The 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Automatic is Begging For a Dual Clutch Transmission 

Not everyone who drives automatics does so because they can't drive stick. Some people just don't feel like shifting gears. Other people have disabilities that make driving a manual dangerous. That doesn't mean they're missing out by driving an automatic. There are plenty of other ways for enthusiasts to enjoy their cars. A manual gearbox is not the be-all-end-all of sporty driving, and I wish enthusiasts would recognize that there's room at the table for everybody.

I swear every time he reviews a Mazda he drones on and on about what he wishes the car had even though he begrudgingly admits they make some of the best cars in their respective classes.

Sofyan, I've driven a model from 1999 and loved it. Every Miata owner I run into always love their car! They've always been a cool little car in my humble opinion.

I hired a Miata RF automatic last month, 10 days of bliss. It was THE first time i have driven an automatic,and the first time I’ve driven a Miata MX5. I miss it so much that I’m buying one In December. A Christmas present to myself. Im 57, female and so into this car that it’s changed my perspective on driving. It fits my body like a glove, I feel empowered when I drive it, it’s very fitting for my style and my empress energy. Divine feminine driving her own Miata Mx5, that will be me. 😊

I picked up a 2017 Sport, automatic in July of 2018 for $20,400 new off the lot. I didn't want a manual, nor did I want an infotainment system. I just wanted a great handling two-seat convertible with cruise control and bluetooth (which the sport comes with). I'm 6'4" with peripheral neuropathy and after owning two different manuals in the past few years in heavy traffic, I'd had enough. I don't want to row through gears, I don't have any desire to track the car--I just want to hit some twisty roads every now and again and enjoy the car, top down. If Mazda only made the Miata two inches taller and two inches longer for leg room, tall guys would have a much easier time shifting. Either way, I love my Miata and when I don't feel like cramming myself into it, I drive my 99 Lexus GS (105k miles) or 2000 Dodge Ram 1500. (59K miles) But man, every time I get in my little clown car, I smile ear to ear! I'll never get rid of it!

I've tried an automatic miata RF and I absolutely loved it, my one and only gripe is the speedometer. It is super hard to read, especially because they jammed so many numbers into a small space. They should just replace it with a digital speedometer. Doesn't even need to be a fancy digital speedometer. There's already a digital display in the instrument cluster but it doesn't show speed.

The Miata is the perfect example of a manual done right

70% of all the Miata sold in Japan are automatic. Trust me, they're good.

Had a chance to drive the automatic GT RF in Hawaii, and while I still love my manual counterpart, the paddle shifters make up for the lack of stick.

Put the Auto Shifter from D(Drive) to M(Manual) and use the paddle shifters - you are not getting the best out of the auto gear box. Doing this, the car turns into a manual - the gearbox will NOT down shift in this mode, holds the revs as high as you want to go to give max power and torque. Please go and drive it again and try my suggestion. You will have a different opinion. The Auto will rev out to 6500RPM in every gear. On down shifts, the auto rev matches with the engine speed and booms. P.S The upshifts and down shift in M(Manual) mode are also quicker - you can also push the sport button to ON, but in M(Manual) mode does not make any difference. The sport mode only helps when you are driving the car in D(Drive)mode or semi-auto mode. This auto transmission is way better than you have described it.

I'm happy you made a review for the automatic transmission.. :-)

The color on this test car is gorgeous.

Thanks brother. I've been waiting for a professional review of this car, with the automatic transmission. I want this car. 🎯

Gonna be honest, I would love to see a dct in a miata, I’ve driven both a manual Mazda (2017) and a automatic Mazda (2019, the one after the engine update), manuals are no doubt fun but slow and inefficient, regardless how quick you can shift, dct/skyactiv automatic is always quicker

I love my automatic 2021 RF jet black

This guy is trying so hard not to admit he's having fun with the automatic. Get over it.

