mmarshall

Per multiple requests, a Static Review of the all-new 2016 Mazda Miata

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsMain&vehicleCode=MX5

IN A NUTSHELL: The world's best-selling roadster enters an all-new generation....on a platform shared with Fiat

CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Fiat 124 Spyder (when introduced). The BMW Z4, though similar in appearance/layout, is in a substantially higher price and power class.....not a true competitor.

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(Grandpa and Grandson)


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(Coupe Concept....not yet scheduled for production)














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OVERVIEW:

The ubiquitous and ever-popular Mazda Miata, as we know it, can trace its spiritual roots (fortunately, not the physical ones), back to the classic British open-top roadsters of the 1950s and 60s. In the mid-to-late 1940s, as the British automobile industry and its factories were recovering from the damage from German air raids during World War II, a number of GIs and American war veterans retiring from Europe brought samples of the MG roadsters they had purchased or acquired in Europe. The more well-heeled, of course, and some officers, could afford the much classier Jaguar XK120, but the XK was priced out of the range of most American enlisted members of the military. Along with the also-ubiquitous air-cooled, rear-engined VW Beetle, which had been developed in prewar **** Germany by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, the postwar British open-top roadsters became the first significant penetration of foreign-sourced vehicles into the previously solid-Detroit American car market.

Not only the MGs and Jaguars, but also Cunningham, Triumph, AC, Austin-Healey, and other British roadsters became a common sight on American roads. Unfortunately, while these cars certainly had charm and were fun to drive when they ran and operated correctly, the British, at the time, had no idea how to build solidness or reliability into them, even by the relatively low reliability standards of the time. In the rain, the top and side-curtains leaked water like a sieve....roll-up glass windows in these cars did not appear until some time later. Cork and other gasket materials in the engine and drivetrain parts deteriorated almost overnight, allowing loss or contamination of oil and other lubricating fluids, and leading to failures and seizures. Loosely-attached hardware and other parts needed constant tightening or re-attachment. Unsynchronized manual gearboxes crunched during shifts unless you double-clutched or used the heel-and-toe technique. And, perhaps worst of all, were the notoriously unreliable British Lucas electrical systems that were installed in most of these cars.....the old joke was "I drove my Jaguar coast-to-coast, and it only caught fire once".

Well, after couple of decades of putting up with these problems (and those with Italian-built roadsters), by the 1970s, most of their American owners had had enough, and except for the Jaguar XK which soldiered on, the wedge-shaped Triumph TR-8 was the last one to be sold in the market, leaving in 1981 (updated MG roadsters are still being built in China). After that, only the most dedicated of the old British roadster fans held on to their admittedly unreliable vehicles).

But the death of these cars in the American market was not in vain. Out of their ashes and memories, less than a decade later, arose a modern, well-built, reliable successor from Mazda, a Japanese-based company halfway around the world from Britain. The first Miata, with a 1.6L 116 HP in-line four, was introduced in July of 1989 as a 1990 model, and immediately became a sensation. Mazda, a company known for driver-centered and sport-oriented vehicles, had watched the demise of the British roadsters, noticed that no one else was doing anything about it, and (correctly) gauged that the market was there for a suitable replacement. And the Miata was clearly the right car at the right time. It went on, through three successive generations, to become the best-selling roadster in history. It offered not only a reliable powertrain and Japanese build-quality, but also came with what IMO was one of the most ingeniously simple and easy-to-use folding tops ever designed. Just unsnap the two hold-levers above the windshield (3rd-Generation models have only one snap-lever in the middle), flip/fold the top back over your head with your right hand, drop/let go of it, and that's it...you're ready for fun in the sun. When the rain comes, simply reach back behind you with your right hand, grab the top-handle, pull the top back over your head, lower it onto the windshield header, snap the lock, and that's it....you're sealed in from the weather, with no leaks like in the old British cars. You don't even have to get up from your seat or out of the car to do it. At the D.C. Convention Center Auto Show each year in January, I spend some time in the floor-display Miatas here, flipping their tops up and down for the spectators, showing everyone how easy it is (the Mazda reps like it because it shows off their product, and they are usually busy doing other things). I myself can raise the top in three seconds (I've been timed), and lower it in less than three...no, I'm not kidding, it's that simple. A power folding hard-top was offered on some versions, but I can't imagine who would want it except maybe, like for automatic-transmission Miatas, those with arm or leg problems that don't allow them full-use of their limbs.

