- 2010
2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata
- Used Mazda MX-5 Miata
Exterior - What the Auto Press Says
Reviewers generally approve of the 2008 MX-5 Miata's restyled exterior, which has a more masculine feel than the previous generation. The Los Angeles Times quips, "Mazda has pumped the MX-5 with some visual testosterone, most notably in the perfect-circle wheel arches cut into the sheet metal." The new power retractable hard top is also a high point, especially since it virtually disappears when not in use.
Edmunds describes the new exterior as "a stronger face, more rakish lines and accentuated fender contours." New Car Test Drive calls the third-generation redesign "masterful," noting that "it looks more like the original Miata than the second-generation model. The overall design is somewhat slab sided and both taller and more rounded at the front end than previous versions. But the ovoid shape of the grille is pure Miata."
Yet some are disappointed in the redesign. Forbes classifies styling as a low point, noting, "The shape is a little less cute and, to some eyes, a little more arty." MSN says it's "more unisex, less cute." However, the Los Angeles Times disagrees, calling the MX-5 "still pretty dang adorable." The Auto Channel quotes a female Miata owner (who has owned and driven her 1990 Miata every day for more than 16 years) as simply saying, "It looks like my Miata on Viagra."
Of course, the MX-5's most talked-about exterior facet is its convertible roof - offered in both a hard and soft top design. Car and Driver notes that it's the world's fastest folding hardtop: "From the first punch of the power button to completely stowed, the MX-5's composite origami act takes just 12 seconds." Several reviewers rave about the simplicity of using the hardtop, with the Boston Globe commenting, "Watching the three-piece metal roof fold and unfold is a Goldbergesque whir-click-thunk marvel of engineering. Try that, Lamborghini Gallardo!" The Auto Channel describes it as "a magic trick: disappearing on cue when the 'open' button is pressed." Even better, reviewers love the way the MX-5 looks with the hard top not in use. The Los Angeles Times marvels, "Once the top is stowed, the MX-5 looks like it never had one. When the top is up, you'd be hard pressed, from inside the cabin, to distinguish the car from a fixed-roof counterpart."
The standard manual soft top is also quite a viable option. The Orlando Sentinel praises, "This is about as simple and near-perfect as a convertible top gets." And New Car Test Drive calls the soft top "the best yet, and one of the best in all sportscardom," later adding, "Now it looks neatly finished when it's down, with no additional effort...You'll never wish for power assistance. This is distinctly different from, say, the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, whose tops are far more involved to raise and lower."
