Mazda MX5 Mk1 vs Mk2 - Which Sports Car Is Best? (NA 1.8/NB 10th Anniversary)

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The Mazda MX5 Miata made sports cars cool again in 1989 - by offering the classic roadster experience of the MGB, Lotus Elan and Triumph Spitfire combined with comfort and bulletproof Japanese reliability, it sold in the hundreds of thousands. The focus on engineering for feel made for a sweet-handling sports car that appealed to enthusiasts and casual drivers alike, but when the likes of MG, Fiat and BMW jumped on the roadster trend, Mazda had to fight back. The Mk2 ‘NB’ MX5 offered more power, modernised interior trim, new styling and tweaked suspension, but was it actually better than the original?
Road tests sponsored by CAARParts: www.caarparts.co.uk/
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Thanks to Mazda UK for loan of their Mk1 MX5 and Terry for loan of his 10th Anniversary Mk2.
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[@simonhodgetts6530]

The mk1 MX5 is a bona fide classic - and yet another example of a Japanese manufacturer showing us Brits a thing or two! Mazda has to be my favourite Japanese car manufacturer - over the years they’ve built some genuinely interesting cars, packed full of character.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Couldn't agree more! Fancy some more Mazda action on the channel? -Joe

[@peterbonnez]

Nice report. I have both, the Mk2 is a much better car to live with but I prefer driving the Mk1.

[@Nickoboss29]

Interesting fact: the NB was designed by the same people who designed the 1st gen Viper

[@jansvoboda4293]

I always thought it looks like a baby Viper, I love the looks of NB and have one NBFL in garage.

[@jansvoboda4293]

After driving Mk1 1.6 and Mk2 1.8 Annie, I bought 1.8 NBFL Silver Blues.

[@golders99]

The 2001-2004 (NB-FL) is even better. It has improved seats, nicer interior, heated seats, mohair roof with glass window and the improved 150bhp SVT engine. VVT after 4000rpm.

[@SuburbanWarfare69]

I have a pre-FL NB and actually prefer the smaller seats, I think the FL seats look too tall? I have a glass demister rear window too.The pre-FL 5-speed is also tougher and feels better than the later 6 speed. The headlights of the FL are much better though.

[@drewwagar]

I've had both. The mk1 is simply more fun than the mk2 and the pop up headlamps are the iconic trump card. The mk2 (in it's later 2.5 guise) has a serious issue with rust on the front chassis legs, avoid unless it's been properly inspected and/or sorted.

[@Nickoboss29]

Isn't the NB more fun to drive and more refined than the NA ?

[@drewwagar]

@@Nickoboss29 More refined, yes. More fun, definitely not.

[@Nickoboss29]

@@drewwagar how?

[@ccknoxville8389]

I absolutely love driving my 2003 MX-5 LS with the 205/45-16 tires, but my best MPG around town is 24-26 MPG. What a blast!!

[@MOSSFEEN]

POP UP lights all the way

[@paulelverstone8677]

I had the mk1 - a jdm Eunos. It was 21yrs old when I bought it, ran it for five years, never broke down, never failed to start, always put a smile on my - and other people's - faces. It was a great little car. But it wasn't as good as my MR2 mk1 imho and I feel that that car (also allegedly with Lotus influence) has been forgotten about quickly. Would love to see a H2H....

[@FenderUsa]

those mk1s were quite heavy for the time and for the type of car it was

[@paulelverstone8677]

@@FenderUsa you think 950kg is heavy?

[@FenderUsa]

@@paulelverstone8677 for the time yes, when hatchbacks were 700-800kg. obviously not in the grand scheme of things

[@gregfelix6979]

I daily my 98 NB. Brilliant car. Does everything you need, and gives you heaps of fun doing it. Plenty of cheap parts, mods to suit whatever you want to do with it. And won’t be a magnet for speeding fines. Plenty to be said for the enjoyment of driving a slow car fast, rather than a fast car, slow. My other car is a Stinger, which is plenty fast, but on a nice day, it’s the MX5 I grab the keys for - every time.

