Here Are 10 Things To Know If You Intend To Buy The Mazda Mx-5 Miata

The MX-5 Miata is a legendary lightweight, two-seater sports car manufactured by legendary Japanese car manufacturer, Mazda in 1989. It is a front mid-engined sportscar that is the answer for almost everything. If you want a fun daily driver, a car for occasional track days, or something you show off, the Miata does all that without breaking a sweat. 

It is possible because Miata nailed all the basics that make a good car. It is a small wheelbase car with an engine in the front and a rear-wheel drive orientation that gives it sportscar-like driving dynamics. Miata is also known for its agility and precise handling which further improves the overall experience of the car. If you want a car that runs great, needs little to no maintenance, and has popup headlights you cannot go wrong with the Miata.

10 things you need to know before you buy the Mazda MX-5 Miata

10. Bulletproof Engine

The Miata is known for its reliability, and one of the most important aspects is the engine of the car. If you are looking for an old Miata for sale, the engine of the car is mechanically bulletproof. There are several engine options for the Miata depending upon the year of production, however, the reliability is the same in almost all of them. The only maintenance they need is to keep the oil levels topped up and go for the longest drive possible with any issues.

9. One of the most affordable convertibles

If the wind in your hair is your preference then Miata is the most affordable way to make you look like a Hollywood Superstar driving top down on back country roads. Available at the base price of $26,830 for the convertible, the base version manages to get all the interior and exterior features that you possibly need such as LED headlights and taillights, a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Car Play, and much more comes at standard.

There are other cars in the segment such as the BRZ and Toyota GR86, they are quite good cars but, miss out on some of the essential features. The Mini Cooper is the only vehicle that beats the Miata but it is also quite expensive than the MX-5.

8. Impressive stopping power

Since Miata is a small and lightweight car the braking performance in the recent generation is one of the best in the segment. The car features 11-inch front and rear brake rotors paired with features like ABS with EBD, brake assist, and hill climb braking assist giving this car a strong braking performance. They bite hard and it is more than enough to stop the car in the shortest distances. The electronics also help to maintain the stability of the car while braking at high speeds.

7. Feather light construction

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is designed to be lightweight, as it is a two-seater car only and the footprint of the car is also small the weight of the car is inevitably low. The newest MX-5 weighs around 2116 pounds, which makes this generation the lightest car in the complete production lineup since 1989. The engineers at Mazda lowered the unsprung weight by going for lighter wheels from Rays, also the brakes used in the Miata are now Brembos, which if combined saved approximately 40lbs which does not seem very high, but as this weight moves, the slightest change makes a noticeable difference.

6. Was the Lotus Elan the true inspiration for Miata?

The first-generation NA Mazda MX-5 Miata is often associated with the Lotus Elan as its primary source of inspiration. And we can see that it shares similar characteristics such as popup headlights and over-body shape. This might be true according to the Mazda engineers, but we have to prove a point. We are certain that the true predecessor of the Miata was the MG MGB, especially the open-top version. Both the Miata and MGB had similar engine setups, however, the main similarities come in terms of the body and weight of the vehicle. This Miata is more similar to the MGB than it is to the Elan.

5. Miata once had a rotary engine that ran on hydrogen

Miata, rotary, and hydrogen, as bizarre as it sounds, Mazda experimented with a Miata chassis where they included a special rotary engine that worked on hydrogen fuel. If you know Mazda very closely they have experimented several times with hydrogen fuel and with their rotary wankle engines. However, all of them remained in their development phase only, it would be exciting to think about a high-revving rotary engine from Mazda in a Miata. It is also practical to think about it because the Miata is a small car and it would have made sense because the rotary engines are also generally small.

4. Fairly easy to modify

People love to modify their vehicles according to their needs and tastes and the Miata is one of the most modifiable cars out there. Thanks to its chassis and awesome driving dynamics people have attempted different styles from a full-blown track car to a stance car, and everything in between. The Miata has been around since 1989 and it has been thoroughly modified since then, due to which there are a plethora of aftermarket parts and endless combinations, it is the perfect project car you can get your hands on.

3. MX-5 What?

The Miata got the MX-5 because the prototype that took the shape of the Miata was called the “Mazda Experiment - 5” where the 5 was related to the project number. Additionally, the word Miata is derived from the German language meaning “prize” or “reward”. Metaphorically speaking, the whole meaning of the Mazda MX-5 Miata can be, Mazda Experiment - 5 which is quite rewarding if sit behind the steering wheel.

2. Only the first-generation Miata came with pop-up headlights

What do you think when someone says the word “Miata”, probably a happy-faced car that can wink. This is true, but the first generation NA Miata was the only car that featured the pop-up headlight feature. After 1997, it received a facelift, and the pop-up headlights were replaced by static ones for a more modern look and weight savings. After that, all the further generations used static headlights, but in my opinion, the NA Miata still looks the best in we compare all the later models as it had some character and a sense of resemblance in the design.

1. Jinba Ittai for MX-5 

The Jinba Ittai philosophy was used in the making of the MX-5 Miata, it is a Japanese saying that means “The oneness of Horse and Rider”. This philosophy made sure that the Miata works as the natural extension of the driver's body. It should communicate with the driver and take all the inputs precisely like your hands and fingers when you want them to move. The project manager of Mazda, Tokeo Kijima said “When the car and driver are in perfect harmony, driving is fun.” And it certainly shows are the Miata is praised as one of the best drivers car in automotive history.