Mazda MX-5 Miata (2006 - 2015) Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Fans of the Mazda MX-5 Miata already know that this is the most popular sports car of all time, for many good reasons. The great handling, 30mpg highway and overall sensible design of the car, combined with its outstanding reliability and low cost of ownership, make it a great car to own. The 2008 is from the NC series, or 3rd version of this classic car. The NC, with the larger 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine, is a totally redesigned version, yet is a stylistic throwback to the original NA series car. I wasnt fond of the NB style body. The 2008 NC is the last year before the designers at Mazda introduced the smiley face shaped grill, so that became the cutoff date for my being interested in the car. The soft convertible top has an improved design which makes it easier to use. Also, the available power retractable hardtop option is seen as a great improvement—a best of both worlds solution. My 1992 Miata M series was my daily driver for over 20 years. Im replacing it with a 2007 Mazda MX-5 which I found after a 2008 model I was looking at became unavailable. I am awaiting delivery of the 2007 car as I write this review. Jan 28, 2024

The third generation of the Miata is my favorite. It has a somewhat larger cockpit making it more comfortable to use as a daily driver. It really makes little difference wheather you choose the soft top or the Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT). Having owned both I prefer the soft top over the hard top when in its closed position but both were generally driven that way as our motto has always been: Why go thru life with the top up!. The third gen has two models Gen 3 and Gen 3-1. 2006-2008 have a smaller opening for the air intake and maybe mimicks the first gen front end. 2009-2015 have a larger air intake as well as some other engine features but the performance is really the same. I must also say that driving the third gen gives me more pleasure than the following generation and I cant seem to put my finger on exactly why. It may be that the fourth gen cockpit seems more cramped than all previous generations. Having owned all three my wife and I rank them as follows. Gen 3 is our first pick. Generations one and two come in as second equally. Fourth gen has more power but our least favorite.Aug 18, 2023

No car should come from the manufacturer without a spare tire. The 2014 Miata does. Any reasonable person will have to acquire a space-saver spare which will fit in the trunk. But, that doesnt leave much room for anything else. I think this series of Miatas is overpriced on the used market, but they are very good cars - great drivers and very reliable. Mar 07, 2023

I’ve only had my 2011 Miata for 5 days, but I am very pleased with it. The acceleration is better and stronger than I was expecting. Steering and handling are exceptional. Engine and exhaust note is satisfying. Entry and exit are challenging, but that’s to be expected in a car that small. Mine happened to come with a lot of extra goodies because it’s a grand touring model so that put some icing on the cake. Finally, it came with a very reasonable price that Car Gurus suggested as a great deal. At this point, I am very pleased with the vehicle, and I very much appreciate all of the excellent information that car gurus provide to help a shopper find the best vehicle at the right price. Feb 04, 2022

Ive owned each generation so far of the Miata and wanted to give the NC another shot because my first was an automatic NC1, which is not a fair comparison to the others I had, which were manual . This one is an NC2 manual, and I must say the improvements over the NC1 that I recall are worth it. I havent had it long, but so far Im glad I switched from the ND1 to the NC2. I can see the design similarities, but the NC2 seems to have heavier, and hopefully stronger, versions of the same parts on the underside. I prefer the NC 6 speed over the ND1 so far. To me the NC is a refined version of the NA while the ND is a refinement of the NB - I preferred the NA over the NB, and that is probably why I prefer the NC . All Miatas are special, but I love the NC2 best so far.Jan 29, 2021

the styling of this year is one of my favorite as is the reliability. it has all the features of the older ones that made the Miata such a hit, they are usually lightly driven as mostly a 3rd car, and rarely driven in bad weather. also most of them are babied during their lives, Ive had 3 Miatas and all have been very reliable no matter what their ageOct 28, 2020

I think at this prize, this car Is incredible value. Keyless ignition, 6 Speed manual , A limited slip differential, transmission, Retractable hardtop, and great weight distribution make this car so much fun. This model of the air is missing Bluetooth connectivity to listen to your music, but I’m sure that can be addressed. There is no car at this come close to how much fun you’re gonna have in any car.Oct 18, 2020

Our 2008 Mazda Miata SE is a sporty, fun car to drive. It is solid with tight steering. For a four cylinder, it has some power. While it doesn’t have some of the modern amenities like Bluetooth or a USB port, the Bose sound system is high quality. The convertible top is manual, but very easy to use. There is a decent amount of storage with several compartments and a nice sized trunk for a vehicle is that size. All in all, a very good value for what we paid. Highly recommended for a weekend car!!!Oct 01, 2020

I was waiting for the new ND design but I want the retractable hardtop and not canvas. So I bought a 2012 Special edition for $a measly $20600 with 19K miles. The car is really fun to drive and handles on rails. Its not as fast as my Corvette was but s far far more reliable and I would rather drive a slower car fast than a fast car slow. GM does not make great cars IMO as far as reliability and value goes. The Miata is comfortable and has adequate room for driver and passenger. My biggest complaint is the lack of modern tech. BT works with phone but no music streaming. have to use the AUX IN or buy a BT aux in module. Only one 12V recetacle. But it does have HomeLink go figure. The new ND is teah laden with a lot of "nanny" tech such as lane change monitoring which is not needed on this car. But I would rather have more than less tech so i will be buying an ND IF and or when they release a Hard Top Convertible. The MX% is far far less expensive to maintain than the Corvette. I miss NOTHING in going from my 08 Corvette Z51 to this Miata. Except maybe the outward design which again the new ND MX5 has resolve to my satisfaction, In the mean time i will drive from the inside out and enjoy this economical traditional roadster I have the Automatic and prefer it over the standard. don;t feel the experience is lacking at all. I had a MT Vette then the AT and preferred the AT. Purists would rather have the Standard. I drove one and really prefer the automatic. that said I will not pay $1100 for the AT option on the ND if I buy new. I will buy the MT and save over a grand. I know it is unfair to compare to a Corvette but that is my most recent experience and I prefr the MX5 which says a lot about this fun little reliable car.Apr 29, 2015

