One other yr nearer to the top of combustion as we all know it, and nonetheless, the Mazda Miata lives on. Not like the rest in its simplicity and purity of objective, the Miata is figuratively a dinosaur within the {industry}, and but there exists no higher palette cleanser for a world stuffed with crossovers and boring premium sedans that isolate you from the world completely. To cleanse our palettes for 2022, we have been despatched the Miata in RF guise. For the uninitiated, that is ‘Retractable Fastback,’ which implies a hard-top coupe with the roof closed and a targa-style convertible with it open.
However at circa $35,000, that is nearly probably the most cash you’ll be able to spend on a Miata, and the little sports activities automobile has some less expensive competitors within the type of the Toyota GR86/Subaru BRZ twins that are actually a lot newer, and crucially, way more highly effective than ever earlier than.
Does the Miata, particularly in hardtop type, nonetheless tickle the senses in all the appropriate methods? Lest we neglect, it is a automobile that is been round for practically a decade with solely minimal updates. However at underneath $40,000, might this be the right sports activities automobile mixture?
Exterior: 911 Targa Who?
Let’s get one factor straight. There is no such thing as a higher purple than the Soul Pink Crystal Metallic on this Miata. We love this paint a lot that we would pay Porsche $11k+ to Paint-to-Pattern a 911 on this colour. It’s, fairly merely, probably the greatest shades of paint ever made, and it really works notably effectively on the coupe styling of the RF.
On that be aware, let’s speak roofs (not the Porsches). The RF trim means a powered targa-style hardtop within the Miata, and we expect it seems to be killer. From the rear, the Miata has terrific presence, exhibiting itself to the world as a automobile twice its value. From the facet, it seems to be each bit prefer it was designed to be a coupe, however drop the roof, and it stands out in all the appropriate methods with pronounced buttresses.
The proportions are good and make the small-by-industry-standards 17-inch wheels look excellent.
Mazda knocked this design out of the park, much more so whenever you consider its age. Whereas we’re massive followers of the Toyobaru twins of their second technology, the Miata RF, particularly wearing Soul Pink, is aesthetically unbeatable at this value level.
Efficiency: Hey, It is A Miata
Efficiency is one class the Miata attracts probably the most debate on. Some say it wants extra energy, whereas others say it is all in regards to the chassis. Whichever camp you reside in, I defy you to not get out of the driving force’s seat with a large grin in your face. The slow-car-fast precept resonates right here greater than nearly every other automobile in the marketplace.
The Miata’s 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder produces 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque and is paired by default to a six-speed guide gearbox. You may get an computerized, however we might warning towards it as it is not in step with the Miata’s character.
Compared, rivals are vastly extra sturdy. The GR86 now makes 228 hp and 184 lb-ft, which would appear like sport over. However it’s heavier than the Miata, at 2,811 to 2,452 lbs, and that 300-pound-plus distinction is very large at this finish of the market. It is for that purpose that you are looking at round six seconds to 60 mph. The rag-top saves you somewhat extra, however in Colorado a minimum of, the strong roof is a boon and goes an extended method to making the Miata RF a four-season automobile with only a change of tires.
Different necessary efficiency gadgets of be aware are Bilstein shocks and a limited-slip differential, plus one thing new for 2022 referred to as Kinematic Posture Management to assist refine its dealing with dynamics even additional. However at its core, it is remarkably easy, and a case of “what extra do you want?”
Driving Impressions: Pleasure Machine
That sentiment carries over to the Miata’s driving dynamics effectively. Nevertheless, one factor stunned us after driving the competitors – one thing we’ve not felt in a sports activities automobile in far too long-body roll. The Miata strikes underneath cornering. Flat and degree is nice for race tracks, however whenever you’re making an attempt to have enjoyable, having some motion to let you realize the place the automobile is at is crucial.
It enables you to really feel the boundaries of grip earlier than they’re exceeded and teaches you a lot about driving rapidly consequently. This little little bit of roll additionally means the Miata can trip extra softly than the GR86, making it extra bearable on harsh surfaces.
That is nice for driving within the metropolis, and so is the gasoline economic system. We nailed 32 mpg over our week with the automobile, together with two journeys to the canyons, the place the revs by no means dipped under 3,000 rpm.
These canyons are the place the Miata is at its finest; that is simply as a lot due to the gearbox as the rest. It is a love letter to the guide, and probably the greatest in the marketplace, solely eclipsed by Porsches and Honda Civic Si/Sort R.
