2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata First Drive and Review

by Benjamin Hunting

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July 29, 2015

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7 min. Reading Time

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata front 3/4 ・ Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Few cars embody Mazda's over-arching automotive philosophy better than the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Completely redesigned for 2016, a model year that roughly coincides with the car's 25th anniversary, the MX-5 Miata has been saddled with a daunting task: to maintain the fun-to-drive, carefree character of its vaunted predecessors in an era where tech-laden sports cars deliver awesomely capable, but increasingly insulated experiences. Oh, and do it without boosting the sticker price past the $25,000 mark too, please.

It says a lot about Mazda's dedication to engineering and individuality that the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata has managed to accomplish most of the above-listed goals. In fact, in some ways the little roadster has managed to exceed expectations, especially when dealing with traditional quantitative measurements such as curb weight, acceleration, and braking distances. After spending a full day behind the wheel of the new Miata in the canyons surrounding Malibu, however, I can say that qualitatively there's something...different about the 2016 edition that perhaps reveals more about our modern automotive age than it does about the car itself.

1. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata 's Styling Says Good-Bye Jelly Bean, Hello 21st Century

Nothing announces the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata's break with the previous-generation car more loudly than its transition from rounded, feel-good jelly bean styling to the touch-me-and-I'll-cut-you edges that define its new malevolent scowl. The MX-5's curves are still there, but they're masked by the downward-turn of the roadster's snout, the sharp slicing of its headlights, and the crease across its back bumper that stand in stark contrast to past version of the car. The effect is magnified by the body kit that comes standard with the car's Club trim, a mid-range option that signals its sportier character by way of a blade-like curl along each rocker panel, a front splitter and rear diffuser, and a trunk lid spoiler - all finished in black. Also gone: the curved profile of the Miata's optional retractable hardtop, a feature that is nowhere to be found for 2016 as a new single-latch soft-top becomes standard across the board.

While the original Miata might have been inspired by the classic lines of the Lotus Elan, it's hard not to see the 2016 MX-5 as a collection of cues borrowed, and then gently laundered, from the compact offerings of BMW and Alfa Romeo. In fact, from the rear the car's circular, close-together tail lights and bulging fenders offer more than a hint of its German rival's Z4 roadster. These similarities aren't indicators of artistic thievery, but rather a sign of the times as Mazda takes a more forward-looking approach to the design of its most cherished product, and ultimately they help the car fit in well alongside its open top peers.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

2. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Drops Significant Weight

Weight savings are an obsession for automakers tightly squeezed by rising fuel efficiency standards, but the decision to put the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata on a diet was driven primarily by other factors, first and foremost being that mass has historically been the enemy of fun in a sports car. Already one of the industry's most conscientious calorie counters, the MX-5 Miata's revised platform has been taken to boot camp to lose the final few pounds separating it from its mid-90s first-generation ancestor, an astonishing achievement in materials use and design decisions that have seen a near-150 pound gap open up between 2015 and 2016 editions of the car. With a starting curb weight of 2,332 lbs the MX-5 is lighter than roadster stalwarts like the Porsche Boxster, the Nissan 370Z, and the previously-mentioned Z4 by nearly 1,000 lbs, with only the significantly more expensive Alfa Romeo 4C Spider enjoying anywhere near a similarly svelte figure.

With such a trivially low mass to manage, the MX-5 Miata's suspension system sticks the car to the road with remarkable tenacity, and it does so without the need for advanced features like adaptive shock absorbers or computer-controlled all-wheel drive. The simple rear-wheel drive layout of the Mazda, combined with 50/50 weight distribution front and back, gives it a neutral road-going character that allowed it to connect corners in a fluid and competent manner without ever once suggesting to me that it was nearing the limits of control. It's an extremely easy car to drive, and one that forgives mistakes by way of its willingness to tolerate mid-corner adjustments. If you're looking for more focus than either the base Sport or the top-tier Grand Touring trim levels can provide, then you can opt for the MX-5 Club's standard shock tower brace, 17-inch wheels, limited-slip rear differential, and stiffer Bilstein shocks (as well the larger brakes from an available Brembo/BBS package).

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

3. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Offers Less Power, But More Speed

Emboldened by the slimmed-down character of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata's platform, the Japanese automaker elected to fan the flames of enthusiast ire everywhere by replacing the 2015 model's 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a new Skyactiv unit of the same size that dropped the car's rating from 167 horsepower to 155. Also capable of producing 148 lb-ft of torque, the direct-injected, high compression Skyactiv motor has actually been cleverly engineered - along with the car's two new transmission options - to provide better acceleration than the one it replaces. In addition, fuel mileage is up considerably, with the MX-5 listed at 27-mpg city and 36-mpg highway.

