinks the car is too small(your opinion matters little..). So far, upgraded air filter to K&N oem filter(1mil mileage warranty), momo shift knob, and just recently added a High Quality trunk lip spoiler, Original did major service @50k, so I guess I will do one at 90k or so. So far, the car drives flawlessly.

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  O.K., But...... - 2000 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By mikehs2 - October 30 - 8:08 pm

  Remember this car was designed by the Japanese to imitate the experience of the MG. The MG was designed for the very winding roads of back woods England, 35-45 M.P.H. They totally hit the mark,if you drive a lot on very windy country roads, or just drive around town to Safeway and Starbucks. However, if you are on the freeway at all, this is not an "Autobahn" car. At 60 M.P.H. the R.P.M.s are 3,500+. It has 5 speeds. So, on any normal vehicle the R.P.M. should be about 1,800. Realistically, with the right gear ratio, this car could get 45-50 M.P.G at 60. Watch out for the plastic radiator. It will fail between 120K-130K.

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  Convertible heaven without convenience - 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By oldish - September 18 - 1:37 am

  I bought this car this spring & have had the summer to drive it. I just love the way it drives and riding with the top down. Despite that, I probably wont buy another. The interior is very badly designed. The drink holders are directly in the line that your arm must move to shift, and so are unuseable unless you want to risk dumping coffee all over the interior. The door pocket holders will hold nothing but a plastic water bottle. The interior material stains easily and may not come clean. The carpet is very cheezy. I live in a rural area and limit how far I take it from home due to the lack of a spare tire. There is no way that Id find a replacement tire in rural Michigan.

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  Special Edition - Near Perfect - 2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By Matthew - July 21 - 12:46 pm

  I had a hard time finding the special edition here in SoCal. When I found one for sale, I went to see it, and it was beautiful. The light blue doesnt seem too feminine for me. I love the contrast of the brown leather against the blue exterior. The car handles beautifully, and is always a blast to drive. It has rained 4 days since I bought it, and those days are the only time that the top has been up. The manual top is just perfect, easy up and easy down from a seating position. Throttle response is great especially when merging onto a highway. But the real treat this car delivers is the steering. Near perfect! Lotus Elise is the only car with better steering than Miata.