Congrats on 800 K 🔥🔥🔥🎊🎉

It's supposed to be "Miata Is Always The Answer" (MIATA), not "The Answer is Always Miata" (TAIAM). :)

tbh im surprised they havent reimagined the miata as an suv

Why does he say he’s like to see a new key fob then they update it and then he prefers the old one???? *rips out hair*

I have a manual ND2 Club, but can see why some would want the automatic. I doubt Mazda will go DCT even in the NE due the limited sales numbers. But, I would expect to see a revised auto at some point.

What matters most to me is the fact it's still exclusively built in Japan, right near Mazda's Hiroshima headquarters. MIJ automobiles = Perfection.

We have a 2006 MK3 automatic as a second car, it hibernates through the winter in the garage only being used in the warmer months, it's a keeper.

My friend just got an auto and I love driving it , make believe it has 400 hp and dual clutch and is getting 12 mpg

My buddy has a 2012model with the flip top. I'm 6 feet tall and I felt awfully crowded until I lost about 20 pounds. LOL

Honestly I prefer autos because I think it’s nice the car shifts gear for you and in a manual during traffic you always gotta do some extra steps to stop the car (mark me if I am wrong about that) but autos are great since you can just stop and go

I will own one someday. Once I learn to drive standard!

Have a 2016 club auto. Also tuned via versatune with a true 93 tune, and I have a cobalt axle back and jbr air filter. The tune cleaned up a lot of the issues with the low end power on the auto, especially now with the sport shift. Feels like a different car

Spellcheck a bit blurry too :) Love the Miata!

Honda needs bring back a revamped S2000 that would be worth buying.

Well I had a manual and yes it was fun. But at 60 I am slowing down and I have had enough fast starts and changing gears. I guess you can say I am an old gueezer but I like the new GT I just got with automatic.

the automatic is good, they always down play the automatic. the car is beautiful and it's better then walking as long as you could drive thats awesome manuel automatic atleast you have a car some people have nothing.. just be happy you have a mazada who cares if it's automatic or not be grateful.

I have a 2016 Club, and at 6'2", and around 230 lbs, I fit comfortably. I routinely drive between DC and Southeastern NC (About 350 miles one way) and it's comfortable for me..... My car has 118K miles on it, and the clutch is still fine. I find it odd that the 2016 Club managed 0-60 in 5.9 seconds, but the 2020, with almost 30 more horses is still essentially the same in terms of speed. Odd. Ah, well! This my 2nd Miata (I had a 2000 NB) and I find that there are few other cars (Regardless of price) that I'd rather have!

Okay, stop. At 12:15 you do what every other driver of this automatic does. I found that 1. Automatic+sport is meh 2. Shifter paddle+sport takes way too long to shift BUT 3. Sport+Bump shifting the sequential shifter like an automanual is precise and awesome. No car reviewer does this! DO IT! the shifter is perfectly placed and the sequential shifter works wonderfully! Please, Please try this. There is a huge difference! My left knee is partially disabled so I cant do clutches anymore otherwise I would have a manual. The old 6 speed auto is Simple, cheap to get parts for, not overly computerized. Do Not use the paddles they may be even worse than plain auto sport. Use the sequential shifter! It works perfectly, lets you use All the revs and saves the sports part of this car in my opinion. No reviewer has made this distinction, if you watch Sarah N Tuned review the CX-30 in this mode (the only one I can find) she is impressed even in a CUV.

I live in Mexico and the soft top is only manufactured as a manual transmission and the rf only as an automatic so if you want and rf there’s no choosing, you have to get automatic

Where, pray tell, would more screen fit in that cockpit? How much viewshed do you really need to sacrifice to Apple Carplay?

Three weeks ago I traded in my 2020 MX-5 RF Grand Touring (gray) automatic for a 2022 Soul Red Grand Touring soft top automatic. I thought the RF looked great but you can't drop the top from the remote (major negative for me) and as you mentioned the noise is pretty bad at highway speeds. Last point is the RF felt closed in so I prefer the Soft top. As for the automatic, when you're 40 years older you may have a different opinion on the automatic.

