My first car was a 92 Miata, originally planned to own it forever, recently had thoughts that maybe after I mod it and have my fun maybe sell it, but this just convinced me to dispell those thoughts, (also red)
Always wanted an NA since they appeared in '89. With an intensely practical nature, I finally succumbed to the ND in 2015. Looking forward to experimenting with an EV as a family car, but the ND will be staying. Every drive is an event. Miata is ALWAYS the answer. Resistance is futile.
So glad you did this. My wife promised me a Miata in exchange for moving to her home state of California. 20 years and 2 kids later need to wait until they leave the house to cash in.
In 2004 I flew to my mom's house in Pennsylvania. When I got back to the New Orleans airport my wife surprised me with her new car: 2003 Miata. When the cats away, the mice will play. At first I was concerned, but then I drove it and instantly I loved it.
I bought a Miata in 1993. It was Red with Tan leather interior. I was 23 years old and it was a blast to drive. I would purposely drive the back windy roads for my daily commute. I’m now in my late 50s . My wife and I are thinking about buying a new Miata for a fun weekend summer car. I don’t care for the current hard top convertible, so we’ll be looking into the regular soft rag top.
I've had a red & tan 93 for 5 years. It has a supercharger, a Jackson M45, which adds a little bit of that missing oomph. It's loads of fun. It's what I could afford and justify, and the fact that it's bombproof and reliable made it actually feasible. I also got a 90 silver impulsively a year previous. It's been sitting in my garage and needs some help. I'm excited that the sun has finally come out here where I am. Maybe this will be the summer I get all my vehicles all fixed up!
You early Miata owners are lucky to have experienced the NA generation. Somehow a Miata was never on my radar until much later. Always enjoyed the Japanese sports cars more than the American muscle cars. It wasn't until I saw a video review of a 2017 Fiat Spyder Abarth that got my full attention. So I went to test drive one at a local Fiat / Alfa Romeo dealer. The turbo charged engine was a let down with lag & its clutch was heavy. It was the next day at a Mazda dealer that a 2016 MX-5 Club soft top was sitting in front of the dealership. Optioned very much like the Fiat Spyder Abarth. The difference was the styling was completely different with the curved lines instead of the more square lines of the Fiat. The test drive told the whole story of how a car can tell your soul what its doing. The naturally aspirated engine had instant throttle response & the super light clutch was amazing. I didn't want to leave the drivers seat ! It was already 15 minutes past closing time so the sales manager tossed the keys saying have an extended test drive ( that was Saturday @ 6:15pm ) come back here with the car after work Monday to make a decision ( leaving my trade in car at the dealer ). Well I drove it for the next 3 hours getting home late after driving thru the back roads. Sunday was a 245 mile day again on the back roads & highways testing its ability to be a daily. Monday after work I was there with my checkbook to Buy this amazing roadster. Its been over 6 years now & really amazed at how good this roadster was engineered.
I’ve owned four MX-5’s (a ‘91, ‘97, ‘02 and the 2019 I now own) and these are such remarkable cars. I’ve always loved sports cars (I don’t care about other kinds of cars) and I’ve owned 3 Alfa’s, 5 Lotus, a Ferrari 328gts, 2 Porsche 911’s, and a few other C3 Corvettes. What makes the Mazda so perfect is that it’s a proper sports car with bulletproof Japanese quality. I didn’t have any problems with the ones I owned, all the was required was proper maintenance (and even then you could abuse them and they would run). It’s basically what would’ve happened had the Lotus Elan been built by Lexus. My 1997 MX-5 had 327,000 miles on it when it got totaled by a woman in a Range Rover who was talking on her phone. Had I been in the car, I would’ve been killed. But the 2019 I have now is the best of the lot, and I have no plans to part with it.
Agree, I hate normal cars always had 2 seater sportscars since I was 22, now 58 and love the mx5 ,ive had 4 including the one I have now, also had Porsches and datsun/ Nissan Z's and my NA mx5 is the best from a fun point of view and now it's supercharged it's pretty quick at last 😀 cheers.
I have a few at the garage I work at, they drive okay but goddamn they are rustbuckets, each and everyone of them. Even with care and attention? They always seem to rust like no tomorrow
@@remigiuszbudak7017 I’m a clinical psychiatrist, and I own 4 rental buildings. It sounds like a lot of expensive cars, but I never owned more than one car at a time, I sold some of them after a year and would buy another. I never wanted to keep something like a Ferrari for more than a year because then the repair bills get serious, I just try to keep any cars that I own in the best shape possible. One of reasons I recommend an MX-5 for people who want a sports car is because it’s tough to find a better (and more reliable) sports car at any price. You don’t need to be rich to buy one, even an old used one will be a joy. And the cost of maintenance and repairs is more in line with a Camry than a Porsche.
My wife bought me a new Soul Red Miata ND2 last year. I've put 20000 miles on it and gone nowhere in particular. It's not just the best car I've ever owned. It's the best thing I've ever owned. It is flawless in my opinion.
The original MX-5 also inspired the roadster boom of the 1990s, after showing there was a viable market for such a car in the USA. BMW Z3, Porsche Boxster, Honda S2000 . . . all these cars probably wouldn't have been developed without the success of the MX-5.
Number of international car magazines tested the 2l BMW Z3 against the MX-5 and every time the MX-5 would win the review. The BMW was built down to a price point with wide tires and cheap suspension. The BMW was really a parts bin special. I believe when they launched the Z4 the journalists were told at the launch weekend, 'if you mentioned the Z3 we kicking you out of here'.
@@kneeboardtorque5971 Ah, but being a parts bins special is part of the roadster DNA isn't it? Use off the shelf, already proven parts to create a fun yet inexpensive vehicle.
Produced in Hiroshima the quality was excellent. I had two. Living in He-man truck country Montana I got a lot of hostility directed at me for driving something so different. I loved this car and still miss it today.
Yea . my brother never understood why the Miata either. Giving me grief for not Buying an American car instead. Well the Chevy Corvette costs 3 times more & is more expensive to insure plus maintain. Is the Corvette even more fun ? Can't say for sure but the 2016 Club soft top roadster I own is a blast !
@@audieconrad8995 Yea , can't tell you how many high end sports cars he has been thru since I bought my 2016 Club soft top. My car is a daily driver too so when the snow flies the winter tires go on. Probably makes him even more hostile as he witnesses my ownership of a non American Miata !
I drove my friends MX5 occasionly , so I have some experience .... Fabulous steering , roadholding . Fabulous breaks . When double clutching , a lovely roar from the back ! Desent acceleration . BEST shifting gear I ever experienced ! Finaly , Mazda made it RELIABLE . So yes , it is a stroke of genious .
I've felt for a long time that the Dodge Viper, Vauxhall Calibra and Mazda MX5 had a big impact on car design. The MX5 showed people would buy a car purely for it's handling regardless of absolute performance, the Calibra showed average family car buyers would buy an (at the time) radical looking car even if it was mechanically mundane and the Viper proved you could build a concept car and sell it without watering it down. I think these three gave car makers a lot of confidence in pushing design and handling much further in the 90's. That's the first time I've seem the hard top MK1 MX5 concept, that was a great looking wee car!
I always liked the Miata, but never loved it. I feel in love with the ND and decided to do my part to try and ensure small sports cars don't go extinct by picking up a new ND2 RF. It's just so fun! That puppy dog character is wonderful.
got a 1996 MK1 1.8si, amazing car ive owned for a decade. Last year i took the plunge on a turbo charger and 6 speed conversion and havent regretted it one bit, amazing car that I'll keep forever
Had a 1995 “Miata” and I really think it was the best car I ever owned. Perfect driving dynamics, Never broke, and more smiles per miles than anything. Maybe I’ll get another one….