I admit that I, too, was skeptical when Mazda announced a weaker power plant for the Miata, and I wondered how the company would be able to spin a reduction in a car that was already perceived by the general public as under-muscled. I'm happy to report that the fresh 2.0-liter's ability to offer more accessible output under the curve, plus a clean-slate redesign of its now-standard six-speed manual transmission, have given the car nearly a second's edge over the Miata it replaces in a straight line sprint to 60-mph. Even ignoring the extra speed, the car's engine felt no less responsive than in past models when asked to run to the redline on challenging, curvy roads, providing adequate acceleration in most driving situations (I didn't have the chance to sample the automatic edition of the roadster).

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

4. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Significantly Ups Its High Tech Feature Count

Gone are the days when the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata had to rely on its grassroots dedication to simple motoring bliss to deflect criticisms of its sparse equipment list. Club and Grand Touring versions of the new MX-5 provide a touchscreen infotainment interface planted somewhat awkwardly at the center of car's dash, attached to a rotary volume knob and system controller that your elbow will regularly use to accidentally mute your music while shifting.

I'm happy to award more points, however, for Mazda's decision to give the MX-5 Miata access to optional safety features such as a lane keeping monitor, adaptive headlights, and blind spot monitoring. These items are often unavailable, or expensive to add, on a host of luxury cars, and to provide them on an affordable model like the MX-5 is laudable. Other advanced features that are standard with the Miata include LED headlights and running lights, and a push-button starter.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

5. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Is Smaller Outside, But Bigger Inside

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata isn't just lighter, but it's also smaller - an almost unheard of shrink in a world where automobiles continue to grow year after year in every dimension. Approaching the roadster with a tape measure sees both its front and rear overhangs cut by 45 mm, a curtailment matched by a 10 mm drop in overall height. Throw in a wheelbase that's 15 mm shorter and you might start to feel genuine concern over how much room the already-tiny Miata has leftover for its pair of passengers.

I'm not all that tall, but neither myself nor my vertically-superior co-driver had any cause to feel squeezed by the Mazda roadster's cabin, which thanks to the creative resculpting of its seats, door panels, and center console now offers roughly three cubic feet of extra space. That might not sound like much, but it's been allocated where it matters most, with only the passenger side suffering from some intrusion from the car's armrest. Still, the MX-5 is far from palatial: seat adjustability is minimal, the steering column doesn't telescope, and I would have liked being able to sit lower in the car than the perch-like buckets allowed me to. Trunk space is adequate for two riders away for the weekend, provided you can fit your bags through the narrow cargo opening.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

6. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata's New Electric Power Steering Dulls Down Road Feel

As I mentioned earlier, the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata offers exceptional handling for its sub-$25k starting price ($24,915, to be exact, with gusts up to $28,600 for the Club and $30,065 for the Grand Touring), and its modest engine output is no real handicap for the type of enthusiastic driving that the car is designed to do. Road feel, unfortunately, is another story altogether.

Mazda has succumbed to the electric power steering assist (EPAS) monster for 2016, replacing the car's tried-and-true hydraulic rack, and the effect is readily apparent when the car is pushed. Nicely weighted, and definitely responsive, the EPAS system communicates almost nothing to the driver about what the MX-5's front wheels are actually doing or what the asphalt rolling underneath them might be like. It's the one black mark on the car's chassis, and it stands out compared to how much success the 2015 model had in the same department.

7. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Is Remarkably Comfortable On The Road

Despite its reputation as an ideal motorsports platform, straight off of the showroom floor the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata delivers none of the punishing ride one might expect to experience in a sporty automobile. Where some performance cars are skittish and darty over rough pavement or an undulating sequence of curves, the Miata allows you to develop your own rhythm without shaking, rattling, or otherwise offending your delicate sensibilities. Does this perhaps limit the MX-5's ability to deliver 10/10ths handling on a track? Possibly - although I have yet to experience the Miata on a closed circuit. Does it translate into a fun little roadster that can also pull daily driver duty without asking you to pack a bottle of little yellow pills to help ease the pain of your commute? Absolutely, and I think it's one of the car's most compelling attributes.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

8. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Has Lost That Lovin' Feeling - But That's OK

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata is affordable, fun, and easy to live with on a daily basis. Mazda's dedication to lightweight design has paid dividends in creating a platform that improves on every measurable aspect of the roadster's performance despite the move to a less powerful engine. Why, then, did I feel almost no connection with the car when I handed the keys back at the end of the day? Why did I not have any desire to take the MX-5 out for another spin once my hundred or so miles behind the wheel were up?

As a former Miata owner, I know it's not fair to compare the 2016 car against models from the distant past, but since Mazda's own marketing materials have insisted on doing so I feel less guilty when I say that the newest Miata is a different beast as compared to its spiritual predecessors. Our modern technological toolbox simply won't let us build the type of vehicle that the original MX-5 once was, which is completely OK, but at the same time it's troubling to see the last remaining link to the soul of pure driving pleasure tilt towards the clinically perfect side of the performance scale like so many of its rivals. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata checks all of the boxes its designers intend it to - and more - but it seems that sometimes when using the latest technologies to recapture the spirit of an iconic automobile, you end up with a digital photo rather than a soliloquy.