Stupid me, I bought it for my wife and have to fight every time to steal it. We have been driving it since 2019 and only have good things to say about it , everytime you drive it you are smiling. Just would like to see a softer pad for the knee at the center console. The seats are starting to show wear after four years but we are driving it as a daily and holiday vehicle and put miles on it. Love to see you enjoy it just as much. greetings from a fellow mx-5 driver from Belgium.
While they don't need to change its specs like the CX 5 it could use an interior refresh like its newer models. That said, they are obviously saving costs by waiting to refresh it all together in a couple years.
@@autochatter It's crazy to think about the amount of regulations on cars, and lack of regulation for trucks. Most new full-sized trucks have hood height at adult's chest level... I'd take popup headlight any day over that as a pedestrian...
@DavidAdam A 6000 pound truck will mess you up even quicker regardless of the hood design lol. Pop up headlights served a purpose more years ago when U.S. headlight regulations were far more restrictive. Nowadays the manufacturers have alot more freedom to design them to be flush with the body. Ford argued for "custom" halogen lights in the 80s because they wouldn't be able to meet CAFE standards if they had to continue with the old rectangular or round bulbs as that's what all cars here had to have before around....1984? I think I recall reading when the NA Miata was being developed, they went with the U.S. studio design...But Mazda Japan insisted on pop up lights instead of fixed like the U.S. studio wanted.
I'm not at all a fan of convertibles. But I love the Miata. I remember the first coming out, I've had one, and I've loved every version. A small, fun car to drive.
yep I always saw them as cars for women or really desperate dudes in midlife crises. Miata would be the only acceptable convertible for a male to own. Still would opt for a hard top all day every day if I had the cash.
@@georgerafa5041Convertibles are the only cars I like....I don't like A/C and I like open air and I live in the south. My first car was a 92 Miata.... currently driving a 98 Sentra with a manual transmission, my goal is to get a NB Miata as my next car or an NC convertible hardtop....has to have a manual transmission.
Nice job! I just bought a Grand Touring trim in red. Most the cars on lots within reasonable range were automatics. I found one Club and drove 2 hours to go see it and right before I got there they called too say it wasn’t available. The sales guy had agreed to hold it but someone came in and paid cash. The GT was local and after a week I am very happy with it.
I tested a 2021 used MAZDA MX-5 MIATA RF GRAND TOURING yesterday. Do you experience any water getting to the interior through the convertible or windows?
Miata is always the answer I have NBFL model with 1.6 and it's an awesome entry level car for JDM enthiusiasts. And all miatas are cute cars with amazing handling and perfect feeling. Every trip fills you with enjoyment. I've also driven 2.0 ND RF with automatic transmission... and it was one of the two downsides. The other one was a targa-style hardtop. Soft top fits this car much better IMO but I'm biased as hell :D
Kirk, I agree with you 100%. Soul red metallic is the only appealing color. Mazda should offer fun colors. Colors have an effect on safety. The shades of gray-beige offered on the MX-5 blend into the pavement. In a sea of large SUVs, small cars should stand out in traffic loud and proud. For one year, Napa white leather seats, door panels and lower dash were offered, making the interior seem more spacious and probably cooler in direct sunlight. I hope Mazda offers the white interior option again. Ventilated seats would be a welcomed option, especially in a convertible. Kirk, I plan to buy a new 2023-24 MX-5. Thank you for the information and your opinions.
The traditional soft-top IMO is obviously the way to go for the following reasons: 1.) Cost less 2.) Weighs less ~ 112lbs isn't nothing 3.) Maintains the classic "roadster" look. 4.) Superior outward visibility / fun factor as a result. So if you are to compare the MX-5 Miata to any other car you would obviously use the SOFT-TOP Club version to do so. Otherwise the comparison is sub-optimal / neutering the potential of the MX-5 for the sake of "subjective" looks at the expensive of everything else that actually matters.
Also, the soft top will save you many $$$ as the car ages whereas the hardtop will have much more problems as it starts to have problems & squeaks & begin to break down.