That's not to say, though, that the Miata was, or is, for everyone. It's always been cramped for people my size (6' 2", and heavy) and hard for older or weaker people to get in and out of from its very low stance and low steering-wheel height. Seat-track travel and rake-adjustment is very limited because of the well behind the seats for the folding top....so taller people and those with heavy torsos and legs really have to do some work to find even an acceptable, much less comfortable driving position. Fortunately, the 3rd-generation model was a little less-confining inside, and easier on the ingress/egress, than the first two generations, which were like sardine-cans. A short wheelbase, firm ride, relative lack of sound-insulaton, buzzy engine, and short transmission gearing made most versions tiresome to drive on Interstates and/or on long trips. But, of course, a luxury-car experience is not what the Miata is about, but replacing the old British wind-in-the-face fun, which the Miata does in spades, especially on a classic winding two-lane sports-car road. For the money, there is probably better or purer inexpensive sports-car driving experience in the American market.

For the latest, all-new 4th Generation model, Mazda, unlike in the past, teamed up with Fiat (who themselves have a lot of open-top roadster experience, though not with Japanese reliability) to produce both a Mazda version (MX-5 Miata) and a Fiat version (124 Spyder). The Fiat version will be basically similar, but use slightly different trim, and have Italian Fiat-sourced MultiAir engines instead of Japanese.

The new Miata, in the American market, will be offered in three basic trim versions.....Club ($24,915), Sport ($28,600), and Grand Touring ($30,065). All versions come with the same Mazda-sourced engine...a Skyactiv 2.0L in-line four of 155 HP and 148 ft-lbs. of torque (peak torque comes at a high 6800 RPM, so you have to rev it for max power). Transmission choices are a 6-speed manual (which will probably be chosen by most buyers), and a 6-speed Sport-shift automatic. The manual transmission, as in previous models, helps keep the revs up for max power with its short, closely-spaced gearing....6th gear is a straight, non-overdrive 1 to 1 ratio. I did not see the power folding hardtop top, at least initially, listed as an option this time. Nor is a turbo MazdaSpeed version offered, at least for now, though that might change in the future.

For the actual test-drive, I wanted a 6-speed manual version, which is nearly impossible to find unsold (or pre-sold) right now at D.C.-area dealerships. But a couple of 6-speed automatics were ready and available at a large Nissan/Mazda shop near my house, so I decided to do a static (non-test-drive) review while I had the chance (Interestingly enough, a Fiat dealership was right across the street, but, of course, they didn't have any Spyders in stock, either, as it hasn't been released yet). This Mazda shop had a light gray automatic parked on the lot and a beautiful Candy-Apple-Red automatic sitting up on ramps, where one could look underneath it. Both were top-line Grand Touring models. They offered me a test drive of the light gray automatic, but I figured it would be a waste of both my time and theirs, as few of them are actually sold that way, and few buyers would probably be interested, even in the notoriously traffic-clogged D.C. area where automatics are usually a must. In fact, that is probably why those two weren't already sold, and available on the lot. The sales manager told me every manual that comes in is pre-sold, but that he's only been able to sell one automatic. And he's right......this car just screams for a traditional three-pedal manual, even with its midget-sized interior that doesn't allow much room for one's knees and clutch-operation. Just the thought of driving this car with an automatic is probably Unconstitutional.....Cruel and Unusual Punishment. So, while I had the chance, I decided to check out everything else now, and save the actual test-drive for when a manual version is available. Read On.


MODEL STATIC-REVIEWED: 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring Automatic .

BASE PRICE: $31,270


OPTIONS:

None


DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $820 (a little steep for a car this size and weight)

LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $32,090


DRIVETRAIN:

(Test-drive on hold for a manual)

RWD, Longitudinally-mounted in-line 2.0L Skyactiv four, 155 HP @ 6000 RPM, Torque 14 8 Ft-lbs. @6800 RPM, 6-speed manual transmission. (a Limited-Slip-Differential, oddly for a sports car, is not listed in the specs as either standard or optional)


EPA MILEAGE RATING: 27 City, 34 Highway (the automatic version, with taller gearing, actually does a little better, at 36, on the highway)


EXTERIOR COLOR: Ceramic (very light gray/stone) Metallic.

INTERIOR: Black Leather





PLUSSES:


Simple, easy-to use web-site for reference.

Loads of fun on a mild sunny day.

Simple, snap-folding raise/lower mechanism for the top.

Generally good underhood layout.

Roomy trunk space by small roadster standards.

