Automotive News 2016-Mazda-MX-5-Miata-Club-front-three-quarter-in-motion
2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club Long-Term Verdict

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Lincoln Similar to MKX will be one of the worst experiences of my life. I will never forget to stand on the side of the road, looking at Miata’s incomplete cup, and Lincoln’s driver tried to chat. “The car looks very new and I feel terrible,” she said. “It’s funny to see how cute it is.” I’m angry. I looked back at Miata, nodded and tried to smile her painfully. Basically summed up the power of Miata already in the United States more than a smile, all the time.

The accident took the Miata committee for a week. But despite the short break, we managed to keep 35,782 miles through 15 months. Not bad in # MTGarage the smallest car. Our Miata club variant is packed with Bilstein impact, limited slip differential, shock tower support, an airplane equipment, Bose sound system, optional BBS and Brembo brake wheel package. 2.0 liters of me (the only engine to choose Miata) launched 155 horsepower and 148 lb-ft, which is more than enough 2313 pounds of very light sports car.

 

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Our long-term MX-5 was a carbon copy of the one that entered our 2015 Best Driver’s Car competition, where the Miata had the least amount of horsepower and put down the slowest lap time around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. But still, we couldn’t stop smiling. It’s a big reason why the Miata earned a third-place finish just behind two quicker (and much more expensive) Germans while beating the Cadillac ATS-V, Mercedes-AMG C63 S, and more. “The 2016 MX-5 remains faithful to the Miata formula,” we noted. “No gimmicks. No gadgets. No glitz. This is as pure and honest a sports car as you can buy from a mainstream automaker.”

Although there was plenty of praise for the MX-5’s six-speed manual gearbox and lively steering, some of our lead-footed staffers criticized the suspension for being too soft, specifically the Miata’s tendency to squat on its outside rear wheel through corners. I consider it a good thing. It’s what gives the Miata its uniquely perky personality, which turns the whole world into its playground regardless if it’s hustling through Laguna Seca, charting an autocross, or navigating one of Trader Joe’s notorious parking lots.

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Road trips? No problem. The trunk easily accommodates two small carry-ons or duffel bags, and the Miata sips fuel on the highway—its Real MPG highway rating of 39 mpg tops the EPA’s by 5 mpg. In addition to an epic and therapeutic road trip to Moab, Utah, I made the trek to Lake Tahoe, where our long-termer proved that snow is no excuse to leave your Miata at home. Armed with sticky Pirelli Sottozero 3s, the Miata tackled the slippery white stuff with little drama.

Another notable road trip came courtesy of testing director Kim Reynolds. He drove to the Bay Area and coincidentally crossed paths with Derek Jenkins, Mazda’s former design director who was largely responsible for penning the ND Miata. The ever-clever Reynolds coaxed Jenkins into autographing our long-termer’s trunklid, and when word got back to Mazda’s design team in Southern California, they wanted in on the action, too. Almost a dozen designers and engineers left their mark, including Julien Montousse, Mazda’s current design director, and engineer Dave Coleman, who convinced the bean counters to bring the 2.0-liter I-4 to the States. (Other markets get a 1.5-liter I-4 as a base engine.) Based on the number of compliments our Miata got (a lot), this small but passionate design team has sculpted what’s arguably the best-looking MX-5 to date.

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In addition to its handsome looks, our Miata was pretty reliable, too, with four routine service visits totaling $347.27. That’s comparable with our departed long-term Volkswagen GTI ($184.87 for two service visits), but neither of those cars can compete with our 2016 Subaru BRZ, which cost us nothing for three routine services because maintenance is complimentary for the first two years or 24,000 miles. Our long-termer exhibited premature wear on a few spots of the soft top, which was a known issue with earlier builds. Mazda rectified the issue, which required fitting an entirely new convertible assembly (covered under warranty). The new and improved top worked flawlessly. At around 25,000 miles, the air conditioner stopped blowing cold due to a component failure. Our dealer couldn’t pin down a cause, but we suspect it was residual damage from the fender bender with the Lincoln.

Frankly, there’s very little I would change with the ND Miata. But nothing’s perfect. High on my list would be relocating the infotainment knob. It sits behind the shifter on the center console, meaning my forearm would consistently tap it inadvertently when shifting. Also, the Miata Grand Touring’s soft top (which has thicker insulation) needs to trickle down to other trim levels to help reduce wind noise. Again, very minor gripes.

Fun, reliable, and affordable, the Miata’s magic is still very much alive in Mazda’s fourth-generation roadster. It has provided us with wicked farmer’s tans and countless memories—and now, pained smiles, too, because it’s time to say farewell.

Our Car
SERVICE LIFE 15 mo / 35,762 mi
BASE PRICE $29,420
OPTIONS Brembo/BBS Package ($3,400: Brembo front brakes, BBS 17-inch wheels, Advanced Keyless Entry System)
PRICE AS TESTED $32,820
AVG ECON/CO2 30.3 mpg / 0.64 lb/mi
PROBLEM AREAS Premature wear with soft top
MAINTENANCE COST $347.27 (4-oil change, inspection, tire rotation)
NORMAL-WEAR COST $0
3-YEAR RESIDUAL VALUE* $15,900 / $17,700
RECALLS None
*IntelliChoice trade-in/retail (at 42,000 miles)
2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata (Club)
POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS
DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front-engine, RWD
ENGINE TYPE I-4, alum block/head
VALVETRAIN DOHC, 4 valves/cyl
DISPLACEMENT 121.9 cu in/1,998 cc
COMPRESSION RATIO 13.0:1
POWER (SAE NET) 155 hp @ 6,000 rpm
TORQUE (SAE NET) 148 lb-ft @ 4,600 rpm
REDLINE 6,500 rpm
WEIGHT TO POWER 14.9 lb/hp
TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual
AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO 2.87:1/2.87:1
SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar
STEERING RATIO 15.5:1
TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 2.8
BRAKES, F; R 11.0-in vented disc; 11.0-in disc, ABS
WHEELS 7.0 x 17 in cast aluminum
TIRES 205/45R17 84W Bridgestone Potenza S001
DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE 90.9
TRACK, F/R 58.9/59.2 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 154.1 x 68.3 x 48.8 in
TURNING CIRCLE 30.8 ft
CURB WEIGHT 2,313 lb
WEIGHT DIST, F/R 52/48 %
SEATING CAPACITY 2
HEADROOM 37.4 in
LEGROOM 43.1 in
SHOULDER ROOM 52.2 in
CARGO VOLUME 4.6 cu ft
TEST DATA
ACCELERATION TO MPH
0-30 1.8 sec
0-40 3.0
0-50 4.2
0-60 6.0
0-70 7.9
0-80 10.3
0-90 13.3
0-100 16.7
PASSING, 45-65 MPH 3.3
QUARTER MILE 14.5 sec @ 93.9 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 110 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.95 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.4 sec @ 0.72 g (avg)
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,500 rpm
CONSUMER INFO
STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL Yes/Yes
AIRBAGS 4: Dual front, front side/head
BASIC WARRANTY 3 yrs/36,000 miles
POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 5 yrs/60,000 miles
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 3 yrs/36,000 miles
FUEL CAPACITY 11.9 gal
REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB 25.4/39.0/30.1 mpg
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 27/34/30 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 125/99 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.65 lb/mile
RECOMMENDED FUEL Unleaded premium

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