Everything I LIKE and DISLIKE about the Mazda MX-5 Miata (ND3) Club RF

[@badboy-gn8fu]

as for no auto lights that is missing the point. this car is meant to me all manual. nothing automatic. it's meant for the driver to be involved and interactive with his car like a toy. it's was designed that way in mind. it is meant to be fun. if you are too lazy to turn on the headlights yourself go buy a BMW. that car will take care of you like a lil baby girl

[@ag4allgood]

Agree with you that this Club model in particular was designed to engage you in the driving experience. Just for safety reasons I always drive with my headlights on - like my motorcycle in the younger days. I don't ever remember groaning like this guy getting in or out of my MX-5s. At 5' 10' 200 pounds & at least 40 years older I must be lucky. Dual zone climate control ? Really ? In a car interior this small. The fact this is the ONLY roadster in this price range is a miracle.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

I didn't say dual zone. I said automatic climate control. It's not the only convertible in the price point.

[@ag4allgood]

@@CarsMadeSimple The Sport model starts @ $29,400 name another convertible that is that low in price. You can't because there is NONE ! 😎Yes the fully loaded Club or GT RF models start to touch the lesser Mustang convertible model or Camaro model.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

@@ag4allgood Well a base model and an RF Club are two different trims. I'm speaking for the one I drove which is basically the same price as a Ecoboost Convertible.

[@ag4allgood]

@@CarsMadeSimple Get your eyes checked. I see 2024 Mustang Ecoboost convertibles going for OVER $ 46,750 ! MSRP is Over $51,000 ! This is the end of the season too. 😎

[@beastybaiter7378]

I bought a 2019 Miata club (soft top) new when it came out. Daily drove it till earlier this year when I traded it in. I put 66k+ miles on it. Lot of fun to drive, very practical (if no kids), and cheap to run. I'm 6'2" and fit just fine. With the seat all the way back, I couldn't operate the clutch. Headroom was tight though. I did the soft top cause it has an extra inch or so of headroom compared to the RF and for me that was enough to make all the difference.

[@mateok15]

I'm 6,2 and driving fine daily.

[@mazdaspeedrx8]

I actually love the look of the RF but because I do track days, and a lot of organizations require a roll bar for the miata. If you put a roll bar in the RF, the roll bar would block how the RF would fold in. Hence why a good majority of track guys tend to get the soft top instead because of this.

[@VictorPitstop]

I have an RF and track but luckily majority of the places I go to check it into ‘targa top’ category I guess as a loophole. Yes, safety is scary but luckily mine isn’t that fast. I plan on doing a roll bar if I don’t eventually get another dedicated track car.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

Good to know! That's not something I would have thought about.

[@braisedtoast9002]

Poor man's Cayman. The 86/brz aren't really competitors imo. Those are for people who can only have 1 car. The miata competition is used boxters, z4s, and maybe a c5 vette. There is nothing like the nd3 for the price. Arguably, there's nothing on the market for any price as even the cayman is 700lbs heavier.

[@club1fan552]

Getting in and out is difficult...how old are you? 30? Really! As for all your other negative comments you sound very entitled. I have a car with a digital speedometer, and this is one reason I plan to sell it...constantly flickering up and down is distracting and a pain in the ass.

[@badboy-gn8fu]

this is not meant as a daily car. it's a weekend car. I don't understand why people expect a sports car like the MX5 to be able to carry groceries. this car is a great 2nd car for you to cruise in on the weekends. if you want comfort go buy a minivan.

[@ag4allgood]

Sorry , buy mine is a daily drive in 4 season weather. I shop at Costco but its just my personal groceries. The passenger seat catches the trunk overflow if needed. The interior fits me like a golf glove. Everything is within reach.

[@badboy-gn8fu]

@@ag4allgood you can use it as a daily drive but most people don't. It's not practical. My daily is a sienna. Cars like the mx5 only comes out of my garage on weekends when I want to go on a lonely cruise

[@ag4allgood]

@@badboy-gn8fu Practical for me because I love to drive it & life's too short to wait for the weekend ! You do you ! 😎

[@badboy-gn8fu]

@@ag4allgood how am i supposed to haul my family on an mx5?

