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Third-generation Miata will put a smile on your face

published December 12, 2005

Published By
( 24 votes, average: 4.1 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.
I was out of the office more than I was in on a recent week testing the 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata. Any excuse to go for a ride ...

And every time I test a Miata, the "phenomenon" reoccurs. I get in and drop the top. After a few blocks of shifting gears, the Miata grin comes back. I turn up the radio volume and start moving to the tunes. If I start out with a frown, it soon turns around.


This isn't a car, it's a lifestyle.

"Yeah, you wear it," said one owner who has autocrossed his '99.

Yet Miata ownership isn't about what you are being seen in. It's how the world looks through the windshield - like everything's gonna be all right.

It's that Miata magic and, somehow, Mazda hasn't screwed it up after 16 years. The 2006 model is the third generation and it's all new.

This car charmed the United States when it debuted in 1989, and it is remarkable that every generation since has gotten a bit better. The designers, engineers and marketers have worked to preserve the sweet spot to this little icon.

As the car has evolved, it has gotten larger and more expensive, and Mazda stakes out a broad price range with five models.

The base Club Spec model starts at just less than $21,000 and goes up by $1,000 increments for the MX-5 and Touring models, which come with a 5-speed manual transmission (no automatic option), a 170-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 16-inch wheels.

The Sport ($23,495), Grand Touring ($24,995) and Third Generation Limited Edition ($27,260) come with a six-speed manual, the same engine and 17-inch wheels. A six-speed sport automatic transmission with manual shift mode adds $1,100.

Today's test car, a Grand Touring with manual shift, had an as-tested price of $25,495 and was up-fitted with the Suspension Package ($500), which added Bilstein shocks, limited-slip differential and a stiffer ride. And stiffer does not mean harsher.

The third-generation car is an inch and a half longer and wider, a half inch taller than last year's model and packaged on a wheelbase that is 2 1/2 inches longer.

The size allows more elbow room and seat travel. The extended wheelbase helps highway ride quality. It's not as choppy.

New exterior bulges and fender flares give a contemporary hot-shot appearance that might bring more sales from males, but it shouldn't repel any of the car's appeal to either sex, young and old.

Dimensionally, the hood is more rounded and a bit shorter. And the top's been recontoured and refolded. The new Z-fold function still drops with one-hand effort, and it locks into place and - this is so slick - integrates as a tonneau cover. It goes back into place without a big grunt and snort.

And it's so easy to enjoy the open air. In the cool of the mornings, I'd leave the windows up and crank the heat. In afternoons, the windows go down and the hat comes out.

Air flow with the top down is smoother than before, and a small flip-up windscreen helps to trim buffeting. With the windows up and the top down, conversations can be held at comfortable levels, hats are not whipped off by unruly gusts (as long as your head isn't over the windshield header) and the seven-speaker Bose audio system can be enjoyed loud without distortion.

Making the car bigger didn't make it much heavier, just 22 pounds. Weight-saving aluminum is used in the hood, deck lid, engine frame, suspension parts and rear brake calipers.

The 2.0-liter engine is a generous upgrade from last year's 1.8-liter engine. Acceleration is quick with plenty of pulling power right off the line. But it's not so powerful that it obliterates the pleasure of car and driver working through the gears, listening to the engine and feeling the suspension load and unload. And dual exhaust tips are a good visual.

The limited-slip differential in the suspension upgrade really helps the back end stick when you dive into a corner then roll on the power. No more fishtailing and tire squealing. Well, not too much tire squealing, which is part of the fun. Balance front to rear is 50/50 at the curb.

Put a fist on the stubby shifter and you can pivot joystick-style through the gears, never missing a shift. The new six-speed manual transmission has ultra-short throws, triple-cone synchronizers that ease shift effort, and low-friction bushings and a guide plate for shifting precision.

And there's a whole lot of shifting going on with the six speeds to manage the power. Fortunately, there's enough torque that you can cruise as slow as 12 to 15 mph in third gear without bogging the engine. And even at 65 mph in sixth gear, there's a tug of power for passing. The engine spins a little fast, but you don't hear it with the top down.

The longer wheelbase - even with the stiffer suspension - really helps the quality of the interstate ride, which was pretty harsh on the early cars.

The interior is snug, but it seems about right for multi-mile comfort. The driving position seems more upright than before, but easily suits a 6-foot-2-inch driver. Chrome, silver and leather mix tastefully, particularly with the up-level saddle leather in the Grand Touring model.

It might be nice to have some padding on the hard shell on the center console, which doubles as the sliding cover to dual cup holders. My elbow was feeling it after about 175 miles on the interstate.

Storage places are useful, including another cup holder in each door panel, locking glove box, a locking box that holds 10 CDs between the seat backs and a small box for sunglasses or a cell phone on the driver's side at the base of the instrument panel.

Mazda dumped the spare tire in favor of a "puncture repair kit," a move that added space and saved weight. The trunk floor now has a "well" about the size of a case of small water bottles that helps keep items, such as grocery bags or a briefcase, secure as the driver zips home. That was a great idea, especially when the first-generation car's trunk could barely hold a bikini and no beach chair.

The worst fit of the redesign is an attempt to rename the car MX-5. For those of us who have followed along with each generation, this car can only be the Miata. When the coupe version comes along, let it be the MX-5.

This Miata's nearly perfect, but to be safe let's call it "ideal." Mazda is already planning the next-generation car, so perfection could still be a few years off.

SPECS BOX
2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring

Body style: 2-seat, rear-wheel-drive roadster

Engine: Aluminum, 2.0-liter DOHC 4-cylinder

Horsepower: 170 at 6,700 rpm

Torque: 140 foot-pounds at 5,000 rpm

Transmission: 6-speed manual (optional, 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters)

Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph, 7 seconds, estimated

Fuel Economy: 24 mpg city, 30 mpg highway; 91 octane recommended

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 91.7 inches

Length: 157.1 inches

Curb weight: 2,498 pounds

Trunk space: 5.3 cubic feet

FEATURES
Standard equipment includes remote locking, air conditioning, 3-spoke leather steering wheel with radio and cruise controls, Bose 7-speaker CD audio system, leather upholstery and door panel trim, power mirrors and windows, fog lights, glass rear window with defogger, dual exhaust tips, seat-back bars, floor mats.

Safety equipment includes front air bags, side air bags, ABS

CHASSIS
Suspension: Front:Front, double wishbone; rear, multilink; stabilizer bars front and rear

Steering: Electric, Power-assisted rack-and-pinion; turning circle, 15.4 feet

Brakes: 4-wheel discs with ABS; 11.4-inch ventilated discs in front, 11-inch solid discs rear

Tires and wheels: 205/45R 17-inch on alloy wheels, on Sport and Grand Touring (P205/50 16-inch on lower models)

PRICING
Base price: $24,995, including $560 destination charge; price as tested, $25,495

Options on test vehicle: Suspension package, $500, includes Bilstein shocks, sport-tuned suspension and limited slip differential

The competition: Pontiac Solstice, Ford Mustang, BMW Z4, Honda S2000, Mini Cooper

Waranty: 48 months/50,000 miles bumper to bumper with 24-hour roadside assistance and loaner car program

Where assembled: Hiroshima, Japan

Coupe competition: Pontiac Solstice, Ford Mustang, BMW Z4, Honda S2000, Mini Cooper

PLUSES: As close to perfect as a roadster can get.

MINUSES: Trucks and SUVs still look large and looming.



Mark Maynard is driving in cyberspace at mark.maynard@uniontrib.com.

published December 12, 2005

( 24 votes, average: 4.1 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.