I picked up my first MX-5 a few weeks ago, and have been enjoying (understatement) driving it around New Zealand. The ND does suffer from a few late-model car downsides. Compared with the last car (older Honda) I owned, the steering feel is a lot more numb, even though they're both electric racks. The ND is a very light car, but it "feels" heavier and more solid - arguably not a bad thing. Drive-by-wire doesn't feel like cable throttle, though I'd say it's more of a "difference" than a drawback. The engine gets the job done, and you could argue that it's better that it isn't the star of the show and you can just focus more on driving, but Honda's older VTEC engines are a riot and have a lot more character. The ND's exhaust note does not sound good to my ears below maybe 5,000rpm - though it's entertaining enough above that, and I like that it doesn't drone on the highway. The lackluster Bose system is harder to "fix" because modern infotainment systems are so integrated. The handling and balance is phenomenal. I love how the brakes feel. The gearbox feel and ratios are perfect. There isn't much low-hanging fruit when it comes to upgrades, because they basically got it right from the factory, and I appreciate that Mazda finally built an efficient and lightweight engine, and I can drive this car around without guilt even paying an equivalent $10/gallon for fuel. Overall, I feel all the ND is missing is a K series under the hood and a slightly more communicative steering rack, but it probably wouldn't be as good on gas. In my opinion, this is peak automobile in 2022.
I've had my ND Miata for just over a year and it's still a blast to drive as the day I bought it. I sold my Toyota MR2 Spyder when my kid was born and now I'm back to owning a 2 seat convertible again.
Have always wanted a manual convertible. The most exciting dream came true on the 22nd of December 2022, definitely making this the most exciting Christmas present to me in years. I found a Black 1998 MX5 NB in very good and tidy condition. Every time I get in and drive the excitement is timeless. Mazda Japan's engineering, research, and collaboration with the USA have rendered a magnificent machine all over. ❤💯. Thanks for this insightful video 👌
I had a 2016 nd1, later replaced with 2019 nd2 30th anniversary. I also own a 95 and a 97 Miata. Doing what I can to keep these cars alive for the future.
Still miss mine. In 2000, using Y2K money, I bought a 1992 Eunos Roadster V-Spec - was the second owner in the UK. By the time I called it a day (it was hit a number of times by other cars while parked on the road) in 2019 I had added ~120K miles to it, had driven it supercharged for around 4 years and did something like 25 track days in it (think 15 with the SC). By it's end the diff had been replaced as the original locked up at 70 on the motorway and the gear box had issues, but by that stage it was on ~135k miles. I actually kept it for about a decade after I was meant to sell it, as it had been replaced by a far more powerful car which was then tweaked for reliability and more performance on the track, a RX-7 FD3. My MX5 outlasted the RX7 in my ownership. Slight correction to this and your small car video. The MK1 top could not just be dropped, or rather it could but do that too much and the plastic rear window would first crease then split. It was quick to open but first you undid the catches to release the pressure on the material, then unzipped the rear window, then let it drop. The roof from the MK2 would fit on the MK1 and I did replace mine with a glass window one designed for quick dropping.
Love your channel, and now you've done my current daily driver! Thank you. My 2017 ND RF Club manual (of course) does bring back memories of my 1958 Alfa Giulietta, except it's 10 seconds quicker 0-60, and doesn't fall apart every other day. I'm a 5' 7" 75 year old woman, so I fit nicely, and can just plop down into it, but I must tell you, getting out can be a challenge! Only time I wished I had, say, a Lexus, was a nominal 3 hour drive from Austin to Dallas that turned into a 6 hour stop and go bumper fuck. Being hidden in a tiny car where you can't see what's going on isn't all that much fun.
I drive a '16 ND that has 85,000 miles. I also owned and restored a 1959 Giulietta, I know exactly what you are talking about. The Alfa was a very pretty car, if it was in my garage today I'd take it out on perfect days and enjoy what it had to offer, but I can take my MX-5 out every day, enjoy it, and not worry about anything breaking down. I'm also 75, I figure that getting in and out is part of staying at least a little limber.
@@3ducs If the "ducs" refers to Ducatis we have some thing else in common. I had give up riding a few years ago due to balance issues, but I still have my ST3.
@@ChimeraActual Right you are! I had a 2000 Supersport, an ST3, and a 1098. It should be illegal to sell a 1098 to someone over 60... Sold them all but looking back on them the Supersport was the best one for me, half fairing, bar end risers, Sargent saddle, GP shift adapter, Olehns, it was a good bike for the NH backroads I traveled. My MX-5 suits me to a T, almost all of my driving is twisty country backroads with some dirt roads thrown in. The ergonomics of the ST3 were, surprisingly, not a good fit for me, though it was good bike, lots of torque.
I owned a 2000 model from 2010 until 1017. It's the most fun I ever had on 4 wheels. The car was easy to work on and modify, one of the reasons I feel it was such a popular car for tuners and racers. The 1.8 liter engine in the 1st and 2nd generation cars was fairly bulletproof with a lot of room for more power. I eventually put a centrifugal supercharger on mine and over doubled its rear wheel horsepower. It was a bona fide 4.5 second car to 60, and on track days could easily hold its own with Porches and Corvettes in tight corners, and was a blast on back country mountain roads.
I came so close to buying my uncle's Eunos Roadster 8 years ago - it was still in pretty good nick. Now we have two kids so probably wouldn't have been the best choice! I'd still love to own one though.
My grandfather bought a Z06 in 2003, and after light mods would take it autocross racing. There were only two cars that were king: the Lotus Elise and the Miata. It's still mostly that way from what I've heard lol
I owned a mg tf. Fantastic little car, but must admit I've always wanted an MX-5 as well. I love the look of the ND, I'll be pulling the trigger on one soon I think.
I looked around for MX-5, but here UK they were all rust buckets. For the same money i got a much younger MGTF, which was much more fuel efficient. If only for the gasket problems i would have kept mine longer, just couldn't trust it after it was fixed.
@@flybobbie1449 so did they all have rover k series engines the 1.6 and 1.8 and vvti ? Looks like when land rover sold to ford. Mg and rover were sold to Phoenix consortium. And the MG TF was dropped
Great video, well done. You know what always angers me is the fact that most non-car people scoff at the notion of the MX-5 being a sports car. The MG Midget was the quintessential sports car, and the MX-5 is better than it in every way, so how is it not a sports car as well? Fun fact; the first year of the Miata was not 1990, but 1989. They started selling them late that year, and there are a few out there with 1989 titles
Nice video, thanks for sharing. In the 90s, I was a Mazda tech, then service advisor and parts manager for a dealer in Australia. The MX-5 was an amazing car for the company. As mentioned in the video we could not get enough of them to keep up with demand, however, that did not mean Mazda skimped on quality and rushed building them. They were all so good and reliable, we almost always did just a service and sent them back out to the road. I can only think of one major, big ticket warranty repair in the 6 years there. I also LOVED getting the used special MX5 only Bridgestone tyres and using them as road tyres for my Datsun rally car. 🙂👌
Such a brilliantly put together video ❤ There is just something about the MX-5 that just always gives you a mile regardless of the situation and it always feels so special and a privilege to drive....not that I'm heavily biased or anything 😂
Great doco thanks for the quality research and presentation. Own a 2001 NB2 and drive it on club days but not track days, I respect it too much. Great car for the lovely spring and summer here in Australia.
I’m an unrelenting Nissan Zed man but I do appreciate the impact the MX-5 had on the sports car world. I’d rather see MX-5s on the road than all the ubiquitous SUVs. Thanks for posting.
The first generation Miata is my favorite. Even though the Miata is still a cool, fun little roadster, the other gens never seemed to capture the essence and magic of the first generation when the Miata lost its iconic pop-up headlights. But they probably had no other choice anyway, because of pedestrian safety laws regarding pop-up headlights. Keep up the great work, Mr. Big Car! :)
I remember the first time I drove the car! it was an NB I told myself well I will experience the girliest car ever wow! I didn't drive fast since I had to bring the car to the carwash departement but it was enjoyable and I felt the difference between the the Miata and the S2000 in corners the Miata is like turning on yourself while the S2000 you feel yourself gettting thrown in the back of the car despite being a small car the driving position is great even for 6ft tall guy like me
I've had my '90 Miata for 6 years, and love every minute in it. I was 40 miles from home when the clutch slave cylinder began to fail, but was able to get home despite bumper to bumper metro area traffic on the NY Thruway by shifting with rev synchronizing and starting the engine in gear. Ordered a new cylinder and changed it through the right front wheelwell in 1/2 hour. I turned 40 the same month it was built, so I'm not young, but I feel young in it.
