2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata First Drive: Small Changes, Big Distinctions | MotorTrend

The 2024 Mazda Miata got a few changes, but with a new steering rack and a limited-slip differential, the Miata is a better car to drive and continues to be as fun as before.
#Toyota #Mazda #Miata #MotorTrend
MotorTrend is the ultimate destination for gearheads looking for the latest automotive research and news.
Get a fast, simple, and free car quote today :arrow_right: quotes.motortrend.com
Follow MotorTrend for the latest!
MotorTrend News: www.motortrend.com
Facebook: / motortrend
Instagram: / motortrend
Twitter: / motortrend
TikTok: / motortrend
MotorTrend preferred music partner: PrimalHouse Music.

[@vabeachsux]

The ND Miata has aged like a fine wine. Still looks great after 8 years.

[@jv6miata]

Even though the majority of the interior is previous gen, it's still very handsome.

[@whoisamp620]

I still think it doesn’t need to change

[@rsamano4434]

It's time for the next Generation more greatness ahead.

[@malcolmar]

Agreed!

[@jv6miata]

@@whoisamp620 Me neither, the only things I would change are the door chime to the new Mazda one, and a 2.5T Mazdaspeed

[@GeneAuyeung]

Where's the comparison of the new stuff (steering rack and LSD) compared to ND2? Just saying they're small but have big effects is like saying nothing at all

[@swj5428]

I ordered a Miata RF Club two weeks ago. I was told it would take about three months to get my car. But, rumor has it that the Brembo brakes used on the Club are on backorder until at least June.

[@totoro6214]

It's a lie perpetrated by dealerships making excuses and customers that spread that misinformation on the internet. I have peers that have successfully ordered and received their Miatas much sooner than I have ordered mine. Truth is, Club BBR is not built to order but more based on allocations. If you are unlucky like me, I placed an order in January with late may delivery expected. And some people will get theirs just weeks after ordering. It's all about when Mazda deems your dealership worthy of an allocation. There was no backorder when I placed my order for the Miata. I wish the process was better... but it is what it is and we are buying niche cars. I'm just happy Mazda is keeping the Miata alive and one day both you and I will get to enjoy driving one of the best cars available. :)

[@swj5428]

@@totoro6214 I decided not to wait around for my dealer to get one. I'm doing a "fly and buy" next weekend for one I found in another state.

[@hillbillysportsman5818]

It will be worth the wait…..

[@Joseph-ye9fn]

This is a car I'm seriously thinking about getting.

[@malcolmar]

Great video! "Miata Is Always The Answer" still rings true for pure driving fun. I am so glad Mazda did not mess with the recipe that makes this car so fun. I will defiantly have to pick one up and for me the RF is the the way to go.

[@goyangi2014]

only work as a touch screen when using apple carplay..?

[@Uncharted110KsA]

Just bought a new 2024 Jet Black miata Rf

[@aceofspades6667]

Love my nd2 ST rwd MT.. I drive top down only so would never want the RF

[@dannyphamous]

Same here, top down always plus no pillar blocking your view

[@jv6miata]

@@dannyphamous ehhh the pillar isn’t that obstructive. I had an rf and I hardly even noticed it

[@jdsk8914]

Love the RF, but the roadster is growing on me as well.

[@matty8272]

I miss my 2001.

[@AshGrantASH8]

Well this is a surprise, according to Mazda EPC (Electronic Parts Catalog) Europe the 2024 MX-5 (Miata) is actually an NE model code, not ND3, the ND no longer exists. Needs a VIN Check to verify, Mazda EPC is not usually wrong...

[@Memphiscultmusic]

Cool channel

[@feefyefoefum]

If that drab color is meant to make the car look invisible, they succeeded. Sports cars should be in bright colors for safety's sake if nothing else.

[@Potatodrumcrow]

I work as a product specialist for Mazda. It’s called the zircon sand metallic. 😊👍

[@fmtien]

@@Potatodrumcrowthe Miata needs sportier color choices! What happened to fun colors like Winning Blue and Solar Yellow that are more befitting for a sports car?

