2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review

Name: 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review
Brand: Mazda
Price: 26998 USD

Mazda MX-5 Miata Club Convertible Exterior Shown

Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring Convertible Exterior

+77

In a world of ever more complex performance cars, the refreshingly pure and elemental Mazda MX-5 Miata is proof that you don't need go-faster tech to have a great time. It isn't perfect and presents a number of glaring compromises when it comes to day-to-day usability, but that's not why you buy a Miata. In the pantheon of sports cars, the Miata delivers the thrills and joys every keen driver is looking for, and that's what makes it so beloved.

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2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review

byChristian Wardlaw^{Correspondent
Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at Edmunds and was the first editor-in-chief of Edmunds.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.}

Pros

Fun and engaging to drive, even at low speeds
One of the most fuel-efficient sports cars you can buy
Manual soft top is easy to raise or lower quickly
Respectably smooth ride

Cons

Not much room to stretch out inside
Can't fit much stuff in the trunk
Cabin gets loud at highway speeds even with the top up

What's new

New Kinematic Posture Control promises enhanced cornering stability
Sport and Club trim levels come only with a manual transmission
Club and Grand Touring add wireless Apple CarPlay
Part of the fourth MX-5 Miata generation introduced for 2016

Overview

In the decades since the original Mazda MX-5 Miata revived the notion of a pure, affordable two-seat sports car with a convertible roof, many automakers have tried to replicate its success. But they've all pretty much given up, and the Miata is still the go-to choice after four generations and more than 30 years of near continuous production.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6M) 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 $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$188/mo

$179/mo

Avg. Compact Car

Calculate my fuel costs

For 2022, the Miata gets yet another engineering tweak to enhance its fun-to-drive nature in the form of Kinematic Posture Control (KPC). The way Mazda describes it, KPC is a brake-based technology that can reduce body roll, improve steering response, and enhance the effectiveness of the car's available limited-slip differential. Simply put, when taking corners at high speed, KPC applies light braking to the car's inner rear wheel to pull the car down on that corner. You can read more about what our test team thinks of it in our Expert Rating below.

There is another change for the 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata: An automatic transmission is now available only with top trim, where it is an option. All other Miatas have a six-speed manual gearbox, which, if you ask us, is as it should be. The Miata is simply at its best when you get to row your own gears.

Few two-seat convertibles remain available, and the MX-5 Miata is the most affordable one you can buy. There's a case to be made for considering the redesigned Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 instead since they share many of the Miata's qualities but are more practical and livable. But, as always, we expect the Miata to weather the test of time and continue to provide unadulterated driving joy.

What's it like to live with?

Since Mazda last redesigned the sports car for the 2016 model year, we've twice put a fourth-generation Miata into our long-term testing fleet. You can see what we thought of living with the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata and how significant changes altered satisfaction with the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata. Now that Kinematic Posture Control is standard, we might need to add a 2022 edition to the rotation. You know, in the name of science. And fun.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Good

7.9

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

9.0/10

How does the MX-5 Miata drive? Mazda's latest upgrade to the Miata is what it calls Kinematic Posture Control. It's a brake-based torque vectoring system that Mazda says should help the car turn in during harder driving, but the new system didn't make much of an impression during our time with the venerable roadster. We could feel the system working (and we could smell the brakes after a hard session on our test track), but it didn't make too much of a difference.

Even so, the Miata is a light, nimble, precise and easy-to-drive sports car even when you're pushing its limits. At our test track, our manual-equipped Miata accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds. That's respectable but a bit off the pace of the Subaru BRZ (6.1 seconds) or a hot hatch such as the VW Golf GTI. Braking performance is solid, and we measured a stop from 60 mph in just 113 feet.

Comfort

7.5/10

How comfortable is the MX-5 Miata? Small two-seat roadsters aren't known for comfort, but the Miata is surprisingly livable in the day-to-day grind. You'll notice big lumps and bumps in the road as the Miata tends to crash over pavement that's in poor shape, but smaller imperfections are much more muted. For many on staff, the Miata seats are one of the high points of the interior — they're supportive and comfortable — and the seat heaters do a great job of warming you up during chilly excursions. That said, a few editors found the seats to be a bit oddly padded and bolstered in odd places.