I have the '16 Grand Touring and it's pretty much identical 7 years later, so it's definitely time for a complete refresh. Still, this is hands-down the funnest car I have ever owned (and I've owned and driven many other sports and muscle cars).
Due to buying a white NA as my first car and the overwhelming influence of having a work crush, the MX5 RF is my new dream car. I think this exact video finalized it. Thanks for an informative (and self-insertable) video!
It was my first car too!! I had a 1995 M Edition. The merlot mica (dark purple) with BBS wheels and tan leather. I had just started college and therefore not very practical, but I absolutely loved that thing! The girls did too! 😉😉
I drove a miniature Cooper after the Mazda Miata, man the Miata is a blast by comparison. The Mazda gearbox is unrivaled! No funky interior with window and speedometer off to the right. Clutch feel is perfect!
Everyone is always drawn to the Club, but I'll take the GT any day! It's always been my preferred trim for the additional features you get and (with 6-speed manual) it now gets the same dampers and LSD as the Club, so your not giving anything up as far as performance. I can't wait to see if they actually do a ND3 update for 2024, particularly on the interior. If they do I might have to grab a manual GT RF before the full redesign.
@@Michael-li3id Not too surprising really. There is a recession coming whether people want to acknowledge it or not. It may already be underway. In a down economy, sports car sales always suffer so it's a good time to buy one if you're not impacted by the down economy.
i've been driving these cars for over 25 years straight. 2007 rf grand touring is my current one of the 5 total I've owned. she still drives like new, 90,000 miles. best driving car i've ever owned. i've owned camaro, mustang, trans am nothing compares for me. may not be as fast but the handling and other features are superior to me.
They were not even close in power, but I learned to drive on and owned several first gen. RX-7s. I drove my mom's 79 and 85 and had my own 84 later. Mazdas are a lot of fun! There are a few guys out there that rebuilt some first gens with over 750hp as well. Really amazing little cars.
Ha, well I bought one but not what you said. I went to the dealer with certain thoughts- manual only, white, red or poly metal gray, etc. I ended up with a used red/tan automatic RF! I was in shock that I could stand an automatic but I immediately went to the paddles and enjoyed it AND realized that in my area in FL, traffic is nasty and, realistically, the auto would be my traffic backup plan instead of looking like I was on a step machine in the seat. I am loving it. My neighbor was inspired and got him one today! They had a black manual and a white snowflake auto. Red was eye popping so...there ya go.
I was lucky enough to get a 2017 launch edition and just really enjoy running errands with top down and getting the occasional nice compliment on the Machine Gray with the piano black top trim.
Thank you Kirk for this vid I’m gonna use this as a deciding factor, cause earlier today I was having a hard time on which Miata i should get on the terms of affordability, usability and drivability. It’s gonna be my daily one day.
You can find a few Clubs on lots. When i went to put a deposit on mine someone backed out of a white club w/brembo and they it listed as used with 3 miles (38k OTD). Also had an incoming club order Red RF w/brembo (fully loaded near 45k with tax & destination). Unfortunately I can't stand white cars and 45k was just a tad too much. I prefer the soft top for longevity. I went with a red GT soft top, and saved a bit over the club. I think the GT still has the LSD and Bilstein shocks the club has, but if I feel like tracking it someday I can always swap in a big brake kit.
I have owned Miatas since 1991 - Never owned any other type of car. Have a 2018, GT RF (6 speed) with 25,000 miles and I'm waiting and saving my pennies for 2025 Hybrid. I am so glad Mazda put the speakers back in the headrest of the seats. The only thing Madza need to do is motorize the seats... Chef's kiss. From what I saw, the retractable headlights will make a come back in 2025 ( I'm so excited) I am keeping my 2018 (Usually, someone hits me or I trade before getting a new one) But not this time - I cannot wait to get my 2025 next year in September or October when they hit the dealership! I remember when I had to take the hard top off and leave it in the garage. I had the soft top too, back in the day, before it was glass. I love the miatas ! I saw pictures of the proposed 2025 purple and it is NICE. I'm in Southern California.
