The Best Year For The Mazda Miata
Source: Pixabay
The Mazda Miata has been in the market for quite a while now and is one of the most celebrated cars of all time. The Miata is what you get when you remove the technical components of a modern car and the weight that comes with them and add a crisp transmission and a rev-happy engine. Indeed, the Miata is the ultimate driver’s car – affordable, approachable, and, best of all, fun.
With over 30 years of the lineup, there’s no shortage of excellent Mazda Miatas to choose from. However, the sheer number of options also makes it trickier to choose the best year for Mazda Miata.
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If you’re looking for the best year for Mazda Miata, we wholeheartedly recommend the 2019 MX-5 model year. It was not an easy decision since there are so many excellent Miatas. Please keep reading for our justification.
2019 Is the Best Year for Mazda Miata
Most people would buy the Mazda MX-5 Miata for its iconic styling and engaging driving experience. Therefore, we ultimately chose the 2019 MX-5 as the best year for Mazda Miata, mainly because it benefited from a refreshed engine, turning it into the most powerful Miata at that point. If you opt for the Grand Touring trim, you’ll get an even better driving experience, thanks to the trim-exclusive features like Bilstein shocks and a sport-tuned suspension.
Value-wise, the 2019 MX-5 Miata offers incredible bang for your buck as you get a satisfying sports car for less than $40k. The 2019 Miata is faster and more comfortable, but it’s still the same fun-loving roadster we all know and love.
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How Much is the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata?
Being a more recent model, buyers can buy a low mileage for a reasonable price. According to Truecar.com, the average list price for a used 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata ranges from $19,970 to $35,434. The 2019 Miata is available in three trim levels: Sport, Club, and Grand Touring.
The 2019 Mazda MX-5 Sport comes with 16 x 6.5 aluminum alloy wheels in a Metallic Black finish, black cloth-trimmed seats, and a 7-inch full-color touch screen. Unfortunately, the Sport trim isn’t that popular, with only a few listings on major car retailing websites. For a used MX-5 Miata with manual transmission and around 23k miles, you’ll have to shell out $27,980.
Up the trim level, the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Club offers 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels in Metallic Black finish, black cloth-trimmed seats with red stitching accents, and a Bose 9-speaker audio system with AudioPilot. The lowest price for a used 2019 MX-5 Club with manual transmission and almost 50k miles is $26,500. Meanwhile, at the higher-end pricing, we found a practically brand-new MX-5 RF Club Manual with only 350 miles for $33,950.
Lastly, the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring includes leather-trimmed seats, automatic climate change, and a navigation system. The lowest price we’ve found is an MX-5 Grand Touring with automatic transmission and 43k miles for $25,438. In contrast, we found the most expensive used MX-5 Grand Touring with automatic transmission and close to 5k miles at $35,434.
The Specs of the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata
The fourth-generation Miata is already known for its ergonomic driving position. With the 2019 model, the Miata gains a telescoping steering wheel which adds a little bit of weight to the roadster. However, the weight gain is more than worth it as it enables drivers to fine-tune their driving position, especially taller drivers.
Performance-wise, the 2019 MX-5 Miata is equipped with a 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G four-cylinder engine producing 181 hp, 26 more horses than the previous year. The easy-to-shift manual transmission encourages the 2019 Miata’s fun-to-drive personality, and the optional automatic transmission is quick and sporty. In addition, Mazda announced that it addressed the transmission issues that plagued the early 4-gen Miatas with the 2019 version.
For the interior, the MX-5 Miata offers a cozy cabin for two adults, but taller occupants will feel cramped. The cabin is surprisingly spartan, with only the bare essentials. It does have a touchscreen infotainment system with intuitive controls. Although Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support is only standard in the 30th Anniversary, it’s a $450 upgrade for the rest.
Fuel economy is at an EPA-estimated 26⁄34 city/highway for manual transmission and 26⁄35 city/highway for the six-speed transmission. Overall, thanks to Mazda’s various tweaks, the 2019 MX-5 Miata is one of the more fuel efficient roadsters in the market.
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2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata Reliability and Recalls
According to RepairPal, the Mazda MX-5 Miata has a reliability score of 4.0 out of 5.0 and an annual average repair cost of $429 – which means it has excellent ownership costs.
Regarding reliability, the MX-5 Miata has a few problems, but none are too major. For instance, the 2019 Mazda MX-5 received some complaints about its convertible top, which is common even with the earlier model years. Apparently, the top can develop holes and other signs of wear when it’s in the down position.
As of this writing, the MX-5 Miata has two recalls about a faulty fuel pump and a transmission software glitch that may cause an abrupt downshift.
2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata Safety Features and Ratings
Neither the NHTSA nor IIHS haven’t conducted safety and crash tests for the 2019 MX-5 Miata. Meanwhile, the 2019 MX-5 Miata is relatively light on safety and driver-assistance features. Many are optional, including blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and rear-cross traffic alert.
WHAT TO DO IF A DEALER REFUSES TO CANCEL EXTENDED WARRANTY
Car buying can occasionally be frustrating, especially if you’re purchasing your vehicle through a dealership. We’re here to tell you how to navigate a situation in which a dealer refuses to cancel your extended warranty.
Other Mazda MX-5 Miata Years to Consider
If you want an earlier best year for Mazda Miata, the 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata 20th Anniversary Edition is worth checking out. With this limited edition Anniversary model, you get 10-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, chrome accents, and anniversary badging.
For practicality, the 2006-2015 Mazda MX-5s are all worth the look. This is the third-generation NC of Miata, some of the roadster’s heaviest models. They’re far and away the most spacious Miatas in existence, and they have power retractable hardtops as well.
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