2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Softer Than I Thought

2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata - Erin Riches

My early drives in our long-term MX-5 bordered on euphoric. From the surprisingly torquey 2.0-liter engine to the convertible top that requires no more than an over-the-shoulder toss (and goes down in 1.35 seconds by our technical director's stopwatch), the Miata was/is a wonderful drive on sunny Southern California days.

But this evening was my first opportunity to push the car a little on some of my favorite back roads. I had fun, but I'm not as high on the Miata as I was a couple months ago...

First off, as Brent noted a couple weeks ago, the steering is a little light on road feel. I still felt connected to what was happening on the road, but not as much as I do in our Civic Si. Also, even with the sport package on our long-term MX-5, the suspension doesn't seem tight enough. The Miata sticks well, but starts to feel a little floppy through tight turns. The suspension also fumbles a bit over bumps. If I bought a Miata, I don't think I would be satisfied with the stock running gear. I also don't think these minor deficiencies would be as obvious to me if the $20K Civic Si didn't exist, but it does and they are.

However, I still love the seating position in the MX-5, I still love its six-speed gearbox's short, precise throws and easy clutchwork, and I still love the sounds and smells of driving it top-down on a summer evening.

Erin Riches, Senior Content Editor, 6,202 miles

Categories: 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata