10:20 i already know whenever Topher has a miata, its gonna be a fun video bc he's gonna absolutely send it. BUT WHENEVER HE REACHES FOR THE HANDBRAKE YOU _KNOW_ ITS GONNA BE A BANGER
I was looking hard at used ND1 and ND2 Miata’s and ultimately decided to go with the 2024 ND3 Miata Club soft top and I couldn’t be happier! Currently have 2600+ miles on it and it’s been fantastic!
Great review. It's like how Honda made the AP2 a little more "safe" and less oversteery. Seems like Mazda did something similar but gave the ND2/3 a little more oomph up top.
I just bought mine ahhhhh got a red 24 sport it's amazing. I've driven a rental 21 for a whole day (11 hours of driving) and I noticed the steering was twitchy on center on the freeway. There was feel on center, but it wasn't accurate. The new steering is really, really clear and smooth on the freeway now. Not a deal breaker by any means, but it is definitely improved
I am very happy to be an owner of a soft top ND2 Kinenbi since March this year. Over here in Europe, my spec is comparable to the GT version in the US iirc, meaning no Bilstein, no front sway bar, no Brembos. Which is ok because we fortunately have a bit of aftermarket here as well. So I upgraded with Hardrace sway bars front and rear which helped giving more feel to the steering and more trust into what the car is doing in corners. It does not need as long to settle in the corner anymore as it has been in standard setup. I am aware I can still go the coilover path, but currently I am not seeking for ultimate corner speed but for the right feeling in the corners. The car has a new exhaust now as well. Unfortunately, EU regulations do not allow for much more noise than standard, but it is a definitive improvement acoustically with a nice raspy tone which was not there before. The best tuning measure I can highly recommend: Get the short final drive from the automatic installed. Now sixth gear provides some shove, and when having fun on country roads, you have a far better connection after the shift, more instant pull. Really, really entertaining. And you have to shift more now which is definitely a big plus with this shifter in any MX-5/Miata.
This was a great video. I really wish you could have driven an ND2 in-between because I've driven the ND1 and 2 back to back and I would be curious to hear your thoughts. I feel like the steering is a lot better in the 2. I actually prefer the playful nature of the ND1 and 2 to what everyone is saying about the 3. My invitation is always open. If you're in NorCal, you are welcome to the keys to my 2022 Club softtop. It also has A Good Win roadster sport exhaust, but also Flying Miata lowering springs and Koni adjustable dampers. ❤
That would've been ideal to have all 3! And thanks, I appreciate it - I'd love to make it out to NorCal and do some filming with Zygrene sometime. If I'm planning on going out there I'll let you know and we can set something up!
Hey topher, love the vids and would really appreciate it if you could have the apple carplay on at all times like you did in this video as it really adds to the feel of the interior for the average driver in my opinion.
The Miata ND1 red color is actually called Soul Red Metallic (41V). For the ND2 update, Mazda changed the red paint a bit and it’s called Soul Red Crystal Metallic (46V). So while ND1 and ND2/3 soul red paint is similar, it’s not exactly the same.
Yup. I have a 3 with the older Soul Red and I was just at the dealership today and checked out a new 3 with the new SRCM. It definitely looks even nicer! It's more vibrant and satiny at the same time. Very beautiful color!
I can't help but consider the ND3 as my next car. Everyone has been praising the small but significant improvements, and that's pretty alluring. This may sound silly, but my other option has been a 2010 Corvette Grand Sport ... The rationale being that my commute involves mostly highway miles, and it would be a shame to drive a light, fun sports car in primarily a straight line. That, and C6 Corvettes are just gorgeous, and I'd love to have a V8. I currently drive a gen. 1 BRZ, Raiu Edition. It's been a delight to drive, but it I feel it doesn't excel in any department ... A Miata would most definitely offer better steering feel and a lighter, funner driving experience. But a Corvette would make highway cruises a blast - and the Grand Sport (equipped with a manual) gets upgraded suspension components, so it would be competent in corners as well. Thank you for the great comparison video! I love seeing you drive Miatas - they're my favorite videos of yours. 🖤
Thanks very much for a night drive portion. Not many people showing the late evening driving with interior / lights. Does the info screen dim / darken when in darker lighting? Looking to have a RF really soon myself. Really nice to also see some tire comparison. I love continentals for general driving and sounded like a smoother experience.
