IN a NUTSHELL: The world's most ubiquitous sports car gets slightly more refined and less of a sardine can for large people.

Well, a bright, sunny day in the D.C area today; not a cloud in the sky, mild, mid-70's....a perfect day to drive ( you got it ) a nice convertible.
I realized that I had not yet reviewed the latest Mazda MX-5 Miata, a car that just lives for days just like this. That, and the fact that so many guys going through mid-life crisis end up getting one, and the fact that the car has always been popular with women ( some of my female friends and acquaintances have also asked me about the new one ) and I decided that today was the day to go on down to the Mazda shop and ( from past experience ) try and shoehorn my over sized frame into one and pound my way over bumps like the old one did...only the new one doesn't pound quite so hard, and the classical sardine-can cabin of the old one can take slightly ( just slightly ) larger sardines now. Years ago, in the 1980's and early 90's, I drove Mazdas myself and bought some cars from this shop but, of course, it has all different people and management now.

Anyhow, they had moved all of the new Miatas into the back of the lot now that the peak spring-summer Miata selling season is over, so they needed someone to come along and crank them up and get the oil flowing and the batteries charged up again. Even though a new folding-hardtop model is now available for about $1900 extra, the standard fabric top is so easy-to-use that unless you live in a questionable or seedy area for vandals and car thieves, the traditional soft-top model makes more sense and is cheaper to boot ( no pun intended ).

In this gridlocked area, there is no question that an automatic or automanual transmission makes more sense for daily driving, but let's face it....on this car, gridlock of no gridlock, anything but a pure traditional manual would border on heresy, anything else would just not be in character with the spirit of driving a Miata. Add to that that the new clutch and gearbox is even better and easier-shifting than before, and the choice was obvious... a manual-transmission soft-top, even though the car IS available with a sport automatic with paddle-shift for those who don't want a clutch at all, even as nice a one as this car has.


Mazda introduced the MX-5 Miata in July 1989 as a modern-day successor to the old British 2-seat sports cars of the 50's and 60's that generally drove down the road shedding parts behind them...their quality levels were atrocious. Ill-fitting side curtains that leaked like a sieve often took the place of real glass windows. Oil usually ran out on the driveway...or anything else you parked the car on....the British idea of gaskets was something that sealed off liquids about as well as a piece of Swiss Cheese. The infamous Lucas electrical systems would short out or catch fire about once a week if you were lucky...more if you weren't.

Shifting the non-synchro or partial-synchro manual boxes without mastering the art of double-clutching or throttle-blip / rev-matching produced cruched gear-crunches that would assault your ears ( and the gear-teeth ) day and night. ( Night, of course, providing that the Lucas headlights actually WORKED ). All of this... just to get the razor-sharp handling, glued-to-the-road steering feel, and sense of intimacy between man and machine that these cars were so well-known for.

Well, some of the folks at Mazda decided, almost 10 years after the last of them, the wedge-shaped Triumph TR8, had left the American market, that the time had come to combine the best of what these cars had to offer... an intimate driving experience... with the best of what Japan had to offer... reliability, build quality, and state-of-the-art engineering. So... the engineers at the Japanese company best-known for the famous Kansai driving experience and its emphasis on steering feel and BMW-like response put their heads together and came up with the original 1990 MX-5 Miata. The car was an instant hit....Mazda sold far more of them in the first year than planned, and it quickly became a cult car as autocross, rally, and gymkhana groups embraced it in droves....as did the ladies for its minuscule and bright-colored " cuteness " and easy-to-fold top. Dealers, not surprisingly, padded the second-stickers well to ensure profiteering, ( my local Mazda dealer was one of the few to sell them at list ).

