2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Pros

• Even at slow speeds, driving is fun and exciting.
• One of the fast cars that uses the least amount of gas.
• The manual soft top is easy to put up and take down.
• A most comfortable ride

Cons

• There is little room to move around inside.
• There is little room for things in the trunk.
• At highway speeds, the car gets noisy even with the top-up.

How do you drive the MX-5? Mazda says that Kinematic Posture Control is the most recent update to the Miata. During our time with the famous Roadster, we didn’t notice the new torque vectoring system, which Mazda says will make the car easier to turn in when the road is rough. After a hard run on our test track, we could smell the brakes and feel the system at work, but it didn’t make much difference.

The Miata is still a light, quick, accurate, and fun sports car, even when pushed to its limits. At our test track, it took our Miata with a manual transmission of 6.4 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. That’s good, but it’s slower than a hot hatch like the VW Golf GTI (6.1 seconds) or the Subaru BRZ (6.2 seconds). We could stop the car going 60 miles per hour in only 113 feet thanks to how well we could brake.

How does the MX-5 Miata feel? The Miata is surprisingly comfortable for a two-seat roadster, which usually isn’t known for its comfort. Large lumps and bumps on the road will be easy to see because the Miata crashes over them repeatedly, but more minor problems will be much harder to spot. For many of our workers, the seats are one of the best things about the Miata’s interior. They’re comfortable and supportive, and the seat heaters are great for keeping you warm on cold days. Several editors, though, found that the chairs had strange padding and support in certain places.

You’ll be shocked that the Miata has a lot of wind noise, which is a shame. When the top is up, it can be very uncomfortable inside the car. Sometimes you have to yell to talk to people on the bus. You can drive with the top down and the windows open using the Miata’s massive space. There will be trouble no matter what.

How does the inside look? The elegant layout of the interior makes the most of the room and puts driving pleasure first. Because the cabin is small, most buttons are easy to reach. Even though the control knob for the entertainment system is in an awkward place, the fact that there are also settings on the touchscreen makes it less of a problem. Also, the cupholders are in an odd place, which makes it hard to get to drinks.

Drivers over six feet tall may feel there needs to be more room for their legs and heads. Also, taller co-pilots can’t fully stretch their legs no matter how far back the seats are moved because the footwell for the passenger is shorter than the one for the driver. This interior’s only real problem, which shouldn’t be a surprise, is a lack of room.

One of the best things about a soft-top Miata is how quickly the top can be put on or removed. Because it’s a motorized top, it doesn’t work with electricity, but it’s easy to use.

How good is the tech? A Miata must find a mix between a driver’s need for modern connectivity and safety technology. There are two USB ports and the ability to connect your phone with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There are a lot of driver assistance systems, and the blind-spot warning system will come in handy if you choose to open the top.

The nine speakers in the Bose audio system do a great job of blocking noise and filling the car with music. Even though voice controls are only a choice of on-screen prompts, the system does an excellent job of recognizing speech. Even though the content and layout are pretty simple, the scrolling works well.

What about putting things away? We don’t expect a two-seat convertible to be very useful, so it’s not strange that the Miata doesn’t have much space for cargo. Because the trunk of the Miata only has about 4.6 cubic feet of space, long trips where each person needs more than one piece of luggage will not be possible. The area is tall enough for carry-on luggage or a couple of tall shopping bags. The back seat can’t be used as a cargo shelf like it can in bigger convertibles. Even the glovebox needs to be included. The Miata’s central place to put things like phones, wallets, and small handbags is a small bin between the seats.

A booster seat facing forward can only fit one child or baby. There are no supports or places to hook up the top rope.

How well does it use gasoline? The EPA says the Miata gets a combined 29 mpg. We often got 27 mpg while driving the Miata for two weeks on both city streets and roads, but we may have been too eager to speed up. In earlier tests, Miatas often got better gas mileage than expected.

Is it a good idea to buy a Mazda MX-5? Even though it is small, the Miata is a strong car. Even though everything in our test car is well-built and feels strong, the gear lever rattled inside the gate. Inside a new Mazda are many soft plastics and fake leather surfaces that give the car a high-end feel. The Miata is a great deal, even though the price can increase with better trims and more options.

Mazda’s warranty covers everything from bumper to bumper for three years and 36,000 miles, and the engine is covered for five years and 60,000 miles. This is the average for the section. Roadside help is provided for three years and 36,000 miles, less than what is usually offered for non-luxury convertibles.

The Miata is, without a doubt, unique. At this price, no other rear-wheel-drive roadster gives you the same thrills. It’s fun to drive and follows the rules in a way that newer, more highly advanced cars don’t. Many people still like the Miata after all these years. And it’s the correct answer.

Any trim will be fun to drive with the top down, but we suggest the Club trim to get the most out of the MX-5 Miata without paying extra for the Grand Touring trim’s additional features. Your car will run better with a limited-slip differential and a Bilstein suspension tuned for sport. Heated seats and a Bose sound system add to the car’s beauty. The Brembo/BBS Recaro kit is also unique to the Club version. It has BBS forged wheels, heated Recaro seats, and Brembo front brakes. Just remember that the Club is a type that was made just for you.

Models of the Mazda MX-5 Miata

Three different 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata model levels are available: Sport, Club, and Grand Touring. Each has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. The rear wheels are powered by a six-speed manual gear that comes standard. The Grand Touring car has a choice of an automatic transmission with six speeds. You could also think about the Miata RF, which has a roof that can be pulled back. It was reviewed separately on InvoicePricing.