[@Anonymous-ib8so]

You daily it? Do you mean use it dailyperhaps?

[@gregfelix6979]

@@Anonymous-ib8so Well perhaps we have a cultural difference here. I’m Australian, so for us referring to a car as something we “daily”, it means it’s a car we use daily. If it has a different connotation in other English vernaculars, then I’m not aware of them.

[@alextoft9199]

What do you mean 'you daily it' if your American free pass but any Brit using that term! Come on! You've been watching too much KZbin. 'I currently have an MX5' or 'at the moment I'm using an MX5 is much better' 😂

[@gregfelix6979]

@@alextoft9199 - Ummm… I’m not a Brit… Far from it. I already mentioned I’m Australian. I guess I wasn’t expecting such a critique of variations of the English language - which are very different between Brits, Aussies, Canucks and Yanks - as a result of my initial comment. All I was trying to convey was that I love driving my MX5!

[@alextoft9199]

@@gregfelix6979 well just be more careful in the future mate aright. 😂😂😂

[@terrymortimer4402]

Great review, well filmed. I am glad you enjoyed my 10th Anniversary.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Thanks again, Terry!

[@CruiseControl1]

Wouldn’t have the nb1 without the na coming before it so for significance the na but I bought an nb1 because of a few improvements over the na.

[@jaysimpson6857]

I remember seeing a mk2 in the flesh for the first time and thinking how masculine it looked and also getting TVR vibes, what a different world of cars it was back then.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

There's definitely something of a Griffith about it...

[@golders99]

It was designed by the same guy who penned the dodge viper.

[@elelegidosf9707]

Nah, it's still a hairdressers' car. A good one, though.

[@jaysimpson6857]

@@elelegidosf9707 The hairdresser label for sports cars is always given by those who don’t understand cars or those who are bitter for whatever reason, actually it’s the kind of comment I’d expect to hear from someone like a hairdresser who has little interest or understanding of cars, like those who call the Boxter a poor man’s Porsche without giving it any consideration for what it really is. You say it’s a good hairdressers car so I’d be really interested to know what your idea of an average “hairdressers” car is?

[@elelegidosf9707]

@@jaysimpson6857 Ok, you guessed correctly - I am indeed a bitter hairdresser who has little interest in cars. What do I drive? An MX5, of course.

[@paultasker7788]

Mark 2 had a reputation for rusting. These era cars of all manufacturers seem to have major issues with rust in places due to the new environmentally friendly water based paints. But Japanese cars rust worse as they are not designed for salted roads. Keep that under control and their reliability is superb. If they made a 4 seat version I'd have got one over my 10 year old mini cooper S cabriolet which is too complicated and thus a lot to break! But mazdas 4 seater was the Rx8 and I don't fancy trying to own one of those!

[@rasherbasher8203]

Pop up head lights win everytime 😂❤❤❤

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

;)

[@jimmyquinn9639]

Another good video 🚗🚙🚘⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@FrightfulAccountant]

The door handles got worse every generation as well too. I like the little flush handles of the original. Today the MX5 has those big bulky SUV style door handles, ruins the side profile 🤢

[@klutchcustoms2428]

The purity of that MK1's styling gives it the win for me. An emulation of a classic roadster that's a classic design in its own right now, as you said. I wonder if someone could produce a modern EV counterpart?

[@JamesSmith-qs4hx]

You worry about the styling of two cars but ignore your peoples plight due to mass immigration. Wake up son.

[@robiulahmed]

@@JamesSmith-qs4hxwho took the jam out of your doughnut?

[@rogerhanbury677]

Mk 2 also came with improved rust , the front chassis legs actually dissolve

[@alexandrecouture2462]

Nice little car and after having many Mazda over the year, yes, they are very reliable. My choice would be one with the 2.0L, as it was the most fuel efficient and powerful, compared to the 1.6L and 1.8L. I think it was available in later mk2 Miata, or maybe one has to go to the mk3.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

2.0 was Mk3 onwards, a great car!