A couple years ago, on a lark, I bought a 2000 Miata as a beater. It had a cheap respray, so it looked good, and it was $3K .off a used car lot. I had no intention of doing anything unnecessary to it, but it turned out to be such a great car that I've put a new top on it, as well as new wheels and tires, and Tein adjustable coil overs. It's such a good car that once I've finished and had a chance to recover financially from a full resto I'm doing on another car, probably a couple of years from now, I plan to turbo it and add a 6-speed and a 3.60 gear to give it and extra highway gear, mainly so the engine isn't wound out on the interstate when I take it on road trips. In my mind, it went from being a cheap, fun daily driver not worth putting any money into, to being a really great car that's worth sinking $10-12K into, purely on its own merit. Doing all the work on the Miata myself, I've come to appreciate its quality, simplicity, great handling, and fun factor that it offers. I have a Lotus Exige with an aftermarket BOE supercharger that is far, far more powerful than the Miata, and will out handle it, but not by that much. I won't tell you the Miata is as fun to drive, but only because the Lotus is absolutely insane. But it cost 1/10 what the Lotus did, and it's far more than 1/10 as fun. The fact is that an NA or NB Miata is an insane bargain. The amount of fun you get per dollar just can't be beat. And maintenance, repairs, and upgrades are so cheap that you can afford to spend some money on upgrading one if you want more performance. Or, you can leave it stock and still enjoy it, especially for buzzing around town or on twisty back roads.
I used to have a '92 in Classic Red. Hardtop, Stillen rear spoiler,R-package front lip spoiler, ANSA exhaust and a few suspension mods to campaign it in SCCA autocross on weekends. Loved that car. Miss it.
I had an MGB 78 lots of fun the only thing always something to fix! Then a Miata 94 lots of fun and so reliable! Still drive it and waiting for summer to come back!😁
I had an NC MX5 in the mid 2000s - The suspension was jacked up by an inch or two from the factory for European models, which upset the geometry a bit. (Ironically similar to what happened with MGs in the 70s) I had a set of shorter Mazda supplied springs fitted at the dealers at a very reasonable price, which made a big difference. We drove from GB to Italy for a 2 week holiday in the car - surprisingly practical! Really enjoyed it.
I dropped a tear, remember my old Miata. So Fun. It was the first generation, year model -91. Extra fun factor. My father had a Lotus Esprit. I used it more often than he did, even to school.
i owned the first one from 1991 till i crashed it in 1996 ..... 5 Years of smiles per Miles and drove it all across Europe. I still remember it like my first Love. Will never forget it. :-) Thank you Masda and all the Engineers and People who worked on it.
There's a heatwave in the UK right now. I've just got back from a lunchtime drive in my 2019 30th Anniversary MX5 and find this video waiting for me. Excellent timing and a most excellent car.
This is timely. I own a S2000 AP1, but after swapping with a buddy's NA Miata, I seriously want a Miata for track and spirited driving - steering is just far better, and the car is a more willing and forgiving partner.
The MX5 is legend! , can’t believe I purchased the Ford Capri roadster at the time ( as a 20 year old I liked it but didn’t know how much better the MX5 really was) . Making amends now by enjoying an Alpine A110 - similar recipe to MX5 - light and fun . Thanks for a stunning review as always ! Cheers from Brisbane
I remember when I saw a crash test comparison roadsters in 1997 and two of them were the Boxster and the MX-5: the Mazda performed so well and not so far from the more recent and expensive Porsche, that even the magazine was surprised writing that the result was quite impressive for a 1989 car
Excellent and great informative video! I've owned two Miata's so far. First one was a 1992 C-Package with the hard top. Loved it except I lived in an apartment at the time and couldn't put in the work to fix it up. Later on I sold it and bought a 1997 back in 2016 with a hard top that is a loaded leather package. I still have it today and pushing 300k miles. Just finished repairing the rear quarter panels to remove all the rust, rebuilding the suspension with all new hardware, upgraded the cooling system, brakes, upgraded clutch, had a rotrex system on it that I removed, working A/C, and more. Now here in just a couple days, I'm driving down from Ohio to Tennessee for a vacation and visiting the Tail of The Dragon on the way home.
I've always wanted a first gen MX-5. The simplicity, and the pop-up headlights are just about perfect. I only wish it had been made with even less things standard. Like the bare bones stripped down models of the 60's and 70's. The only thing I need is a heater. No air conditioning, no power windows and locks, no automatic transmission, not even a radio. That British Racing Green with tan interior is beautiful
My first car was an MR2, but then came kids, and twenty five years of boring cars, culminating in a Kia seven seater. The kids have mostly left home now, and I had a bit of spare cash so... a beautiful ND in dark blue with a cream leather interior, soft top of course. So much fun to drive, and much less work than the old MR2. Best car ever.
My wife had a mk 1 1992 model with the cat removed. Absolutely stunning machine that behaved like a happy spaniel. It was a superb drive and extremely reliable. It never failed to put a smile on my face, especially when driven hard on Welsh B roads . I had a 4l TVR Chimera at the time but couldn't wait to get the keys of that little 1600. Unlike the TVR the mx5 never tried to kill me! We both miss it still. (BTW it's still on the road and lives locally)
I bought a used ‘90 Miata with 35000 miles in 1995 for $13000, drove it 100000 miles, and sold it for $13000. Because I loved it so much, I just bought a new 2023 MX-5 RT 6 speed manual for $37000. The car was and still is amazing in styling and performance.
Ive got 1993 Eunos and one thing that wasn't metioned was the feedback you get when driving them, you feel your part of the car, the sound of the engine, the gear change, the instant reaction and feel when cornering is so exciting. You dont need to go fast, it feels fast at 60. Plus the fact that its a beautifull looker.
April of '93, and I test drive back to back on the same day a new Del Sol and a new '92 Miata. The handling of the Miata made it a no brainer, instant decision. I thought I was buying a toy for my wife, instead it was one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned. I think the only mechanical repair in 123K miles was a new slave cylinder for the clutch. Reluctantly I passed it on to my grandson late last year. He's enjoying it as much as we did.
Mazda Miata is one of the best sports cars ever made. I have one of the later NA models. I upgraded to 15X7 wheels and 205/50 high performance tires. This is the best single upgrade you can make to these cars. Then I added a suspension upgrade package which lowered the car a bit and replaced stock components with stiff springs, shocks and sway bars. Awesome on the twisties now.
I can't help it. I have to brag and tell all you fine people, I have a 1990 Na as a daily driver. She is easy to work on a d she has appreciated my wrenching. I look forward to each and every Top-Down-Days.
16:13 With regard to the claim about the "60 kg" weight difference between the first and second generations, this difference depends on the year of production for the first generation, as the first generation gained quite a bit of weight over its production run. For example, a U.S.-spec 1997 NA had a base curb weight of 2293 lb (1040 kg), while the 1999 NB had a base curb weight of 2299 lb (1043 kg).
I bought a 1995 BRG Mazda MX5 back on 2002. Soon a torsen diff and a rollbar added. Many cars came and went small cars big cars fast cars but the little Mazda is always there to drive it ready to start the engine and enjoy a drive even if it is stationary for 5 months. It will always be the car of my youth my beloved car.
I am the happy owner of a 1990 NA... It taught me the virtue of looking way down the road, as sighting down the hood, as one would do with anything else, exaggerates the speed! The only headache that I have has been batteries - I have replaced the battery 3 times, which is not too surprising as the car is garaged for most of winter. A lovely car, and the huge smiles/miles also comes from outside - people just enjoy seeing such a little car.
I thought MX5 was closer to the Elan than this. I remember hearing that the exhaust note of the MX5 was designed to sound exactly like it. I also thought the MX5 gave way to more competitors like the Renault Spider for instance.
They designed it based on the old Elan, the exterior at least. Lotus had some input on some of Toyota and Nissan's cars (like the MR2 and GTR). The MR2 was supposedly an abandonned Lotus project that Toyota bought. I don't think they were involved with Mazda though.
It's funny because the concept design for the 1st generation really do look timeless. The real car is more bubbly. I do fancy the early 90w concept designs with long lines on head and tail lights like the Ford taurus.
