Fuel economy for the ND Miata is obviously very good. However, depending on how you look at it, it could also be rather disappointing. The same engine in the current Mazda3 gets better mileage and a very slightly higher peak torque, and the Miata is a significantly lighter car.

The EPA also lists that the ND is recommended to use premium gas. I suspect that one is probably just a typo, but we will see when something official comes out of Mazda.

Lighter car does not mean better fuel economy.
I suspect it has something to do with close gear ratio? more drag from tire and aerodynamics?

Prime example is Lotus Elise. The 1.8L 4cyl engine got much better gas mileage with much heavier Celica.

Same as Lotus Evora and Toyota Camry.

In this case, let's look at a couple of things:

The ND Miata is roughly 450 - 500 lbs lighter than the Mazda3. Let's think about that for a minute. 500 lbs lighter! I dunno about you, but I know that when I am driving all by myself, the fuel economy is a heck of a lot better than when I am driving a car with 3 extra people in it. In the ND Miata's case, it translates into almost 20% less weight than the 3.

Based on the facts that we already know, it is extremely likely that the ND Miata and the Mazda3 share a highly similar engine. There is talk that the Mazda3 may in fact have a "better" implementation of the engine because it incorporates a proper SkyActiv header that is more free-flowing, and the specs certainly suggest this as well -- both the ND and the Mazda3 have a max hp of 155, but the Mazda3 beats the Miata in torque by a mere 2 lb-ft at 150 vs 148. With engine output as similar as that, I'd suspect that the engine tuning between the 2 versions of the same engine has to be quite similar as well.

Aero is not a topic that I am too familiar with, but I will say that the ND will almost certain have a smaller frontal area than the 3 since the car sit much lower. The shape of the soft top is probably nowhere nearly as slippery as a fully formed greenhouse.

Wow this car looks awesome. I think it's time we put to rest any silly notion that anyone still has the miata is a "chick's" car from its na/nb days. Would love to test drive one of these when it comes into the dealerships

Supposed to arrive late summer :toot: Almost thinking of buying an NA just to get myself in the Miata mood before buying an ND :awwyeah:

NA track car, ND daily.

Never track a car u aren't OK with writing off

I personally would never track my new car... That's just me. Shit happens and I wouldn't like to be stuck with the bill.

Which is why an NA Miata is the perfect choice. Great track car out of the box and they're cheap enough that if you write it off, it wont break the bank.

I like the styling of the body, but hate how puny the headlights are.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. 2015 Subaru BRZ Comparison - Motor Trend

Pretty nice numbers from the Miata. Faster than the old Mazdaspeed Miata as well.

$35K + taxes for a mid option miata hmm..

Used AP2 S2000 in decent condition are around $26K-$30K

Choices! Im leaning to the miata though

The ND is both a serious performer and a serious bargain. The $26-30k AP2 are easily 6-7 years old, if not older. As such, they'll come with all the issues that a typical 6-7 year old car faces. Of course, IMO, the S2k is still much more of a looker than the ND, and that might be an important consideration for some.

opps :p

3 posts above yours...

compilation of reviews rolling in

U.S.-Spec 2016 ND Miata MX-5 Review Roundup

The S2K has aged pretty well but I'll still take the looks of the ND particularly in Soul Red with the black BBS wheels. Needs a 1.5" lowering though - that wheel gap is like a NC1.

Sub 6 second 0-60 with only 155hp is some serious business! That amazing performance for so little rated HP.

Hmm...5 year old Boxster or new ND....

A car you'll need to pour in your life savings for maintenance or repairs, or a car you can enjoy and not have to worry about the above issue pretty much ever?

been checking this car out on youtube. car actually looks pretty nice, but way to pricy
starts @ 30k-40k yikes!!!

Actually, people have worked out the price compared to the original 1989 Miata, and after adjusting for inflation, the price of the 89 car and the current 16 car are about the same.

But back then there was less competition. No FRS/BRZ, Genesis Coupe, base 370z etc.

This Miata should really be under 30k.

At the time when the 1989 Miata came out, there was no competition at all. All the British roadsters were fading away, both due to market demands and reliability issues. That's why the original NA was such a runaway success.

When all the factors are taken into account, I'd still say the ND is competitively priced. Compared to everything else that people might also consider, it is a featherweight that turns in some very impressive performance numbers. Compared to the FRS/BRZ, in particular, it handily out-performs the FRS/BRZ in both acceleration and handling. Some might also consider its convertible top to be an asset worth paying more for, although this very same fact might also be a deterrent for certain buyers.

The biggest problem people have when it comes to the Miata is, they can't get over the fact that it is "only" a 155hp car. I entirely agree that the engine should have been higher performing, with something closer to 170hp being a far more marketable figure. But as it is, I find the current ND pricing to be appropriate for its performance, esp in comparison to its market competitors.

Of course, a lot of buyers would disagree since many of them are conditioned to the HP = performance mindset.

its mostly aluminum, has multilink suspension, open top, and has come in 200 or so pounds lighter than its predecessor, and from the online pics and reviews it looks to be far more upscale than previous miatas. weight loss costs money specially in this day n age where nearly 3000lbs is considered light.

its priced right

if the miata should be under 30k
the frs brz should start at 21k
its made up of spare parts, clean sheet design and they threw the worst possible front suspension on a car , and used a yaris quality dash on it.
its a wrx with 2 less doors and an inferior motor, which can be had for 29k

i've spent the past couple years racing various cars from s2000's from stock to full str prepped, frs stock to stx prepped, miatas in various states of modification, civics, golfs, crx's, my pulsar, a vette
and at the end of the day.. i enjoyed the ef civic/crx, miata, and s2000's the most. and you know what they all had in common, a good multilink suspension and were fairly lightweight. i hated the golf, my pulsar frustrates me and the frs didnt excite me but is fairly easy to drive quickly.

plus an open top has a certain appeal after u spend enough time with one.

Arrival of the first fleet in North America. Should see them soon.

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