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:

• 

  Awesome - 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By maximum - January 29 - 7:33 am

  Great car!

• 

  95 Miata - 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By nburford - January 29 - 4:46 am

  This has been one of the most reliable and fun to drive cars that Ive ever owned. It is extremely easy to work on and it begs to be driven. Good on gas, oil and the other automotive life bloods.

• 

  Newt - 1996 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By Newt - January 25 - 6:16 pm

  A great car. Everyone should own one sometime during their life.

• 

  Miata Owners Review - 1996 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By Rnady - January 14 - 9:46 am

  You will be nothing but happy with this car, i have been driving Miatas since 1994, and never had more fun!

• 

  SO MUCH FUN !!!!!!!! - 2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By Lisa - January 11 - 7:23 am

  I previously owned a larger car. Took me about a month to become comfortable in my smaller space. But, let me tell you .....It is so much fun when the top goes down!!!! I absolutely love this car!

• 

  Mazda Miata MX-5 - 2004 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By olderrm - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car as a fun alternative to my SUV and love every minute of driving it!! It makes daily sales calls fun and takes the edge off of all of the windshield time. On days when it is possible to pop the top, that is the most fun of all! With the wind blowing through your hair and the radio blairing, what could possibly equal that?!!!

• 

  Fun toy! - 2015 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By Ron - January 4 - 2:55 am

  Be aware that there is limited seating room (I am only 58" tall) and my knees almost hit the bottom of the dash. Also, I cannot recline the seats as much as I would like. One other fault, there is a big blind spot due to the wide area of the fold down hard top (when it is up) on both the right and left sides (would be the same for the soft top convertible). I used to have a Toyota Celica. It was not as quick (less horse power), but it had none of the issues noted with the MX5. One other thing I have done recently. I put "stickier" tires on with about 5,000 miles on the car and really enjoy the comfort knowing that the car will go where it is pointed. I modified the suspension on the Celica (added a front strut brace that allowed me to adjust the camber, lowered the car ~1.8", larger sway bars [very flat when doing high G corners] and wider tires [195 to 225 section width tires that were "sticky"] and wheels [OEM 15 X 6.5" wide to 16 X 7" wide]) and it could pull 1 G in the corners. Because of warranty issues, modifying the suspension on the MX5 is out of the picture for now. Because the car is low and short, I have almost been forced off the road 3 times by cars changing lanes while there was an overlap between my car and theirs.

• 

  You get everything you expect from a small roadste - 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By Keith - January 3 - 11:49 pm

  This is the second MX-5 ND I purchased in 2016. The first one I purchased was the Sport trim level. I thought the Sport trim had everything I needed, and for the most part thats a true statement. However its biggest Achilles heel was its cloth seats. They just didnt offer enough support for my wife and I and in the end it was its downfall. I traded it in for a Honda and to make a long story short, 40 days after I purchased it I was rear ended and the car was totalled. I decided that I really missed my MX-5 so I gave it another chance, but this time I bought the GT trim because of its leather seats. The seats feel like they sit you a little higher and the bolstering on the cushion and backrest is far superior to the cloth seats. Plus the heated seats are amazing, with three settings. All the added features make a huge difference, giving the car a more luxurious feel ... From the auto dimming rear view mirror and high beams, the blind spot monitoring, the additional USB port, the upgraded Bose speakers and the extra speakers (which includes a sub woofer), the integrated GPS, the chrome plated control knobs, the nicer 17" alloy rims ... The GT trim is the way to go. Having said that, no matter what trim level suits you best, this car is just a blast to drive because of its light weight and perfect 50/50 weight balance. It turns like its on rails. It has been designed to have some body roll, but once it hits its travel limit its solidly planted. This is a momentum car, where you dont have to let off the gas when turning. Its a "slow car fast" vehicle, meaning that you feel like you are speeding when you are within the speed limit. Its so much fun to drive at 65 MPH and you dont need to be doing 100 MPH to feel like you are going fast. Of course its small and there are traded offs if you decide to buy it (the trunk is small, there is limited cabin storage space, the cup holders are in an awkward spot, its harder to get in and out of the vehicle, etc), so you have to make sure you consider your needs before buying it. I use this car as my daily driver and for me its a perfect vehicle for that, especially since I get a combined average of 35 MPG, but I also have a truck as a second vehicle. If you are looking for a fun sports car that handles like nothing else, is reliable, efficient, relatively inexpensive to own and operate, and stylish, I cant recommend this vehicle enough .... Its just that amazing. But this vehicle isnt for everyone, and if I could only have one vehicle, Im not so sure I would have purchased it if my situation was different.

• 

  Mazda Miata - 2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By CRBACSW - January 3 - 6:53 pm

  This car is stylish and a lot of fun to drive. Handles corners well. Turns a lot of heads and receives a lot of thumbs up from onlookers. It is not real good with bumps - but then again it is a small sports car!

• 

  2009 Miata (Grand Touring w/Power Top) - 2009 Mazda MX-5 Miata
  By John from Dallas - December 29 - 9:10 am

  This is the first non-Toyota vehicle I have owned since 1985. I have owned it for about 6 months and it continues to be a pleasure to drive. I considered a few other cars (Mini Cooper S, Nissan 370Z and the Audi TT). The Audi and Nissan were about 10 grand more and the Mini dealer was extremely arrogant). Overall, I chose the Mazda because of the styling, performance and power hard top. The reliability was also a big sell for me.