I have a 97 (last of the 1st gen) Miata (MX-5 for the rest of the world) that I've had for over 15 years now. It was a one owner, stock set up car when I got it. I've since modified it slightly with Flyin' Miata springs, Tokico shocks, a Flyin Miata sway bar in the rear, and a Nardi Classic (no airbag) steering wheel. Engine is Rebello built with a lightened flywheel. It is SUCH a great car. Easy to steer with the throttle (it came stock with the Torsen differential), very forgiving, and pretty much goes where I think it. The steering is a jewel, and though it's only a 1.8 liter, the car is light enough that it has a lot of get up and go. "Rosine" is part of the family, for sure! Nice to see you do a video on this great design/car. At least as great as the MGB (And the MX-5/Miata design is as old now as the MGB was when the Miata came out in 1990). And easy on the eyes, too.
Flat out (pun intended), one of the best car channels out there, no bling just wonderful analysis and in-depth research - thank you once again for taking the time to inform and entertain us!!
I voted for something other than the MX-5 in the poll, but it deserved the Big Car treatment! Great review. We, needing an additional car with with kids getting to driving age, bought an NB last year and have been enjoying it ever since. Roof down, even in a Melbourne winter. British Racing Green, nice even with a black interior. We happily squeeze in, even though I and my sons are over six foot. They've taken it to a car meet tonight. Great to see you touch on the Capri. It was Ford Australia's big hope for exports and was planned to be released earlier than the MX-5. It got delayed, mainly due to it being their first airbag project, necessary at the time for launching in the USA. Once the MX-5 launched, it was largely game over.
I have a 2016 Club soft top & in winter the top gets dropped often below 32 degrees F ( zero degrees C ). Just keep the side windows up & the heater on full heat. My car does not have seat warmers but it does not matter.
This car broke my heart. The year before it appeared in the US I saw a picture of it in a car magazine. I cut it out and put it under the glass on my desk. As soon as the car was available in Chicago I rushed to the Mazda dealer to buy it. I loved the look of it when I walked into the dealership but imagine my devastation when I got into the car. I am 6'3" and I could not fit. I could barely get in and my legs were so cramped I could barely operate the clutch. Over the years, with each new model I've wandered into a Mazda dealer and sat in the car only to confirm that it was built for short people, or at least shorter than me. I could never understand why a 2 seater couldn't allow more leg room and since it was built primarily for Americans, who tend to be taller, it was all very galling. Anyway, that is my sad story.
Have you read into how people shave a few inches off the seat by cutting out foam? Typically done to the older model cars and it helps remove about 2 inches.
I learned how to drive a manual after ordering the ND2 at the tender age of 38. 4 lessons in a Mitsubishi Delica type van and I picked up my brand new MX-5 only to get stuck on the up ramp in my apartment's parking garage XD. I was able to do hill start without problem with the ricky old Delica because I could feel the vibration of the clutch contact point, but I wasn't able to do that with the MX-5. Because of that first day snafu, I had a phobia of going into tunnels and hills for like a whole month!
Great video. I've owned my 2002 NB LS model for for about 15 yrs now. I've never had a more enjoyable and trouble-free vehicle. Yeah, it's a summer-only driver, and is approaching 130K miles, but it never fails to put a smile on my face. For those who want to make fun of these, or are just unfamiliar, I suggest driving one (manual trans!). You'll be amazed!
beautiful video! I'm was thrilled to have a Red MX5 NB as my first ever car but I cant even believe owning a 1992 canadian Miata NA now. Just looking at it with the pop ups up and driving it feels so unreal its insane. Combined with such a crazy story it makes the car an absolute masterpiece. Thank you so much for such a nice video, really enlightened my heart :)
Thanks. i appreciate learning why these cars disappeared from the market here in the U.S.A. I'm too large to have ever considered buying one, but I appreciated their esthetic appeal.
When this thing came out in the States everyone at my work, and indeed, it seemed, everybody who could afford one, wanted to get their own. Unfortunately, the demand was so intense that dealers were charging massive premiums over sticker for each one they managed to get their hands on. Needless to say, for the first year or so they were extremely rare, exotic, and attracted attention everywhere one showed up. One of my coworkers was lucky enough to get a bead on one of those early cars, but decided not to buy it after a test drive because she was disappointed in the weak engine. We car nuts questioned her judgement.
@@fastinradfordable It's hardly fair to compare a turbo engine with a non-turbo engine. A 1.6 turbo engine, petrol or diesel (that shouldn't make any difference to the comparison IMO), is equivalent to around a 2.5L non-turbo engine. 🙂
Very interesting! One small point - at 8.50 the two chassis pictures are not quite comparable. The steel Lotus Elan chassis shown is indeed the backbone of the vehicle, onto which the wholly glassfibre body is mounted. But the MX-5 picture shows the front and rear axles connected by the aluminium stiffening girder that prevents movement between the two ends. Apart from that, the MX-5 has a conventional steel body that forms the whole structure of the vehicle, making it completely different from the Elan.
Many cars have come and gone in my life but I’ve kept my Red 1990 Miata since the beginning. 289,000 miles on and it’s still my favorite car
My first car was a 92 Miata, originally planned to own it forever, recently had thoughts that maybe after I mod it and have my fun maybe sell it, but this just convinced me to dispell those thoughts, (also red)
Red 1990 Miata was my daily driver for years, but I ultimately had such bad trouble with windows fogging that I traded it.
oh shit, you have about the same amount of miles on your Miata as I do on mine
Always wanted an NA since they appeared in '89.
With an intensely practical nature, I finally succumbed to the ND in 2015.
Looking forward to experimenting with an EV as a family car, but the ND will be staying.
Every drive is an event. Miata is ALWAYS the answer. Resistance is futile.
So glad you did this. My wife promised me a Miata in exchange for moving to her home state of California. 20 years and 2 kids later need to wait until they leave the house to cash in.
That's why I will never have a wife, unless she agrees she has no saying in what car can I buy or not.
I’m guessing she didn’t say when. Let us know when you get it.
In 2004 I flew to my mom's house in Pennsylvania. When I got back to the New Orleans airport my wife surprised me with her new car: 2003 Miata. When the cats away, the mice will play. At first I was concerned, but then I drove it and instantly I loved it.
Moving to California? Not even for a Ferrari Enzo.
Just go get it , life is short & u deserve it!
Ive driven all over the state in mine. Pure bliss on the scenic & backroads.
I bought a Miata in 1993. It was Red with Tan leather interior.
I was 23 years old and it was a blast to drive. I would purposely drive the back windy roads for my daily commute.
I’m now in my late 50s . My wife and I are thinking about buying a new Miata for a fun weekend summer car.
I don’t care for the current hard top convertible, so we’ll be looking into the regular soft rag top.
I've had a red & tan 93 for 5 years. It has a supercharger, a Jackson M45, which adds a little bit of that missing oomph. It's loads of fun. It's what I could afford and justify, and the fact that it's bombproof and reliable made it actually feasible.
I also got a 90 silver impulsively a year previous. It's been sitting in my garage and needs some help.
I'm excited that the sun has finally come out here where I am. Maybe this will be the summer I get all my vehicles all fixed up!
You early Miata owners are lucky to have experienced the NA generation. Somehow a Miata was never on my radar until much later. Always enjoyed the Japanese sports cars more than the American muscle cars. It wasn't until I saw a video review of a 2017 Fiat Spyder Abarth that got my full attention. So I went to test drive one at a local Fiat / Alfa Romeo dealer. The turbo charged engine was a let down with lag & its clutch was heavy. It was the next day at a Mazda dealer that a 2016 MX-5 Club soft top was sitting in front of the dealership. Optioned very much like the Fiat Spyder Abarth. The difference was the styling was completely different with the curved lines instead of the more square lines of the Fiat. The test drive told the whole story of how a car can tell your soul what its doing. The naturally aspirated engine had instant throttle response & the super light clutch was amazing. I didn't want to leave the drivers seat ! It was already 15 minutes past closing time so the sales manager tossed the keys saying have an extended test drive ( that was Saturday @ 6:15pm ) come back here with the car after work Monday to make a decision ( leaving my trade in car at the dealer ). Well I drove it for the next 3 hours getting home late after driving thru the back roads. Sunday was a 245 mile day again on the back roads & highways testing its ability to be a daily. Monday after work I was there with my checkbook to Buy this amazing roadster. Its been over 6 years now & really amazed at how good this roadster was engineered.
great choice! miata is only top down!
so it was made in 1970 ??????