I bought my first MIata in 1991, the second year they were on the market and still had those flip up headlights. I drove it for 11 years, and sold it in 2002--and only because I was moving to Sydney, Australia and couldn't take it with me. It had 103k miles on it, and still drove like a dream. I never had a single problem with it mechanically. Mazdas, from my experience, are well-built, a great value for money, and I believe a quite underrated brand of cars. When I returned to the US in 2011, I was older (47), but yearned for the days before my 9-year stint overseas. While it was completely impractical (you can't really haul much of anything in it and there is only room for 2), I found myself in Mazda Oakland looking at this car--with just 19k miles on it, and even though it was 4 years old, still had that new car smell to it. I decided to take it for a test drive, instead of the Mazda 3 that I came to drive, and once I was behind the wheel, I was hooked. I've had many joyful experiences in this car in the 3 years that she's been mine. One of my first dates with my husband was driving through the Marin Headlands in my Miata, on a gorgeous, sunny day--with the top down, and holding his hand for the first time. Or up to Napa Valley for a weekend of wine tasting. Or to Yosemite in a freak October snowstorm. This car made my middle-aged life feel a little more frivolous, a little more fun. It was the one thing I owned that made no sense for the life I had and I didn't care because every time I got behind the wheel, I was transported back to 1991--a 27 year old driving his first convertible, and feeling young and with a life that was full of possibilities. I am only parting with it now because marriage has brought another car into my life, and with my parent's car (oddly enough--a Mazda 3)--we have one too many cars and my Miata is, well, the most dispensable. You will love this car. You will have fun times, romantic times, great memories. Just none of them about going to Home Depot.Feb 01, 2015

Fun ride with a hard top convertible and not expensive to maintain. The ride is very good & the 6 speed shifting has a very good sync. system, even for my wife, who loves driving it. The heated seats are great in the winter. There is no spare tire and the trunk is small. We like the fact that many systems are not electronic thereby reducing potential electrical repair problems that we have experienced with other automobile/trucks we have owned. My wife and I love driving our MX5 Grand Touring Miata.Jan 17, 2015

This car is one of those cars that makes you want to take the back roads to where you're going. She begs for curves, twists, and roads that are barely patrolled by cops. The performance for such a small car is amazing (given the car weighs just over 2,400lbs). I have the automatic which I didn't want at first but the thought of a RWD-stick-shift car in the winter wasn't too amusing to me. It has the manumatic transmission which means one awesome thing, paddle-shifters! The auto is nice though if you feel like being lazy haha. Cost wise, it's not bad. The Premium gas and synthetic oil was a little different to switch to after using regular unleaded gas and regular oil in my previous car, but if treated right, these cars will easily hit 300,000+ miles. Feed her the right stuff and she'll please you in ways that your girlfriend only wishes she could. I love the looks of the newer style Miatas. Bigger, safer, better accents, and the fog lights are all a nice touch. The trunk size isn't bad (I honestly expected smaller). Good luck fitting in some golf clubs though. Just put the passenger in the trunk and the golf clubs in the passenger seat. They most likely won't understand, but other Miata enthusiasts will haha. As far as fun factor goes, it's right next to a Porsche Boxster for me. There's nothing like dropping the top and taking her down a windy road on a nice sunny day with the music turned up a bit. I have had quite a few complements at parks, gas stations, etc and it gets eyed up quite a bit. I highly recommend getting a Miata. It's like a little go-kart for the road and will definitely put a smile on your face.Jun 19, 2009

Car reviewed: MX-5 GT AT. Drove this car with "Manumatic" to review it for my 66-year young mother. Being an ex-road racer and die-hard Porsche man, I was really skeptical. WOW!!! This little car delivers crisp/precise handling. The chassis/suspension gives ample communication. The engine's power band is wide, but keep it there, 4k+, if you want to go "fast" and yes, this car is plenty fast for public roads. The MX-5 Miata is more about "Dynamics" and less, a lot less, about drag/ego/idiot street racing. The brakes are fade free with excellent modulation. DSC really works and will keep most out of trouble on the street. The automatic transmission "Manumatic" was the biggest surprise, offering complete control of the power band with solid, lightning quick up/down shifting; a very nice unit, given the pricing point. The steering wheel mounted “shifting paddles” are perfectly placed, better than some F1 units, IMHO. Interior noise is low, considering it’s an ultra light street convertible. At 6' 180lb's, I fit just fine, though this area is really shape dependent. Gauges and interior controls are well place (move door lock switches next the center mounted window switches). Manual top works great, real smart design. Great fuel mileage!! In short, a well rounded, solid sports car and a great value. That’s why “I” bought one.Jan 18, 2008