[@Dano-MX5]

I agree. Zircon Sand looks at home on the off roadish CX-50 but does nothing to elicit excitement on the Miata.

[@bobbyquach7606]

yup. i have it on the mazda 3 hatchback turbo. looks alot better irl under the sun but it's muted for the sporty/racing look i'm going for, getting it wrap. it looks good on the cx-50 meridian edition with the black hooded decal and roof rack.

[@Dano-MX5]

@@bobbyquach7606 ….it does look great on the 3 hatchback with all the black accents! For some reason it doesn’t work on the Miata. I had a Spa yellow S2000 that I thought looked magnificent on that car. My buddy had an older Monte Carlo in almost the same yellow that looked awful but another friend had a Dodge Ram Bumble Bee 🐝 that looked good in yellow….at least in my opinion.

[@ripmax333]

How much does is cost this AFFORDABLE Sport Car?

[@aquatixofficial7868]

35k or less

[@tailsneon556]

@@aquatixofficial7868 The RF Club shown here is almost $42k USD

[@swj5428]

In the US, the least expensive version is a black Sport at $30,170. The most expensive is a red RF Club at $41,990. Both of those prices include the $1,185 destination fee.

[@ripmax333]

@@swj5428 ouch..not as cheap as I imagined.

[@thismanagain]

I wish to own a MX5 Roadster some day...

[@TheReal_JG]

The NBs and NC are still cheap, but the NB is also climbing in price just as the NA did a few years ago.

[@thismanagain]

@@TheReal_JG sorry for my ignorance, but I don't know which generation of MX5 you just mentioned. Also, here in Saudi Arabia these things are so rare, there's less than 10 available for sale in the entire country.

[@TheReal_JG]

@@thismanagain it's all good. Each generation Miata is called by its VIN code, which usually starts with JM1NA for the first generation with the pop-up headlights. The second generation Miata VIN starts with JM1NB, and so on. Hopefully, you will be able to import one in the future!

[@thismanagain]

@@TheReal_JG Thanks for clarifying! So the current one is the ND? 🤔 As for importing, it's expensive but (hopefully) possible. We can go and buy it from the dealership but it takes a few months to get it, and it's only available as the RF. I need a Roadster.

[@TheReal_JG]

@thismanagain correct. The 4th generation is the ND. In the MX-5 world, it gets a bit technical after that. The 2024 MX-5 is considered the "ND3" because that car is the 3rd version of the 4th generation. The ND1 has a 151 hp engine, and the ND2 had an engine upgrade to 181 hp and a rear camera as standard.

[@jasondixon9095]

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@BlackNAVYAmericanVET]

Not to happy about STOP/Start on a Manuel ….. I miss the led snake fangs lights

[@tacomamd]

The presenter's name is Miguel, not Manuel. And he doesn't like having a start/stop on him either!

[@jonf6191]

The “fang” DRL looked better 😢

[@GeneAuyeung]

Whats with the Toyota hashtag?

[@kwhandy]

so basically is this sportscar or just flagship sedan?

[@TommyM818]

This review barely touched on the mechanical changes for 2024. Just kept on harping about what makes a miata a miata… we’ve heard and known this for decades lol.

[@Swarm509]

There really were not any? They changed the limited slip to a new design and added that "track mode" to some models. Basically exactly the same as the ND2 otherwise. Same engine, same transmissions, same suspension. They did add stop/start to this model line though.

[@chrisdooley1184]

Are all Miatas the retractable top version now?

[@Themazcorner]

no they come in RF and ST

[@aguscmzz]

nop, there are RF (retractable) and ST (soft) versions.

[@Potatodrumcrow]

Some are soft top

[@cinthe3]

You couldn't say no because it's literally your job lol

[@opmike343]

For years we've been begging for more color options (they really knock it out of the park with their reds and greys so why not apply this to other colors?) and they give us poo brown.

