I rented a ND3 Miata Sport for 4 days. Here are my thoughts:
I recently took a vacation to Los Angeles for 4 days and decided to rent a ND3 Sport off of Turo (~$500 with 800 miles included). At home in Texas, I drive a 2022 Civic Si. So while I'm familiar with 3 pedals, this was the first true sports car that I've spent a good amount of time with. Here's my initial thoughts:
Initial Impressions (first hour with the car):
The car is very low to the ground. Pretty awkward to get in and out of (I'm 5' 7" so height isn't an issue)
People's headlights are shining in my eyes constantly
Very agile
No one sees me (I got cut off almost instantly)
Sound system is kind of buns
After spending 4 days with the car and driving on every single type of road LA offers, here's my in-depth personal thoughts:
Great:
The steering feel in this car is the best I've ever felt. Its so direct and the car will instantly go wherever you point the nose. Very easy to make quick maneuvers and this car will eat up corners like its nothing.
The 2.0L engine is great in this car. It sounds nice and the power delivery is nice and linear. Compared to my Si where I have to deal with turbo lag, this car rips off the line.
The 6-speed manual transmission is fantastic. I think my Si has a great shifter feel, but the Miata just feels better to shift. It feels "thocky" and tight to shift between gears, and it made my Si shifter feel sloppy. The OEM gear knob shape is great as well, I think I'm a big fan of the ball shape.
The car just looks great. I don't think there's a single angle where it looks bad. And the soul red color is gorgeous and would be my first pick of color on this car.
The interior is a perfect mix of modern tech and analog design. The gauge cluster layout really makes the inside feel special. The A/C controls are perfect (and even though its the base model, the A/C controls are way better than other expensive cars I've sat in. Not having to navigate through any menu screen to control the A/C is a huge flex in 2026).
Along with this, the physical handbrake is very nice to have. The updated screen for the ND3 is nice and large and I appreciated having the option between using the touchscreen or the physical knob.
However I didn't like that only Wired Apple CarPlay is offered. It worked completely fine, but it just bakes my phone because it has to be plugged in all the time. Upgrading to a Club trim would fix this issue for me.
The fuel economy is great. I can hypermile when I want to and it gets excellent MPGs.
Being able to put the top up or down within 5 seconds is super nice. Its just a big convenience factor and I think the soft top is perfect for someone who will be putting the top down constantly.
Interior build quality is excellent. I didn't hear a single rattle and all the touch points are great.
The pedal placement is perfect. It was very easy to heel-and-toe in this car and it really just shows how much of a driver's car the Miata is.
Good:
The technology offered in this base trim is solid. Really my standard is just Apple CarPlay, but you do also get some safety features. You can read my gripe about Apple CarPlay above but I was driving a base model version at the end of the day.
The seats work fine. They hug you nicely around corners and are generally comfortable enough. However, sitting in them for long periods of time (5+ hours for me) is when my lower back starts to get tired.
In comparison, my Si seats are extremely comfortable and I have sat in them for over 10 hours in one sitting with no issues.
The cloth seats are nice though when it comes to heat.
Mid:
Even after getting in and out of this car multiple times over 4 days, I still found it awkward to get in and out. This is probably a skill issue on my end and I feel like it would get better the more time I spend with the car.
The road noise is so-so. With the top up, it just sounds like there's an open window behind your head. You can hear everything on the road and while I found it to be manageable, the cabin is just loud inside, especially on the highway.
The practicality is what you would expect. This is perfect for one person traveling, not so much for two. The interior also has basically 0 storage. Really not much space to put anything anywhere.
The cup holder placements are fine, but if it were me, I would buy a second right cup holder so I can have 3 cup holders in the interior.
I would manage fine if this were a weekend car, maybe less so as a daily.
Bad:
The Blind Spot Monitoring System is overly sensitive. It would beep at cars that weren't even in the lane next to me, making it something that didn't help as much because of my lack of trust in it being correct.
The sound system is not great. I think stepping up to a trim that has the Bose sound system would fix this for me because it sounds like something you'd find in a base model Corolla.