The Miata went on to become the best-selling sports car in history. Almost annually, special-edition and limited-production models were introduced, with some of the most popular, not surprisingly, being in the British Racing Green color with tan leather seats. And, unlike other " sports cars " of the period that were really more like GT tourers, the Miata, with each redesign, stayed more or less true to its roots...a pure, no-nonsense live-it-up sports car for the masses, though as time went on the price crept up a little and more features were offered. The latest-generation model improves on its predecessors in a number of areas, including a slightly roomier interior for large people like me, fixed headlights that eliminate the problems of the flip-up lights failing ( although they were usually quite reliable ), a refined clutch and shifter with lower effort ( which, as we'll soon see, is superb ), a slightly larger engine with more HP and torque but still somewhat underpowered engine for a real drivers' car, an even easier-to-use folding top with only one header latch to flip now instead of two, and a tilt steering wheel that allows BIG legs like mine to finally fit under it reasonably well, after some 15 years of having to do pretzel-contortions. Paint colors, unfortunately, are more in line with the Town Cars at Murphy's Funeral Home than with a cheery, sunny-day driver's car convertible, the bright red being the only exception.

So... let's take a look now at the world's most popular sports car in more detail.

Model Reviewed: 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport.

Base Price: $21,435

Major Options: Convienence package: $1055

Freight: $595

Price as Reviewed: $23,085

Exterior Color: Galaxy Gray Mica
Interior: Black Cloth

Drivetrain: RWD, 2.0L DOHC in-line 4 with VTEC, 166 HP @ 6700 RPM, 140 ft.-lbs. torque @ 5000 RPM,
5-speed short-throw manual transmission.


( 163 ft.lbs.@ 6700 RPM with Sport Automatic transmission )


PLUSSES:

A blast to drive on narrow, curvy roads.

Bargain price.

Extremely good reliability record....one of Consumer Reports' Ten Best.

Super-easy-to-use manual transmission and clutch.

Right-now steering.

FIRM brake pedal.

Much better ride than before....still a little on the stiff side. ( Yes, you expect that with a sports car ).

Good trunk space for such a small convertible.

Well-designed gauges and controls, with a pleasant lack of electronic video nonsense.

Extremely short turning radius.

Good but not outstanding paint job.

Super-easy-to-fold top.

Tilt-steering wheel ( finally ) gives more room for big legs and frames.

Good stereo for a car primarily designed to be driven topless.

Fairly rigid, state-of-the-art convertible structure minimizes cowl flex even with the top down.

Slightly more room inside than previous models.

Fixed headlights eliminate the one-eyed-frog look when a folding-light door malfunctions.

Good interior hardware.

More sophisticated and better-refined suspension than previous models.

Folding-hardtop model now available for those who want more security.


MINUSES:

Not a car for NBA guys.

Traditional easy convertible break-ins, with soft-top, for vandals and thieves.

Poorly suited for long-distance, Interstate driving.

Even more poorly suited for wet/slick roads.

Not much low-end torque, even with a manual transmission.

Low roof line still cramps tall drivers....not as bad as before.

Cheap looking hard plastic door panels vibrate when door is closed..

Right outside mirror too small.

Tin-can hood and trunk lids.

Small, closely-spaced gas and brake pedals awkward for big feet ( like mine ).

Very low ground clearance over obstacles.

Awkward unidirectional engine oil dipstick.

Gas-flap and trunk-release buttons awkwardly located.

Rather dull paint colors for a classic sports car.

No place for the seat back to recline.

Too much black monotone inside on base model for my tastes.

Steering-wheel-mounted stereo controls take away from the sport-look somewhat.


Although the new car is slightly larger than the old one, it still is almost like an insect as you walk up to it. The car still underwhelms you with its small physical size and low stance to the ground. However, it is obvious at a glance that this model is different than before, with its new fixed headlights, bulging fender flares, hunkered-down look, and redone dash, but it is still instantly recognizable as a Miata... the same car that people have loved for over 17 years now. The exterior fit-and-finish is well-done, with high-quality hardware. The paint is smooth, evenly applied, and commendably free from orange peel, although, not suprisingly, a little short of the superb, industry-leading Toyota / Lexus paint jobs. The hood has a very light feel to it... light even for its aluminum construction, and the trunk lid a even lighter feel. Inside the trunk, though, is more room than you normally expect to find in a car of this type, especially considering the space needed to stow the folded top... the Mazda engineers have really done a good job here. And they did an even better job designing the folding roof itself....more on this in a minute. The rest of the body sheet metal, unlike the hood and trunk, feels substantial.