@@josephberrie9550 No, 93.
I was 23 in 1993
I’ve owned four MX-5’s (a ‘91, ‘97, ‘02 and the 2019 I now own) and these are such remarkable cars. I’ve always loved sports cars (I don’t care about other kinds of cars) and I’ve owned 3 Alfa’s, 5 Lotus, a Ferrari 328gts, 2 Porsche 911’s, and a few other C3 Corvettes. What makes the Mazda so perfect is that it’s a proper sports car with bulletproof Japanese quality. I didn’t have any problems with the ones I owned, all the was required was proper maintenance (and even then you could abuse them and they would run). It’s basically what would’ve happened had the Lotus Elan been built by Lexus. My 1997 MX-5 had 327,000 miles on it when it got totaled by a woman in a Range Rover who was talking on her phone. Had I been in the car, I would’ve been killed. But the 2019 I have now is the best of the lot, and I have no plans to part with it.
Agree, I hate normal cars always had 2 seater sportscars since I was 22, now 58 and love the mx5 ,ive had 4 including the one I have now, also had Porsches and datsun/ Nissan Z's and my NA mx5 is the best from a fun point of view and now it's supercharged it's pretty quick at last 😀 cheers.
I have a few at the garage I work at, they drive okay but goddamn they are rustbuckets, each and everyone of them. Even with care and attention? They always seem to rust like no tomorrow
what is your job that allows you to afford those cars?
I see you miss the boat there (pun fully intended 😂)
@@remigiuszbudak7017 I’m a clinical psychiatrist, and I own 4 rental buildings. It sounds like a lot of expensive cars, but I never owned more than one car at a time, I sold some of them after a year and would buy another. I never wanted to keep something like a Ferrari for more than a year because then the repair bills get serious, I just try to keep any cars that I own in the best shape possible.
One of reasons I recommend an MX-5 for people who want a sports car is because it’s tough to find a better (and more reliable) sports car at any price. You don’t need to be rich to buy one, even an old used one will be a joy. And the cost of maintenance and repairs is more in line with a Camry than a Porsche.
My wife bought me a new Soul Red Miata ND2 last year. I've put 20000 miles on it and gone nowhere in particular. It's not just the best car I've ever owned. It's the best thing I've ever owned. It is flawless in my opinion.
My wife bought me a packet of crisps (potato chips)☹️
Mazda Soul Red is the best colour ever put on a production car.
The drain filters for the roof and transmission make it not flawless. But it is damn close.
Best car on the planet. Simple as. Had my MK I nearly 20 years now.
The original MX-5 also inspired the roadster boom of the 1990s, after showing there was a viable market for such a car in the USA. BMW Z3, Porsche Boxster, Honda S2000 . . . all these cars probably wouldn't have been developed without the success of the MX-5.
Yep. It could be argued that it saved Porsche by encouraging them to produce the affordable, volume selling Boxster.
@@ochayethegnu2915 Iunno. I'd have to agree with everyone else and think that the Cayenne truly saved Porsche instead.
The Cayenne was launched in 2003. If it hadn’t been for the Boxster 7 years earlier, Porsche wouldn’t have existed in 2003.
Number of international car magazines tested the 2l BMW Z3 against the MX-5 and every time the MX-5 would win the review. The BMW was built down to a price point with wide tires and cheap suspension. The BMW was really a parts bin special.
I believe when they launched the Z4 the journalists were told at the launch weekend, 'if you mentioned the Z3 we kicking you out of here'.
@@kneeboardtorque5971 Ah, but being a parts bins special is part of the roadster DNA isn't it? Use off the shelf, already proven parts to create a fun yet inexpensive vehicle.
Produced in Hiroshima the quality was excellent. I had two. Living in He-man truck country Montana I got a lot of hostility directed at me for driving something so different. I loved this car and still miss it today.
Really hostility because of the car you drove?! Mad, must be some really lovely people there!?
Yea . my brother never understood why the Miata either. Giving me grief for not Buying an American car instead. Well the Chevy Corvette costs 3 times more & is more expensive to insure plus maintain. Is the Corvette even more fun ? Can't say for sure but the 2016 Club soft top roadster I own is a blast !
Hah! Hostility because your car was actually reliable! Gr8 cars - glad you got to enjoy it.
@@audieconrad8995 Yea , can't tell you how many high end sports cars he has been thru since I bought my 2016 Club soft top. My car is a daily driver too so when the snow flies the winter tires go on. Probably makes him even more hostile as he witnesses my ownership of a non American Miata !
Produced in Hiroshima .... And didn’t cost a bomb!
I drove my friends MX5 occasionly , so I have some experience ....
Fabulous steering , roadholding .
Fabulous breaks .
When double clutching , a lovely roar from the back !
Desent acceleration .
BEST shifting gear I ever experienced !
Finaly , Mazda made it RELIABLE .
So yes , it is a stroke of genious .
I've felt for a long time that the Dodge Viper, Vauxhall Calibra and Mazda MX5 had a big impact on car design. The MX5 showed people would buy a car purely for it's handling regardless of absolute performance, the Calibra showed average family car buyers would buy an (at the time) radical looking car even if it was mechanically mundane and the Viper proved you could build a concept car and sell it without watering it down. I think these three gave car makers a lot of confidence in pushing design and handling much further in the 90's.
That's the first time I've seem the hard top MK1 MX5 concept, that was a great looking wee car!
But all those things had been proved in the auto industry like 75 years ago
I always liked the Miata, but never loved it. I feel in love with the ND and decided to do my part to try and ensure small sports cars don't go extinct by picking up a new ND2 RF. It's just so fun! That puppy dog character is wonderful.
got a 1996 MK1 1.8si, amazing car ive owned for a decade. Last year i took the plunge on a turbo charger and 6 speed conversion and havent regretted it one bit, amazing car that I'll keep forever
Had a 1995 “Miata” and I really think it was the best car I ever owned. Perfect driving dynamics, Never broke, and more smiles per miles than anything. Maybe I’ll get another one….
i want a black 97 mx-5 so bad as a fun little project to go along with my truck
Lol
I picked up my first MX-5 a few weeks ago, and have been enjoying (understatement) driving it around New Zealand.
The ND does suffer from a few late-model car downsides. Compared with the last car (older Honda) I owned, the steering feel is a lot more numb, even though they're both electric racks. The ND is a very light car, but it "feels" heavier and more solid - arguably not a bad thing. Drive-by-wire doesn't feel like cable throttle, though I'd say it's more of a "difference" than a drawback. The engine gets the job done, and you could argue that it's better that it isn't the star of the show and you can just focus more on driving, but Honda's older VTEC engines are a riot and have a lot more character. The ND's exhaust note does not sound good to my ears below maybe 5,000rpm - though it's entertaining enough above that, and I like that it doesn't drone on the highway. The lackluster Bose system is harder to "fix" because modern infotainment systems are so integrated.
The handling and balance is phenomenal. I love how the brakes feel. The gearbox feel and ratios are perfect. There isn't much low-hanging fruit when it comes to upgrades, because they basically got it right from the factory, and I appreciate that Mazda finally built an efficient and lightweight engine, and I can drive this car around without guilt even paying an equivalent $10/gallon for fuel.
Overall, I feel all the ND is missing is a K series under the hood and a slightly more communicative steering rack, but it probably wouldn't be as good on gas. In my opinion, this is peak automobile in 2022.
I've had my ND Miata for just over a year and it's still a blast to drive as the day I bought it. I sold my Toyota MR2 Spyder when my kid was born and now I'm back to owning a 2 seat convertible again.
Have always wanted a manual convertible. The most exciting dream came true on the 22nd of December 2022, definitely making this the most exciting Christmas present to me in years. I found a Black 1998 MX5 NB in very good and tidy condition. Every time I get in and drive the excitement is timeless. Mazda Japan's engineering, research, and collaboration with the USA have rendered a magnificent machine all over. ❤💯. Thanks for this insightful video 👌
I had a 2016 nd1, later replaced with 2019 nd2 30th anniversary. I also own a 95 and a 97 Miata. Doing what I can to keep these cars alive for the future.
