Automotive: Transform Your Miata’s Handling with Suspension Upgrade

Are you an existing Miata MX-5 owner who wants to improve the way your car handles on the street?  Then read on, as this article is for you.

The next Mazda MX-5 is rumored to arrive as early as 2025, but until then, car enthusiasts get to enjoy all 4 model generations in a tried and tested front-engined, rear-wheel-drive setup that’s garnered hundreds of accolades and best-car awards throughout the years.

This is the best-selling two-seater money can buy, and possibly the last chance to fully appreciate the buzzing of a willing petrol engine with the roof down, considering the brand is going fully electric in all subsequent models.

During the thirty-odd years Miatas have been on UK streets, we’ve seen more than a few engine variants, some blazing special edition cars, and even a limited-run turbocharged option with the engine ripped straight out of the Mazda 3 MPS.

Owners have also been spoiled with hundreds of aftermarket accessories, from various interior additions to parts that increase horsepower or solve the rare shortcomings of the first NA and NB models, such as occasional rust, leaky softops, and the odd electrical hiccup.

All cars, though, are mechanically reliable, great to drive, and customizable to suit different tastes and needs. Early and high-mileage models might need some tweaking with the suspension, due to tired shock and spring combos that have seen harder track use or been driven over potholed B roads with a bit more fervor.

The chassis can easily handle performance upgrades, such as an adjustable Miata suspension kit, and this rewards drivers with even better road holding, tonnes of grip, and more fun in the bends. This can be modded on the fly for different driving situations, regardless if you’re throwing your Miata around a track or doing the weekly grocery run.

Why Upgrade Your Miata’s Suspension?

Some Miatas have been around for ages, and it’s the suspension that gives the first signs that they need some care. You’ll feel even minor changes in the roads—every speed bump, not to mention bigger potholes—rippling through your spine, even at moderate speeds. But suspension is not just about comfort. It also has a huge say in how your car handles. Stiffer springs and shocks keep the car poised at both high and low speeds and enable crisp turning and shorter braking distances.

There’s significantly less body roll, no wallowing when braking, much better feedback through the steering wheel, and more grip in the tires. This all translates to a car that’s more responsive, easier to control, and undeniably much more fun to drive. Upgraded parts provide the performance you want when attempting fast laps and the safety you need for everyday driving on the street.

Upgrade Paths

You can treat your Miata to a range of suspension kits that span all four wheels. Coilovers are the traditional favorite if you’re all about driving fun. Other choices include lowering kits to reduce the center of gravity and basic shock and strut packages to improve road holding and tighten the car in turns. Comfort can be increased with a range of air suspension kits, and the chassis can be strengthened with parts like braces and strut tower bars. Other minor but still important components, such as performance bushings, reduce flex and further improve handling.

Coilovers

These consist of an integrated spring or coil mounted over a shock absorber. They differ from separate springs and shocks in that the unit is pre-assembled and calibrated for each vehicle in terms of weight and loads experienced when cornering or braking. They not only improve handling, but most are also height-adjustable and allow tuning the damping rates and how the car sits in relation to the wheels and road, or what is known as camber.

There are a few types. Basic coilover sleeves are the least costly, go over your Miata’s existing shocks, and fit the chassis by way of top mounts. Coilover sleeves are height-adjustable and benefit your Miata with improved handling, fewer vibrations, less tire and road noise, and more comfort. And they’re affordable, too.

So-called ‘full-bodied’ coilovers offer a bit more and come in a few flavors. Non-shock adjustable coilovers have shocks that are fixed and can’t be tuned for damping parameters like rebound and compression rates, or how the car responds to bumps and potholes. They can, however, be tuned for varying degrees of ride height, more so compared to sleeves, meaning you can have the Miata in a slammed position or riding on stilts.

Most of the benefits of coilovers, though, come from the ability to adjust the shocks for rebound and compression rates, meaning the convenience to tuning the ride depending on where and how you’re driving. Stiffer setups deliver better body control, smoother turning, and shorter braking, but also a firmer ride that can rattle a few bones. Soften up the suspension, and you get more comfort at the expense of performance.

If you do the odd track day and participate in racing on the weekends, and have the car as your daily runabout in between, fully adjustable coilovers will cost a bit more but deliver on multiple fronts. These can also be found with camber adjustments to improve wheel alignment.

Coilovers also differ in the shock designs, meaning mono-tube and twin-tube coilovers, and the choice of springs, resulting in those with linear or progressive spring rates. Monotubes are by far the most popular for track days, owing largely to their more stable and consistent damping, better heat handling, a sturdier but simpler build, and the fact they’re much easier to install.

Opt for twin tubes if you’re more about comfort, lower cost and lower maintenance. And lastly, choose linear springs for consistent damping at all speeds, or progressive springs that change the damping force as you increase the throttle.

Lowering Springs

These lower the Miata anywhere between 5 and 60mm. A lower car means a lower center of gravity, which means more stability at higher speeds and when turning. They also give the Miata a meaner look without compromising driving comfort.

The good news is they replace stock Miata springs but work perfectly fine with factory shocks, so costs and installation times are lower too. Buyers get to choose between different brands, springs in either linear or progressive rates, and stiffer or softer setups, depending on needs and wants. Keep in mind to shop for your Miata variant, as all lowering springs are tuned specifically for each model.

Most buyers don’t stop there, though, and pair lowering springs with performance shocks to firm up the ride that bit more, sway bars front and rear for better control into corners (by taming over and understeer), wheel spacers for a wider footprint, or go with larger and grippier wheel and tyre combinations.

Air Suspension

This Miata suspension kit is growing in popularity, largely due to the instantly adjustable ride height allowed by air bellows. These replace the springs in a traditional spring and shock setup and include air tanks, compressors, and plumbing to inflate or deflate springs to the desired height and damping rates. All this can be done within a few seconds, even while driving.

Air suspension kits also feature clever management systems that are either fully automated and work in unison with ride height and pressure sensors, or are manually adjusted from the dash with a flick of a switch. Whichever type you choose, you’ll get versatility and the option of going from a comfortable suspension setup to a full-on performance rig ready for racing.

Final Considerations

Upgrading the suspension in your Miata, especially in the NA and NB models, means safety first and foremost, and the ability to push the car (modified or not) to its limits. While these Miata variants are prime candidates for a suspension upgrade, NC and current cars also benefit from a stiffer spring and shock setup, particularly when opting for coilover kits or lowering springs with performance shock absorbers added to the mix.

When choosing suspension kits for your MX-5, keep in mind where you’ll be using the car. Cars used solely on the track are best suited with performance packs that often trade comfort for outright handling, stability, and a firmer ride. There are dozens of specialized brands to choose from. They offer varying degrees of performance and different lineups at different prices. If, however, you want comfort and the ability to adjust ride height instantly, go with air suspension kits. These may be harder to find, but they are decent alternatives that also let you have a bit of fun.