Mazda MX-5 Miata ND

The ND is Mazda admitting the NC was a wrong turn. Where the NC went bigger, plusher, ~200 lb heavier, the ND went the other way — smaller than the NA, lighter than the NB, return-to-roots interior philosophy. Mazda framed it as Gram Strategy: every component re-justified, weight stripped wherever possible.

The result drives like a refined NA. Front-mid layout, low polar moment, 50/50 weight distribution by design rather than marketing. The chassis is sweet at lower speeds in a way most modern sports cars aren't — no need to be on a track at 90% to enjoy what it's doing.

The ND1 vs ND2 split matters. Original ND1 (2015-2018) made 155 hp and revved to 6800 — fine, but soft on top. The 2019 update (ND2) shipped a meaningfully revised engine: forged internals, higher-flow ports, 181 hp, 7500 rpm. Character changed — it now wants to be wrung out. If you're shopping ND, the ND2 engine is the meaningful upgrade.

The Club trim is the enthusiast pick — Bilstein suspension, BBS wheels, Brembos, and most importantly the helical LSD (without it, hard cornering lifts the inside wheel). The RF (Retractable Fastback) is ~125 lb heavier than the soft-top — purists pick soft-top + Club; everyday owners often pick RF.

The 30th Anniversary edition (2019, ~3,000 worldwide, Racing Orange + Recaros + Brembo + Bilstein) is the spec to chase if you find one.

• The Drive

  Is a $45,000 Mazda Miata Still the Answer?

  ◆Worth it, with caveats

  The 2026 MX-5 RF is a fantastic, refined sports car, but the soft-top Club remains the superior choice for those prioritizing pure driving value.

  Best for

  Buyers who prioritize the retractable hardtop aesthetic and interior refinement over absolute weight savings.

  Watch out

  100-pound weight penalty · Significant price premium over soft-top

  Sep 22, 20261,137 wordsOpen article ↗

  Quotes worth your time

  1. performance“I just spent a week in the priciest, most heavily optioned Miata that Mazda sells: a 2026 MX-5 RF Club, and came away convinced the car is worth it.”
  2. daily drivability“It’s those last few bullet points that brought my MX-5 tester interior up to Porsche levels of refinement.”
  3. value“If your priority is lap times or outright value, the non-RF Club still gives you nearly the full driving experience for meaningfully less money and less weight.”

• The Drive

  2026 Mazda MX-5 RF Review: Is a Miata With a Heavy and Pricey Hardtop Still ‘the Answer’?

  ◆Worth it, with caveats

  The MX-5 RF is a fantastic, sophisticated sports car, but the hardtop is a compromise that only makes sense if you prioritize its specific aesthetic and security benefits over the purity of the soft top.

  Best for

  Enthusiasts who want a daily-drivable, stylish convertible and don't mind the weight penalty of the hardtop.

  Watch out

  Significant rear blind spot · Drive-by-wire throttle lag · Synthetic leather steering wheel · Weight penalty over soft top

  Sep 7, 20262,307 wordsOpen article ↗

  Quotes worth your time

  1. performance“181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft feels like the right amount for a car this light, though I wouldn’t say no to another 10 of each”
  2. handling“Where the RF earns its keep is in the twisties”
  3. fun to drive“Driving something this light is liberating. It’s the automotive equivalent of a summer outfit”
  4. daily drivability“As a daily commuter and errand-runner, the MX-5 turns any occasion into an experience”
  5. value“RF models run roughly 100 pounds heavier than their soft-top counterparts... If you’re planning to actually track this car, save the $8,000 premium”

• Top Gear

  Mazda MX-5 1.5 review: basic roadster's UK test Reviews 2026 | Top Gear

  ◆Worth it

  The MX-5 1.5 remains a peerlessly simple, solidly built, and feverish car to drive that proves you don't need big numbers to have a great time.

  Best for

  drivers who prioritize chassis balance and mechanical engagement over raw power.