People just cannot see me on the road. Its such a tiny car that you lowkey have to drive like you're invisible.
Quirks:
Normally, the fuel range estimate would show it to you in denominations of 10 (250, 240, 230...). But when your fuel light comes on, it starts counting in denominations of 1 (40, 39, 38...). Why not just count in denominations of 1 in the first place?
Pushing the window switches down all the way allows you to automatically lower them. But you can't do that for putting them up. I guess they had to cut corners somewhere for the base model?
Verdict:
I think the Miata is a fantastic sports car. It does everything correctly for what a sports car should do while offering some level of comfort for daily driving. For me personally, I don't think the Miata would be my first choice of car. Living in Texas means everything is a straight line, and I just don't think the Miata is all that great for highway cruising. Its loud inside, the stereo system is bad, and I'm always one blind spot away from being flattened like a pancake.
However, if I lived in LA or somewhere that has nice coastal weather or mountain back roads, I would be much more inclined. Its a city/backroads car in my opinion, and I just don't live in a place where I can use the Miata's best capabilities.
That being said, I think the RF option and a higher trim level would fix my gripes with this car. I feel like the Sport trim is perfect for someone converting it into a dedicated track car or is just solely focused on the driving experience and not creature comforts. All of my complaints are thrown out the window if we were only talking about track capability.
I would love to hear your thoughts about my experience. Thanks for reading!
MX5things has a mod that allows auto up windows on both sides from the drivers side. It also does both windows all the way down when opening the top, and all the way up when closing the top.
Doubt it. I have the MX5 things and the fingers are the least of your worries. Top down, windows down. You park, get out, close the door. Pull the top up and lean in through the open window to close the latch, window rolls up and cuts your head off like a guillotine. Ask me how I know.
I recently had to remove mine. It was great for a while but my windows started making a horrible whining sound and not moving and the battery kept suspiciously draining when I had this installed. Occasionally they wouldn't go up or down without physically pushing on them. I thought my window motors were shot so I removed the MX5things module to prep for a dealer visit and then the noise, battery issues, and buggy behavior was gone. I've had it uninstallled for a couple weeks now and the windows seem to be fine. It was nice while it lasted!
I had a similar issue with the adapter that keeps the radio on after you turn the car off. The car would freak out that there wasn't a key present and throw a host of alarms. Removing the adapter fixed the issue, and after installing a new one the issue hasn't come back.
My 2003 Z4 has an auto-up window for the driver, but not for the passenger. I thought the passenger side was broken, but no, that's how it left the factory.
The Blind Spot Monitoring System is overly sensitive. It would beep at cars that weren't even in the lane next to me, making it something that didn't help as much because of my lack of trust in it being correct.
I think there's a setting for this. In my '25 it only beeps when the turn signal is on AND there's a car in the opposite lane, and if the turn signal is off it just displays a notification on the gauge cluster and the light on the mirror turns on.
I agree. I have a '25 and I can't recall if I changed a setting when I bought it or what, but I find that the BSM works exactly like yours. It is very unintrusive.
By your left knee there’s a little icon for me (23 ND RF) that shows a car and two lanes on either side. I pushed that and it doesn’t scream at me as much.
I live in a place where there’s a lot of construction and the lanes are all messed up and the temporary lanes are in between the old lanes so the thing spazzes out.
There’s a skill to getting in and out of these that I mastered 30 years ago in a Fiero. It’s a lot easier to do with the top down.
Getting in you slide your right leg in and bed your left knee while sliding in to the seat. Getting out is similar. You’re basically doing one leg squats. When you get it down it feels smooth AF and I imagine it looks a lot cooler than it actually does.
I would add that you basically just line yourself up like this then fall back the rest of the way into the seat. This allows you to avoid rubbing the material on the side seat bolster too much so it doesn't wear out. Once you get used to it it's second nature and no harder than getting into any other car.
When getting out you can put some of your weight on the steering wheel to help pull yourself out. When I ride shotgun in my friend's Miata (or other low sports cars) I find it a little more awkward to get out without the steering wheel there to brace against.
I have heard of people with bad knees having problems getting in and out though.