One unfortunate reality of the Miata — you'll be shocked to read this, we know! — is its exceptional amount of wind noise. The cabin can be a truly uncomfortable place to be with the top up on the highway. Shouting is occasionally required to speak with passengers. An alternate solution is to drive with the top down and the windows up while you enjoy the Miata's unlimited headroom. It's going to be a bit noisy anyway.

Interior

7.0/10

How’s the interior? The cabin's elegant design makes the most of the tidy space and prioritizes the fun of driving. Most of the controls are easy to reach given the small cabin. The infotainment system's control knob is awkwardly placed, but redundant touchscreen controls make it less of an issue. The cupholders, too, are awkwardly placed and make getting drinks extremely cumbersome.

Drivers more than 6 feet tall will notice the lack of head- and legroom. Also, the passenger footwell is shorter than the driver's and taller co-pilots won't be able to fully extend their legs regardless of how far back they push the seats. The lack of space is this interior's only real downfall, though not a particularly surprising one.

One of the very best things about a soft-top Miata is just how quickly you can retract and extend the top. It's a manual top, so there's no power operation, but it's quite easy to do.

Technology

8.0/10

How’s the tech? A Miata must balance driving purity with a driver's desire for modern connectivity and safety tech. Two USB ports are standard, as is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration. There's also an impressive list of driver assist features — the blind-spot monitor is particularly useful should you opt to have the top up.

The nine-speaker Bose audio system does a good job both filling the cabin with sound and competing with ambient noise. Voice controls are limited and stick to a menu of on-screen prompts, but the system recognizes speech well. The available navigation works fine enough but is fairly basic in scope and design.

Storage

5.5/10

How’s the storage? No one should expect a two-seat convertible to be a utilitarian machine, so the Miata's lack of carrying capacity shouldn't come as a surprise. The Miata's trunk measures just 4.6 cubic feet, which means it won't be suitable for longer trips that require more than one piece of luggage per passenger. The space is tall enough for carry-on luggage or a few tall grocery bags. But unlike larger convertibles, there's no back seat to use as a cargo shelf. There's not even a glovebox. Instead, the Miata just has a small bin between the seats that serves as the main storage area for things such as smartphones, wallets or small handbags.

There is sufficient room for one child or toddler in a forward-facing seat or booster only. There are no car seat anchors or top-tether attachment points.

Fuel Economy

9.5/10

How’s the fuel economy? EPA-estimated fuel economy for the six-speed manual is 29 mpg combined (26 city/34 highway). During our two weeks with the Miata, we regularly saw 27 mpg on a mix of both city streets and highways, but we may have been a little overzealous with the go pedal. In other tests, Miatas have regularly exceeded their fuel economy estimates.

Value

8.5/10

Is the MX-5 Miata a good value? Despite being small, the Miata isn't flimsy. It's built well and every thing has a solid feel to it, though the gear lever in our test vehicle constantly rattled around inside the gate. Typical of Mazdas these days, an abundance of soft plastics and faux leather coverings give the interior an upscale feel. While the price can creep in upper trims and with option packages, the Miata is a good value overall.

Mazda's bumper-to-bumper warranty is good for three years/36,000 miles, while the powertrain is covered for five years/60,000 miles. These are average for the segment. Roadside assistance is offered for three years/36,000 miles, which is below average among non-luxury convertibles.

Wildcard

9.5/10

The Miata is truly in a class of its own. There is not another rear-wheel-drive convertible that delivers the same thrills at the same price. It's both entertaining and compliant, and it does this with a certain purity missing from more modern, tech-advanced cars. After so long, the Miata, for many, is still the answer. And it's the right one.

Which MX-5 Miata does Edmunds recommend?