Slightly easier entry/exit (for me) than in previous versions.

Relatively simple for technicians/mechanics to work on by today's standards.

Excellent paint job.

Well-designed steering wheel.

Simple, easy-to-read gauges.

Relatively simple control layout except for NAV/video functions.

Good workmanship and hardware inside and out.

Lower-body flare helps protect paint.

Good reliability record of previous models.



MINUSES:

Paint-color choices too limited....and too dull for a sports car.

Cramped interior for larger adults.

Scant storage space inside.

No telescoping function for the steering wheel.

No interior glove box.

Very limited seat-adjustments.

Manual hood prop-rod.

No body-side moldings for parking-lot protection.

No spare tire...Fix-a-Flat bottle.

Thin body sheet metal could (?) be dent/ding prone.

Previous versions had poor wet/snow traction, even with electronic traction aids.

Manual-transmission models currently hard to find.




EXTERIOR:

IMO, the exterior of the new Miata is not really that much different from past models except for the new headlight and taillight designs, where the relatively small, slit cat's-eye-type headlights are flared back a little more into the fenders in an aero-sculptured look. The basic shape of the trapezoid Smiley-Grille remains (characteristic of some other Mazdas as well), as, of course, does the car's very low stance to the ground for a low center of gravity. Interestingly, despite the car's low stance and the fact that, to me, the interior didn't feel any roomier on this latest version (more on that later), I didn't seem to have as much trouble twisting/lowering my big frame way down to get in and twisting/raising it to get out as I did with previous versions. Perhaps it was just the new door cutouts/sills or the size/shape of the doors. Or, perhaps the almost-daily exercise I do in both the swimming pool and on the treadmill is paying off.......hard to say. The tilt (but not telescope) steering wheel, something that was lacking on early versions, also helps.

Mazda brags about the weight-loss in this new model, but it is not difficult to see where at least some of it went.....into very thin body sheet metal, including a thin aluminum hood. That, off course, all else equal, helps handling, braking, acceleration, and fuel economy, but the down side could be a bunch of nicks and dings/dents after a few years. I wouldn't advise parking under trees at nut-shedding time....nor in places where careless people could ding your doors, as the bean-counters left off body side moldings for parking-lot protection.

I was VERY unimpressed with the paint-color choice in this new Miata, especially compared to many of the nice colors offered on Miatas years ago (bright Mariner/Grabber-Blue, yellow, red, sunset orange, British Racing Green, etc....). On this newest version, only four colors are offered on Club models, five on Sport, and six on Grand Touring. Of those, IMO, only one (the nice Soul Red Metallic I described above in the opening section, which costs $300 extra), actually LOOKS like a sports-car color....the others all look like something on the way to Murphy's Funeral Home. Come on, Mazda, this is not a hearse, but the world's most popular roadster.....let's see a color choice reflecting that. Perhaps Fiat, with the (fabulous) selection of paint colors it currently offers on the 500 and its derivatives, will give the 124 Spyder version, when it debuts, a nicer choice than the Miata itself. However, the paint itself is superbly applied....almost to Lexus/Audi-quality levels. Certainly no complaints with that.

(I'll describe the top-opening mechanism, below, in the INTERIOR section)




UNDERHOOD:

Raise the very light, thin aluminum hood, and one must fumble with a manual prop rod instead of struts or springs, but the hood is so light that little effort is involved unless one has a bad arm or shoulder. The fit of the rod's large plastic tab into theunderhood hole, though, is tight and exacting. There is no underhood insulation pad....but engine noise is part of the game in this type of car, so perhaps the bean-counters can be excused for not providing one. They can also be excused for not using one of those plastic engine-covers, as those covers (can) also absorb some engine noise, but they often make the engine more difficult to work on and to access components. The basic underhood layout is pretty good, though the longitudinally-mounted 2.0L Skyactiv four fits in a little tight, and there isn't much space to reach things down the sides of the block. Still, the lack of an engine cover makes for good top-engine access, some other components can still be easily reached, the longitudinal-engine placement allows relatively easy front-engine repairs, and all of the dipsticks/filler-caps/fluid reservoirs are easily reached. Unlike in some past models where the battery was under the trunk, in this latest version, the battery is up front, underhood, just to the right of center, uncovered, and easy to reach. In fact, not just the underhood, but the whole car, by today's complex standards (and especially by convertible standards), is relatively simple and easy for technicians/mechanics to work on.