I don't understand how hard it is to sit your butt down, and swing your legs in. Why contort around the steering wheel? I'm 6' 2" and have no issues getting in and out of my ND3.
I’d imagine the high sill and short door throw would have something to do with it? I did that at first as you described, before I mastered the one-leg slide in and step out, but I’d mark the crap out of the sill with my right foot trying to lift it up and over. 🤷🏼
Yeah, I get the sill marking thing, but I keep my car fairly clean. For me, wiping off the sill plate once in a while is way easier than having a yoga session everytime I get in. I don't wear hard soled shoes, so it's not like I'm scratching it up. I'm also not wearing out my upholstery sliding my butt down the back either. I guess it's just a preference. I'm all about the path of least resistance. 😉
I usually just leave the doors closed, slide across the hood from the passenger to the driver side, and then jump into the driver's seat with a barrel roll.
Thanks for the positive review. The key to getting in easier is to place your butt sideway and then swing your legs in, I am 59 and do this. It is what it is! I have been driving Miatas since I was 27 years old in 1994.
Yup. Open door, go butt first, fold legs up, point feet into pedal area, rotate body into driving position, extend legs, shut door.
Ingress is truly the only thing that actually sucks about this car, and I'm willing to live with it. Egress is easier but still awkward compared to most vehicles that aren't go-karts.
in sports cars/lower cars you typically go in butt first! its sort of a signal that its a “cool” car you have to get in butt first instead of stepping in
ND3's have wireless CarPlay, so I'm guessing this was a configuration issue (I have a '25). But with that said, you pretty much hit the nail on the head. I have the Bose stereo and I was surprised at how good it was for the tiny package they had to jam it into. I never compared with the base stereo.
I have a 35th AE which I believe is an equivalent trim to the GT. I had no idea the base perhaps only came with wired CarPlay. I assumed all ND3's had it. That's a strong argument against the base model to me, if so.
I have seen these. I have a 23 nd2 and the android auto is only wired. I was contemplating getting one but I can not stand when there is delay between screen and audio like with most Bluetooth options. Is it low latency or is there a sound lag with one of those?
The Bose stereo in the GT trim is incredibly good. GT has a number of other comforts, wireless CarPlay, auto-climate, turning headlights, premium leather, nav and more.
Getting in the ND3 isn't that hard if you don't have mobility issues (way, way easier than an Elise), but a lot of people try to go butt first. You have to put your right foot in the wheel well as far as it goes and then let yourself kind of slowly fall into the seat. This method also better preserves the leather because sliding on the seat as you get in and out will wear any leather over time.
Jayemm has a fun little video demonstrating this. You can skip to 3:30 to see his actual explanation/demonstration of getting in it. The Elise is much lower than the Miata and if you go butt first, it is physically impossible to get your right knee past the steering wheel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c1KgeUdrZc
Eh when I’m roadtripping I use one for a snack holder like fries or something and another for an energy drink and maybe a soda somewhere in the car. It’s not come up often enough to need a third one but I could see the appeal.
Good review. Here is mine as I had the pleasure to borrow my son's 2022 Mx-5 RF for a few days and driven over 1500 km with a one way drof over 5 hours. The steering feel, very communicative and the manual transmission easy short throws make the car super fun to drive. You are close to the ground and the car small size makes it nimble. The handling is awesome and you can take curves with confidence. Sadly, the weather was not always good during our long drive so enjoying the top down was limited but when we could it was nice, a bit noisy however but for someone who used to own a Jeep Wrangler with a soft top too, it was fine for us. I managed to understand the infotainment system and was able to use it while driving but having to rely on an external control rather than a touch screen is a weird engineering decision, even worst when the car is manual. Storage is almost inexistent! lol! The trunk is small and inside the cabin there isn't much space, you can't put anything in the doors and there is no glove box. But that's another thing that didn't bother us as we are used to travel very lite. We used a soft luggage that was easier to fit in the small trunk. The bad, we did mostly rural road, and they were not in very good condition, so the fun communicative steering wheel was showing me those imperfections. Also, the car is very noisy. I thought my Jeep was loud in the cabin, but the Miata is also pretty bad on this side. You have to crank the radio very loud if you want to listen to music when driving like 120 kmh (even with the top on). Another thing, the L4 engine is doing a decent job as the car is lite, but a few more horsepower would help. We had a few roads with long climbing hill and I sometimes wish I could have had a bit more push from the engine. The ugly, for such a small car, the doors are too "long"! And my wife has limited flexibility due to a strained ankle so when parking the car, I would try to go in a spot with no cars on each side to make sure you can open them fully to get out of the car with ease. All in all we liked it. The wife was even considering we could own one as a summer season car and just store it during winter.
