2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata Convertible

　　

2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review

byMichael CantuCorrespondent

　　Michael Cantu has worked in the automotive industry since 2014. He has written over 800 car-related articles and tested and reviewed over 100 vehicles over the course of his career. Michael is a contributor at zzdcar and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Digital Trends and InsideEVs. Michael was featured on a few InsideEVs YouTube channel videos on the topic of electric vehicles. Michael was a MotorTrend Car of the Year judge for 2019 and was a driver in MotorTrend's World's Greatest Drag Races 7 & 8.

　　, rating written byMichael CantuNews Editor

　　Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the News Editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.

　　Unlike most vehicles in today's new car market, the 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata isn't built for practicality or utility. It doesn't offer the latest in tech or much comfort, and it only has two seats. Instead, the tiny convertible is built for one thing: driving pleasure. Its precise steering, athletic handling and rear-wheel-drive layout will have you cruising along curvy roads with a big smile on your face. The Miata's modest 181 horsepower won't win any drag races, but this sports car isn't about straight-line speed.

　　Engaging driving dynamics and open-top fun sound enticing, but the Miata isn't for everyone. Its very small interior will force tall people to shoehorn themselves in — or not fit at all. The trunk is so small a weekend trip for two might be out of the question unless you pack very lightly. The Mazda also doesn't offer as much tech or as many advanced driver aids as some of its rivals do. If those drawbacks have you reconsidering, the larger Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ are the Miata's closest rivals in terms of price, size and fun factor. But if you want something larger and more powerful, there's the Ford Mustang, which is offered as a coupe or convertible. If you don't mind front-wheel-drive fun, consider the more practical Volkswagen Golf GTI. Be sure to check out the zzdcar Expert Rating below for our test team's in-depth review of the Miata's performance, comfort, tech and more.

　　

What's it like to live with?

We know exactly what it's like to live with a fourth-generation MX-5 Miata because it has been in our long-term test fleet not once, but twice. That already gives you an idea of how much we like the roadster. We drove a 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata, the first model year of the current generation, over 20,000 miles. Then we got our hands on the updated 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata to see if the upgrades, which include a more powerful engine, made this little fun machine any better. Our long-term reviews cover just about everything including maintenance costs, real-world fuel economy, comfort, performance and more.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.9

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

9.0/10

　　How does the MX-5 Miata drive? Mazda's latest upgrade to the Miata is what it calls Kinematic Posture Control. It's a brake-based torque vectoring system that Mazda says should help the car turn in during harder driving, but the new system didn't make much of an impression during our time with the venerable roadster. We could feel the system working (and we could smell the brakes after a hard session on our test track), but it didn't make too much of a difference.

　　Even so, the Miata is a light, nimble, precise and easy-to-drive sports car even when you're pushing its limits. At our test track, our manual-equipped Miata accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds. That's respectable but a bit off the pace of the Subaru BRZ (6.1 seconds) or a hot hatch such as the VW Golf GTI. Braking performance is solid, and we measured a stop from 60 mph in just 113 feet.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the MX-5 Miata? Small two-seat roadsters aren't known for comfort, but the Miata is surprisingly livable in the day-to-day grind. You'll notice big lumps and bumps in the road as the Miata tends to crash over pavement that's in poor shape, but smaller imperfections are much more muted. For many on our staff, the Miata seats are one of the high points of the interior — they're supportive and comfortable — and the seat heaters do a great job of warming you up during chilly excursions. That said, a few editors found the seats to be a bit oddly padded and bolstered in odd places.

　　One unfortunate reality of the Miata — you'll be shocked to read this, we know! — is its exceptional amount of wind noise. The cabin can be a truly uncomfortable place to be with the top up on the highway. Shouting is occasionally required to speak with passengers. An alternate solution is to drive with the top down and the windows up while you enjoy the Miata's unlimited headroom. It's going to be a bit noisy anyway.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below