“If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.” The Miata continues to be THE most successful sports car. Why does Mazda need a DCT ? They tried adding turbocharging with the old Speed version, and gave it up quick. If you want to enjoy the Miata for what it is without any effort, a torque converter can’t be beat for comfort by a DCT. If you want a Miata that alludes to all your senses and limbs, a manual can’t be beat for involvement by a DCT. Please tell me why the DCT is necessary again ? I was glad the day I got back to a traditional manual after my GTI bored me to death with its DSG. Some cars just shouldn’t have a manual and / or turbo engine. And until somebody pays me to shave seconds off my shifts for the best lap time, DCT is just a novelty. Modern ZF autos and Japanese CVTs will be the death of DCTs soon too.

While I agree on the dual clutch update, the present AT does not "suck the life" out of this car. I drove both, and chose the AT. It is a sense of freedom not having to shift ALL THE TIME, and going in manual mode (+ Sport mode) with the AT is gobs of fun. One can relax & cruise with the AT, and drink your coffee; not with the manual! Oh, and who's having a better time in congested city traffic?

Polymetal gray looks good on the Mazda 3, but on the Miata it looks fantastic😎 I'm not one of those people who think the automatic Miata shouldn't exist, why should people who don't to learn manual or have a physical impairment (bad left knee or ankle) be denied the most enjoyable car in the world? Of course people much taller than me at 6'1" will have issues fitting in the thing even with the top down, but making it larger would ruin the formula for everyone tbh. I'm just happy this car exists in any form, and when I retire I intend to pick up one of these (6 speed manual, soft top and hopefully in this polymetal gray) to be my runabout and fun car. I'm not one of those guys who enjoys endlessly tinkering with cars in the garage, but these things are so simple and reliable none of that will be needed.

Take a shot every time Sofyan says "thing."

Yay!!! Another excellent video!! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤍🤎

Mazda sells a huge number of Auto MX5s, more than people would expect. I fully suspect they improve it in the next generation with a proper sports car automatic like a DCT, but they are such a small company they cant design their own that fast. when the next gen large car platform arrives with its RWD layout we will see a much better FR layout automatic transmission.

2020 club sport owner. BBS Brembo. I test drove 124 spider, auto. It was really good, liked the paddle shifters. Kinda wish I had the auto. Drove z06, mustangs mpoars. All sticks. The new autos are good, blip throttle on downshift. Plus a lot less work, MX5 has no torque, constantly shifting

I got one a month ago but with the Brembo/BBS/Recaro package, it was $39K. Not cheap but definitely fun.

My only concern with the Rf is if the folding mechanism will be reliable overtime or if it will break down over time and be expensive to repair.

Congradulations on 800K subscribers Sofyan!

I have driven manual for a while in my BRZ until someone rear ended the shit out of it on the highway. I got a wrx and love driving it but I can’t get over the anxiety that I get while driving manual now, which stems from the accident. I’m getting an auto 2017 Miata soon and I’m sure I’ll have a ton of fun with it!

I’ve got 2017 RF gt and its a breath taking experience

Looking to get this for my wife. She drove stick for a yr but hasn't driven stick for 2 yrs. It'll be her daily driver in Virginia. Recommend a manual or auto for her?

Sorry people still want manuals. Manufacturers made less manuals so they could sell those expensive automatics. Manuals last too long and that doesn't benefit them. New autos are a little bit better and really fast but still suffer from their low quality

If Mazda would bump hp to say 220 and put a decent auto transmission? I am IN for say 40k right NOW

One of the best torque converted autos crying for dual clutch? Next time you may say Miata crying to be something else. Maybe AMG or something oh i forget most AMG dont have dual clutch.

Don't think Mazda will spend money and time to develop a dual clutch just for the Miata.

DCT transmission, are only good for fast acceleration, not every day driving

Doug Demuro takes some time to put up a video I like how you just do it so fast thank you for doing that so fast.

If Mazda used the 2.5 skyactive that is on the Mazda 6 and CX-5 that have 185hp would be amazing, and tune it to have near 200hp and used the 6 speed manual and a ZF 8 speed auto or a DCT

Bought a Soul red crystal mx5 2020....great car

Considerably more sluggish; along with growing old, isn’t that a feature of anything automatic?

I often see a miata parked near my work place. Should I leave a note on the car asking the owner to sell it to me?