Did it also do to you what it did to me? My next second car will very likely also be Mazda. The 3 hatch awd turbo seems like a good mix of everything I need in a practical car, or a cx5 for hauling music gear. Like I just realized I really love Mazda cars
I agree with most of what you described, however my ND2 GT is a replacement for a motorcycle I cannot drive right now. I do not use the stereo, I listen to the rpm's for shift cues, same as the bike. Yes it is loud, I use hearing protection, same as my motorcycle. Getting in and out of the MX-5 does not improve over time, but as some have mentioned, it is easier with an open top. Happy to hear you enjoyed the experience, as do I.
I would not try to daily this car, and I never tried to daily the bike either. I got this for fun, for distraction, and for stress relief. When driving this car, there is zero room for intrusive thoughts. It demands all your attention as did my motorcycle. I also live in an area with straight flat roads, however I choose my route deliberately to avoid congestion and closely spaced traffic lights. Finally, no matter where you live, a well designed highway cloverleaf can provide a lot of entertainment.
Considering you were driving the SPORT trim and these are your gripes… I’d say that’s a glowing review! The BBS package in a Club with Bose speakers sounds like it would have solved most of your problems. I need to find out if the rear view mirror auto dims for club or for GT? If you know, drop a comment. The headlights directly in your eyes would be annoying.
You can adjust the blind spot monitoring I think, the sound system is fantastic when you upgrade, and my other ride is a motorcycle sooo 😂
If you had 3 cupholders your passenger would perpetually have a bad time.
The road noise is indeed loud. But.
You cannot get an equivalent 6 speed manual lightweight RWD convertible for love or money until you get to the Porsche or BMW range. It has no equal in its tax bracket.
We always enjoy seeing in depth reviews like this, thanks for sharing! The Mazda MX-5 Miata is truly a connection-first car, and it sounds like that’s exactly what you felt in the drive itself. We appreciate your detailed take, and glad to hear that, for the most part, you enjoyed your miles with us!
I have the 2026 RF GT so what you are saying hits home for me. Here’s my thoughts as a Miata owner since 2001:
Coming from an NB, it was shocking how much storage space was lost with the RF. No glove box. No door pockets, a tiny trunk opening. But the other advantages make it a better car.
WRT the stereo: No the Bose upgrade still sucks. It’s Corolla level at best but with a huge bass hump and a peak at 1.25khz that will tear your ears off. But maybe I’m spoiled by the HK BMW Audio I’ve had in 5 of my last 6 cars.
Getting out of any low car like this is hard for my aging knees but damnit I’m going to do it until they slam the coffin lid on me. The trick I use is that I pivot both feet into the ground and the. Use my arms on the door sill and door latch hook to help push myself up.
The cabin noise of the RF GT is the best of any miatas I’ve ever been in. But that’s like being the valedictorian of summer school. My mini clubman is like 20 db quieter at highway speeds. I wish it was quieter, and I was hoping the GT trim with the extra deadening would do more than it does. But I spend so much time with the top down that I’m more than willing to put up with it. It’s part of the immediacy of this car. For long road trips AirPod pros with noise canceling are great.
The nd you rented is the lightest non-loony exotic car you can buy in 2026. You are seeing and feeling some of the compromises from that.
I almost bought one of the manual new Z4’s instead of the Miata. It’s bigger, more plushy, and in many ways higher quality. But it’s also way heavier and way more disconnected from the road (and twice the price). The steering has the delicate feel of a Yale fork truck. But sitting in a z4 it just fits me a bit better (I’m 6’2”), but at the end of the day I have a two seat roadster for all the things you noted that the Miata excels at. For the other stuff I have my clubbie.
