When the two-seat Mazda Miata roadster first hit the stage in 1989, it captured the imagination of the driving public. A tiny rear-wheel-drive convertible with a tinier price, it was destined to became a multi-generational favorite. Before its arrival in showrooms in the late 1980s, folks who wanted the thrill of a two-seat roadster would have to shell out big bucks for a Mercedes-Benz or other exotic European niche vehicles. Mazda changed the equation with its rear-drive flip top that matched much of the fun factor of the Euro selections in a four-cylinder vehicle with the starting price of a compact sedan. Miata made its grand entrance into the world at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show. The United States soon became the biggest sales market for the Japanese-built roadster.
Little changes from the 2007 model year except for the addition of a special edition trim. Enthusiasts may note that the word 'Miata' is nowhere on or inside the vehicle. Outside of the United States, Mazda's roadster is commonly sold as the MX-5. While the Miata name is well recognized here in the states, Mazda is slowly indoctrinating this market to the MX-5 nameplate. It's hard to find a Miata reference even in the owner's manual. The window sticker lists the vehicle as MX-5 Miata and the English web site continues alluding to the MX-5 Miata (for now at least).
For a small-sized niche vehicle, 2008 MX-5 Miata is available in a variety trim levels (SV, Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and new for 2008 Special Edition) with several option packages. Most low-volume cars keep trim levels and extras to a minimum to keep production costs down and to ease the buying transaction. The base SV does not include air conditioning or automatic transmission. All trims come with a 2.0-liter, inline four-cylinder engine cranking out 166 horsepower with manual transmission, (158 with automatic transmission). Fuel economy with manual transmission is 22 miles per gallon city and 27 mpg highway.
In the 2007 model year, the rear-wheel-drive MX-5 Miata took a major roll forward by offering a hard-top convertible in Sport, Touring and Grand Touring models. For the first 17 years, only a manual soft-top was available. The hard-top version makes this vehicle more attractive in snow-belt states. Some trims even come with heated seats. Even with the hard-top closed, road perception is decent compared with some other convertibles thanks to the good-sized glass rear window.
In 2006, General Motors introduced the Pontiac Solstice and a year later, the similarly platformed Saturn Sky, two worthy soft-top opponents to the Miata. Both Sky and Solstice were low-priced roadsters with eye-catching styling and more potent engines (2.4-liter). These two newcomers stole sales thunder from the MX-5 Miata, although Mazda's version offers a larger trunk and an easier-to-operate soft-top roof (and a hard-top retracting option). While Sky and Solstice provide more power, Miata is the nimbler-handling choice (it's about 500 pounds lighter) and the sentimental favorite. All three advise higher-priced, premium fuel. Keep in mind GM's Roadster duo have only soft-tops and one must step out of the car to bring the top up and down to secure it. General Motors models, however, have a longer powertrain warranty and include OnStar, an in-vehicle communication system linking occupants with a manned center to answer questions and handle emergencies.
The lowest-priced Mazda MX-5 Miata SV trim starts at $20,635. The most opulent Grand Touring with power roof checks in at $28,060. This starting price is thousands lower than the Sky-Solstice (starting around $25,800) duo and is much more affordable than a Honda S2000 hard-top roadster starting over $34,000. Our test Grand Touring with the power roof checked in at $26,760. Options included Sirius Satellite radio ($430), suspension package ($500) and keyless entry with antitheft alarm ($1,250) for a bottom line of $29,575 with a $635 destination charge.
Power window controls are found in between the bucket seats. Although it's a two seater, the MX-5 Miata has four cup holders, two molded into each door, and two between the seats. The glove box is average size, and more storage is available in a center compartment with fold-down door located behind and in between the seats. Our Grand Touring edition included secondary audio controls and all cruise control functions on the steering wheel face. Ventilation functions include three easy-to-grab dials under the stereo. Lights turn on and off via the turn signal stalk while front wipers activate from a right-hand side stalk. The Instrument panel has two large and three small analog circles and a digital message window. At night, hot-looking red backlighting illuminates the dash. No navigation system is offered in this vehicle.
Whether a hard or soft top, driver and companion sit low thanks to a 4.6-inch ground clearance. As with all vehicles of this class, make sure your back is in good shape so entering and exiting is a pleasure, not a pain. Total vehicle height is 49 inches.
The well-designed power hard top is one of the quickest to open and close and a breeze to operate. With the engine on and emergency brake activated, a center locking device above the rear-view mirror must be manually unlatched. Once this is accomplished, just push a dashboard button and in less than 12 seconds, the roof retracts behind the seats and stows under a hard-top cover. With the top up or down, the trunk still holds a usable 5.2 cubic feet of luggage. While this may not measure up to most sedans, it tops some roadsters priced $60,000 or more. Both Sky and Solstice only have 2.0 cubic feet of room with the top down.
Opt for the manual shifting transmission, providing more driver input around curves and corners. This lightweight 2,445-pound vehicle (almost 500 pounds lighter than the Saturn Sky) is one where a little downshift goes a long way providing solid feedback. Sport and SV trims come with five-speed manual transmission while the Touring and Grand Touring and special edition offer six-speed manual. A six-speed automatic transmission is available in all editions sans the SV.
Miata MX-5 allows for road feedback to the driver, but not to the extent of models from the first two generations that were sometimes more jarring than pleasurable. Mazda's third-generation MX-5 Miata was born in the 2006 model year. This third incarnation is much more refined in this regard and more civilized. Over the past 18 years, Mazda has perfected some of the minor blemishes in this beauty. Seatbacks are high and provide ample head and back comfort.
One way to measure a vehicle's popularity is by the passion of owners and previous drivers. Scores of Mazda Miata club chapters are sprinkled throughout the United States where like-minded enthusiasts get together to share stories, a true testament to the vehicle's staying power. Although a competent vehicle, folks would be hard-pressed to locate an Oldsmobile Bravada club in the continental U.S. |