2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata
My teenage daughters volleyball team just wrapped up their season by becoming district champions! Along with gold colored plastic medals, she received the title of ‘Small but Mighty!’ Due to her short stature but surprising talent on the court. Since its debut at the Chicago Auto Show way back in 1989, the Mazda Miata could easily and accurately be described with the exact same two words. Thankfully, 35 years later, nothing at its core has changed at all.
Mazda’s MX-5 Miata is still small but incredibly mighty. Maybe not in raw horsepower figures, but it’s got a mighty big personality. Packing in an enormous amount of fun for its compact size. The Miata has proven, for three and a half decades now, that you don’t need to make 400-plus horsepower to have fun. A quick spin will have the most hardened power junkie freely admitting that this two-door convertible is an absolute blast to drive. That’s thanks to more than just cc’s of displacement. It’s thanks to its light weight and perfectly tuned chassis. It’s incredibly balanced, which makes it remarkably dynamic and responsive on twisty roads and tight race tracks. It’s only powered by a 181-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. But that engine loves to rev fast and high and pairs perfectly with the standard six-speed manual transmission. You can get it with either a soft-top or a retractable hardtop (called the RF). No matter which one you pick, the Miata is best enjoyed with the top down. With the wind in your hair and a bright blue sky overhead. That said, it’s not the most practical car for everyday use, with its tight cabin, small trunk, and limited storage space. The Miata should be considered as your weekend warrior ‘fun’ car first and foremost.
New for 2024 is a light styling refresh. Simple charges to keep the MX-5 current include new exterior lighting elements, new wheel design and a tweaked front grille. The infotainment display is 8.8” up from 7.0” last year. All Miata’s with the manual transmission now receive a new limited-slip differential. Other tweaks to the power steering and suspension are said to further improve the car’s already stellar handling and balance. Thankfully, adaptive cruise control and rear-auto emergency braking have been added as well.
Nestled in behind the wheel, the entire cabin envelopes you like a custom-tailored suit. The cut is a slim fit, but sharp and cozy. The 6-speed gear-box is an absolute joy to run up and down the gears with. With a slick, precise short throw and tight feel. The steering feedback and brake pedal are equally balanced and communicative as well. The suspension is perfectly tuned. Tight but not overly punishing. The Mazda Miata really is the perfect, short-course track car. Whether blasting down a tight mountain pass, or weaving around orange cones in an empty parking lot at a local Auto-cross event, the MX-5 is the perfect pick. Small but mighty. Proving yet again, that performance is about much more than just raw power. It’s a delicate balancing act incorporating suspension, chassis, brakes, steering, weight distribution and a fast reving, reasonably powered 4-cylinder engine. When each component is carefully engineered to enhance and compliment the other, it all mixes together to create automotive magic.
Starting MSRP: $28.985.00
