Beater Archive

Dude Drives a Chick Car: 1990-97 Mazda Miata

By Andrew ⋅ December 14, 2007 ⋅  Email this Article ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

The most fun on four wheels. But are you man enough?

by Andrew Stoy

1991 Mazda Miata

The Background

Mazda’s glorious little Miata was such a simple idea it’s still amazing that no one thought of it sooner. The formula? Combine traditional British roadster styling with bulletproof Japanese mechanicals. The rationale was straightforward: In the late ’80s, there were still thousands of MG and Triumph fans in the U.S. who no longer had a car company to buy from. And there were thousands more who liked the idea of a little drop-top sports car but didn’t possess the required patience and mechanical acumen to keep a -B or TR6 running on a regular basis. Mazda stepped in to fill the gap, and they’ve never turned back.

Bowing for 1990, the original Miata design borrowed heavily from the Lotus Elan; perfect, since the Elan was the archetypal marriage of gorgeous British styling, lightweight tossability…and absolutely horrendous build quality. With a rev-happy twin-cam four under the bonnet, a beautifully weighted snick-snick type shifter attached to a 5-speed transmission, proper all-independent wishbone suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes, the Miata could have been penned by Colin Chapman himself. Except that the Miata runs on both even- and odd-numbered days.

The reaction from both the public and the automotive press was overwhelming and immediate. Buff books scrambled to invent new “best” lists upon which to place the Miata. Driving enthusiasts swooned. High school girls insisted that anything less than a Miata would ruin their lives–though their enthusiasm was tempered somewhat by the initial lack of an automatic transmission option. The Miata actually lived up to expectations, rapidly becoming the car of choice for those who wanted a sprightly, affordable, traditional sports car. And so it remained: Wisely, Mazda left the Miata essentially unchanged for the next seven years. It was a formula that had worked for the British, after all…

The Opportunity

Quite simply the Mazda Miata is one of the single most entertaining cars you can own at any price. It’s not overly powerful, but it’s impeccably balanced; a road race car instead of a dragstrip terror. With 120 bhp provided by the original 1.6L twincam four, acceleration isn’t neck snapping, but it’s completely in character with the rest of the vehicle. If you want more power, choose a 1994 or later model: It packed a 130 bhp 1.8L engine but added a few extra pounds as well.

Miata steering is beautifully weighted, and if you don’t absolutely have to have power assist, you can find a car without it. In fact, you can find a Miata without much of anything: The base models were sold with crank windows, no cruise, no A/C, and steel disc wheels–and they’re arguably the purest example of the design. From there, the A package and B package added additional features; not a bad thing if you want them, but the Miata is one of those rare vehicles where adding creature comforts may take away from the driving enjoyment. You be the judge: How pure of a purist are you?

The vast majority of Miatas have been owned by enthusiasts who seem to be relatively fastidious about maintenance. Coupled with the fact that the Miata’s driveline has proven to be extremely durable over the years, your chances of finding a solid beater are excellent. Since you’ll no doubt have to do something to the car you select, take comfort in the fact that the longitudinal front-engine, rear-drive layout means there’s room for wrenching. Good parts availability, both repair and performance, rounds out the reasons that Miata ownership is a reasonably stress-free proposition. Assuming you don’t need to haul a lot of plywood, of course.

The Downside

Personally, I don’t get the Miata’s chick car reputation. Yeah, it’s cute, small, peppy-but-not-powerful, and, well, cute. But I cannot remember the last time that I saw a woman driving a Miata. Furthermore, all the Miata owners I know are men. Straight men (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But the image persists of the Mazda Miata as one of the quintessential be-boppy blonde cars, a reputation that’s both erroneous and unfair, since the Miata is much more (and less–we’ll explain in a moment) than just a cute car. It’s a driver’s car, and therein lie both strengths and weaknesses.

Before I get accused of misogyny, let me state that there are plenty of superb, canyon-carving women sports-car drivers. Many of them probably have Miatas. But since the early Miatas lacked power tops–and in the lower-end models, power anything, were fairly stiffly sprung, and required rowing a manual tranny, they required a driver willing to participate in driving in order to be fully appreciated. Male or female, those interested in floating along, wind in the hair, with their brain and their car on cruise-control, were (and still would) be better served behind the wheel of a Chrysler Sebring or older LeBaron than a Mazda Miata.

Otherwise, there’s very little to recommend against, as long as you recognize from the outset that the Miata is not an SUV. It’s not even a sedan. It’s an extremely small two-seat sports car with limited trunk space. Using a Miata as a sole means of transportation will likely mean sacrifices, not to mention the borrowing of cars from friends for duties that require any type of storage space. But you knew that already. And on nice days, you can always drive home from the lumberyard with the top down and a bunch of 2x4s in the passenger seat.

The Hit

$790-$4,950

In a Nutshell

Bah. Just do it. Go buy a Miata, drive the hell out of it on sunny days, and if you don’t like it there will be someone willing to take it off your hands for what you paid for it. The Miata is one of those automotive experiences you just need to have, and for the minimal cash outlay it approaches no-brainer status. Trust me: If I didn’t care what my wife thought, I’d have one myself.