[@heed17]

NB only had variable valve timing after 2001 (NB2). It had over 150hp then. The NB1 1.8 is a 140hp with no VVT. Some NB1 Jap imports have 146hp due to higher rev limit.

[@jakenuno9900]

I'm a miata owner, and love them all, so I can totally see why people love the NA beat, its great; however, you can't say it's better than the NB1 or NB2 in regards to most things such as performance. For that reason, the NB has my vote, but again, they are all great.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

There's a Miata for everyone! :D

[@snbala]

It’s a shame they rust badly. Great budget roadster though, however not really budget anymore with their values for clean examples.

[@Sir-Prizse]

1:19 And already the first other MX-5 NA in oncoming traffic...

[@giulianomarco]

Mk.1 had it right first time. 😁👍

[@gt6814]

I have a late 2004 NB 1.8vvt and I find it a betters driving car over the Mk1, but not by much

[@MBatYT]

NA: +Antenna + Door handle + red or green non metalic car paint + Folding headlights

[@peterfriel5129]

How much is a decent one here in the UK ??

[@demon1954]

£4k

[@alanthomson1227]

Which is best , the ND or MK 4 . Judging between 1 and 2 can only come up with a better , not best .

[@demon1954]

Yes. In English if there are only two choices, the preferred one is better, not best. The best MX5 overall varies depending on the owner. All can cost-effectively and invisibly be made into sports cars for not much extra spent on power and suspension. There are easy and cost-effective brake upgrades available between Mazda and even between MX5 models. NA for cuteness if you don't mind not having ABS. NB adds ABS and has a stiffer chassis except where the accountants asked for some of it to be made to go more rusty, more quickly. NC has more space,ESC, and possibly the stiffest chassis, being based on the RX8. Ones that get little use, and get used gently, can suffer from that type of owner not checking the oil often enough. Mazda put a mat in the rear wheel arch. They said it was to reduce road noise. I say there are better ways to do that, and they put it there to soak up salty water and to hold that. against the metal. More rust means you're more likely to replace your car sooner. ND1 in 1.6 and ND2 and 3 in both engine sizes are brilliant modern cars if you can fit in them. They have enough power to be sports cars and don't need much spend on the suspension. My own best one would be an NC 25AE PRHT in Soul Red/Piano Black with cream leather and an LS3 engine and drivetrain. While you're at it Santa, can you please pop in a mild cam for 525hp? If you're out of LS3s I'd settle for a 4.0 Lexus.

[@fasthracing]

Just a shame they rust at the merest sight of water.

[@colinmcdonald3669]

Will rust like a classic Brit car as well

[@vaiosfrangoulis78]

The first and the latest MX5 's are the true classics the in between models i personally dislike and find them ugly.

[@roberttaylor465]

Then drive it in the wet, they have very poor grip.

[@gregfelix6979]

Decent tyres make a world of difference…

[@alexandrecouture2462]

@@gregfelix6979 Of course if the tires are 20 years old, they won't have much grip.

[@golders99]

Put Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres on the rear and the grip is transformed.

[@gregfelix6979]

@@golders99 - I’ve got Bridgestone Potenza’s on at the moment. If anything they’re a bit too grippy for mine! I remember driving a standard BRZ on the standard “eco” tyres and the think was a hoot. Sideways whenever you wanted. I then bought a BRZ tS. It came on Michelin PS’ and they had so much more grip. Nice in a way, but not as much fun.

[@MBatYT]

@@gregfelix6979yes true

[@Scimmia-Locale-wr9cx]

I prefer the look of the Mk2. I know most people seem to like the Mk1 better, probably because of the pop-up lights, but I think it looks a bit bulbous. The Mk2 looks sleeker and sexier.