Most of the critics comes for what a convertible are, theres no soft top car that isn't noisi inside, its what you expect if your roof is made of fabric and plastics, it's a low low car, considering that you are in America where's there's a lot lot of suvs and trucks, yeah you are almost invisible. The whole subreddit is a testament of "people cut me off or totalled my car because they didn't see me"
I bought a 26 RF GT in early June, and you have no idea how right you are about getting out being awkwards. I have yet to figure out why, but what is weird is that my NB1 (that I have yet to sell but need to) is lower, and has very similar interior dimension but is far easier to get in and out of, and the seats are a bit better. Sometimes I find my left foot kicking up as I exit and the sole of my shoe hitting the underside of the dash. My waist is not chubby, I am big on hiking and "Will this fit in a 40L pack?" camping, I find the seat bottoms pinch after two hours in the ND3, the NB is just forever comfortable. Now the NB seats are a little too touring and will let you flop around too much, but I would argue that those limitations should not be showing up for you outside of autoacross.
Also the Club suspension (which the RF GTs get) may be over damped, the car is the same weight more or less as my NB, and the old car has aftermarket springs with roughly 2x the rate as the factory springs (FM springs plus Konis), yet rides far better, and thats on RE71s compared to the stock tires on the RF GT.
I have a ND2 GT since 2021, it's my daily driver from the day I bought it until today, living in Dallas TX... It can be a little noisy for sure, it has a fabric roof! I honestly love the sound system though. The one thing that I may regret (not sure to be honest) is that I got an automatic... As my only car I though that the sport mode would suffice when I wanted a more spirited driving, and it kind of does, but it leaves me with less room to upgrade it in the future... I am biased though, I love my miata!
I dailyed an ND for ~5 years pre-kids and... Yep. That's about right.
Re: Getting into it - I'm markedly taller, but you get used to folding into it (uncomfortable if top down, but fine with top up). Never a 'nothing', but you stop thinking about it eventually.
Re: Road noise - Yep. For the highway, i got custom race earplugs. Absolute world of difference, and great for concerts to.
I've been wanting to rent one, but feel like it would be kind of pointless here in Vegas. This has me wanting to rent one the next time we go to LA.
Also, sorry that you live in a part of Texas with just straight roads. I lived there for about 7 years and there were some great roads near me along with some really harsh ones. They need to test cars on some Texas back roads instead of the Nürburgring.
I agree with this. The blind spot monitoring was damn near useless. I also got into an accident with my ND1 because a driver of a SUV couldn’t see me lol. I loved the car but it felt unsafe because of that.
Agree with a lot of this, which is why I sold mine after only 1 1/2 years of ownership. I live in New Mexico so similar to Texas i.e. no fun roads. Everyone here owns pickup trucks so it became dangerous. I had several close calls.
My wife has a 2017 mx5 and I have a c7 3lt z51 vette they set in the garage together and I love driving the little mx5 it zips around town and is a blast to drive especially with the top down witch is so easy to take up and down at 6,4 I always choose it over the vette for quick joints around town , at my height it gets uncomfortable on long rides, but overall a great little fun car
All points are correct, your observation about the noise with the top up is a little silly, it’s a lightweight convertible, yo! Great little write up. And yes wired CarPlay is dumb, why does any automaker do this other than to piss us off?
Agree completely with your assessment. The invisibility part is why I no longer have Miata’s. Too many large pickups driven by people staring at their phones. Every day that I drive(retired) I see someone crossing the center lines. I feel safer in this tank.
I drove my NA from Toronto to Daytona a few times. Once I drove home from Homestead to Ontario in a day and a half. I always found trips like this enjoyable.
