This review should have been written years ago. For some reason I kept putting it off. But I did not want my 100th contribution to be about any old car (I've also been putting off a review of the Kia Optima). I wanted it to be about a special car. The Miata fits the bill.
I’ve wanted a Miata since I first heard about the car, a few months before it went on sale late in the summer of 㥡. The concept was instantly appealing: light, rear-wheel-drive, designed from the ground up (no econobox chassis here) to offer pure driving enjoyment. Beginning with the 1990 model, I’ve taken a Miata for a drive every few years. It’s gotten a little more powerful, a little more refined, a little roomier, and a little heavier, but basically it remains the same car. Which is just the way it should be. The initial mania may have passed years ago, but the Miata continues to fully deliver on the original concept.
This doesn't mean the Miata is a great car for everyone. Either you get what the Miata is about, or you don’t. Some people look at a Miata and see a cute car, “for chicks.” Others will simply point out that, with a 0-60 time in the eight to nine second range, “it’s slow.” To appreciate the Miata, you’ve got to understand the subtleties of driving enjoyment. The nimble feel that only a light car can truly provide. The fine balance to the chassis. The barely filtered sensations coming through the wheel and seat. The totally unobstructed view all around, courtesy of a very low cowl and beltline. (No sitting in a hole feeling here, unlike in an Audi TT or Mercedes SLK.) The need to work the great feeling short-throw stick (please, no automatic Miatas!) to keep the power flowing. It’s precisely because the Miata is so small and moderately powered that it’s a great joy to drive at sane speeds on typical roads. Which is my #1 criterion for a great car.
So why don’t I own one? After all, they’re fairly affordable, especially used. Well, to state the obvious: the Miata is not a terribly practical car. The small trunk and lack of a rear seat are only the beginning. (At least the passenger airbag can be disabled with the key, so a child can ride up front.) The real limitation is that the driving experience is a bit too, well, “intense” for a daily driver. The ride is busy on Michigan roads. At 60 MPH and up, engine, road, and wind noise can be uncomfortably prominent, top up or down. The steering verges on darty. With the top up the car induces claustrophobia even for my 5ֽ” self. Anyone taller will be cramped and feel severely closed in. For these reasons, I am loathe to recommend the Miata as an only car. I would not have one as my daily driver. Since I cannot currently afford a second car for occasional weekend drives, there is no Miata in my garage. But I still hope to pick up a used one in the not too distant as a second car. Miata’s have always been very reliable, so they make good used cars.
If you want a small roadster, can live with two seats and a small trunk, but it will have to be your only car, my recommendation for many people is to purchase the Toyota MR-2 rather than the Miata. You do sit in a hole, the cargo space is even more limited, and you’ll have to pay a bit more, but the Toyota’s more composed, quieter ride (partly the product of a longer wheelbase and the taller bodysides) is much more suitable to commuting. This will matter most if you commute at highway speeds and/or travel over less than perfect roads. (At lower speeds and over smooth roads the Miata will do just fine.) If you can actually afford to spend considerably more money, my pick is the 2.5 liter BMW Z3. The Z3 2.5 also offers low-cut bodywork, a moderate level of power, and a nimble (though less balanced) chassis, but with substantially more refinement.
A few words on pricing. My advice with the Miata is to keep it simple. After all, simplicity was the driving theme behind the development of this car. The Miata is all about providing the purest driving experience. So forget the fancier options, forget the special editions. The optional six-speed sounds great in theory, but adds so much weight that performance doesn’t benefit. The leather looks nice, but on a hot summer day it doesn’t feel so nice. You don’t need power locks in a narrow two-door car. (Yes, you will then actually have to use the key to unlock it—remember how?) Cruise control? This isn’t a highway car. The uplevel sound systems? You’re not going to be able to hear them well, either.
Everything that is essential is standard on the base car: a great five-speed, alloys, supportive seats, power windows (a great convenience in any convertible, even a purist one), and a basic stereo with CD player. Air conditioning is also standard, and I guess there are times when you determine a bit late that it’s just too hot to get by with the breeze.
So I’d go with the base car. The only option that might make sense is the sport package (16” wheels, firmer Bilstein shocks, Torsen limited slip different, strut brace). Even with this option I’d drive one before buying it. After all, even the base suspension’s ride can be quite choppy. Bottom line: A final selling price under twenty-one for the base car. Add a grand if you go for the sport package. A great buy considering that no car is more enjoyable to drive at legal speeds.
Update: I recently drove a Miata again immediately after driving a Honda S2000. This made it apparent that the Miata's driving position is not as good as it should be. Most notably, the rearview mirror blocks a significant portion of the view forward, such that it is often necessary to duck a bit to see under it. The windshield header also intrudes too much. A higher mounting point for the mirror would help the first problem. A lower seat would help the second. Currently, seat height is not adjustable. I suspect this is because to get the same legroom with a lower seat the seat would have to be positioned further to the rear, and it cannot be.
Update July 2005: I recently figured out that it is possible to position the mirror near the header, even though no one seems to do this. This fixes a good chunk of my issue with the driving position.
Mazda Miata Reliability
Want better reliability information? Want to more clearly know what difference it will make if you buy a Miata rather than something else? My website, truedelta.com, will be providing this information in the form of "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats.
From these stats you might learn that your first choice, compared to your second choice, is likely to make 2.3 extra trips to the shop in its first five years. You might decide its advantages compensate for this, or you might not. Either way,
you'll be able to make a much better informed decision than you can today.
I aim to provide the highest quality information to as many people as possible. Unfortunately, these goals conflict. If I simply give the information away, few will help provide it. So I'm doing the next best thing: those who have been active participants for at least six months will receive
free access to this site's reliability information; otherwise this access will cost $24.95. The average time commitment for someone reporting on two cars will be (at most) 15 minutes a year, so
you'll essentially receive $100 an hour for doing your share to help everyone make better decisions.
To learn more about my
reliability research and sign up to participate in it, or to perform thorough, up-to-date new car
price comparisons, visit www.truedelta.com. A link to this website and alphabetized links to
my other vehicle reviews can be found on my
profile page.
