We drive the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Mazda Miata MX-5

There are many cars these days that claim to be driver focused but many of them don't even come with a manual transmission so they can't be taken seriously. Yes, Ferraris and Lamborghinis don't come with a manual transmission these days and that's a shame because the joy of a sports car is to feel the machine and be in charge instead of having computers do all the work for you. Fortunately, the folks at Mazda still feel that way and the new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata is as pure as you can get in a mass produced sports car.

After 26 years and more than 950,000 Mazda MX-5 Miatas sold globally, the 2016 MX-5 has circled back to what made the world fall in love with it in the first place. When the first-generation MX-5 Miata made its world debut at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show, it ushered in a new era of the roadster: fun and affordable, yet with the added benefit of Japanese reliability. Cars tend to be like people and as they mature they tend to be bigger and slower. The 2016 MX-5 is one of the rare breed that is actually smaller and lighter than its predecessor.

[adinserter name="GOOGLE AD"]Taking more than 150 lbs. out of what was already one of the lightest vehicles for sale in North America was no easy task, so engineers had to think about each component of the MX-5 to achieve their objectives while maintaining a 50:50 weight distribution.

The air conditioner is approximately 20 percent lighter than the unit in the previous generation. The soft top is 65 grams lighter than before through the introduction of aluminum top-bows and supports, and is even easier to operate, yet it is insulated to provide a quieter interior. In making the vehicle lighter, the trunk was reshaped to have a wider opening and a deeper recess to allow for two weekend travel bags, which was not possible in previous models.

With the 2016 MX-5, the amount of high-tensile steel used throughout the structure of the MX-5 has increased from 58 percent of the car to 71 percent. All exterior panels but the windshield frame and doors are made of aluminum, reducing the weight of the body-in-white by approximately 45 lbs. Seats are more than 35-percent thinner than the outgoing model's, owing to a net and urethane seat material replacing traditional springs. This, in turn, allowed engineers to remove approximately 17 lbs. from each seat and position them lower in the MX-5 for an improved center of gravity, visibility and functionality within the interior for taller drivers.

Brake Rotors

Other examples include brake rotors that are 14 pounds lighter, a suspension that is 26 pounds lighter, a transmission that is 16 pounds lighter, a driveshaft that is 3 pounds lighter and more. It's all about the details.

The weight savings pays off in performance as the car needs less horsepower to be quicker than the previous car. The new car comes with Mazda's Skyactiv technology engine that displaces 2.0 liters. The new engine puts out 155 hp which is less than before but the new car gets 27 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.

The car comes standard with a 6 speed manual transmission but a 6 speed automatic is also available. Because of the light weight, the car feels very quick and we never really felt like we needed any more power. It just feels right and balanced.

The MX-5 comes in three different versions, Sport, Club and GT. The Sport starts out at $24,915 and comes with 16 inch wheels, cloth seats, cruise control and six speaker audio system. The Club is our favorite and starts out at $28,600 and comes with forged 17 inch BBS wheels, limited slip differential (on manual transmission cars only), Bilstein shocks, front air dam, rear lip spoiler, Bose nine speaker audio system with headrest mounted speakers. The GT goes for $30,065 and is more of a luxury model.

Interior

The interior of the MX-5 is as tight as ever and it is certainly not an everyday car but the cockpit is well laid out and functional. But don't expect a lot of room as the center console is not big enough to swallow a cellular phone and there is only one cigarette lighter plug. The roof is typical Miata and can be raised and lowered in seconds and is fully manual.

It typifies the simplicity of the car and makes you wonder why others don't do it this way. The roof is so easy to raise and lower that you end up using this car all of the time. Unfortunately, there are negative points in a car of this type and the main complaint we have is regarding noise. There is not a lot of insulation and at freeway speeds it is not exactly a quiet car. Our car's headrest mounted speakers were great however enabling us to have a phone conversation on the freeway or to listen to the fine stereo system.

The MX-5 is a special car and Mazda is a special company that builds cars for passionate drivers but unlike the aforementioned exotics, Mazdas are affordable and don't cost a fortune to insure and maintain. If you like driving, it is hard to find a flaw in the new car and it really shows that you don't need ridiculous amounts of horsepower to have fun.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine
Engine type	SKYACTIV-G 2.0L DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder with VVT
Horsepower	155 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque	148 lb-ft @ 4600 rpm
Redline	6800 rpm
Displacement (cc)	1998
Bore x stroke (mm)	83.5 x 91.2
Compression ratio	13:1
Fuel system	Electronically controlled fuel injection
Recommended fuel	Premium unleaded, 91 octane or greater
Minimum Octane Requirement	Regular unleaded, 87 octane or greater
Valvetrain	Chain-driven dual overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder with variable intake valve timing (VVT)
Ignition system	Distributor-less ignition
Engine block	Aluminum alloy
Cylinder head	Aluminum alloy
Emission control type (Fed/Cal)	ULEV2-B / Tier2 Bin5
EPA-Estimated Fuel Economy
Manual transmission (city/hwy)*	27/34 EPA-estimated mileage. Actual results will vary, depending on driving conditions. EPA-estimated mileage. Actual results will vary, depending on driving conditions.
Automatic transmission (city/hwy)*	27/36 EPA-estimated mileage. Actual results will vary, depending on driving conditions. EPA-estimated mileage. Actual results will vary, depending on driving conditions.
Drivetrain
Type	Front-midship engine, rear-wheel drive
Manual transmission	6-speed manual
Automatic transmission	6-speed sport AT with steering-wheel mounted manual shift paddles
GEAR RATIOS (:1)	6MT
1st	5.087
2nd	2.991
3rd	2.035
4th	1.594
5th	1.286
6th	1.000
Reverse	4.696
Final drive	2.866
Chassis
Chassis	Monocoque unibody with backbone frame construction and front and rear suspension subframes
Brakes	4-wheel disc
– Front	11-in. vented discs w/single-piston calipers
– Rear	11-in. solid discs w/single-piston aluminum calipers
– ABS	4-wheel, 4-channel with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
Steering type	Rack-and-pinion
Power assist	Double pinion electric power assist (DP-EPAS)
Overall steering ratio	15.5:1
Steering wheel turns, lock-to-lock	2.7
Turning circle diameter, curb-to-curb (ft)	Diameter 30.8 ft / Radius 15.4 ft
Suspension	4-wheel independent
– Front	Double wishbone
– Rear	Multi-link
Shock absorbers	Monotube
Wheel size (in)	16 x 6.5-in. aluminum
Tire size and type	P195/50 R16 high-performance summer
Weights & Capacities
Curb weight (lbs)
– Manual transmission	2332
– Automatic transmission	2,381
Weight distribution (front/rear)	53/47
Fuel capacity (gallons)	11.89