Underhood, the 2.0L in-line 4 is postioned WAY back toward the firewall, in an obvious effort by the engineers to get a 50/50 weight distribution for optimum handling. This is great from a driving standpoint but makes it rather difficult to reach some things....the rather awkward, unidirectional-fitting oil dipstick is a good example. Like many vehicles today, the engine has one of those idiotic plastic covers that restrict access to things even more. ( There ought to be a law against those things... just ask the guys in the service bays that have to do engine work ).

Stoop WAY down to get in ( this is no Suburban ) and you find, as previously mentioned, that the interior is a little more friendly to large people. MY ubiquitous baseball cap now comes up to about even with the top of the windshield header, instead of some 2-3" above it like the old car, and with the manual tilt steering wheel all the way up, ( which still isn't that far up ) now allows me to at least get my legs under it without looking like a Bachmann Pretzel.

The interior, as a whole, is quite well-done, except for the cheap-looking and cheap-feeling solid black plastic inner door panels that rattled and vibrated every time the door was shut and the awkward, out-of-the-way buttons for the trunk release and gas flap door. The trunk-release button is way down under the left dash where it is even harder to find, by feel, than the almost equally-hard hood release. The gas-filler door is opened by a button INSIDE a pull-down door compartment built into the back wall between the seats.

The dash and gauges are quite well-done, with legible, circular, clear markings, and all of the controls, except for the release buttons I just mentioned, are well-placed, well-designed, and are a pleasure to use. And, best of all, there is little or none of the electronic and video gimcrackery so prevalent in today's vehicles. This is a car built for a drivers, not high-tech or electronic buffs. Sure, you have some electric convenience features... power windows, door locks, mirrors, etc... but these are not STAR TREK video Space-Age gadgets that distract you while you are trying to drive......and DRIVING is what this car is all about, at least on dry pavement ( more on that later ).

So, not surprisingly, the seats are designed for driving, with good side support without being too confining ( even my big tush fit in them reasonably well ). Unfortunately, like in the last Miata, there isn't much space for them to recline because of the space behind the seats needed for the trunk and roof compartment. If you want the seat to recline, you have to slide the bottom of the cushion forwards like in the last model, and then you are scrunched up against the wheel. Again, this is a potential problem only for big adults like me; smaller ones will have no problem.

The folding top, in this car, as mentioned, is a pure gem. I can't think of any reason at all to spend the extra money for the folding hard-top unles you live in a high-crime area or just want the slightly better noise and weather-insulation that the metal top gives. On the new Miata, you don't even have two windshield header-latches to unclick anymore, just one in the center, and the roof folds back with one arm and lowers back behind the seats... just push the front edge down and it clicks into the self-made boot automatically. To raise it, just press a built-in latch behind you between the seats; the top unclicks and pops up, and you just grab it with the same arm and pull it back forward over your head into the windshield header and snap the latch back in place.....presto. The release latch back behind you, between the seats, can be a little awkward for a big guy like me to contort around and reach, but for most people should be no problem.

Visibility out of the car with the top up was , like most convertibles, a little restricted around the rear pillars, but otherwise not notably bad. Tall guys like me have the your head about even with the top of the windshield, so it can be difficult looking up in front of the car. The right-side outside mirror, while made of good materials and solidly attached, is a little small for my tastes....it doesn't allow a good view towards the back of the car, which already sits very low in the first place.

OK... this car was built to DRIVE, so let's do that. Start her up and you are greeted with some engine noise and a little vibration...this is NOT a luxury car. The gear-shift lever vibrates at idle and you can also feel a little in the steering wheel despite the fact that it is rear-drive. That's not to say that it is like a go-cart, however... if anything, it is smoother and more refined than the last model by a noticeable amount.

