Considering What it Is (and Isn’t) I Can’t Complain About the 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata
I recently had a week-long experience with a 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata tester. The version I drove was the Grand Touring RF. Obviously, if you need a family car you’ll generally want to steer clear of anything with two seats and a convertible top. But that’s just it. The Miata is a car meant for families except as a second or third car. It’s made for drivers that want to have fun for an affordable price.
Considering what it is and what it most certainly is not, I really can’t complain about the 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata. It’s the perfect getaway car for after the kids have been dropped off at Grandma’s for the night. The Miata gives drivers a little taste of freedom and an engaging driving experience.
Recommended for people who love driving
If driving means more to you than just getting from one place to another, the 2020 Mazda Miata will appeal to the part of you that likes to just get out of the house and go for a drive. With the top down, music playing, and gears shifting, drivers of the MX-5 Miata will see what all the fuss is about. However, I will say that it’s not for everyone. In addition, it’s probably best suited as a second car rather than your daily driver.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t daily drive a Miata. In fact, I can certainly imagine the appeal this car has to certain people as just that. The 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata may have a much larger trunk than the much larger Lexus LC that I tested a couple of weeks ago. However, this isn’t to say it has ample cargo space.
If you need something to haul people and stuff, buy a Mazda6 or a Mazda CX-5. If you want something that’s just pure fun, go try out a Miata and see what the fuss is about. It’s by no means a perfect car. That said, it does have a lot to offer for an affordable price.
A little Mazda Miata philosophy
If you browse Mazda’s website to do a little research on the 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata, you’ll find there’s a lot to know. Some of it you may already be privy to. What you probably don’t know, is that the driver’s experience in the Mazda Miata is intentionally engineered. And not just to be fun.
The Mazda engineers have built the MX-5 Miata to parallel the relationship of horse and rider. But not just a rider taking their horse for a few turns in the arena. Mazda claims they strive to reimagine the 900-year-old connection called Jinba Ittai in Japanese.
The quick description creates a scene of an archer making a perfect shot from the seat atop his horse. The balance and connection in this type of horse and rider relationship are meant to be portrayed in every vehicle in the Mazda lineup. The brand claims that this is “bond is at its purest in the MX-5 Miata.”
As a lifelong equestrian and driving enthusiast, I have to say I agree completely with Mazda’s statement. The 2020 MX-5 Miata is animated. It’s more like a partner and friend than a thing you get in every day to go from A to B. While it’s no family hauler and certainly won’t suit everyone’s needs, I really can’t complain about my experience with the 2020 Mazda Miata. The only issue I had was with connectivity, which you can read about below.