Love your show. Question - making a decision in a few months about getting a new car. Definitely between RF club - or a used 2019 boxster. Cost of used boxster about 15k more than RF loaded.
Really can’t decide between the RF and ragtop Club. Is the NVH considerably less in the RF as to sway a decision? I love the convenience of the ragtop.
Been looking forward to this video. I’m not surprised to hear your opinion on the handling differences between ND1/2 and ND3, as I could tell from the earlier vids that there seems to be some more understeer and less rotation off throttle. However, I understand Mazda’s decision to make the car more approachable and safer to drive for the layman. I’d be curious to know how the ND3 feels with an aggressive alignment; I think you could get the settings pretty dialed with how much adjustment the stock suspension offers. My thinking is that the new diff + steering rack combined with a more aggressive alignment might offer the best of both worlds, with more predictable handling than the ND1, but less understeer and more rotation off throttle. One thing I didn’t hear you mention was the telescoping steering column in the ND3 vs. the ND1. As someone who is 5’10 and 150 lbs (which I believe you’ve said you’re around the same), I wonder if you think that’s beneficial to dial in your driving position. Thanks for another great vid!
That’s a good point, a little negative camber would probably dial out most if not all the understeer. And that’s right! Telescoping steering wheel was a welcome addition to the ND2. I’m also 5’10, 150lbs and never felt like I absolutely needed it but definitely doesn’t hurt to have.
@@TheTopher Thanks for the reply! Ultimately it seems the best ND is the one that fits your budget. The telescoping steering column can be retrofitted anyway, so definitely not a dealbreaker. I’ve driven the ND2 quite a bit and need to drive an ND1 to see how it is for myself, because that price point is a sweet spot for me.
I really wish I could get the updated infotainment system in my ND2. The updated one they put in the ND3 is just so much better in pretty much every way.
Would you say this is better for learning or GR86/BRZ? I loved your driving, I started tracking last year and I am nowhere close, at some point I want to learn counter steering etc.
Recently purchased a'21' GT soft top manual (after years of resisting) Took it out this weekend in the Malibu Canyons for fun. Do you have any info on if the ND3 has a quicker steering rack? Something I wished mine had along with a smaller diameter and thicker steering wheel. But it was a fun day regardless! 😄
There’s such a small difference that it’s not worth feeling left out. I’ve driven my ND2 and ND3 back to back it’s a 5% difference at best. I later put a smaller 330mm steering wheel on and it’s now perfect.
18:37 makes you wonder if non-LSD / non-Bilstein cars were choice, at least back then, and no one knew it. I mean most 1.5Ls came without LSD and that is the original ND design
notice any NVH differences related to the flywheel (thru gearbox and thru sound) ?? a change to a dual mass flywheel since 2019MY supposedly fixed certain noises and herky jerkiness situations, so am curious if you didn't even notice ??
I just watched your 2023 MX5 review, you didn’t say anything about the steering in the ND2 being a complaint.. Throttle house seems to think it is really a minimal change. Are you sure it that much of a difference? Deciding between the two generations in the next year or so!
This is why I take auto reviews with a grain of salt. "The newest model is just great and the last version is junk despite what we said last year." I go by averaging multiple reviewers, and most I've seen say you can't tell unless you drive a ND2 and ND3 back to back, and even then it's hard to tell.
I've had an NC3, an ND1, an ND2, and now I've gone back to the NC3 for the sake of being responsible. All three are fun to drive of course but man I miss that ND interior.
That’s with the hard top and loaded to the max but no one needs that. They start below 30k for the sport and 34k for the club. A fully loaded mustang goes for over 70k.
@@JuneJuneyJunJune No, but it depends on which options you want. Personally, I’d get the club soft top version for around 34-35k which is the sweet spot in my opinion.
11:28 wait really? i don't like that. much rather prefer how the ND1/2 will allow cruise and DSC off together because sometimes you want those shorts bursts of cruise. that's the new cx-60 based electrical system. EDIT: 12:30, oh okay then there's no problem here, disregard
@@TheTopher (Sorry I'm the same guy just a different account) I bought an ND3 and have the same noise in my car, this is why I'm looking for similar experiences. To me it sounds like somewhere in the gearbox instead of the diff - the noise is present on idle but goes away when clutched in (disengaged).