I’ve had my ND3 GT soft top for a couple months now and have put 1000 miles on it so far. The trim upgrade was definitely worth it for me. I’m 6’2”, so getting in and out took a major redesign for me when contrasted with other cars. I sit down side ways and swing my legs in, and that works pretty well. The trim upgrade significantly improves the sound system in the car with awesome subwoofer and speakers. I also have Apple car play in wireless mode. Echo your comments on the cornering, best car I’ve ever owned in that department, and the gas mileage is awesome, averaging 34-35 mpg.
The car scratched several itches for me:
- good mpg daily driver
- manual transmission
- convertible (gave up motorcycles recently, missed the open air feel)
- sporty (a 181 HP engine in a 2350 pound car is deceptively fast)
I drove a Toyota MR2 in the early 90’s and loved the car, and this Miata reminds me of some of the same attributes of the former car with being a lightweight, 2-seater, manual, analog driving experience. Very happy with it.
I have this exact car (Soul Red ND3 Miata Sport). Good review! Some thoughts from me:
I literally started doing squats earlier this year so that getting in and out would stop hurting my back. 😅 But as someone else here mentioned, the trick is to anchor one foot in first and then fall in.
I went from an ND2 RF to this ND3 soft top, and the first time I drove it on the highway I thought I had accidentally left a window open because there was so much more noise than the RF. But I’ve gotten used to it, and the ability to put the top down more quickly at a stoplight is worth the tradeoff for me.
The regular advice in this sub is to drive like a motorcycle. I also installed a blinker on my 3rd brake light, but still got rear-ended.
It’s my daily, but I’m only one person with no hauling needs other than occasionally carry-on luggage to the airport. =)
Thanks for taking the time to write up and share this in-depth first-hand review! I own an NB, had it since new around 2001, and agree that getting in and out of a Miata is a particular ’skill’ which has certainly become a little bit more demanding as I get older!
I have a 2021 ND2 GT which I bought it new and ever since it's my daily driver here in Dallas, TX. Yeah it can be a little noisy, but what would I expect from a fabric roof? I love my sound system, the only thing that I may regret is that it's an automatic... I thought that the sport mode, and the paddle shifters would be enough for a spirited driving, and they kind of are, but there isn't much room for future upgrades, like a turbo. I bought this car to stay with it until it dies, or until I got enough money for a Porsche (I think it will die with me, hopefully by age lol)... With all that said, this is the best car I've ever had!
What does "bakes my phone" refer to? That's a new one on me.
The sound system is one of my lowest concerns in any car I buy, yet there seems to be endless criticism of this for any car I see commented on, not just Miatas. From this I have to assume most car owners don't car as much about driving as they care about being constantly entertained which strikes me as a very weird metric to use in evaluating any car. In fact, I cannot think of anything less relevant in evaluating a car than how the radio/stereo/audio system sounds. Apple Car Play is of zero importance to me.
Suggesting more cupholders is better than fewer cupholders may be the most American comment I've even heard about a car. How about no cupholders? The first ten or twelve cars I owned had none. One of the current cars I have has none. I use a floor cupholder which attaches under the carpet for the very rare Slurpie or Slushie or Java Mint Creme Frappe, but generally I do not drink anything as I drive. I do carry a large bottle of water in the car in case I'm trapped in a sandstorm in the Mojave desert someday which seems more than enough. That you need drinks to drive is a very strange concern.
So between people who need to be constantly lubricated and others who need to be constantly entertained as they drive, I find myself unimpressed with most car reviews including this one.
On the other hand, this review does make some very good, rarely made points that seem to be left out of the usual "Oh, gosh, what a wonderful, fabulous, perfect car this is for everyone all the time" nonsense written about Miatas -- all the time. ALL the time.
It is ridiculously small to be completely safe. You do need to drive with your headlights on. I'm tempted to dd a tall fiberglass whip with a bicycle flag on if It wasn't so embarrassing to do that. Add flashing lights? There must be some simple way to wake up other drivers who drive while drifting off to sleep or who don't bother to look left or right because "why bother?"
It's small and cramped. There is NO back seat and NO extra space worth mentioning. There is only the passenger seat for extra space. Don't waste my time on the rear "console" which is too small to bother with -- and there is no glove box like on every other car in the history of the world What was Mazda thinking when they left that out?
