Mazda Miata is made for budget minded California Drivers

Aug. 20, 2011 - PRLog -- Thanks Steven Cole Smith for a GREAT article!

Competitors come and go, but the Mazda Miata endures

Steven Cole Smith

Look at the 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata head-on, and the grille and headlights sort of resemble a big grinning face. With good reason: Since it was introduced as a 1990 model, the Miata (Mazda tried to use the global MX-5 name exclusively, but gave up when Americans wouldn't stop calling it a Miata) has faced down multiple challengers.

As it did when the car was introduced, the Miata once again has this narrow but lucrative little segment of the market all to itself.

So what cars have come and gone? Challengers include the Mercury Capri, which was built in Australia but had a Mazda engine. Toyota brought back, and then dropped, the MR-2. General Motors took aim at the Miata with the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, and came the closest to hitting the mark, but the good-looking cars were rushed into production, and weren't around long enough to earn the refinement they deserved. Sure, there have been pricier alternatives such as the Porsche Boxster and Lotus Elise, but those are outside the budget of most Miata customers.

General Motors Corp. It doesn't hurt that the Miata has proven to be, from day one, astoundingly reliable. Mazda got the Miata right from the beginning, and unlike most vehicles that have been in production for over 20 years, there are no "bad" Miata models to avoid. You can find a serviceable used one for under $3,000, parts are plentiful and comparatively inexpensive, and Miata owners are among the most helpful there are when it comes to schooling fellow owners.

Arguably the most important aspect of all this, to Mazda at least, is how the Miata has gathered loyal customers under the brand's umbrella. So many of them stick with the brand if they need a four-door, moving to the Mazda3 or Mazda6, or if they need an affordable minivan, the Mazda5. And Mazda has kept its part of the bargain by offering sedans and even minivans that emphasize a fun-to-drive level that exceeds the competition, which appeals to a customer moving over from a Miata. And Mazda's presence in amateur road racing and autocross is the largest of any manufacturer, and the company supports its racers with incentives, technical help and even prize money.

The base model still gets you air conditioning, power windows and a good six-speaker sound system.

Inside, the Miata's instruments and controls are easy to use and the seats are comfortable, but there has never been any argument that space is pretty tight. The trunk is small but useful, something that you couldn't say about the Solstice, Sky or MR-2. Handling is delightful!

As a daily commuter, though, the Miata is one of the best friends you can have, especially if you can find a few winding roads on the way home. Your smile is likely to match the one on the Miata's grille.

2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Base price: $23,110

Price as tested: $29,655

EPA-rated mileage: 21 mpg city, 28 mpg highway

Engine: 2.0-liter, 167-horsepower four-cylinder

Transmission: Six-speed manual

Length: 157.3 inches

Wheelbase: 91.7 inches

Parting shot: The competition keeps setting 'em up, the Mazda keeps knocking them down.

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