  Watch out

  lack of smartphone mirroring · third and fourth gears feel long for the engine's power

  685 wordsOpen article ↗

  Quotes worth your time

  1. performance“The engine’s an eager delight, rasping with purpose to 6,000rpm then really getting its skates on for the last charge beyond 7,000rpm”
  2. handling“This is a very sweetly balanced car, and not just in the chassis department. The relationship between grip, power, and ride control is beautifully judged”
  3. fun to drive“As always, the gearshift is a slick, magnetic-feeling peach of an action.”
  4. daily drivability“You score ferociously heated seats, automatic climate control with a knuckle-singeing heater, cruise control”
  5. value“It’s a very complete little car for around £280 a month.”

• Top Gear

  Mazda MX-5 review: 2.0-litre roadster driven Reviews 2026 | Top Gear

  ◆Worth it

  The 2.0-litre MX-5 is the superior choice for those who prioritize driving engagement, though the 1.5-litre remains a fantastic entry point.

  Best for

  Enthusiasts who want a balanced, interactive roadster for public roads.

  Watch out

  electric steering lacks feel · unnecessary active safety tech

  1,273 wordsOpen article ↗

  Quotes worth your time

  1. performance“the 2.0 represents a notable step up under sustained acceleration, making lighter work of overtakes. It just pulls that bit harder”
  2. handling“It's more willing to exhibit the benefits of a sweetly set-up rear-driver than the 1.5, its extra power allowing a nice little squiggle out of corners”
  3. fun to drive“the driving position is sweet and the snickety gearchange superb, a great exemplar for saving the manual.”
  4. daily drivability“Mazda making a concerted effort not to change its roadster's approachable character.”
  5. value“This is good value: as well as more power, you get bigger 17in alloy wheels and a limited-slip differential on the back axle.”

• Top Gear

  Retro review: the third-gen (NC) Mazda MX-5 Reviews 2026 | Top Gear

  ◆Worth it

  Pure roadster fun, and easy to live with too. An antidote to the modern world, but still contemporary.

  Best for

  enthusiasts seeking an accessible, fun, and reliable roadster for daily use and spirited driving.

  Watch out

  brittle interior plastics · lack of throttle sharpness · tyre noise with roof up

  2,117 wordsOpen article ↗

  Quotes worth your time

  1. performance“It’s not a torquey engine, but delivery is predictable – no untoward troughs or spurts – and flicking around the gearbox keeps it on the boil.”
  2. handling“As you really load it up, this thing just comes alive, the steering opening up a great plate-glass window of transparency, flooding the experience with light and warmth.”
  3. fun to drive“It darts into bends, can’t get enough of them, sniffs them out, tugs at your sleeve and pulls you into the game.”
  4. daily drivability“There’s real sophistication here, a long-travel suspension that’s so well damped it keeps its cool even when the road starts bouncing like crazy.”
  5. value“So the little Mazda... is more than ever a good-time, all-the-time car.”

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  This Mazda Miata Might Be The Best Ferrari You Can Own

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  This Is What a One-Rotor Turbo Miata Making 155 HP Sounds Like

  Rob Dahm has built this car from the ground up, and the billet aluminum rotary is now singing on the dyno.

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  This Miata Looks More Like An Aston Martin Than Some Real Aston Martins Do

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• 30th Anniversary
  2019 (3,000 worldwide); Racing Orange paint, Recaros, Brembo brake package, Bilstein dampers, BBS forged wheels
• 100th Anniversary
  2020; classic burgundy roof + cherry interior commemorating Mazda's centenary

ND1 (2015-2018) engine is the underrated one — lower redline (6800 vs 7500 on ND2) and softer top-end, but with the rotational sweetness people romanticise. The ND2 update (2019) added forged internals, raised the redline, and pushed power from 155 to 181 hp without changing the displacement. Cloth top has a small wind-noise gap above ~80 mph; many owners add a header bar. RF (Retractable Fastback) is ~125 lb heavier than the soft-top and changes the chassis dynamics noticeably — purists pick soft-top; everyday owners often prefer RF.