There's something about throwing an MX-5 around a tight turn that's unlike any other convertible – at least any other I've driven. It might not be as refined as a Boxster or as commanding as an SLK or as muscular as a Mustang GT, but it's got weight on the road in all the right places. Sporting rear-wheel drive, the MX-5 does get a bit squirrelly sometimes with such a light, nonexistent backend and body in general. However, because it's so compact, keeping it under control is as easy as dragging Lindsay Lohan back to rock bottom with a Marlboro and a bottle of Jack.
Inside (and I promise I'll get to the exterior look eventually) you'll find very little – and that's perfect. It almost seems stripped down with a super-simple gauge cluster, dumbed-down radio (sans nav, touchscreen, or any of that fancy stuff), a good-size shifter knob and a handbrake. There, that's all you need. Oh, and two seats. Done. Perfection. Time to drive.
No, but seriously speaking now, that's where the MX-5 shines. It works as a driver's roadster because it's so simple. There's nothing but you and the car and the road beneath you and that's why I consider it to be the perfect two-seater.
Sure it has a teeny-tiny trunk and interior storage is next to none, but that's not what the MX-5 is all about – and it never has been. This is not a family car, nor does it pretend to be. It's purely a two-seater that's meant to be driven on wide-open country roads with the sun beaming down on you and the radio blasting.
And on those wide-open country roads, you'll look absolutely fantastic (yes, finally, I'm going to talk about the exterior design). Since the MX-5 Miata was first born, it's pretty much kept the same silhouette. Whereas in the '90s it was slightly longer and seemingly more streamlined, for 2011 it's beefed up considerably with bulky shoulders and a decidedly cartoonish grin that only adds to the car's appeal. Available with both a hard or soft top, either way the MX-5's lines are sporty.
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| It almost seems stripped down with a super-simple gauge cluster, dumbed-down radio, a good-size shifter knob and a handbrake. There, that's all you need. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |
Inside (and I promise I'll get to the exterior look eventually) you'll find very little – and that's perfect. It almost seems stripped down with a super-simple gauge cluster, dumbed-down radio (sans nav, touchscreen, or any of that fancy stuff), a good-size shifter knob and a handbrake. There, that's all you need. Oh, and two seats. Done. Perfection. Time to drive.
No, but seriously speaking now, that's where the MX-5 shines. It works as a driver's roadster because it's so simple. There's nothing but you and the car and the road beneath you and that's why I consider it to be the perfect two-seater.
Sure it has a teeny-tiny trunk and interior storage is next to none, but that's not what the MX-5 is all about – and it never has been. This is not a family car, nor does it pretend to be. It's purely a two-seater that's meant to be driven on wide-open country roads with the sun beaming down on you and the radio blasting.
And on those wide-open country roads, you'll look absolutely fantastic (yes, finally, I'm going to talk about the exterior design). Since the MX-5 Miata was first born, it's pretty much kept the same silhouette. Whereas in the '90s it was slightly longer and seemingly more streamlined, for 2011 it's beefed up considerably with bulky shoulders and a decidedly cartoonish grin that only adds to the car's appeal. Available with both a hard or soft top, either way the MX-5's lines are sporty.
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| Sure it has a teeny-tiny trunk and interior storage is next to none, but that's not what the MX-5 is all about. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |