Mazda MX-5 Miata

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.

• 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.”

• Top Gear

  Mazda MX-5 Driving, Engines & Performance | Top Gear

  ◆Worth it

  The MX-5 remains a masterclass in accessible, lightweight fun, best enjoyed as a flowing roadster rather than a track-focused weapon.

  Best for

  drivers who value engagement and flow over raw speed and track-day focus

  Watch out

  numb steering feel · body roll at the limit · buzzy engine note

  1,234 wordsOpen article ↗

  Quotes worth your time

  1. performance“The 2.0-litre’s extra power is tangible over the entry car, but it’s those extra revs you’ll really notice”
  2. handling“When you really start pushing on the MX-5 suffers from body roll which can breed roll-oversteer when the suspension's limits are breached. It also suffers from frustratingly numb steering”
  3. fun to drive“On the whole it’s a joy to drive, and a great advert for sticking with a good old manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive and no turbocharging.”
  4. daily drivability“A 45-litre fuel tank makes long range touring simple. Happy days.”
  5. value“The cheaper 1.5-litre isn’t a bad substitute, though. It also revs to 7,500rpm, so you’ll be getting similar thrills, just at slightly slower speeds.”

• Top Gear

  Mazda MX-5 review: two-seat roadster gets a facelift Reviews 2026 | Top Gear

  ◆Worth it

  The facelifted MX-5 is a sharper, more engaging roadster that remains true to its easy-going character.

  Best for

  drivers who want an engaging, balanced roadster that is comfortable enough for daily use.

  Watch out

  avoid the six-speed automatic · not a hardcore track car

  959 wordsOpen article ↗

  Quotes worth your time

  1. performance“the worked-over 2.0-litre is a cracker: though power remains at a modest 158bhp, the rev limit is up from 7,000rpm to 7,500rpm”
  2. handling“the specced-up 2.0-litre Sport is beautifully flat and neutral through the corners, but not so stiff that you'll be coughing up pieces of your lower spine the next day.”
  3. fun to drive“it imbues the MX-5 with a sharper and welcome aural edge, adding a woofly, thumping kick on downchanges and a resonance as you stamp it to the redline.”
  4. daily drivability“it's still an easy-going roadster that's almost completely devoid of homicidal tendencies.”

• Top Gear

  Mazda MX-5 review: our drive of the entry-level 1.5-litre MX-5 Reviews 2026 | Top Gear

  ◆Buy

  The new MX-5 is a return to form, doing what it has always done but better than ever before.

  Best for

  enthusiasts seeking a pure, lightweight, and engaging roadster experience.

  Watch out

  steering lacks feedback · seats can feel narrow

  1,646 wordsOpen article ↗

  Quotes worth your time

  1. performance“the base-engined MX-5 has enough low-down pick-up, and enough mid-range to run with it. True, it's not fast-fast... but it's got enough punch to make exiting corners fun.”
  2. handling“The chassis is a peach, and because there's little weight involved, the skinny 195-section tyres grip better than you'd believe.”
  3. fun to drive“It's just fun. Not wide-eyed fun like a Porsche GT3, or sweaty-palm fun like a muscle car. Just light, easy, peppy fun.”
  4. daily drivability“It's capable of acting the grown-up on motorways, and is a proper hoot in towns: city car small, and with a responsive, perky engine.”
  5. value“In the MX-5 you can't [see where corners have been cut], despite the fact prices are likely to start around £19,000.”

• Top Gear

  Mazda MX-5 Review 2026 | Top Gear

  ◆Worth it

  The MX-5 remains the benchmark for accessible, lightweight sports car fun, offering a pure driving experience that is increasingly rare in the modern market.

  Best for

  Enthusiasts seeking a simple, engaging, and affordable daily-drivable sports car.

  Watch out

  Cramped interior for tall drivers · Wind buffeting · Lack of premium interior materials

  1,815 wordsOpen article ↗

  Quotes worth your time

  1. performance“The 2.0-litre is good for 182bhp, 151lb ft and the same sprint in 6.5s. Both are revvy little triers, with the 2.0-litre really zinging as it zips past 7,000rpm.”
  2. handling“We'd like to see Mazda work on the steering for the Mk5, giving it more feel and feedback. Less floaty body control when you're really wringing it out wouldn't go amiss, either.”
  3. fun to drive“The MX-5 dishes out open-air fun at entirely legal speeds and costs peanuts to run.”
  4. daily drivability“Cramped for tall people, loud buffeting, not very upmarket”
  5. value“There's literally nothing else left in the segment that does so much for so little.”

• CarscoopsMay 17, 20261,176 words

  Paco’s Off-Road Miata Makes Broncos Look Civilized

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• The DriveApr 30, 20261,246 words

  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.

• CarscoopsApr 27, 2026945 words

  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.