Still miss mine. In 2000, using Y2K money, I bought a 1992 Eunos Roadster V-Spec - was the second owner in the UK. By the time I called it a day (it was hit a number of times by other cars while parked on the road) in 2019 I had added ~120K miles to it, had driven it supercharged for around 4 years and did something like 25 track days in it (think 15 with the SC). By it's end the diff had been replaced as the original locked up at 70 on the motorway and the gear box had issues, but by that stage it was on ~135k miles. I actually kept it for about a decade after I was meant to sell it, as it had been replaced by a far more powerful car which was then tweaked for reliability and more performance on the track, a RX-7 FD3. My MX5 outlasted the RX7 in my ownership.
Slight correction to this and your small car video. The MK1 top could not just be dropped, or rather it could but do that too much and the plastic rear window would first crease then split. It was quick to open but first you undid the catches to release the pressure on the material, then unzipped the rear window, then let it drop. The roof from the MK2 would fit on the MK1 and I did replace mine with a glass window one designed for quick dropping.
Love your channel, and now you've done my current daily driver! Thank you.
My 2017 ND RF Club manual (of course) does bring back memories of my 1958 Alfa Giulietta, except it's 10 seconds quicker 0-60, and doesn't fall apart every other day. I'm a 5' 7" 75 year old woman, so I fit nicely, and can just plop down into it, but I must tell you, getting out can be a challenge!
Only time I wished I had, say, a Lexus, was a nominal 3 hour drive from Austin to Dallas that turned into a 6 hour stop and go bumper fuck. Being hidden in a tiny car where you can't see what's going on isn't all that much fun.
I drive a '16 ND that has 85,000 miles. I also owned and restored a 1959 Giulietta, I know exactly what you are talking about. The Alfa was a very pretty car, if it was in my garage today I'd take it out on perfect days and enjoy what it had to offer, but I can take my MX-5 out every day, enjoy it, and not worry about anything breaking down. I'm also 75, I figure that getting in and out is part of staying at least a little limber.
@@3ducs If the "ducs" refers to Ducatis we have some thing else in common. I had give up riding a few years ago due to balance issues, but I still have my ST3.
@@ChimeraActual Right you are! I had a 2000 Supersport, an ST3, and a 1098. It should be illegal to sell a 1098 to someone over 60... Sold them all but looking back on them the Supersport was the best one for me, half fairing, bar end risers, Sargent saddle, GP shift adapter, Olehns, it was a good bike for the NH backroads I traveled. My MX-5 suits me to a T, almost all of my driving is twisty country backroads with some dirt roads thrown in. The ergonomics of the ST3 were, surprisingly, not a good fit for me, though it was good bike, lots of torque.
Chimera you need to drive the back roads between Austin & Dallas. I get your hatred of bumper to bumper traffic with all the SUVs & trucks.
@@ag4allgood Right! I've since mapped a back roads alternate. Still, it's pretty boring. Do you know a fun route?
I owned a 2000 model from 2010 until 1017. It's the most fun I ever had on 4 wheels. The car was easy to work on and modify, one of the reasons I feel it was such a popular car for tuners and racers. The 1.8 liter engine in the 1st and 2nd generation cars was fairly bulletproof with a lot of room for more power. I eventually put a centrifugal supercharger on mine and over doubled its rear wheel horsepower. It was a bona fide 4.5 second car to 60, and on track days could easily hold its own with Porches and Corvettes in tight corners, and was a blast on back country mountain roads.
It was by far the coolest car I ever owned and I really want to get another one
I came so close to buying my uncle's Eunos Roadster 8 years ago - it was still in pretty good nick.
Now we have two kids so probably wouldn't have been the best choice! I'd still love to own one though.
Shoulda got it anyway! Get one now - it's never too late!
I loved my MX5 Mk2 from the moment I got behind the wheel, and ran it for 8yrs
My grandfather bought a Z06 in 2003, and after light mods would take it autocross racing. There were only two cars that were king: the Lotus Elise and the Miata.
It's still mostly that way from what I've heard lol
In my hometown Southport we adore the MX-5. Every summer they come out to play.
I owned a mg tf. Fantastic little car, but must admit I've always wanted an MX-5 as well. I love the look of the ND, I'll be pulling the trigger on one soon I think.
I looked around for MX-5, but here UK they were all rust buckets. For the same money i got a much younger MGTF, which was much more fuel efficient. If only for the gasket problems i would have kept mine longer, just couldn't trust it after it was fixed.
@@flybobbie1449 so did they all have rover k series engines the 1.6 and 1.8 and vvti ? Looks like when land rover sold to ford. Mg and rover were sold to Phoenix consortium. And the MG TF was dropped
Great video, well done. You know what always angers me is the fact that most non-car people scoff at the notion of the MX-5 being a sports car. The MG Midget was the quintessential sports car, and the MX-5 is better than it in every way, so how is it not a sports car as well? Fun fact; the first year of the Miata was not 1990, but 1989. They started selling them late that year, and there are a few out there with 1989 titles
Always wanted an MX5 and so pleased I got one a couple of years ago
Nice video, thanks for sharing.
In the 90s, I was a Mazda tech, then service advisor and parts manager for a dealer in Australia.
The MX-5 was an amazing car for the company. As mentioned in the video we could not get enough of them to keep up with demand, however, that did not mean Mazda skimped on quality and rushed building them.
They were all so good and reliable, we almost always did just a service and sent them back out to the road.
I can only think of one major, big ticket warranty repair in the 6 years there.
I also LOVED getting the used special MX5 only Bridgestone tyres and using them as road tyres for my Datsun rally car. 🙂👌
I can only dream of owning an MX-5 but hope hope one day before i'm too old to care to have one that i can enjoy. one day, one day.
there was no mention of Tom Matano, who from what I understand, was instrumental in getting the MX-5 into production.
Just got out of my 97 NA after a morning drive. Easily my favorite car I've ever owned. Great video!
Such a brilliantly put together video ❤ There is just something about the MX-5 that just always gives you a mile regardless of the situation and it always feels so special and a privilege to drive....not that I'm heavily biased or anything 😂
Great doco thanks for the quality research and presentation. Own a 2001 NB2 and drive it on club days but not track days, I respect it too much. Great car for the lovely spring and summer here in Australia.
I’m an unrelenting Nissan Zed man but I do appreciate the impact the MX-5 had on the sports car world. I’d rather see MX-5s on the road than all the ubiquitous SUVs. Thanks for posting.
I'm always nervous when I notice the SUV's mirror is higher than my MX-5's windscreen...
@@steved3702 I can imagine that the SUV’s headlights are also awfully at the same level as your mirrors. 😵💫
@@MyBlueZed Oh, yes. I get that, too. :-)
Luckily for mx5 drivers in japan
The crossover SUV weighs from 830kg and 1080kg
(Daihatsu taft and nissan sakura)
The first generation Miata is my favorite. Even though the Miata is still a cool, fun little roadster, the other gens never seemed to capture the essence and magic of the first generation when the Miata lost its iconic pop-up headlights. But they probably had no other choice anyway, because of pedestrian safety laws regarding pop-up headlights. Keep up the great work, Mr. Big Car! :)
I'd say the current ND comes pretty damn close though
I remember the first time I drove the car!
it was an NB
I told myself well I will experience the girliest car ever
wow! I didn't drive fast since I had to bring the car to the carwash departement but it was enjoyable and I felt the difference between the the Miata and the S2000 in corners
the Miata is like turning on yourself while the S2000 you feel yourself gettting thrown in the back of the car
despite being a small car the driving position is great even for 6ft tall guy like me
I've had my '90 Miata for 6 years, and love every minute in it. I was 40 miles from home when the clutch slave cylinder began to fail, but was able to get home despite bumper to bumper metro area traffic on the NY Thruway by shifting with rev synchronizing and starting the engine in gear. Ordered a new cylinder and changed it through the right front wheelwell in 1/2 hour. I turned 40 the same month it was built, so I'm not young, but I feel young in it.