If you get the base sport trim it’s black plastic. Personally I think it helps break up the all black interior but you could always wrap it something else.
Only time Miata might not be the answer is when it’s used as a DD. If you don’t need to buy large paper towel packs, it can be practical enough. However I doubt it can compete with a 230 or even an 86. The Miata is also a very specific package. If you are ever bothered by driving a manual in traffic or hearing all the noises a car can make, you may wanna at least drive one to find out if the driving fun is enough to make you look past those aspects. Coming from an ND3 owner, but I do have a practical DD.
@@liuby33appreciate the reply man. Yeah I think I'll still lean towards the 230i 🙌🏽 Both great cars but slight edge for the BMW after reading your comment.
Wished you drove the soft-top club instead.. rf just add extra weights and have no real visibility. Just have the looks that'll appealing to most but soft-top for me all day.
Wanted a Miata, sold my Corvette, bought a 2022 Miata, sold same after 3 months, bought another C-6 Corvette. Why? Well there were no usable cup holders in the Miata. You had to reach backwards to even try to get a drink out of the “cup holders.” No glove box, seats too snug, thought I wanted a 6 speed. WRONG! So, the Miata is fine for someone under 50 that weighs less than 180 lbs and is double jointed. The MX5 is a prime example of a beautiful car that lacks basic creature comforts. Some will argue but driving my 2009 Corvette coupe with paddle shift allows more than 4 times the trunk capacity for weekend trips. Just an opinion from a 70+ guy.
The ND wasn’t made for everyone and that’s ok. There are plenty of larger and more luxury options but the ND is truly the last simple, lightweight and fun sports car left.
Can someone explain to me how these cars are getting that expensive nowadays? I can see value in this at around 32-35K max. Anything more and its a big mark up. For no apparent reason. How much does it cost Mazda to build one?
Name another lightweight roadster… oh wait there are non. They can basically charge whatever they want and they will still sell. If it was overpriced they wouldn’t be selling in the numbers they do.
This was fun to watch, but stupid. Let me explain... I"d love to drive like that all day, but if I did I'd quickly lose my license and end up in jail. Probably less than 10% of MX5 owners will ever drive like that and the ones that do will drive that way less than 5% of the time. Bottom line is that most of your conclusions are based on how the cars compare less that 0.5% of the time. Unless you're buying it as a track car, most driving will be spent going with the flow of traffic at normal speeds. Boring, I know, but I want to know how they compare doing that because that's the reality of how these cars will be used. And having never owned an MX5, I also want to know if driving normally is actually more fun in a Miata than in a sedan or SUV, fun enough to put up with the drawbacks.
But don't you think the RF Club is built for the "probably less than 10% of MX-5 owners" who will do track days or autocross? They built the GT for those who prioritize "driving normally".
It is absolutely more fun to drive than a normal car in every situation. I’ve spent a good amount of time in the ND2. The power level is very usable and the low weight makes it lively and fun to toss around at low speeds. Whether the practicality drawbacks are worth putting up with on a daily basis depends on your individual use case. Probably comes down to your age, length of commute, and physical stature.
Quite the opposite. This car is fun on the streets yet its ceiling is quite low on a track (the car still beyond what I can properly drive, that is). It's the definition of a sports car, where you can have fun anywhere. Look at every other manual "sports" car on the market, most of them break 60mph even in the first gear. There's no fun in that within the legal limits, you WILL have the license pulled trying to have fun in one. Whereas in the MX-5, you can go to the third gear while flooring the gas and still stay within 50mph, all while enjoying the whole sky above you. And the thing is, you don't need the Brembo Recaro BBS bullshit for all that experience, I'd argue you don't even need the Bilstein shock and the LSD (although I'd spec for them). The base model $30k Miata offers as much of an answer as the $42k one showcased here. The day I got my ND3 delivered, there was a huge aurora show here in Ontario (May 10th 2024). I drove the car straight to the place where I'd photoshoot the aurora, and close to arrival I was hit by a huge light show in the sky. I dropped the top down and that was the most magical moment I've had in a car. There's nothing else in this world, within the reasonable cost that I can afford, could offer anything close to that.
