Miata
Keepers: Mazda Miata MX-5—Community
There’s good news and bad news for Miata enthusiasts looking for club based camaraderie with which to share their roadster excitement. Despite being one of the most popular two-seat sports cars in the world, there is no single American Miata organization. This wasn’t always the case—the Miata Club of America served as a traditional owners club from 1989 through 2000, and when that organization went out of business, Mazda created the manufacturer-backed Miata Owners Club in 2001. That venture only lasted a year and a half, leaving Miata gearheads to rely on local clubs for their fix of automotive bliss.
Keepers: Mazda Miata MX-5—Shopping
The nice thing about the Mazda Miata is that no matter which flavor you go for, they all pretty much have that same elemental feel to them. In our first Miata piece we mentioned focusing on the second generation cars—they preserve that first generation featherweight feel while offering extra horsepower, tweaked handling, and a handsome list of available equipment akin to the current generation Miata. Yes, there’s something to be said for the character of the original car, and we know many Miata purists consider luxury items and safety systems to be automotive heresy, but the reality is the second generation Miata is just a damn fine automobile, and of the three generations on the market, it’s the one we would did pick.
Keepers: Mazda Miata MX-5
If we could choose only one car to represent the epitome of Winding Road’s philosophy, well, it wouldn’t be the Miata. But you can bet your driving gloves and designer sunglasses that the little Mazda would be in the top five, maybe even in the top three. Few cars in the past 20 years have captured the essence of basic, undiluted driving enjoyment as well as the Miata, and it should come as no surprise that this outstanding little machine isn’t just a Keeper, but an icon among motoring purists around the world.
List: Top Ten Performance Bargains
In this list, we detail ten cars that really get you the most bang for your buck. Some of these aren’t the most wallet-friendly of cars, but when it comes down to what class they compete in, you’d be hard pressed to find something just as good for the same price.
Categories
Most Popular
