2002 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review
Price Estimate: $433 - $677





+20
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Fun to drive, excellent steering and handling, glass rear window.
Cons
- Small trunk, drones during freeway trips, tight cabin.
What’s new
The addition of an optional in-dash six-CD changer, a perimeter theft alarm (on models with remote keyless entry) and a standard trunk light. LS versions get a revised stereo and speed-sensitive volume control. Later in the year, a new Special Edition trim debuts.
Edmunds says
As much automotive fun as you can have for less than $25,000.
For sale near Metairie, LA
20 listings
- 54,230 miles
- No accidents, 3 owners, corporate fleet vehicle
- Carma Automotive Group (447 mi away)
Close
Located in Duluth, GA
Carma Automotive Group Please Call Sales! 4189 Abbotts Bridge Rd. Duluth, GA 30*** 4**-7**-4993 **PLEASE READ CAREFULLY** EXTREMELY LOW MILES JUST 54K...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
Listing Information:
VIN: JM1NB353720232733
Stock: 20413
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 04-26-2025- $5,500great price
- 106,000 miles
- No accidents, 4 owners, personal use only
- 4cyl manual
- Dream Lane Motors (452 mi away)
- Leather Seats
- Soft Top
Close
Located in Euless, TX
2002 Mazda MX-5 Miata Classic Style, Pure Driving Fun! ?? ?? Manual | ?? Clean Title | ?? 106,000 Miles | ?? $5,500 Sleek black exterior with a rare ...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
23 Combined MPG (20 City/26 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JM1NB353220226838
Stock: 226838
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 06-14-2025
Vehicle overview
Financially, it certainly pays to buy in bulk. To own a big-and-bad Ford Excursion, you'll have to pay only about $5 per pound (based on MSRP for a base model). To own a lithe Mazda Miata, you'll have to pay about $9 per pound. But, hey, sometimes you just have to pay more to get the good stuff. While it seems strange to pay over $20,000 for a Miata, the price is still considerably less than those asked for roadsters like the BMW Z3, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Porsche Boxster, and Honda S2000. And while the Miata might not be able to match these cars' absolute performance numbers, it certainly equals or exceeds them with regard to the intangibles.
The Miata is about simplicity in design and operation. It's about having fun behind the wheel. It's about feeling free and young on warm summer nights. Not a serious car, the Miata, but that's part of its charm.
For 2002, the Miata receives an available in-dash six-CD changer and a perimeter theft alarm when equipped with remote keyless entry. Also new is a standard trunk light, and LS models get a new stereo with speed-sensitive volume control.
Last year, Mazda added variable valve timing to the 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, bumping horsepower to 142 at 7,000 rpm and torque to 125 pound-feet at 5,000 rpm. A five-speed manual transmission drives the rear wheels, but a six-speed is optional on LS models. Any Miata can be equipped with an automatic, but if that's what you're considering, perhaps we can direct you to the cute little VW Cabrio. This is a sports car, and an automatic transmission has no business here.
Though the Miata's trunk is miniscule when compared to what can be crammed into the latest SUVs, it can handle daily commuting or weekend getaways. The shifter moves with quick and short precision and all of the switchgear is easy to reach and use. White-faced gauges with chrome rings front snug but comfortable seats, which are trimmed in black cloth on base models or a caramel-colored leather on the LS. Base Miatas have black tops, while LS versions get caramel to match their interiors. This year's Special Edition trim comes in two color schemes - Titanium Gray paint with a deep saddle brown leather interior and Blazing Yellow Mica with a black leather interior, the first ever for a Miata. Standard features on the SE include a six-speed manual transmission, 16-inch Enkei alloy wheels, a 200-watt Bose sound system with an in-dash six-disc changer, and a chrome fuel filler door. Inside, the SE has a two-tone, three-spoke Nardi steering wheel; a Nardi leather shift knob and handbrake lever; white-faced gauges ringed in aluminum; and aluminum pedals, door handles and scuff plates. Mazda will produce just 1,500 Special Edition Miatas in Titanium Gray and 1,000 in Blazing Yellow Mica.
Droning trips on American interstates are not the Miata's forte, but with a lowered top and an open road, the Miata has few equals. The engine is perfectly matched to the suspension and steering, making the car a joy to pilot on curving roads. When equipped with the Suspension package (which includes items like a Torsen limited-slip differential and upgraded shock absorbers), the Miata's performance envelope is wider, but some fun is lost in not being able to adjust the tail easily via the throttle.
In our opinion, you can utilize 90 percent of the Miata's abilities under normal driving conditions, while a Porsche Boxster driver is lucky to experience 60 percent of that car's potential most of the time. Toyota gives the Miata some competition with its MR2 Spyder, but that doesn't change the fact that the Miata continues to be one of the best roadsters available today.
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Louisiana
$197/mo for MX-5 Miata Base
MX-5 Miata Base
vs
$147/mo
Avg. Compact Car
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Mazda MX-5 Miata Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Best Roadster.