Last year, we recommended the Club trim level to Miata buyers. However, for 2022, the Club is a build-to-order model and comes only with a manual gearbox. Therefore, we think the Grand Touring is the best one to get. You're going to find them in dealership stock, and if you can't operate a clutch pedal, you can get an automatic transmission. But it might be worth learning how to drive a stick just to extract maximum pleasure out of this car.

2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata models

The 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata is a small two-seat convertible available in three trim levels: Sport, Club and Grand Touring. Each one has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (181 horsepower, 151 lb-ft of torque) driving the rear wheels through a standard six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic is optional with Grand Touring trim. Note that there's also the Miata RF, which has a retractable hardtop. It's reviewed separately on Edmunds. Standard feature highlights for the 2022 Miata include:

Sport
The base MX-5 Miata Sport is equipped with:

16-inch black alloy wheels
LED headlights and taillights
Keyless entry and push-button engine start
Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
Cloth seats
Air conditioning
7-inch touchscreen infotainment system
Bluetooth smartphone pairing with music streaming
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
Six-speaker audio system
Two USB ports
Cruise control
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)

Club
The Club is the sportiest Miata, adding:

17-inch black alloy wheels
Sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers
Shock tower brace (stiffens the body structure to help with handling precision)
Limited-slip differential (enhances traction during acceleration)
Black front lip and rear spoilers
Upper door trim in exterior color
Gray contrast-color seat stitching
Heated seats
Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto
Satellite radio
Nine-speaker Bose premium audio system

The Club's exclusive Brembo/BBS Recaro package includes:

Brembo front brakes with red front and rear calipers
Dark gray 17-inch forged alloy wheels
Aerodynamic body kit
Heated Recaro sport seats

Grand Touring
The Grand Touring is the most luxurious MX-5. It builds off the Club (minus the front and rear spoilers) and adds:

Dark silver 17-inch alloy wheels
Automatic headlights with automatic high-beam operation
Adaptive headlights (swivel as you turn the steering wheel for better illumination in curves)
Automatic rain-sensing windshield wipers
Heated side mirrors with auto-dimming driver's side glass
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Automatic climate control
Leather upholstery
Navigation system

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Excellent

#9 out of 27 among Subcompact Cars

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Mazda MX-5 Miata from 2008-2022.}

$349/yr

vs. $416/yr
for Average Subcompact Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.81x/yr

vs. 1.22x/yr
for Average Subcompact Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

12.4%

vs. 10.1%
for Average Subcompact Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata.

5 (78%)

4 (18%)

3 (0%)

2 (0%)

1 (4%)

4.7

28 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Best Miata Yet!

Dr. Roger Tilton, 05/17/2021

2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6M)