INTERIOR:

Inside, like on the outside, the new Miata is not radically different from the old one....Miata-Philes will, again, feel right at home. The basic layout has some minor changes, but is instantly recognizable. All of the hardware and switches seemed of reasonably good quality and well-attached....the big round climate-control ***** had nice chrome rings and worked well. The layout of the controls/displays/gauges, as in past Miatas, was basically simple and easily decipherable, except for the video screen and its I-Drive-style chrome-**** controller. The primary gauges were done (like with Porsches) in the classic sports-car style, with a big circular tachometer in the middle behind the well-designed steering wheel, the smaller speedometer to the right, and secondary gauges on the left. There is no glove box at all in the dash, only a big swath of dash-covering (the bean-counters really scored on that one) Since there is practically no other storage space inside except for a small locking cubby-compartment on the console, I guess (?) one just slides the Owners' Manual under the right seat, though I forgot to check and see if there was a pull-out tray under that seat. There is, however, decent room in the trunk for this type of car...more on that later.

Two interior colors (black and tan) are offered....depending on the outside color choice. The interior trim, though simple and not lavish, seemed well-done and well-attached. One particularly nice feature I liked on the black leather interior was the plastic tops of the inner for panels.....where the driver often rests a left arm or elbow he or she is too tall for the regular door arm-rests. The top of each door panel has a swath of very smooth, slick, and very highly polished plastic trim (body-matching light gray in my particular car), with a pleasant look/feel, that is some of the nicest use of (admittedly) cheap plastic that I've ever seen in a car.

The bottom-seat cushions were comfortable for a person my size (6' 2" and a wide torso), but the seatback cushions were slightly too narrow and uncomfortable on my back. And, because of the necessity of stowing the fold-down top right behind the seats, I found the same restriction on seat-adjustments on this newest version of the Miata that I did on past models and with other small roadsters (Pontiac Solstice/ SaturnSky, Toyota MR2, etc...). This can make it difficult for tall persons to fit in and get comfortable. Rake-adjustments of the setback, so that one's head can be lowered enough to clear the top, require that the bottom of the seat be moved forward....so there goes your legroom. The tilt but non-telescope steering column only partly helps. In the Miata I was reviewing, I found it difficult to keep my head from brushing against (or pushing against) the fabric top when it was up, no matter how I adjusted the seats. Perhaps, with time and ownership experience, one can figure out how to set things up so that taller people have an easier time of it (one previous Miata owner on the forum is 6' 3" and apparently had no problem)...but I didn't have all day long to just sit there and play with a couple of seat and steering-column controls.

Some of that, however, can be forgiven when it comes to the sheer joy and ease of raising and lowering the manual fabric-top....which, IMO, has always been one of the Miata's best features. The (ingeniously) simple, snap-lowering/raising system remains...the designers would have been idiots to do away with it. I at least partially described it above in the opening section. Basically, with the top up, all you have to do, while sitting down in the driver's seat, is reach up with your right arm, snap open one retaining lever in the middle of the windshield header, quickly flip the soft top up and right back over your head, and a sensor (new this year, I believe) pulls it down and folds it back behind the seat. Time to put it back up? Just reach back over your right shoulder,, press a large snap-button between the two seats up at shoulder-level, and the compartment instantly pops open, the top partly unfolds, and you just grab the top wit one of two grab-slots provided, flip the top back up and forward, lower it onto the windshield header, and snap the lever back into place. Presto.....you're ready for that approaching rainstorm....where all you THEN have to concern yourself with is keeping the tires from hydroplaning and/or losing traction, as small, light front-engine/rear-drive cars often don't do well in rain or snow, even with electronic traction-aids.




CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:

Flip up the Miata's trunk lid, and it uses a dated-type of gas struts to hold it open instead of the more efficient and flexible scissors-hinges (which can also cost more). But, inside, the trunk itself, just as with past versions, is quite roomy for this type of small roadster...at least partly due to the simple and space-efficient top-lowering system. The Miata is obviously no Chevy Suburban, but, even with the top down, there is still enough room for a couple of reasonably-sized suitcases/packages or a bag of golf clubs, should you want to take a trip out to the fairway or country club with the top down on a nice day. The inside of the trunk itself is not particularly well-finished, but one can't say the materials used are really cheap either. Under the trunk, there is no spare tire at all, or even a temporary spare/donut......one must make do with either Mazda's Roadside Assistance or a compressed-air, Fix-a-Flat bottle stuffed into a square hole at the front of the trunk wall. To some extent, I can understand the bean counters on this one, considering that there is very little room for any kind of spare, and it would probably make the amount of cargo space unacceptably small.