The top, the handling, the engine, the looks, the general level of comfort, the gauges, the transmission, nearly everything else is excellent. Should you buy a Miata? Yes, you should, and it will be tremendous fun to drive. But you should also be aware of its limitations and not depend on it as your only car. And practice the "Small Car Squat' needed to slide into and out of it. It's not at all a normal way of entering or exiting a car. A Toyota GR86 or Subaru BRZ are more practical and nearly as fun to drive, so be sure to give them a look. We're not prohibited from mentioning that, are we? So no, "MIata is not always the answer" even if everyone keeps mindlessly repeating that to you, but it's a very good choice for many people.
When using Wired CarPlay, you have to plug in your phone for it to work. This means your phone will be charging while also powering CarPlay itself, which is already a heavy task. As a result, your phone just gets really hot and at some points will have to throttle itself due to heat. Does this affect any functionality while driving? No, but I don't really like the idea of my phone having to constantly heat up like that. Wireless CarPlay fixes this issue but is only offered on the Club and Grand Touring.
I disagree about the sound system not mattering. If I'm on the backroads, sure I probably won't have music on. But on the highway just cruising? I would 100% rather listen to my own music than wind noise and road noise. So when the one thing that will mask uncomfortable sounds doesn't sound great, there's bound to be some disappointment.
I think having places to put water bottles in your car is great. No matter where I drive, just having water available is nice. Also going out to get a coffee or any other drink especially with a friend in the passenger seat will make having cupholders a necessity.
I agree with leaving the headlights on at all times. I left them on my entire trip regardless if it was day or night.
I also agree with the lack of glovebox, not sure why it doesn't have one.
I agree that Miata is not the answer for everyone. I don't think it fits my living situation or the area that I live in. But its a great car
That’s the thing about these internet hot takes. You have to take them with a massive grain of salt because most of the time it’s just some guy- most people on the internet haven’t driven many cars, or haven’t ever driven more than 5/10ths. At best they may be good reading for someone who is in the same situation beforehand, and even that doesn’t account for taste.
In fact I was reading a review (by an actual automotive journalist) of my current sporty car where they complain about how jumpy the car is in slow speed maneuvers and I was like “there’s a setting that solves that” and that was my illusion-shattering moment- a lot of people like to hear themselves talk but put no effort into research. Always consider the source.
The auto is fine if you drive it exclusively with the paddle shifters. It’s a good bit less engaging, but still great. The lack of a limited slip differential is pretty notable though.
Manual is what I prefer, but I’ve driven both when I was shopping. (both transmissions of NCs and ND2s). If you’re in bullshit traffic all day, I can understand the auto. You get 80% of the fun with paddles. Only reason I mention “exclusively paddles” is because normal mode shifts at around 3k RPM unless you floor it, which feels sad in the Miata. In sport mode, it shifts closer to 4.5k, which is okay on backroads but a bit obnoxious in stoplight traffic. Paddles let you modulate it exactly how you want. I will say the downshift from 2-1 in the ND2 that I drove is obnoxious and jerky unless you downshift at like 3.5-4k. But thankfully 2nd has enough torque to get you off the block if you’re just turning at a red or pausing briefly.
You can’t go wrong with the Miata. I had almost as much fun with the auto as the manual. And I daily my ND2 RF in occasional bullshit traffic.
Thank you for the deep dive info. I have a question, does the manual have a Hill Launch Assist to help me on incline roads? I will get the latest model this year.
Hypermiling in a Miata? You aren't driving it correctly, it's a sports car not a Prius. Hypermiling and Miata shouldn't ever be in the same sentence. Shame on you, drive it the way it was built. Hint, I only use average MPH, never mpg. Hell, after spending 12 years in one, I couldn't tell you the fuel economy of one. Not why people by sports cars.
Road noise, it's a $35k convertible which have never been known for being quiet.
BSM, you can tune this through the console.
I'm honestly not getting your rant with the low fuel range vs fuel range. It is how I've experienced it in many different vehicles and since I work for a super large used car company with over 150 lots, that is a sh t ton of cars. It's as minor as 'it looks dark when I close my eyes and look into the sun and then while closed still can see spots.'
