Summary
- The Mazda MX5 Miata remains popular because it is small, cheap, reliable, and fun to drive, but it may not remain the same due to stricter emissions regulations.
- Despite its limitations in stock form, the MX5 delivers a unique open-top, sporty feeling and can easily be improved with aftermarket upgrades.
- The current generation MX5 offers a good interior, modern conveniences, and a 2.0L Skyactive engine, but future models may become heavier and less pure due to the potential inclusion of hybrid technology.
There is no denying that the Mazda MX5 Miata is one of the most famous and loved roadsters ever made. This makes sense; it is the vehicle that made roadsters appeal to everyone. With a low price, Japanese reliability, and fun driving characteristics, it seemed like a no-brainer.
Now, more than three decades after its inception, the Mazda Miata MX5 continues to remain popular. The best part is that it hasn’t lost its identity. The current MX5 ND generation remains small, cheap, reliable, and fun. However, it may not remain exactly like this for much longer.
Regulations with regards to emissions are getting stricter, and cars and car manufacturers need to comply. Whether this is the correct step forward is a debate for another time. However, what is for sure is that enthusiasts are starting to lose great models because of it. With Mazda’s intent to electrify 25 percent of its model lineup by 2030, there is a chance that the current generation of MX5 may very well be the last model powered solely by internal combustion with hybridization on the horizon.
We’ve looked up information from Car and Driver, MotorTrend, and Best Car Web to put this feature together on the Mazda Miata MX-5.
How The Mazda MX5 Came To Be
Before we dive into the reason why you should buy a current generation MX5, we shall first cover the history of the Miata. Back in the 1980s, Mazda had a mission. That mission was to create a sports car that offered similar driving characteristics to British models of the time but infused Japanese build quality and reliability.
The way Mazda did this is relatively simple. They took an engine from a normal Mazda hatchback and dropped it into a much lighter and stiffer soft-top roadster body. This meant that upon release, the MX5 already had reliable and proven underpinnings; the only thing left for it was the driving experience.
Specifications
|
Feature |
2022 Mazda MX5 2.0L SKYACTIV-G I4 |
|
Engine Power |
181 hp & 151 lb-ft of torque |
|
0-60 Time |
5.7 seconds |
|
Top Speed |
135 mph |
|
Drive Type |
Rear-Wheel Drive |
|
Transmission |
6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic |
Now, to be completely honest, the driving experience of an MX5 is often over-exaggerated. The car is certainly fun; however, in stock form, the vehicle has body roll, it isn’t all that quick, and models without a rear limited-slip differential can be unpredictable through corners. That being said, for the price, there aren’t many cars that come close to the open-top, sporty feeling the Miata provides and, most of the issues mentioned above, can be easily fixed with aftermarket upgrades.
The Current Generation Miata Offers More Than Ever
The first two generations of the MX5 remained small and agile. In fact, underneath, they were pretty much the same car. However, when the third generation came around fans were a bit disappointed as the car grew both in size and weight. The good thing, however, is that Mazda realized the mistake made and for the current fourth-generation Miata opted to go for once again a small and agile vehicle. This brought the car back to its original dimensions.
So, the MX5 still drives brilliantly, but it also offers a good interior. Modern conveniences like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also available, and AC controls remain on normal physical buttons akin to touch screens on so many modern cars. More premium models also get a Bose sound system, Napa leather, a reverse camera, and a limited-slip rear differential.
The engine under the hood is a 2.0-liter Skyactive unit that pumps out 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. The sprint from 0-60 mph happens in 6.8 seconds. Now, if you take into account that we now have 300 horsepower hot hatchbacks, the Mazda’s numbers seem low. But the MX5 isn’t about all-out speed; it is about the enjoyment of driving, and it should remain that way forever.
The MX5 Might Be About To Change
Japanese automakers like to keep models around for a long time. The current generation MX5 has been out for seven years now and it is nearing the end of its life cycle. You might be thinking that that is actually a good thing. If the car is nearing the end of its life it means we will be getting a newer and better model. Well, maybe, but that isn’t always the case. Automakers are in a bit of a weird spot right now. Governments demand that vehicle emissions be lowered; therefore, automotive brands are trying to find ways to adhere to those rules.
Since many have opted to go electric, other brands seem to follow in an attempt to ensure that they don’t fall behind in terms of technological advancement in the electric car field. This means that more and more new models are going electric without any sure indication that the future is actually electric (there are other alternatives such as hydrogen as well).
This Presents Challenges for the Next Generation Miata
When cars of this size get larger and heavier, the effects on weight can many times have an effect on the driving experience. However, the most important bit of all is the drivetrain. Full electrification isn’t in the making yet. We just don’t have batteries that are small and light enough to be used in a vehicle like the MX5. Normal batteries in a sports car the size of the MX5 will lead to a small vehicle that is heavy and not so impressive driving range numbers. This would completely kill the appeal of the Miata.
What might happen, however, is a hybrid system that is expected to be paired with a two-liter four-cylinder engine. Rumors suggest that the upcoming Miata will retain its six-speed manual transmission and may replace the six-speed automatic with an eight-speed dual-clutch unit.
While a hybrid isn’t the end of the world, but it will certainly dilute the purity of the MX5. The car will probably be heavier and maybe larger as it will need to accommodate a battery and an electric motor. The new generation Miata is expected to be released in 2025, so if you want the purest and most enjoyable driving experience possible, head out and buy the current generation Miata. There is a high possibility that this is the last pure and fully mechanical MX5.