The Miata has been the answer for 35 years. Lightweight, rear-wheel drive, and a manual transmission that clicks like a rifle bolt. I drove a 2024 Club trim with the Brembo brakes and Recaro seats. On a twisty back road, nothing under $40,000 touches it. Not the GR86, not a used Porsche Boxster. But then I tried to merge onto a Texas highway, and a semi-truck passed me while I was at 70 mph. The 181-horsepower engine runs out of breath above 5,500 rpm. The GR86 gives you 228 horsepower and actually pulls to redline. The Miata is slower in a straight line than a Honda Odyssey minivan. Let that sink in.
Let me give you a real morning. I'm 5'11", and my head touches the soft top. The seat won't go any lower. I drove it to work for a week, and my right knee rested against the hard plastic center tunnel. My left foot had no dead pedal wide enough. The trunk fits a backpack and a grocery bag. That's it. A set of golf clubs? No chance. The GR86 has a back seat that folds down, giving you enough space for four tires. The Miata has nothing. You're living out of a backpack like a college student. My wife refused to ride in it twice. The passenger footwell is even smaller because of the catalytic converter hump.
The fuel economy is actually decent – 30 mpg on the highway if you behave. But you won't behave. I saw 24 mpg average because the engine loves to rev. That's still better than the GR86's 22 mpg. But the Miata requires premium fuel. The GR86 also requires premium. No savings there. The real cost is the tires. The stock Yokohama Advans last 15,000 miles if you drive hard. A set costs $800. The GR86's Michelin Primacys last 25,000 miles. Mazda traded longevity for grip, which is fine for track days but expensive for daily driving.
The soft top is brilliant. You can open it with one hand at a stoplight in three seconds. The RF retractable fastback looks cooler but adds 100 pounds and costs $3,000 more. I'd skip the RF. The wind buffeting with the windows down is brutal above 50 mph, so you'll wear earplugs on the highway. I'm not joking. After a two-hour drive, my ears rang for an hour. A GR86 has a fixed roof and normal wind noise. The Miata is a convertible first and a car second. That's the charm and the curse.
Here's who should buy the Miata. People under 5'10", with a second car for Home Depot runs, and a twisty road near their house. It's a toy. A brilliant, affordable, reliable toy. The shifter is the best you can buy under $100,000. The steering feel is hydraulic-like even though it's electric. And the aftermarket is huge – you can fix the body roll with $500 in sway bars. But don't buy it as your only car. I tried that for a week and wanted to cry on day three. The road noise at 80 mph is 85 decibels. That's lawnmower territory.
Find a used 2019-2023 ND2 (the 181-horsepower version, not the earlier 155-hp). Pay $25,000. Install lowering seat brackets from Paco Motorsports for $200 – that gives you two extra inches of headroom. Swap the transmission fluid every 30,000 miles because the ND transmission is glass under track use. And buy a cheap sedan for winter. The Miata will make you smile every time you drive it. Just don't drive it to work every day. Your spine and your ears will thank you. And if you see a GR86 owner at a stoplight, don't race them. You'll lose. But you'll take the next corner faster. That's the Miata way.
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