@@elijahmikaelson5319really enjoy the hardtop. I remember back in the day when I had to take the top off and leave it behind so it is so nice that Mazda upgraded. I will admit the Miata has it's moment with speed but overall it's not a fast car. Motorize the seats, bring back the pop up headlights, produce more flashy colors and that will be perfection ! With the exception of the 2018 I have now, when I had 2010 and 2012, I motorized the antenna and added back up camera.
9:00 oh my God took words out of my mouth, been planing on buying a miata and enjoying it until one day i dream of buying an LC500. Fell in love with this car
I’ve had my ‘23 MX5 RF Club in Soul Red for about six months. Absolutely phenomenal car. Before I even took possession, I had the dealership take it to a specialist to get PPF on the front end and ceramic on the rest as that red paint is thin. Best thing you can do if you get one in that color.
I found my 2023 MX-5 Club (!) sitting on the lot with the BBS/Brembo/Rocaro package. Full sticker was over 37K but it had 115 miles on the odometer and it was in the beige-y Platinum Quartz Metallic color which I guess is not that popular (definitely not "flashy" like the red). I got a couple add-ons from the dealer taken off and a couple K reduced on the price...final price was just over 34K. I had to finance a little longer than I would have liked but I'm so happy driving this thing. One of my bucket list cars!
We bought a 2018 Gray with red top Manual Grand Touring with 4500 miles for 23800, we love it. Only thing is it doesn't have backup camera. Other than that great fun car!
I ordered a base Sport in the red with a manual for $29k. Factory order with only option the exterior color! Should take a couple of months but only way to get one like this, affordable fun with no frills. You can add the extra accessories from dealer later. Best value is ordering a base with cloth seats and soft top.
@@KirkKreifels- Just changed my order to the RFGT in that red! Love that look with the comfort features. It’s the best looking and best equipped for my driving habits.
There's a soul red hardtop manual at my work and every time I walk by I stare longingly 😂 what a beautiful little car. Sometimes I park my Honda Fit next to it but I'm sure they don't notice me 😅
IMHO they should get rid of the infotainment screen altogether - or at least make it so it can fold away or pop up. It spoils the lines of the cockpit and generates a visual distraction from the driving experience. I keep mine turned off at all times.
9:38 LOL...in the back 🤣 i love MX5 RF, also i love lexus LC but in coupe version....😛 im a little but taller than you so its not comfy for me to drive RF..... and i dont have money for the LC... 😔
Whats crazy about this video is im planning to move back to Florida, that you saw and mentioned the Lexus. A red LC with the tan Interior is one of my dream cars but the Mazda is perfect for where I am in life now. I would say this video feels like a good omen/ sign.
My 3 has a hack to keep the touch screen active while driving . Does it have the same thing for the miata? Soft tops don't age well , i would get the hard top
Great review Yes the red paint is a must.The best 2 value vehicles you can buy us the base Miata in the red paint and the RAV 4 hybrid Le in red paint.
Got lucky with mine, ‘20 club soft top with the recaro bbs package, I was the 2nd owner and came with 4k miles. Got it for 23k before taxes from Carmax out of state.
For whatever reason, you should because it 'helps' encouraging Mazda to work on a follow-up model! 😀 Keep it above 2.500 RPM, or sooner or later walnut blasting will come your way with the EGR system pushing way too much "waste" into your intake. Info from the Audi dealer (MX-5 is my hobby car) 🥵
I am so sad the next gen will be electrified....but maybe they will still offer a NA gasoline only version in some markets, like the U.S. If it is a hybrid it will hurt sales.....if they lose the manual or go full EV it will kill the car in the U.S.
Thank you for actually throwing up appropriate competitors for this car. Pretty much every reviewers compare it to the 86 when that's not even a convertible!
I just test drove the new 2024 Miata yesterday. It was a GT RF. Steering was much heavier or more resistant to turn. Suspension felt stiffer than previous model. Interior had a deeper center console. ( not much). Screen on dash was still grainy; lacks clear resolution. My 2023 has a softer ride more fun to drive with easier better steering. Overall not a better buy especially with the price increase. Over $40k MSRP!
