Well its a good looking car. I must say, the pics make it seem much more different, honestly, in person, it looked JUST like the 1st gen, but with fender flares (why do designers think adding fender flares are the solution to every car design). It did seem bigger and it did seem more masculine, I'd give it that.

I do like this car inside and out. Mazda did another great job, making a complete car.

 

I agree, it's a nicely done vehicle. However, I was looking for some of the same experimental styling that we're used to seeing on Mazda's redesigned vehicles. It's pretty much the same with a little bit of a facelift and some added technology.

It's the best Miata (MX-5?) so far, but there's a lot of styling updates that weren't performed.

 

I like it, deffinently the best Miata yet.

It makes me wish Lexus would make a roadster to compete with Z's and SLK's.

 

Its cool. At first I really hated it. I havent seen one driving around yet, however I seen it at the NYAutoshow when Mazda had it displayed outside. It looked nice.

 

I sat in one at the California international auto show, I love it. The wheel gap seems a bit big, so lowering it would make it even better.

 

Mazda made it a hair larger inside for those of us who are oversized...a BIG weak point of the old car.....and made some suspension changes. It now sits on a shortened version of the RX-8 platform....with additional bracing, of course, for the convertible body style to prevent cowl shake.

And...it will now have some real competition ( for the first time in years ) from the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky....the MR2 was not built in large enough numbers to be real competition.

As far as the " masculinity " and the "chick car " stuff goes......the Miata was never an UN-masculine car to start with. I don't agree with that stereotype. One of my colleagues here at work...a man in his 30's....has owned two of them.

One stereotype of the car IS true, however. It DEFINITELY is not a car for tall or broad people...........male OR female...............even with the slightly larger dimensions this year.

 

Everytime I see this person I know visit it gives me a chuckle. Since he and his car are definitively meant for each other!


Aaron is about 5 feet tall 20 years old and looks about 14 -15 and he drives and races his red miata! I like to tease him a bit a little car for a little person!

 

Miatas are generally OK for those up to about 5' 8'"or so and 180-200 lbs. Anyone over that...man or woman....is going to have at least some difficulty. That's because the steering wheel is low, the roof is low, and because of the compartment for the folding top right behind the seats, the seats can't recline much without sliding the seat bottom way forward.

I was driving Mazdas at the time and was seriously interested in the Miata when it first came out in 1989......in spite of its hard sports-car ride.....until I tried to sit in it, ( I am 6' 2 ", 275 lb.) and, even worse, saw the dealer markups. I managed to test-drive it, but it was difficult.

 

I gave up my '94 Miata for my current SC400. Damn I still miss that car and really regret
selling it. I just needed extra seating.

It was almost as fun to drive as it was riding my motorcycle. Plus it's a convertible. I'm
glad everyone here on this forum is knowlegeable enough to know the qualities of
the Miata and don't dismiss it solely on it's size and stereotype.

True car enthusiasts know what a great sports car the Miata is. Here was my old one...sigh....

 

Looks like you kept the stock wheels on it...IMO that was a wise move. The Miata handles so well with stock wheels and tires there is really no need to try and upgrade them....although some Special Edition Miatas came with BBS wheels.

Not to change the subject, but I notice your neighbor across the street has one of those limited-production bright-yellow Saturn SC2 coupes. There were only a few thousand made.....2000 of them in early 2001 and, I believe, a couple thousand several years earlier. I had a yellow SC2 just like that for a short while in early 2001, but I found the engineering in it unsatisfactory...it was defect-ridden. I won't go into detail here. I returned it during Saturn's 30-day grace period when you get 100% of the refund back with no vehicle damage and a clear title.....and used the money to help get my IS300....a far better car.