[@MrChickenspit]

I agree but this is a good color too

[@Swarm509]

There has been a lot of talk about this on Miata forums/Reddit and the best answer I've seen is that both the Miata doesn't sell enough to spin up new colors just for it and on top of that bright colors apparently don't sell that well these days even on sports cars. Niche car, with a small-ish auto maker doesn't make the extra work worth it. That being said I would prefer a bright color and at the least wish they offered their full color line for the Miata. A bunch of the blues are not offered, and the nice dark blue is only on the highest trim line (which is way too expensive for a Miata).

[@Potatodrumcrow]

Zircon sand metallic

[@tacomamd]

Isn't the official name of that color "Fecal Beige"?

[@kaneCVR]

So they ruined the steering. Good to know.

[@Shay-eo5kp]

Why ruined?

[@TheReal_JG]

This presenter doesn't know that all NDs have electronic power steering. It's not new to the 24 Miatas. The NC was the last gen to have hydraulic.

[@kaneCVR]

@@Shay-eo5kp apparently they added stronger power steering assist and more turns lock to lock on 2024 model, and it feels like any other electric power steering rack - numb. They should at least offer an option for the old sportier rack.

[@Shay-eo5kp]

@@kaneCVR On the road it feels the same as the ND2 which means still not the best honestly, watch Throttle House and see how they couldn’t tell any difference. In any case it’s so far from being ruined compared to ND2, it’s mostly the same or a tiny bit better.

[@bmwpete65s55]

But will the 6 speed manual transmission be problematic like all the other ND Miata's?

[@Tannerlegasse]

If my research is correct, that affected early ND1's. I think that's been sorted for some time at this point.

[@esplayerr]

Myata

[@cbotten106]

Mi lika!

[@TazR6]

Miada?

[@PeTroL420]

I think it's time for a Miata Targa

[@TheReal_JG]

The RF is a targa top, tho. Mazda can't put the targa name on it because Porsche.

[@steveaustin7306]

Totally agree. Storage in trunk

[@otakuusaanimenerd2511]

😮

[@ThingsByBillybob]

Nope. I want the old steering rack.

[@TheReal_JG]

Food for thought, all NDs have had that kind of steering since 2016. You don't really notice a difference in steering between the NC and ND other than the ND has a slightly more snappier handling. The NDs are still very fun to play with.

[@sjd3021]

5.0 engine swap ?

[@KOrnhOliO1]

You're missing the point! The point is ultralight weight. A 5.0 would ruin the power to weight ratio and be slower in the corners where this car eats 5.0 cars on the track.Sure, the 5.0 would be faster in the straights, but the engine it comes with makes it handle like a dream which the 5.0 wouldn't have. Bad Dream! LOL Bigger engines aren't always the answer.

[@sjd3021]

@@KOrnhOliO1 stock miata only puts out 181hp...you drop a built 5.0 or any v8...horsepower can be 350+...the power to weight ratio favors the v8..( more HP + light weight car)..the v8 may add 150-200lbs..and it wouldnt be slower in the corners...with a faster car you can enter the corner faster and accel out of the corner faster..sounds like a dream car to me

[@PazLeBon]

worst colour ever and older models like the nb far prettier rear ends

[@jus10xx]

I love this car but they are priced way too high

[@shortstories3349]

With inflation considered, the Miata of today is actually a bit cheaper than the original. 😅

[@FlyingNDriving]

Motortrend videos are such trash these days

[@Tannerlegasse]

Your attitude is such trash, Mr(s)!

[@TheCarCrazyGuy]

Who wants an electric Miata? 😂

[@CoryDAnimates]

Mazda needs to bring back the pop up headlights. There is a new drivers market that want just that cute feature.

[@axledog7297]

Easier said than done...

[@JohnNick72]

It’s not Mazda… Government outlawed for crash safety a long time ago (for all manufacturers).

[@Ninjasimpmunk]

You do realize that pop ups as a whole have been banned for decades now because of pedestrian safety?

[@Bellizz0913]

This color aint it.