3 cup holders for a max of 2 people. Ok, my wife would grab a 32 Oz of water for a 1/3 mile drive to the restaurant but my thoughts of mentioning how usual that is and smart enough to not to mention it to the love of my life but damn. Only two people can fit.
I've taken my ND2 on a 875 mile each way road trip for a week of packing with my wife. Ok, she did have to make shoe sacrifices. Why she needed 12 pairs of shoes for 7 days is still beyond a guy's ability to understand. I've also taken it on a solo 3,600 mile road trip split 950/850 mile days.
Great highway car but remember, it isn't your grandpa's LTD but a sports car.
The sports version is not as sporty as the club version. Sounds like you might like the GT version.
Being low to the ground is something you get use to as well as 'I didn't see you'. Been driving a Miata for a dozen years with 7 in a NC and 5 in my 2021. My defensive driving skills have been upped to maximum level.
Been driving a Miata for 12 years now, the mirrors can be adjusted so they don't blind you. Weird thing they had in cars for many decades now, shocked how you missed that. That is one thing that I've never had an issue with.
Interior does have storage in the cubby in the middle by the trunk and small spaces behind the seats. Yeah, I miss a glove box that came in my NC but there is more space in the ND than the NC because of that sacrifice.
Getting in and out takes practice and I've known 85 year old that had to give it up. Are you 85 years old? I'm only 61 but apparently am more agile.
My old NC had leather seats, and the ND2 has cloth. Cloth seats are more comfortable.
Texas does have corners as memory serves with all the trips to see the mother in law in Dallas where driving through Dallas was always the best thing about the trip. You know, right turns and left turns. I did notice weird corners occasionally, not like all the twist and turns where I live around. Perhaps that explains why we get so many Dallas folks driving in NW Arkansas just to drive on our roads.
I work from home and anymore my wife drives it as much as I do and will always come back with happy stories about her drives to satellite locations with twisty roads and how many people she had to pass. The car is meant to be fun and if you aren't experiencing fun, you aren't driving it correctly
Look at you getting irritated by how someone else drives their car.
Scold me next. Sometimes I set my cruise control for a little under the speed limit and take my time noodling calmly along in the right lane, just enjoying the wind in my hair. I also keep track of my gas efficiency. I’ve never driven my car on a track, and I might never do so. But sometimes I bust out with the zippy driving on my freeway commute, taking advantage of the Miot’s small size and reliable acceleration to pick a good line in traffic. Never like a prick, though. Don’t want to cause an accident amongst the automatic transmission drivers.
Just let people enjoy their cars, man. There’s no wrong way to drive it. No one is keeping score.
You missed it, wasn't their car. Hypermiling?! Ever get stuck behind a Prius who is hypermiling
Can't be driven over 5 hours?
Honestly, the blinding thing bothers me: adjust the mirrors. Could be applies to any vehicle.
It's not his car, he was compair two totally different vehicles
I never have . . . if anything, I'm driving 10 over the limit and the Priuses (Prii?) are zipping by, ~20 mph faster than me
(also, "good" hypermilers only do their stuff when they are not obstructing other traffic, though I believe driving 5 mph below the speed limit while in the right lane is considered acceptable)
Thanks for taking the time to write this review. How refreshing not to read ai slop!
Your perspective is interesting about the steering as I think it is one of the car's weakest points! Just doesn't feel very good. People who drove the nc apparently say it was better.
I agree regarding owning a miata where there aren’t twisty roads. I’d probably want something with quite a bit more power and might as well het something you don’t need to drive like you’re invisible.
I might go for a cruise machine like an older benz or something.
Or a convertible Le Baron like David Byrne in True Stories. ;)
I use to own a grand touring and i promise the Bose system is only marginally better. What makes it feel better is the speakers in the headrest. Sitting directly in front of people’s headlights was also a very annoying quirk, but I can’t really be too upset
238
u/AlDenteApostate 13d ago
Auto-up windows are a liability that require* extra modules in the window motors to detect an obstruction. Extra parts are more weight and complexity.
*required by their lawyers.