Under the Hood
The MX-5's 2.0-liter four-cylinder develops 166 horsepower at 6,700 rpm. The engine has dual overhead camshafts and variable valve timing. Torque output is 140 pounds-feet at 5,000 rpm.
Three transmissions are available: a five-speed manual, six-speed manual and six-speed automatic, all of which drive the rear wheels. The six-speed manual has especially short throws. The engine's output dips by 3 hp when it's teamed with the six-speed automatic, which includes steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles for manual operation.
The roadster has a 50/50 weight distribution (front/rear) and precise rack-and-pinion steering for legendary handling and predictability. The Miata is one of the most fun-to-drive cars around, despite its relatively modest engine power.
See also:
Under the Hood
The Mazda3 i comes standard with a 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder
engine that can team with a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic
transmission. Mazda3 s models use a 167-hp, 2.5-lit ...
Cabin environment - sense of oneness between car and driver
Aboard the all-new Mazda 3 is a new Human Machine Interface that contributes
to the sense of oneness between the car and driver. The cabin interior is
designed to allow the driver to concentrate o ...
Miata in the Market
The Miata's advantages in the market are that it has little competition — and
none with anywhere near its two decades of refinement and evolution. There's
almost a $10,000 span between the base-pr ...