The knob itself is superbly weighted and formed just a bit small. It feels delicate and exact, very similar to the remainder of the Miata. Sliding the shifter into its gate exemplifies that drained “bolt-action” stereotype. Extra precisely, it appears like what you’d think about that first shift on a automobile you’ve got lusted after for ages does – so indescribably good you may end up shifting your arm backwards and forwards, searching for a greater method to articulate what it appears like.
That shift makes wringing out the engine a pleasure. The little 2.0 strikes effortlessly via the rev vary as a result of it has so little weight to maneuver, and heel-toe downshifts set free a small bark of induction noise from the entrance finish. The soundtrack is not notably tantalizing, however it’s gloriously old-school, and we adore it for that alone.
This parade of excellence continues on to the steering. Very like a great joke, there is not any fats right here, no padding. The wheel is completely sized, the burden is close to as mild because the automobile, and its precision cannot be overstated. The Miata drives like that child who was annoyingly gifted in school – it is at all times acquired a solution.
We’d, nonetheless, admire some padding or softer supplies close to the knees. A small cabin is a truth of life within the Miata, however banging our knees round towards the transmission tunnel is not nice when coming right into a nook and making an attempt to select a line.
Clearly, the Miata is not quick. It is brisk, as one other staffer described it. Simply fast sufficient that you simply suppose you will not lose that race on the lights. You may be smiling an excessive amount of by the point you hit second to care that you’ve. Somewhat infuriatingly, nobody has give you a solution to this automobile. Toyota will get shut, however Mazda nonetheless wins out for a automobile that simply makes you are feeling comfortable.
Inside: Light-weight Luxurious
Mazda rebranded itself shortly earlier than the launch of this ND Miata. It went extra upmarket, which largely paid off for the Japanese marque.
We love the little flash of paint on the door uppers, which matches the outside hue and makes the cabin really feel extra spacious. However it’s a small place, and whereas Mazda’s movable cupholders take advantage of the tiny cabin, they’re somewhat flimsy consequently and might simply get in the best way of knees and elbows.
Six-footers could have an issue becoming, predictably. However the seats are cozy, and due to the cabin’s measurement, you do not want huge bolsters. Which means ingress and egress are simple, too.
The Miata has a tiny trunk, however it’s really not as small as you’d suppose. An individual residing by themselves will match their groceries for the week with out utilizing the passenger seat. We even threw a flat-pack dresser into the passenger seat.
However it’s not sensible by any stretch, and whereas a GR86 will match a mountain bike with a little bit of Tetris-ing, or a minimum of a set of wheels and tires whenever you hit the observe, the Miata could have no such luck.
Verdict: At all times The Reply? Or Cliched And Overcooked?
There’s zero doubt in whether or not the Miata is a superb sports activities automobile or not; Mazda has merely nailed the recipe because it at all times has. However towards the newer firm, we have now to ask if the Miata nonetheless feels as particular. The argument might be made that the Miata, and notably the Miata RF, feels extra particular now than it did when it got here out. The small however significant updates to its powertrain, and for 2022, its chassis have made it extra Miata than ever. It is sharp, it is playful, it feels premium, and most significantly, it places a smile in your face. It has flaws – like an absence of practicality, or a dated infotainment system – however it’s one of many few automobiles that may make you neglect these flaws by merely doing its job higher than the rest on the market.
Because the auto market transitions to electrified options, the Miata’s place on this planet at giant is drawn into query. There will be a Miata for the subsequent few years – we all know a facelift is incoming – however after that, electrification will take maintain, and the Miata could by no means be the identical once more.
For now, there’s nonetheless some selection within the section. Miata is certainly not the reply. Pinch a few cents and also you’re up into Civic Sort R and GR Corolla territory- each superb machines in their very own proper. For those who want extra room, the GR86 gives the same expertise to the Miata with some caveats and asterisks.
However the Miata is a mountain. It looms giant in our consciousness and has develop into an automotive establishment in a lot the identical means as Wrangler, F-150, and S-Class have come to outline their segments. A couple of days in the past, a buddy requested which automobile we have pushed this yr that we would take dwelling ceaselessly. The Civic Si, GR86, Nissan Z, and Bronco Raptor all loom giant. However the tiny Miata? It is probably not a ceaselessly automobile, largely because of the measurement that makes it so interesting as a sports activities automobile, however it’s actually a automobile we might fortunately trip off into the sundown with, a minimum of till the solar comes up once more. And if it does not, effectively, Miata may be the reply.