[@ag4allgood]

Just bought a 2024 MX-5 Club soft top with that same BBR package. Took a long time to get here from Hiroshima but so far its well worth the wait. Auto headlights though means nothing because I ALWAYS turn on my headlights in this car like its my old motorcycle. Now keyless entry - that is a big deal. Small interior ? I'm 5' 10 " weigh about 200 but don't find the entry or exit to be a groan causing event but I'm 40+ years older so maybe the bones are now past the break in stage 😎. The speedometer digital ? I like the way Mazda keeps things pretty simple in this car. They updated the infotainment system & really like this update. No navigation you say ? There is an Alexa button that you can give voice directions to & they get integrated into Google maps in about 20 seconds to the display. So far I really like the continuous improvements Mazda made over my previous ND1 Club ! If I was doing this video the driving clips would have been the 1st things shown. Is a small interior really a Dislike if you can reach everything from the drivers seat ? 🤔

[@Testarossaborch]

I am in love with my ND3 RF :)

[@davidhunternyc1]

My two biggest complaints about the Miata is, even with advancements with CAD programs, interior space is way too cramped for me, at 6 feet tall. Sitting in the passenger seat is impossible. Mazda has to fix this in their next iteration but they must *NOT* make the car any bigger or heavier. Also, I hate the infotainment screen plopped on top of the dash. It's always in your face and you cannot ignore it. It's like scratching on a chalkboard and, sorry, the screen in the ND4 isn't much better. Mazda must integrate the infotainment screen into the dash. For instance, the infotainment screen in the instrument cluster on the Audi TT is perfect. Mazda must use the TT for inspiration. The Miata has always been about refinement at a budgetary price point. No excuses Mazda. Honda and Toyota has fallen off the turnip truck. Whistles and bells and chimes and beeps everywhere, like a video game arcade. It's awful. Also, I do disagree with you. No digital speedometer. Keep it analog. I hate redundancy. Mazda is the only premium, no compromise Japanese car in the world right now. Keep it simple. Refine. Refine. Refine. How do you improve a spoon?

[@paker51]

OMG I drive a 2023 GT RF and at 74 I don't grunt like that getting out of my Miata!

[@paulperryman3839]

Probably not the car you want if you feel that strongly about auto rev matching. The fun of buying this car is so that you can learn and fine tune your driving skills. Similar to saying all bicycles should come with training wheels standard....

[@TheFlyrodder68]

Spot on review!

[@wongfeihung9724]

Are auto headlights such a big deal? I don't think so. I switch them on manually without thinking.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

I almost never touch my headlight controls. It's something that should be automated 99% of the time.

[@mateok15]

Wish this had ac knobs like cx5.

[@SuperKusja]

Recaro?

[@CarsMadeSimple]

Yes

[@mountainhobo]

Extremely.

[@IndianaSPEED-n8h]

Feels like a toy, good and bad. I am 6'2 and I wish the car seat was about 4 inches lower. Way over priced too!

[@G1lgamesj]

I don't know why I keep getting MX5 ND video's recommended. The car model looks beautiful but all the rest is boring or mediocre, the MX5 doesn't particular shine in anything except for the looks of the model.

[@Saboda53]

Actually, it does shine in one little thing: it is the most fun-to-drive car you can buy at any price. Don’t believe me? Watch 20 or 30 YT video reviews and see for yourself.

[@CarsMadeSimple]

I don't know if I would say any price but it's certainly near the top for usable enjoyment on public roads. I've enjoyed other cars more but they are generally $100k+ and only reach that enjoyment level on the track.

[@G1lgamesj]

@@Saboda53 I can't agree, the MX5 RF 2.0 became pretty expensive the last 2 years which makes it a bad choice in my opinion. For less money you have the Toyota 86, Megane RS, Hyundai N i30 which all have more driving potential and are cheaper. It can never replace my 20 year old car which is still more fun to drive Like I said It's beautiful, but average in all the rest. It's a car for someone that wants a nice looking car but don't really care about the performance and while there are much more comfortable cars out there you still can daily it and you can cabrio it if you care for that. The MX5 is a Jack of all trades, It tries to be everything but isn't really strong in one thing.

[@badboy-gn8fu]

your opinion is stupid.

[@ag4allgood]

@@G1lgamesj I understand why people might want more room & Buy a 86 / BRZ / Ni30 ( whatever a Megane is we don't get it in the US ). Its the open top driving involvement that you don't get with those others. A roadster offers a better driving experience because you can remove the roof. What is brilliant is the way this car tells you what is happening - the feedback you felt thru the seat / the steering wheel. The fact you can do the oil changes & tire rotations very easily is another Big Plus. Aftermarket parts are vast ! Many companies dedicated to providing parts just for a Miata. 20 year old car is great but technology has advanced & I really like Alexa taking my voice commands & putting them into Google maps automatically displaying them on the screen for places I've never been to - so easy. 😎