Im prbly saying smtng stupid. Cant they just tune/code the trans to shift really responsiveley/ immeadierly after pressing the paddles in sport mode?

Love your reviews soyfan! How is the helmholtz resonance when the top is down?

I think the most important facelift change was the fully adjustable steering wheel. But sadly I cant fit in any MX-5 :(. I was too tall for it. Sad noises...

Interesting daily motor on RU-vid did a 100 mile gas test, and he got 40 miles to the gallon, driving manual. You must of been driving hard as hell to eat up the gas. I’m one of those that wants the miata for the looks but hoping that the car is great on gas, at least better than 28 miles to the gallon that you get.

those wheel gaps look massive..

Nice car but ~32k€ over here for a 2 seater RF with only the 1.5L option for 2020 is just too much compared to a 4 door vehicle.

No it doesn't need a dual clutch. This is why I love Mazda they use what's proven and don't go fancy dual clutch or CVT. If I want the auto I want torque converters and solid planetary gears 😊.

I have a 2006 GT with a automatic and the 2L . From a stop if I slam the pedal down it will spin the wheels and mine shifts kind of snappy and it came with a strut tower brace.

Please do the CX-9 carbon edition!

Miata Is Always The Answer (MIATA). Source: me. I have a 2014 club 6 speed manual and it is a blast!

Looks like in parts of your video your camera is not focusing correctly.

It's not lacking because the screen is small. It's supposed to be a small simple car without distracting and annoying features

I love it! A gorgeous and charismatic lil' Japanese sports car. Would fit a smaller built guy like like me to a "T". :)

I’d like to meet the person who bumps into something with a backup camera…

Really wish this car gets the new 2.5 Turbo engine on the new Mazda 3

DCT and turbo. Mazda needs a Supra turbo 4 competitor. That way I can make fun of Toyota and say at least Mazda still makes their own cars. #makeyourowncarsagain #myoca

If you put a dual clutch in the Miata it would cost substantially more. It would no longer be the Miata people know and love.

Nice job rolling through that stop sign at 11:39

In my country its 100% automatic so we have no choice

As long as they still offer a Manual Option, that's what most enthusiasts care about when it comes to the Miata.

Why are you gasping for air Soyfan maybe your too excited like me to rent one again,great review

What kind of sunglasses do u wear? I love all of them.

The camera is so blurry, it’s messing with my eyes. Focus mister lol.

Only manual miata for me Max enjoyment

man i really wanna have this RF but so sad its almost 3m baht here in thailand (99,000+ USD)

Can someone honestly tell me the purpose of having a vlog style reviews vs the non vlog style reviews and the purpose other than changing who holds the camera?

A dual clutch will add to much complexity and cost

Those responsible for purchasing the camera have been sacked

Mazda will most likely add a turbo rather than a dual clutch since none of their models have it.

That was a stupid comment in you saying that the backup camera was in a vulnerable position and you might reverse into something DAH the rear camera is there to prevent you from reversing into something.I have never heard a stupid comment as you just said.

Miata Is Always The Answer!

All a turbo does is wear out your engine faster, if you want more power buy another something else with more horse power, why ruin a perfect great sports car engine !!!

Get used to automatic, shifters are on the way out

I’m totally gatekeeping here but this is one of the very few cars left where opting for an automatic transmission just makes no sense. You are disenfranchising yourself by opting for the automatic with an MX-5. The only good argument I can come up with opting for an automatic MX-5 is if you are physically unable to operate a manual transmission for whatever reason.

would you say this is good for a daily vehicle?

I think I'm going blind.....YIKES!!!!!!!!!

Which camera is the one sticked on the window?

video is somehow blured. Camera is not focused. Autofocus function did not worked. Or you had macro turned on ( i mean in interior part of video)

Is manual transmission as a commuter car still a good option if I live in a busy city like L.A? I live 10 miles away from work and my commute takes at least an hour one way.

Nah. MX5 is still shipped and sold as over 60% manual. This changed from over 85% manual in 2015. Car isn't about speed but control. A manual is what a driver's car needs.