2020 MAZDA MIATA MX-5 ENGINE: 2.0-liter inline-four OUTPUT: 181 hp/151 lb-ft TRANSMISSION: six-speed manual WEIGHT: 2345 lb PRICE: $36,300 Lime Rock is an ideal testing ground for the Miata. MX-5 Miata Forum is part of Miata.net. If you haven't yet visited Miata.net, or are not yet familiar with it, please go there first. There is a wealth of information and it will be very helpful to be familiar with its offerings before becoming involved in the forum. Miata.net also has a brief intro for new users. The Miata is a joy to drive, but (and this is a big but) it's not quite a joy to drive at expressway speeds for long stretches. The car will do 80 mph with ease, but it’ll complain about it audibly. The Mazda Miata is the most-raced car in North America, and for good reason. The platform itself is compliant and predictable, which makes it a great car for learning to drive well. At the other end of the learning curve, it takes every last ounce of technique and error-free driving to get the most from the car, and if you watch some of the 6. Honda S2000. The Honda S200 is undoubtedly the best sports car on the market. The existing customers of Honda S2000 proudly label it even better than Miata in some ways. The S2000 comes in different variants and can cost you anything between $14,500 to $40,000 depending on specifications and model. The Miata is arguably one of the best cars on the road today, even if it's not perfect. But if it's pure driving pleasure you want, in terms of smiles per dollar, it's hard to beat the MX-5. 8.4 Mazda drew inspiration from classic British sports cars, particularly the Lotus Élan. Manufacturers moved away from small, lightweight sports cars through the late 1970s and early 1980s, and so the Mazda Miata served as a welcome reminder of just how good this style of car can be. Off the back of the Miata, there was a roadster renaissance. 5 Cheapest Convertible Sports Cars in 2023. The 2023 Fiat 124 Spider is a stylish, fun-to-drive convertible similar to the Mazda Miata. It has various standard safety features, including blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The NHTSA gave the 2020 Fiat 124 Spider, similar to the 2023 model, an overall safety rating of four out of 4.6 average Rating out of 9 reviews. Starting at $27,770. Mustang. Edmunds' expert review of the Used 2001 Mazda MX-5 Miata provides the latest look at trim-level features and specs, performance The 323 was a direct competitor to the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, and the bigger 626 was in the same Camry and Accord mid-size sedan segment. Where Mazda really excelled was in their MX5 Miata sports car. The MX5 Miata was a back-to-basics traditional roadster that emulated beloved British roadsters that came decades prior. DK7nman.