A couple years ago, on a lark, I bought a 2000 Miata as a beater. It had a cheap respray, so it looked good, and it was $3K .off a used car lot. I had no intention of doing anything unnecessary to it, but it turned out to be such a great car that I've put a new top on it, as well as new wheels and tires, and Tein adjustable coil overs.
It's such a good car that once I've finished and had a chance to recover financially from a full resto I'm doing on another car, probably a couple of years from now, I plan to turbo it and add a 6-speed and a 3.60 gear to give it and extra highway gear, mainly so the engine isn't wound out on the interstate when I take it on road trips.
In my mind, it went from being a cheap, fun daily driver not worth putting any money into, to being a really great car that's worth sinking $10-12K into, purely on its own merit.
Doing all the work on the Miata myself, I've come to appreciate its quality, simplicity, great handling, and fun factor that it offers. I have a Lotus Exige with an aftermarket BOE supercharger that is far, far more powerful than the Miata, and will out handle it, but not by that much. I won't tell you the Miata is as fun to drive, but only because the Lotus is absolutely insane. But it cost 1/10 what the Lotus did, and it's far more than 1/10 as fun.
The fact is that an NA or NB Miata is an insane bargain. The amount of fun you get per dollar just can't be beat. And maintenance, repairs, and upgrades are so cheap that you can afford to spend some money on upgrading one if you want more performance. Or, you can leave it stock and still enjoy it, especially for buzzing around town or on twisty back roads.
I used to have a '92 in Classic Red. Hardtop, Stillen rear spoiler,R-package front lip spoiler, ANSA exhaust and a few suspension mods to campaign it in SCCA autocross on weekends. Loved that car. Miss it.
All you need to know about a Mazda MX-5 in 30 minutes. A brilliant piece of work.
I had an MGB 78 lots of fun the only thing always something to fix! Then a Miata 94 lots of fun and so reliable! Still drive it and waiting for summer to come back!😁
I had an NC MX5 in the mid 2000s - The suspension was jacked up by an inch or two from the factory for European models, which upset the geometry a bit. (Ironically similar to what happened with MGs in the 70s) I had a set of shorter Mazda supplied springs fitted at the dealers at a very reasonable price, which made a big difference. We drove from GB to Italy for a 2 week holiday in the car - surprisingly practical! Really enjoyed it.
That’s an urban myth. The ride height (which was excessive) was the same in all markets.
@@ochayethegnu2915 mazda sold approved shorter springs. I bought thrm ftom the main dealer
@@chrispenn715 I know, so did I. It’s not unusual for manufacturers to offer dealer fit “sports” suspension.
I dropped a tear, remember my old Miata. So Fun. It was the first generation, year model -91. Extra fun factor. My father had a Lotus Esprit. I used it more often than he did, even to school.
My everyday ride, a 2016 MX-5 GT. More smiles per gallon than anything I've ever owned. I always wave as I pass another Miata driver.
Currently saving up to buy an NB. Both in concept and in execution, the MX-5 is amazing!
i owned the first one from 1991 till i crashed it in 1996 ..... 5 Years of smiles per Miles and drove it all across Europe. I still remember it like my first Love. Will never forget it. :-) Thank you Masda and all the Engineers and People who worked on it.
There's a heatwave in the UK right now. I've just got back from a lunchtime drive in my 2019 30th Anniversary MX5 and find this video waiting for me. Excellent timing and a most excellent car.
It was good timing for the summer, but I genuinely didn't plan it this way!
This is timely. I own a S2000 AP1, but after swapping with a buddy's NA Miata, I seriously want a Miata for track and spirited driving - steering is just far better, and the car is a more willing and forgiving partner.
an*
Ive always felt the s2ks steering feel to be vague even compared to regular cars
The MX5 is legend! , can’t believe I purchased the Ford Capri roadster at the time ( as a 20 year old I liked it but didn’t know how much better the MX5 really was) . Making amends now by enjoying an Alpine A110 - similar recipe to MX5 - light and fun . Thanks for a stunning review as always ! Cheers from Brisbane
Oh that decision makes me wince. Past Series 1 owner.
I remember when I saw a crash test comparison roadsters in 1997 and two of them were the Boxster and the MX-5: the Mazda performed so well and not so far from the more recent and expensive Porsche, that even the magazine was surprised writing that the result was quite impressive for a 1989 car
We always considered this as the Japanese answer to the Fiat 124 Spider. Twin-cam, rorty exhaust and RWD fun :)
Best cars ever! Although some cars aren't made anymore, they still remain legends in the history of the automotive industry.
"Enough power for public roads." Exactly!
Excellent and great informative video! I've owned two Miata's so far. First one was a 1992 C-Package with the hard top. Loved it except I lived in an apartment at the time and couldn't put in the work to fix it up. Later on I sold it and bought a 1997 back in 2016 with a hard top that is a loaded leather package. I still have it today and pushing 300k miles. Just finished repairing the rear quarter panels to remove all the rust, rebuilding the suspension with all new hardware, upgraded the cooling system, brakes, upgraded clutch, had a rotrex system on it that I removed, working A/C, and more. Now here in just a couple days, I'm driving down from Ohio to Tennessee for a vacation and visiting the Tail of The Dragon on the way home.
At the time like now when the speed limit is start to enforced in my country, this car is making sense
I've always wanted a first gen MX-5. The simplicity, and the pop-up headlights are just about perfect. I only wish it had been made with even less things standard. Like the bare bones stripped down models of the 60's and 70's. The only thing I need is a heater. No air conditioning, no power windows and locks, no automatic transmission, not even a radio.
That British Racing Green with tan interior is beautiful
A brilliant video on a truly iconic car.
Remember my 1st drive of a Eunos import in the early 2000's and wow, what a drive.
Fabulous little car. I never knew it used so many 323 parts. I owned a 323F and it was real fun to drive, if not very stylish.
Excellent piece. I had my first one in April 1990 and still drive one today.
My first car was an MR2, but then came kids, and twenty five years of boring cars, culminating in a Kia seven seater. The kids have mostly left home now, and I had a bit of spare cash so... a beautiful ND in dark blue with a cream leather interior, soft top of course. So much fun to drive, and much less work than the old MR2. Best car ever.
My wife had a mk 1 1992 model with the cat removed. Absolutely stunning machine that behaved like a happy spaniel. It was a superb drive and extremely reliable. It never failed to put a smile on my face, especially when driven hard on Welsh B roads . I had a 4l TVR Chimera at the time but couldn't wait to get the keys of that little 1600. Unlike the TVR the mx5 never tried to kill me! We both miss it still. (BTW it's still on the road and lives locally)
I had a 10th Anniversary MX-5. They were stupidly expensive compared to a standard MX-5. No wonder it took so long to sell them all.
Great video - love the behind the scenes development work and all the research you put into it!
Thanks Andy!
I bought a used ‘90 Miata with 35000 miles in 1995 for $13000, drove it 100000 miles, and sold it for $13000. Because I loved it so much, I just bought a new 2023 MX-5 RT 6 speed manual for $37000. The car was and still is amazing in styling and performance.
Brilliant, probably my favourite of yours that you have made
Ive got 1993 Eunos and one thing that wasn't metioned was the feedback you get when driving them, you feel your part of the car, the sound of the engine, the gear change, the instant reaction and feel when cornering is so exciting. You dont need to go fast, it feels fast at 60. Plus the fact that its a beautifull looker.
April of '93, and I test drive back to back on the same day a new Del Sol and a new '92 Miata. The handling of the Miata made it a no brainer, instant decision. I thought I was buying a toy for my wife, instead it was one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned. I think the only mechanical repair in 123K miles was a new slave cylinder for the clutch. Reluctantly I passed it on to my grandson late last year. He's enjoying it as much as we did.
Owned my NA6 for a few years now. Coming from an R56 Mini Cooper S, this car has been a breath of fresh air for reliability and enjoyment.
This channel is criminally under subscribed. This is one of the best car channels on UA-cam.
The very first time I saw the Mazda Miata (MX-5), I instantly knew, it would be a major hit!
Mazda Miata is one of the best sports cars ever made. I have one of the later NA models. I upgraded to 15X7 wheels and 205/50 high performance tires. This is the best single upgrade you can make to these cars. Then I added a suspension upgrade package which lowered the car a bit and replaced stock components with stiff springs, shocks and sway bars. Awesome on the twisties now.
