Developing a car isn’t easy. Some automakers like to take their sweet time in developing a new-generation vehicle, whether it’s due to budget constraints, insufficient demand to justify making a new model, or even the exact opposite–high enough demand that automakers wouldn’t want to risk ruining an already perfect recipe for success.
For a company like Mazda, which is much more limited in research and development resources versus a larger company like Toyota, they’re both constrained in terms of budget. In the case of the MX-5 Miata, the high-enough demand criteria and fear of reinvention also apply, because as of the end of July, MX-5 Miata sales had grown 50.3 percent, with month-on-month sales rising by as much as 72.4 percent.
Clearly, the MX-5 is still as popular as ever, despite celebrating its tenth year in production this year. Yes, guys, the MX-5 in its current “ND” fourth-generation form is already a decade old, thus making it the oldest brand-new sports car you can buy in America today. How has the MX-5 remained popular despite its age? Let’s find out.
So Much Love For The MX-5 Miata
The ND Mazda MX-5 made its global debut at the 2014 Paris Motor Show and the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show for its North American debut. Its first model year was during the 2016 model year. Since then, the MX-5 has remained very resilient amidst economic and political challenges, thanks to these major factors.
A Recipe For Unlimited Smiles
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is extremely popular in the country where I live–the Philippines. In fact, we take pride in the distinction that we’re the largest MX-5 Miata market in Asia outside Japan. Big enough for us to have two special edition models commissioned by Mazda Motor Corporation (such as the car you see in the above photo). And so, I’ve had the pleasure of having a total of five MX-5 Miata press cars during my entire motoring career, with each one driving better than the last. Like the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid I recently drove as well, the MX-5 resists being reinvented–at least for as long as regulations allow it. This is what has kept the MX-5 resilient over the past decade.
A lightweight car doesn’t need a powerful engine, which also makes it fuel-efficient whilst being fun to toss into a corner. The precise steering and balanced suspension, which deliberately induces a bit of body roll as the MX-5’s way of communicating its intents, make the MX-5 very intimate and communicative to drive.
Mazda’s technical evolution has been subtle but meaningful. Their G-Vectoring Control system, which uses selective brake application for torque distribution, morphed into Kinematic Posture Control for 2024. KPC takes the concept further, applying calculated braking to pull the inside wheel down during cornering, improving tire contact and adding neutrality to the handling equation. The differential also evolved from standard limited-slip to asymmetric, enabling variable locking characteristics based on conditions. These updates might seem incremental on paper, but they compound into a noticeably sharper driving experience—proof that sometimes evolution beats revolution.
The Drivetrain That Sings A Lovely Song
The entire drivetrain package of the MX-5 also sings happily ever after as this vehicle dances around a corner. The 2.0-liter four-pot generates 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque; modest gains of 26 horses and three pound-feet since the 2016 launch, but these numbers tell the larger story. Mazda doesn’t chase radical redesigns; they polish the formula relentlessly until it approaches theoretical limits.
The six-speed manual deserves special recognition—it ranks among the finest gearboxes money can buy at any price point. Each shift clicks home with mechanical precision, while the clutch remains light enough to handle even notorious gridlock without destroying your left leg. This combination transforms what could be torture into something tolerable, even enjoyable.
Having sampled both transmissions across multiple test cars, the automatic proves competent but misses the point entirely. The manual isn’t just preferable—it’s essential to the MX-5 experience. Anyone shopping for one should consider the stick shift mandatory equipment, not optional. The connection between driver and machine demands it.
The MX-5 Miata At Face Value
Over the past decade, the ND MX-5 Miata’s design has also been refined and enhanced. A mid-cycle facelift was introduced for the 2024 model year, while numerous special editions have been made as well.
A Sports Car That Smiles At Onlookers
The ND MX-5 Miata’s 2014 debut proved that stunning design doesn’t require massive budgets. By 2016, it claimed the World Car Design award in New York—validation that Mazda’s Kodo philosophy translated perfectly to their smallest canvas. That signature face, aggressive yet approachable with its grinning grille, became instantly iconic. The 2024 refresh finally unified the LED running lights with the main headlamps, adding matching LED taillights and fresh wheel designs to modernize without disrupting the original’s charm.