The first car I bought was an NC Miata, I’m still driving it and I love driving it but it was a totaled car that came out of an auction so I’ve been having a lot of troubles with it. Every day I’m more tempted to buy the ND.
Great little roadster, but Mazda should have done the L/R dual-exhaust setup with rounded tips like they do on pretty much all their vehicles besides this one. It's so much sexier than the 90's retro exhaust setup they are using here instead.
I disagree, Mazda know people like to mod their miata, and first thing I did was to change the rear silencer and diffuser. I like the fact that they keep it simple and keep the base price low so we can do whatever we want on it. If there is one reason they don’t do what you suggest, this is probably it.
I'm almost at the point in my life where I could make a Miata-as-second-car work. Not sure whether to get the 2024 (hopefully infotainment-refreshed "ND3"), or the next gen NE with hybridization but still retaining a manual transmission.
I tested a 2021 used MAZDA MX-5 MIATA RF GRAND TOURING yesterday. I really love the body style and I'm considering getting it as my 2nd vehicle. I'm trying to decide if I want a used one or a brand new one.
It's always the answer when it's a soft top, but the RF might be the answer if you like wind buffeting, extra weight, and the potential for the roof mechanism to potentially break someday 🤣
And the soft top might be the answer if you like more noise, replacing it when it wears out, and the potential for vandals to slice it open with a knife.😖
Hopefully the new Miata will be a bit longer in the wheelbase, a bit wider and will get a 2.5/3 liter 6 cyl. Current car is too tight for taller people, and inline 6s are very smooth . Agree re the soft top.
What’s your opinion of the Porsche Boxster? CarMax does have an occasional nice used example but of course the only ones affordable are about 10 yrs old. You’ll need to spend about $50k for a nice one with their warranty.
Great cars I’ve had 3 of them all 2014 to 2016 years, great drivers cars but everything is very expensive and the reliability is not a MX5 by a long shot, mine were all garage queens not daily’s, but the sound and handling are phenomenal. IMHO they are still way overpriced because of the car market BS, I will be getting another one next year. My last model was a 16 Spyder and it was my favorite by far and fyi I never had any issues with my Boxsters . I also had a 06 mx5 and it was a blast .
1:27 little bit of a nitpick here but Kirk, would it kill ya to say ‘Retractible Fastback’ for once lol I’m on board with the need for flashier colors though. The Platinum Quartz was nice but they definitely went backwards with Zircon sand. Only looks good on the CX-50 with lots of black trim.
I like when your do Mazda videos! But try not to rest your hand on the shifter when not shifting. Not criticizing your driving but it's my OCD, it puts stress on the shift forks on the syncronizers and can potentially wear the bearings prematurely or some nonsense.
As I look at the build sheet for my soon to arrive GT it's got front anti sways, BS shocks and the LSD, so for the club rf bbs and brembo cosmetics (the better 3 piston brakes is definitely the better part of the upgrade $3000 for these wheels is questionable for a little badge that says BBS& that's what they cost online )and body kit cosmetics versus all the creature comforts is really when it comes down to. I like the Recaro seats, look ultra supportive for somebody smaller like me. In my experience , having lived with Alcantara for a while it goes straight downhill and there's no helping it. Both awesome cars but I think the GT is going to fit me personally better, was considering luxury vehicles also so anything luxury minded is a plus. Richard Hammond had a bit about Alcantara on a McLaren and how it always winds up looking like old man slippers and it does. if the Recos were cloth or leather I'd be more conflicted, look amazing & the 30th annoversary ones ...🤯
Do NOT BUY Sport. Get the Club. Worth every dime. Even if you upgrade suspension to better one like MeisterR, you can still still heavier Bilstein from Club to some losers who bought Sport. And you get to keep nicer interior of Club. The 4 pot brakes feel a LOT better than floating calipers. Much better feedback and control.
Does the right thigh / knee get super hot due to the transmission heat? I drove an older MX5 and my right leg roasted. I love this car, though. I am trying to decide if I would like this more than a Can Am Spyder for my road trips. Cheers!