ON THE ROAD:

(Holding, of course, for a manual-transmission version).



THE VERDICT:

Well, I'll hold the final verdict for an actual test-drive and experience on the road. But, aside from that, it is obvious that Mazda and Fiat have come up with a successor that previous owners should feel right at home in. It has the same general body shape, small exterior size, low stance, Midget-interior, cramped driving position for tall drivers, good workmanship/hardware, simple gauges/controls (except for the video screen), the same ingeniously-simple top-fold mechanism, and (hopefully) the same good reliability of previous Miatas, though Fiat Spyder versions will come with Fiat engines which might (?) be less reliable than those of Mazda-source. The power folding-hardtop version is gone (at least for now)......but most owners won't miss it unless they have arm or shoulder problems.

But, IMO, there are a couple of things that need addressing. This is a sports car, not a hearse.....paint it accordingly, and none of this $300 extra nonsense for the one bright color it does offer. Give the steering column a telescoping feature to help with the sometimes-difficult seat-adjustmets. Weight reduction in a sports car is important, of course, but I'm not sure that paper-thin sheet metal is the best way to do it. And, of course, there will be the inevitable calls for a turbo MazdaSpeed version......but that's outside the scope of this review.

Well, anyhow, Miata-Philes, here's your new machine. As soon as some unsold manual-transmission versions become available, I'll give you my thoughts on the road.

And, as always......Happy car-shopping.

MM

Toys4RJill

BMW Z4 $49,250 MSRP base
Mazda Miata $24,915 MSRP base

How own on Earth can these two be competitors?

mmarshall

They're not, price-wise. I specifically stated that the Z4 was more or less the same basic size and layout, but clearly in a higher price and HP/torque range.

The 2016 Miata, except for its soon-be-introduced Fiat 124 Spyder cousin, currently has no real competitors in the American market.

Toys4RJill

Seriously? The price of the Z4 which is double of the Miata means that it is in fact NOT a competitor. How could you not know this?

Then let's remember that Mazda is not in the same class as a BMW.

The Z4 is turbo while the Miata is not?

mmarshall

For the second time, I specifically stated that the Z4 is not a true competitor.

Now...if you have another question or comment that I have not answered, I'll be happy to discuss that with you. If not, have a nice evening.

Toys4RJill

Not a competitor or not a true competitor? You are all over the place. I am not arguing, I'm just calling you on the claim. It is just mind boggling what you said.

Toys4RJill

http://m.motortrend.com/roadtests/co...rz_comparison/

I like the Mazda Miata, Autoblog calls it "brilliant" and Jay Z said its a super car, but not a supercar.

MT summed up their take ranking it number 1. I agree with them.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

So you're not confused. Don't let your mind be boggled to a point of collapse:

Competitor: "They are both two seater convertibles."

True Competitor: "I'd never cross shop these two cars just because they're both two seater convertibles."

mmarshall

One BIG difference between the two of them, Phil, is that, unlike the Miata's ingeniously simple manually-operated top-lowering mechanism, BMW seemingly can't build ANYTHING simple.....nor, for 50K, would most buyers expect it that way.

Toys4RJill

I have always considered the manufacturer's recommendation of the true competitor to be the best representation of what kind of car competes with a certain type of car. Aftet that, a well respected publication like MT or Autoblog would suffice.

In this case, Mazda.com would like shoppers to compare the Miata with a BRZ, FRZ and a Mini Cooper convertible.

mmarshall

Minis are FWD/AWD...a totally different layout from the Miata's RWD. They also lack the Miata's low stance and low center of gravity. We won't see a BR-Z or FR-S convertible anytime soon (which would compete with a Miata) because of safety concerns.


http://www.torquenews.com/1084/don-t...e-anytime-soon

Mazda, however, did do a coupe-concept on the new Miata that might be compared to the BR-Z/FR-S coupes (I posted an image of it in the review), but there are no current plans for actual production.

mmarshall

Anybody on CL own a new Miata yet? I've only seen one on the road so far, even in the crowded D.C. area.

chikoo

???
They are competitors and Mazda beats BMW easily in the price dept. hard to understand?

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Other than being a two seater 'vert,there's quite a difference between a Z4 and a Miata.

Toys4RJill

The Mercedes Benz AMG SL65 Roadster is two seater open top, it has a hand crafted engine and an MSRP of $217,500, I guess the Miata is a competitor?