5 out of 5 starsRog, 12/31/2015
2002 Mazda MX-5 Miata SE 2dr Roadster (1.8L 4cyl 6M)
I was tired of the ho hum experience of the past 40 yrs of the typical everyday cars, having grown up will cars that can lay rubber for 3 blocks and blow your mind in the quarter....family van's, company cars, rentals...yaaawwwnnn. So when the last kid was driving their own car..I bought a used Masda Mx 5 six speed roadster two years ago and absolutely love to drive again..It gets great … gas mileage (much better than reported) and that is on two lane mountain roads.. Takes corners like my old Triumph cafe racer and can handle speeds over 120 without a hitch. Snow is no problem either with the M&S tires for winter driving..Went over Monarch pass last year in a blizzard. ..it has a higher ground clearance than expected, but do need to watch those big speed bumps..No mechanical issues to date. I would definitely buy another one....
Frank's Silver Miata
5 out of 5 starsfgalea, 01/12/2007
2002 Mazda MX-5 Miata LS 2dr Roadster (1.8L 4cyl 5M)
Not my daily driver, a joy to drive. Can't help smiling when I'm in her and prideful when I look back at her when I walk away after a satisfying run in the sun. Even with the top up, it's fun to drive. I feel a real connection with the road and have a hard time parking her when it's time to face the real world. Never a problem. Not a powerful car but a powerful fun car.
Summer Car
4.63 out of 5 starsric387, 05/28/2008
2002 Mazda MX-5 Miata SE 2dr Roadster (1.8L 4cyl 6M)
Sold a 62 T-Bird and wanted an affordable used convertible as replacement. Tan interior and manual transmission were only requirements and purpose was for a summer car and not as a daily driver. Was not a Miata fan to start with and bought one from a friend mainly because I knew it was reliable and well taken care of. Also liked the fact that it was British Racing Green and a Special … Edition fully loaded. Paid half the price I expected to pay for my original choices of z4 or boxster with same age/mileage. So far, so good. Comfort above what I expected. Acceptable motor/wind noise. Fun to drive. No rattles. Look and feel very solid.
A drivers dream
4.88 out of 5 starsskpetter, 07/19/2005
2002 Mazda MX-5 Miata LS 2dr Roadster (1.8L 4cyl 5M)
I just got my second roadster a MX5 LS and I am sorry that I waited 23 years. My first car I bought after college was a 1972 Fiat 850 Spyder that constantly made trips up and down the pacific Coast Highway. Mazda's version of the roader updates all the fun of a classic lightweight roadster with the technology of today. The transmission is fantastic and well spaced and the acceleration is … fantastic. It runs well on the freeway and the only regret I have is I now live in Florida so I can't have the exprience of mountain driving up to Angelest Crest on those great winding roads to Crestline. You dont ride in his car you are one with it
2002 MX-5 Miata Highlights
Base
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $21,280 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 23 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $197/month |
Seating | 2 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 5.1 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 50,000 miles |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver3 / 5PassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
People who viewed this also viewed
5.0 average Rating out of 1 reviews. |
Starting at $37,350 |
5.0 average Rating out of 3 reviews. |
Starting at $23,950 |
Starting at $30,000 |
Related Used 2002 Mazda MX-5 Miata info
Vehicle reviews of used models
- Toyota Highlander 2021 Review
- Mazda 3 2020 Review
- Nissan NV200 2020 Review
- GMC Yukon 2021 Review
- Tesla Model X 2020 Review
Shop similar models
- Used Mazda Mx-5-miata-rf 2025
- Used Fiat 124-Spider 2020
- Used Chevrolet Corvette 2025
- Used Mclaren 750S-Spider 2024
Shop used vehicles in your area
- Used Mazda MX-5 Miata 2010
- Used Mazda MX-5 Miata 2011
- Used Mazda MX-5 Miata 2012
- Used Mazda MX-5 Miata 2013
- Used Mazda MX-5 Miata 2014
- Used Mazda MX-5 Miata 2015
- Used Mazda MX-5 Miata 2016
- Used Mazda MX-5 Miata 2017
- Used Mazda MX-5 Miata 2018
- Used Mazda MX-5 Miata 2019 For Sale
Popular new car reviews and ratings
- New Lexus ES
- Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Coupe 2025
- GMC Sierra 3500HD 2024
- New Audi S8
- Ioniq
- New BMW 5 Series
- BMW 2 Series 2025
- New Land Rover Range Rover Velar
- New Aston Martin Vantage
- 2024 LC
Research other models of Mazda
- New Mazda 3
- 2024 Mazda Protege
- New Mazda CX-70
- 2024 Mazda CX-90
- 2025 Mazda CX-90
- 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF
- New Mazda CX-50
- New Mazda CX-30
- Mazda CX-50 2024
- Mazda CX-70 2025
Other models
- Used Rivian R1S in New Britain, CT 2025
- Used Mclaren 675Lt-Spider in Grand Junction, CO 2016
- New GMC Sierra-2500Hd for Sale in Petoskey, MI
- Used Toyota Gr-Corolla in Lebanon, NH 2025
- Used Mazda CX-30 in Lake Mary, FL 2025
- Used BMW M5 in Elmwood Park, IL 2026
- Used Dodge Intrepid in King Of Prussia, PA 2004
- Used Chrysler 200 in Deerfield Beach, FL 2017
- Used Dodge Challenger in Phenix City, AL 2023
- Used Kia Forte in Manor, TX 2024