I fell in love with these when I was 14. Now I'm 21 and will be buying my own soon!
Since all the time we expect this I raised already we needed the mx5 🙂♥️thank you
I can't help it. I have to brag and tell all you fine people, I have a 1990 Na as a daily driver. She is easy to work on a d she has appreciated my wrenching. I look forward to each and every Top-Down-Days.
16:13 With regard to the claim about the "60 kg" weight difference between the first and second generations, this difference depends on the year of production for the first generation, as the first generation gained quite a bit of weight over its production run. For example, a U.S.-spec 1997 NA had a base curb weight of 2293 lb (1040 kg), while the 1999 NB had a base curb weight of 2299 lb (1043 kg).
I bought a 1995 BRG Mazda MX5 back on 2002. Soon a torsen diff and a rollbar added.
Many cars came and went small cars big cars fast cars but the little Mazda is always there to drive it ready to start the engine and enjoy a drive even if it is stationary for 5 months. It will always be the car of my youth my beloved car.
I am the happy owner of a 1990 NA... It taught me the virtue of looking way down the road, as sighting down the hood, as one would do with anything else, exaggerates the speed!
The only headache that I have has been batteries - I have replaced the battery 3 times, which is not too surprising as the car is garaged for most of winter.
A lovely car, and the huge smiles/miles also comes from outside - people just enjoy seeing such a little car.
Get a trickle charger and start it every 2-3 weeks. The trickle charger will keep the battery to it's shelf life. I avg 5 years on a new Battery.
I thought MX5 was closer to the Elan than this. I remember hearing that the exhaust note of the MX5 was designed to sound exactly like it. I also thought the MX5 gave way to more competitors like the Renault Spider for instance.
I heard they focus grouped it and chose the sound that made the most people think of "a little red sports car".
I thought Lotus had some chassis input.
They designed it based on the old Elan, the exterior at least. Lotus had some input on some of Toyota and Nissan's cars (like the MR2 and GTR). The MR2 was supposedly an abandonned Lotus project that Toyota bought.
I don't think they were involved with Mazda though.
It's funny because the concept design for the 1st generation really do look timeless. The real car is more bubbly. I do fancy the early 90w concept designs with long lines on head and tail lights like the Ford taurus.
bought my first miata last year, a 2001 NB2 in emerald green, 1.8 6MT, and it's such a joy to drive. Might be my forever car.
I have a 97 (last of the 1st gen) Miata (MX-5 for the rest of the world) that I've had for over 15 years now. It was a one owner, stock set up car when I got it. I've since modified it slightly with Flyin' Miata springs, Tokico shocks, a Flyin Miata sway bar in the rear, and a Nardi Classic (no airbag) steering wheel. Engine is Rebello built with a lightened flywheel. It is SUCH a great car. Easy to steer with the throttle (it came stock with the Torsen differential), very forgiving, and pretty much goes where I think it. The steering is a jewel, and though it's only a 1.8 liter, the car is light enough that it has a lot of get up and go. "Rosine" is part of the family, for sure!
Nice to see you do a video on this great design/car. At least as great as the MGB (And the MX-5/Miata design is as old now as the MGB was when the Miata came out in 1990). And easy on the eyes, too.
Flat out (pun intended), one of the best car channels out there, no bling just wonderful analysis and in-depth research - thank you once again for taking the time to inform and entertain us!!
I voted for something other than the MX-5 in the poll, but it deserved the Big Car treatment! Great review. We, needing an additional car with with kids getting to driving age, bought an NB last year and have been enjoying it ever since. Roof down, even in a Melbourne winter. British Racing Green, nice even with a black interior. We happily squeeze in, even though I and my sons are over six foot. They've taken it to a car meet tonight.
Great to see you touch on the Capri. It was Ford Australia's big hope for exports and was planned to be released earlier than the MX-5. It got delayed, mainly due to it being their first airbag project, necessary at the time for launching in the USA. Once the MX-5 launched, it was largely game over.
I have a 2016 Club soft top & in winter the top gets dropped often below 32 degrees F ( zero degrees C ). Just keep the side windows up & the heater on
full heat. My car does not have seat warmers but it does not matter.
my 1993 is perfect - not too big - not too fast - no useless electronic junk - just pure Miata fun
This car broke my heart. The year before it appeared in the US I saw a picture of it in a car magazine. I cut it out and put it under the glass on my desk. As soon as the car was available in Chicago I rushed to the Mazda dealer to buy it. I loved the look of it when I walked into the dealership but imagine my devastation when I got into the car. I am 6'3" and I could not fit. I could barely get in and my legs were so cramped I could barely operate the clutch. Over the years, with each new model I've wandered into a Mazda dealer and sat in the car only to confirm that it was built for short people, or at least shorter than me. I could never understand why a 2 seater couldn't allow more leg room and since it was built primarily for Americans, who tend to be taller, it was all very galling. Anyway, that is my sad story.
Have you read into how people shave a few inches off the seat by cutting out foam? Typically done to the older model cars and it helps remove about 2 inches.
Try the NC era, maybe the last year, 2015. Very. roomy.
@23:40 sweet, I'm in this video! I was there! (what a party. Got to meet Tom Matano, it was amazing)
I'm surprised there's no mention on Honda S2000 in this video. Perhaps a single video on it next time?
I’d love to cover it sometime.
I learned how to drive a manual after ordering the ND2 at the tender age of 38. 4 lessons in a Mitsubishi Delica type van and I picked up my brand new MX-5 only to get stuck on the up ramp in my apartment's parking garage XD. I was able to do hill start without problem with the ricky old Delica because I could feel the vibration of the clutch contact point, but I wasn't able to do that with the MX-5. Because of that first day snafu, I had a phobia of going into tunnels and hills for like a whole month!
Great video. I've owned my 2002 NB LS model for for about 15 yrs now. I've never had a more enjoyable and trouble-free vehicle. Yeah, it's a summer-only driver, and is approaching 130K miles, but it never fails to put a smile on my face. For those who want to make fun of these, or are just unfamiliar, I suggest driving one (manual trans!). You'll be amazed!
I like your videos they are so informative and interesting.
Another great piece. The prefect blend of factual history with a hint of nostalgia. Love the period adverts as well. Keep it up.
beautiful video! I'm was thrilled to have a Red MX5 NB as my first ever car but I cant even believe owning a 1992 canadian Miata NA now. Just looking at it with the pop ups up and driving it feels so unreal its insane. Combined with such a crazy story it makes the car an absolute masterpiece. Thank you so much for such a nice video, really enlightened my heart :)
I've had four! The latest is the best, it's wonderful.
Thanks. i appreciate learning why these cars disappeared from the market here in the U.S.A. I'm too large to have ever considered buying one, but I appreciated their esthetic appeal.
When this thing came out in the States everyone at my work, and indeed, it seemed, everybody who could afford one, wanted to get their own. Unfortunately, the demand was so intense that dealers were charging massive premiums over sticker for each one they managed to get their hands on. Needless to say, for the first year or so they were extremely rare, exotic, and attracted attention everywhere one showed up.
One of my coworkers was lucky enough to get a bead on one of those early cars, but decided not to buy it after a test drive because she was disappointed in the weak engine. We car nuts questioned her judgement.
I mean…. I had a 1.6td vw caddy and I could leave the mx5 in the dust on a straightaway at highway speeds.
@@fastinradfordable It's hardly fair to compare a turbo engine with a non-turbo engine. A 1.6 turbo engine, petrol or diesel (that shouldn't make any difference to the comparison IMO), is equivalent to around a 2.5L non-turbo engine. 🙂
Amazing gear change.
About to be a first time Miata owner but not a first time Miata driver. Amazing cars and well put together video
Very interesting!
One small point - at 8.50 the two chassis pictures are not quite comparable.
The steel Lotus Elan chassis shown is indeed the backbone of the vehicle, onto which the wholly glassfibre body is mounted.
But the MX-5 picture shows the front and rear axles connected by the aluminium stiffening girder that prevents movement between the two ends. Apart from that, the MX-5 has a conventional steel body that forms the whole structure of the vehicle, making it completely different from the Elan.
MX-5s are very popular in New Zealand.