Put the lever into first, let out the clutch, and go...the smooth clutch engages right off the floor, with almost no play at all. The ultra-short-throw snick-snick shifter is even betetr then before...the last one, IMO, was heavy-feeling with a lot of effort; this one is like a Honda Civic's... just snicks right from one gear to the next. You can shift this car in your sleep, except that I occasionally misjudged 3rd and 5th...perhaps with brand-new unbroken-in shift linkage. The engine, while noticeably more powerful than the original 1.6L 116 HP of the original car, is still, IMO, a little short of power for a car of this type.....it could use some tinkering by the MazdaSpeed folks, or maybe a turbocharger. Those of you who know me know that I am not a speed freak by any means, but I sill think 140 ft. lbs' of torque ( 163 in the automatics ) is little low for a true drivers' car... especially as outstanding a drivers'car as this one is.

The rest of the driving experience, however, is fully up to sports-car standards. Twist the wheel and the car responds right-now. Hit the brake pedal and the brakes engage immediately with a super-firm pedal almost completely devoid of the mushiness and sponginess you find in big Ford and GM SUV's. Road and wind noise, as to be expected in a small convertible, is present but with the top up is not bad at all. With the top down, the wind-blocking effect is pretty good....there was no real wind turbulence coming into the cabin except right at the top of the windshield... fortunately my cap fits pretty tight. There is a small amount of cowl flex on rough roads with the top down, as to be expected in almost any convertible short of a $90,000 Mercedes SL roadster, but almost none with the top up. The advances in the suspension and tires over the original car are obvious....the double-wishbone frone / multi-link rear setup on the new car gave a firm but noticibly less jolting ride ( I still wouldn't call it smooth ) than the old car gave, which IMO was downright HARSH, yet the new suspension still provided the crisp response this car is noted for.

That one-with the road-feel and quick steering, though, IMO, along with the stiff ride, short, high-RPM gearing, short wheelbase, and fairly high noise level make... the same tings that make this car such a blast on narrow, curvy roads... also make it unsuitable and tiring on a long-distance cruise. The car's suspension, while not quite as stiff as the old car's, still bumps harshly over expansion joints, and the quick, darty steering will put you right into the lane next to you at the slightst twitch of the steering wheel......not very comforting in a car this size when you are right next to an 18-wheeler. The short engine gearing and lack of insulation produces high RPM's and engine noise at crusing speeds even in 5th gear ( some Miatas have a 6-speed ), and the general lack of weight and 50/50 weight distribution don't do a whole lot for stability. This, obviously, is a car for back roads, sharp curves, and lower speeds.

It also pays to keep this car off of slick surfaces. While it was a beautiful day and I didn't actually sample it in the wet, the front/engine, rear-drive setup, light weight, and dry-pavement high-performance tires are known to be a very bad combination wet or slick roads. I've had numerous Miata owners tell me...and read numerous auto tests in magazines.....that describe the Miata's tendency to just spin the rear wheels, even with traction control, and slide all over the place in bad weather. You don't buy a car like this for winter.....park it and take the Subaru.

Drive this car in its proper environment and like it was designed to, though, and it is a blast. It will stick to DRY corners like on rails. The agility is just amazing..it will turn round in practically its own length. This car spoils you so much on curvy roads that you get back into a regular family car and, by comparison, it feels like a tank. Little wonder that it became the world's favorite sports car practically overnight, especially with its low price, high build quality, and good dealer network. Unlike with other Mazda products, the corporate bosses at Ford have seen fit to leave the Mazda people alone and let then design this car as they see fit, without the huge Ford influence we see in some of the rest of the company's products, like with the Tribute and B-Truck series.


So... the verdict? Really not much more that I can add here to what I've already said. To sum up, it's inexpensive, fun, a blast to drive on dry curvy roads, well-built, reliable, with low depreciation....you won't have much trouble reselling one in reasonably good condition.

It's also a little more refined than past models, slightly more accomodating to oversize persons, and readily available at dealerships. It is NOT a car for crusing coast-to-coast in, it is NOT a car for wet or slick roads, it is NOT a car to use as a moving van, and it is NOT a car for those who want Volvo or Mercedes-like crash protection.

In short, it was... and is... still the world's most ubiquitous sports car.