I just recently bought a new Miata grand touring manual shift. I should mention that I have driven only Miatas since they first came out in 1989, and this will be my sixth. My first very pleasant surprise was the appearance. I wanted the Soul Red Crystal but based on the pictures on the dealer's website it didn't look too good with the gray top which is all that any of the dealers had in … the grand touring. I went to test drive one, and when I saw the red with the gray top in person I almost fainted. The color combination looked just fantastic in person and nothing like the picture. My car until then was a 2016 soul red special edition with the tan interior which looked great, but this looked even better. The red is deeper and more beautiful than before which I didn't think was possible. In fact I think this is the most beautiful red I have ever seen in a car including Ferraris and Corvettes, and other people tell me that when they see my car. (I got the first compliment on the color on the test drive from another driver at a stoplight who said he loved the color.) I tell people it looks like a $100,000 car, but I honestly can't think of a $100,000 car that looks this beautiful. With the gray top it adds a sense of elegance. I had been a little concerned, because this car has a sports suspension which now comes with the grand touring manual, since I have always had the regular suspension desiring a smoother ride. However with the sports suspension it is just fine and in fact better overall. It felt a little bit rougher on a not so smooth road during my test drive, but then I decided I had better check the tire pressure. Mazda recommends 29 psi which is inside the driver's side door. Sure enough the dealer had 50 psi in all four tires which I then corrected. I have had the car for a week now and have driven 500 miles. All I can say is that as much as I loved my 2016 Miata this one is better in every way. The added horsepower added in 2019 is very noticeable and just puts the driving experience on a higher level. And on a decent road the ride quality is better than ever. It is even smoother than my 2016, and there's something about the overall feel of the car on the road that is just sensational. You feel this on the freeway at high speeds but even at just about any speed unless it's a really rough road. It's 0-60 time of 5.7 and it's quarter mile time of 14.4 is comparable to the former Honda S2000 and to the 2013 Porsche Boxster which were formidable cars. I used to love the Boxster, but I test drove one a couple of years ago and in the manual shift I was really disappointed. You almost couldn't drive it normally in the city, because you would be going 70 mph in second gear. I like the Miata better which is more like the Boxster use to be. When I say everything is better with this Miata than my 2016 that includes the clutch which is even easier than before and something, about the integration of the manual shifter and the clutch which seems even more seamless. With all of my Miatas I always thought they couldn't be improved upon, but each one is noticeably better than the one before. However this ND2 is really something else. The subjective enjoyment factor in driving this car is really off the charts. If you watch some of the current YouTube reviews with young guys who say they had never driven a Miata and had some negative preconceived ideas about it, they are noticeably blown away when they are test driving it. It's also nice to have the Apple Car Play which can be connected wirelessly on the grand touring, and the black leather with white stitching looks really nice. This Miata is the best ever and is truly a remarkable car. Given the looks, performance, and overall driving enjoyment there really is no car I would rather have.

an enjoyable ride

Chris N., 02/17/2019

2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6M)

This is the first car that I look forward to driving every day. The small size makes it very agile and the car feels like an extension of the driver, and it's easy to ignore the compromises made. With the top down, visibility is great and the wind creates of a feeling of speed, even when driving moderately fast. With the top up the car feels cozy, but rear and side visibility are …

Most fun of any car ive ever been in.

Mark hoyle, 05/18/2021

2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6M)

Ive had a 2000 vette, two mini coopers (which I loved), multiple Chevy ford Lexus Nissan Mitsubishi land rover Honda Toyota cars and trucks (I'm old!) and this is the most fun of any car ive ever had. Its my daily driver. The handling is phenomenal. Its sweet spot is 90-100mph but even at slower speeds its a blast. The cornering is fantastic. Its like driving a comfortable go cart daily! …

Deja Vu Many Years Later

Should have done this sooner!, 03/12/2023

2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6M)

I just purchased a 2022 Grand Touring 6 speed manual in Soul Red. Many years ago, I went to buy a fully loaded Protege. they didn't have what I wanted and the salesman asked me if I wanted to have fun? I said yes and we took out a Miata. (1st gen.) Most fun I ever had buying a car until now. I went there looking at something totally different and ended up buying in right off the …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata, so we've included reviews for other years of the MX-5 Miata since its last redesign.

See all 28 reviews of the Mazda MX-5 Miata

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2022 MX-5 Miata Highlights

Trim:

Sport

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$27,650
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	29 MPG
Cost to Drive	$188/month
Seating	2 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	4.6 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the MX-5 Miata models:

Blind-Spot Monitoring: Alerts you of a vehicle in the Miata's blind spot with indicators mounted on the side mirrors.
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert: Alerts you of cars approaching from either side of the Miata's rear bumper when you're in reverse.
Lane Departure Warning System: Warns you when you unintentionally drift out of your lane without activating a turn signal.

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2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review

2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6M) 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 $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.

What's it like to live with?

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which MX-5 Miata does Edmunds recommend?

2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata models

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Most helpful consumer reviews

Best Miata Yet!

an enjoyable ride

Most fun of any car ive ever been in.

Deja Vu Many Years Later

2022 MX-5 Miata Highlights

Safety

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Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport 2dr Convertible (2.0L 4cyl 6M) 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 $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}