This review originally appeared in the
September 2014 edition of the Northern
& Central California Cruisin’ News published out
of Folsom, California – mg
Remember when the Miata first came
out? People went wacko over the tiny, sporty two-seaters. Folks with more money than common sense were
offering twice the asking price just to get one in their hands.
Well, at least they were affordable. And frankly, the two-seater remains a
bargain.
My 2014 tester was the priciest of
10, count ’em, 10 varieties: a Grand Touring model with a power hardtop, with a
starting price of $30,550 ($32,735 with a few add-ons). For the record, basic Miata fare starts at
around $23,750.
To be brutally honest, I could not
remember the last I was in a Miata, but I’m fairly certain I was a lot younger
and way more flexible, physically speaking.
The roofline seemed to come up to my hip, so there was no graceful way
to enter the car. Essentially, I opened
the driver’s side door, turned 90 degrees and collapsed backwards (and heavily)
onto the driver’s seat.
I’m sure the neighbors, watching
from behind their windows, found this hilarious. And I’m likewise sure that they chuckled at
my MX-5 exit strategy: open door, extend left foot onto pavement and thrust
body upward into the open air … leg bones cracking all the way.
So, you get it, the MX-5 Miata
remains a small car. Size aside, its
old-school sporty charms have aged with grace and are relentlessly appealing.
The exterior look is angular and
race-ready aggressive. For me, the car
always takes my mind back to Triumph models of my childhood. Good memories those.
Inside, the cockpit is functional
and uncluttered, no minor feat given the small confines of the interior
space. Everything is clear and easy to
use. The contemporary MX-5 Miata is
better equipped than those early models.
Modern amenities on my ride included a Bose audio system with seven speakers,
heated leather-trimmed seats and steering wheel-mounted controls for multiple
functions.
On the fly, the Miata is a
joy. And here’s where I part with some
of my auto-reviewing colleagues. They
correctly point out that the four-cylinder, about 160-horsepower engine does
not ring up sparkling zero-to-60 mph times.
But the engine propels the lightweight machine so briskly and instantly,
and with such an ear-pleasing note, that you pretty much don’t care what the
stopwatch says.
It’s fun and it feels good. People who feel that way about numerous
things tend to lead happy lives. So
there!
Yes, Mazda has messed with the name
over the years. Call it an MX-5. No wait, call it a Miata. Happily, with 25 years of history invested in
the model, the automaker proudly refers to it now as an MX-5 Miata. Good call.
Nope, this is not a family
car. No, it won’t carry a lot of
luggage. In truth, it’s not really functional
as a second stay-at-home car to run errands, again because of
cargo/people-hauling limitations.
But for sporty fun at an affordable
price, the MX-5 Miata is an A-lister.
Here’s hoping it breezes through another quarter century.
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