Mazda marked milestones with three limited editions. The 2019 30th Anniversary model arrived drenched in Racing Orange, rolling on exclusive RAYS forged wheels with commemorative engravings, orange-accented Nissin brake calipers, and Recaro buckets trimmed with matching orange stitching. A year later, Mazda’s centennial warranted another special: the 100th Anniversary Edition channeling the vintage R360 with Snowflake White Pearl paint, Cherry-colored soft top, and Garnet Red Nappa leather cabin. Currently available, at least until the 2026 model officially launches, is the 35th Anniversary Edition, combining Artisan Red bodywork with tan top and tan Nappa interior—proof that Mazda knows how to celebrate properly.
If It’s Tight, Maybe It’s Just Right
Reflective of the MX-5’s petite proportions, the interior is expectedly snug. That’s by design, because even Mazda’s engineers didn’t want the MX-5 to be a grand tourer (GT) in the first place to maintain agility and lightness. Even with its cozy interior, Mazda has added a lot of style to match its character, with swoopy lines and just the right amount of tech. Material quality is a mix of hard plastics, body-colored panels, and also leather- or suede-finished surfaces, depending on which model you’re choosing.
For the 2024 update, Mazda updated the MX-5 Miata’s tech by introducing its current version of its Mazda Connect infotainment system, now housed in a larger screen. The gauge cluster also has better fonts and an improved layout, while the update finally introduced Mazda Radar Cruise Control as part of its i-ACTIVSENSE driver-assistance features. This is thanks to its front bumper now having a provision for a radar sensor, with additional features including:
- Forward collision mitigation
- Blind-spot warning
- Lane departure warning
- Road sign assist (optional)
- Adaptive cruise control (optional, A/T only)
The MX-5 Miata’s Future
Trust Mazda to be conservative when redesigning the MX-5 Miata, as proof of its ten-year production lifecycle. The lightweight rear-wheel-drive (RWD) recipe has been nearly perfected at this point, so any reinvention could spell disaster for the MX-5 Miata program. While a few comprehensive changes are coming soon, as the fifth-generation model’s development is underway, none of them are radical enough to transform the Miata’s character.
New Skyactiv-Z Engine On The Horizon
If there’s one model that will be difficult to electrify, that would be the MX-5 Miata. Thankfully, for the next-generation model, Mazda’s aim to reduce its emissions won’t be through electrification, but through the introduction of Skyactiv-Z, the next chapter of Mazda’s Skyactiv technology. You may have heard about Lambda 1 as a new automotive buzzword in the automotive industry, which means it talks about the stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio of 14.7:1. Though engines already operate mostly at Lambda 1, most engines tend to add more fuel to the ratio during high-demand situations, thus turning it into a rich mixture. This is an engine cooling measure, but, of course, this makes an engine less efficient and emits more pollutants.
Increased Displacement, Same Recipe
The problem with having an engine run at Lambda 1 at all times is that power output is significantly reduced. To compensate for this, Mazda will follow a similar path to Porsche’s 911 Carrera GTS T-Hybrid by increasing its displacement to compensate for the reduced power. Rather than use a 2.0-liter unit, the next MX-5 Miata will feature a larger 2.5-liter engine, according to Ryuichi Umeshita, Mazda’s CTO, as he speaks to Road and Track:
If we go to Lambda:1, then naturally, power will go down. But in order to avoid that, we have defined the displacement to be 2.5 liters. So the power is very good, and the fuel economy will be very good.
Though the engine size will increase, the MX-5 Miata’s lightweight recipe will remain intact. In fact, Mazda’s team in Japan has always resisted the idea of creating an MX-5 that the American team wanted–heavier, bigger, and more complicated. Mazda’s designer, Masashi Nakayama, told Road and Track through a translator, when he was involved in the current ND’s development:
When I started designing this fourth generation, there was a request from the United States to make the car bigger and to increase the power of the vehicle. I said, ‘Do you really want a Harley-Davidson?’
Nevertheless, Mazda’s MX-5 Miata development team knows what’s what and will resist the pressure of the American team regarding their wishes for the next-generation Miata. The future of the Miata is indeed secured.