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1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review
1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review
View more photosUsed MX-5 Miata for sale
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What’s new
The love affair begins. 116 horsepower from 1.6-liter inline four. Driver airbag is standard. Available in red, white, blue and silver.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata 2dr Convertible and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$184/mo for MX-5 Miata Base
MX-5 Miata Base
vs
$183/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
5 star(95%)
4 star(5%)
3 star(0%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
74 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
A Great Car with one potential problem
rbarrwest, 04/04/2014
1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata 2dr Convertible
A great car!!!! I have had mine since December of 1989 and have 115,000 miles on it.
But as my wife points out, it's hell when your mid-life crisis car is 24 years old!
There is one problem to watch out for if you buy a '90.
Some of them have the infamous crankshaft problem.
It usually appears after the timing belt has been replaced and additional miles put on the car.
Mine appeared at … about 95000 miles.
The problem has to do with the design of the crankshaft nose, keyway, cam drive sprocket and pulley bolt.
The key was designed too short.
For a good discussion of this problem see www.miata.net/garage/crankshaft.html.
I had to replace the engine with one from a '92.
5 out of 5 stars
Love love love this car
pawprintboxers, 10/01/2014
1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata 2dr Convertible
I bought my 1990 just 2 years ago. It was an early Christmas present to myself. I had admired the Miatas but just never bought one.
Believe me I am making up for lost time. Excellent commuter car, great gas mileage, easy to park, zips all over, looks fabulous and I always have a smile on my face.
I gave it new rims and a new top. I have only had to replace a few minor parts that 25 … years dictated needing to be replaced. But nothing major at all. This is the little car that next quits. I am in love !!
Update: I sold my 1990 after 3 years to another Miata lover. I bought a 2008 Miata. Love the Mazda cars but just wanted a bit more power items. The 1990 was FUN car but it got hard to commute with a stick shift. Now I have an automatic but still get the zoom zoom fun.
4.63 out of 5 stars
Miata is the best damn car I have ever owned
my90miata, 04/14/2011
1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata 2dr Convertible
Bought this car with 182,000 on it and I have never looked back.
What a great car.
Not real fast but has plenty of giddyup and the handling is awesome.
Very inexpensive to fix because there are so many still on the road.
I live in Florida and the top is down on a daily basis.
Got some wear on the top, but still not a lot out of the wallet to replace.
It's like a go-cart on the … highway.
Fantabulous! :-)
5 out of 5 stars
The Mazda Miata: THE Best Car Ever Built
JC-MX5, 11/14/2010
1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata 2dr Convertible
Since buying my 1990 Miata, I've been nothing short of satisfied. This fun, 2-door rag top is great from every angle and will leave a smile on your face long after you've stopped driving. It's reliable, fuel efficient (Mine sips to the tune of 36 mpg highway) and the most fun you can have in a car for the least amount of money spent. I recommend it to everyone, literally. I have yet to … find a fault in my Miata and I don't expect to any time soon. After 20 years and 90k miles, she still has as much bite as the day she was born.
1990 MX-5 Miata Highlights
| Engine Type | Gas |
|---|---|
| Combined MPG | 24 MPG |
| Cost to Drive | $184/month |
| Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver3 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original0
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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