The Mazda MX-5 Miata is one of motorsport’s great survivors — a car that has outlasted rivals, recessions, and shifting tastes to remain the benchmark for affordable open-top driving. In a market that has largely abandoned the lightweight roadster, the Miata’s formula — rear-wheel drive, near-perfect 50:50 weight distribution, and a chassis tuned for feel over outright speed — has proven almost impossible to improve upon, let alone replace. Plenty of manufacturers have tried, armed with more power, sharper styling, or exotic engineering, yet the little Mazda has outlived them all.
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