Sports cars are primarily bought for fun, and oftentimes, their high performance means more power and sometimes, more complex drivetrains. Complexity means a higher chance of something breaking down, but you can trust the Japanese to create mechanically simple machines, to the point that their sports cars are some of the most reliable cars on sale today.
For today’s article, we’ll be discussing a sports car whose maintenance and reliability are barely any different from those of this brand’s sedans and crossover SUVs. This is a sports car that proves you don’t have to choose between fun and dependability, because its mechanical simplicity means this vehicle is bulletproof, reliable, and affordable to maintain. It may not be the most powerful sports car on the market, but it’s one of the most enjoyable.
Miata Is Always The Answer
If you were anticipating the Miata to be the main topic of this article, then you’re right. And perhaps to no one’s surprise, the Mazda MX-5 Miata combines outstanding reliability with a high degree of fun for any occasion.
The Most Reliable Mazda
Back in 2020, Mazda was ranked by Consumer Reports as the second most reliable car brand, just behind Lexus. On a per-model basis, the MX-5 Miata ended up being the most reliable car, period. Today, in 2026, the recognition of the MX-5 Miata being reliable remains the same. In fact, iSeeCars ranks the Miata as the most reliable Mazda you can buy today. iSeeCars also released its latest study called “The Most Reliable New Cars for the Money for 2026”, and though the Civic‘s affordable pricing and 13.5-year average lifespan place it at the top of the study, the MX-5 Miata’s reliability record is even more impressive.
That’s because the MX-5 Miata has a reliability rating of 8.9 out of 10, thanks to its whopping 16.7-year or 115,002-mile average lifespan, along with its 3.5 percent probability of reaching 200,000 miles. We’re not exactly sure why iSeeCars left out the MX-5 in their study, especially considering that a less reliable and more expensive Mini Cooper was part of the list, but, oh well.
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And Easy To Maintain, Too
The MX-5 Miata’s solid reliability means you barely have to think about this vehicle when it comes to mechanical issues, but if they do arise, they’re very easy to fix. Since the MX-5 Miata’s 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G four-cylinder is similar to what powers a plethora of Mazda 3s, CX-5s, and CX-30s in other markets, this engine is built around ease of maintenance.
You see, a lot of the important components in the MX-5 Miata are easily accessible, which means a lot of maintenance checks and routines can be DIY-ed with little to no need for specialized equipment. Plus, their parts’ commonality across various models means that even spare parts are abundant. Except for the i-ELOOP’s capacitor for the regenerative braking—which is an expensive consumable part—spare parts for the MX-5 Miata are relatively affordable.
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What Makes The MX-5 Fun
As mentioned, this article focuses on why this sports car offers both fun and dependability, and in this section, we’ll be talking about why the MX-5 is one of the most fun sports cars you can buy.
No Need To Disobey Speed Limits
There’s a reason why James May once said that it is more fun to drive a slow car fast than it is to drive a fast car slow. The Mazda MX-5 Miata has just the right amount of power. Its 2.0-liter four-cylinder “only” produces 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, and this is mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic. Remember, a car is light, so you don’t need a lot of power to make this car thrilling.
In fact, everything it has is just right. Those 17-inch wheels? They’re not necessarily the widest. The power? Just right that even if you bury your throttle, it feels thrilling enough, but not to the point you’ll end up in jail in just a few seconds. The suspension? Not too firm, since the inherent lightness means you don’t need a very stiff suspension to make an MX-5 corner flat. Actually, an MX-5 Miata exhibits a certain degree of body roll, and that’s by design. This allows drivers to feel how the MX-5 Miata flows through corners and adjust their driving inputs accordingly—like a horse and rider as one. Combined with the precise steering and the excellent shift quality from the available six-speed manual, the MX-5 Miata is a vehicle whose accessible driving limits are easy to understand.
It’s the sort of driving experience that rewards the act of simply being out there in the open, driving your car. It’s also a brilliantly engineered little machine, proving that a sports car doesn’t need to be powerful to be qualified as such.
– William Clavey for TopSpeed
Beyond Jinba-Ittai
That horse-and-rider principle is what Mazda calls “jinba-ittai”, which is their driving development philosophy. More than just marketing, the Mazda MX-5 Miata’s driving feel is exactly all about tactility, and that has been carried over to most Mazdas on sale today. What’s also great in the case of the MX-5 is that, thanks to its inherent lightness, it’s also a usable car for daily use.
2026 Mazda MX-5 Miata Specs
|
Engine |
2.0-liter four-cylinder |
|
Layout |
RWD |
|
Horsepower |
181 hp |
|
Torque |
151 lb-ft |
|
Transmission |
6-speed M/T 6-speed A/T |
|
0-60 mph |
N/A |
|
Top Speed |
N/A |
|
Base MSRP |
$30,430 |
Thanks to the suspension not needing to manage a lot of weight, it doesn’t need to be stiff. Therefore, its ride is compliant enough for a sports car. The inherent lightness also has another advantage—fuel efficiency. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder doesn’t need to work hard to haul a lot of weight, and so whenever I keep an MX-5 press car for a week, it can easily achieve more than 11 km/l (25 MPG) through a mix of sedate and enthusiastic driving. Driven purely sensibly, I’m even able to do 14 km/l or 32 MPG. The only con that may prevent you from using the MX-5 daily is its small dimensions. The trunk is small, and the interior is just right for my 5-foot-11 height, so anyone taller than me may struggle.
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What’s New For 2026
The Mazda MX-5 Miata last received a mid-cycle facelift in the 2024 model year, so for 2026, the updates are all focused on revising the equipment levels for each variant.
Now A Decade-Old Design
We have officially reached a point where the current ND-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata has reached a decade old. With that, its design has evolved incrementally to keep up with the times, as well as Mazda’s changing design direction. For 2026, it retains the LED headlamps with integrated LED daytime running lights that were introduced in 2024. Those are matched with new LED taillights, along with new front and rear bumpers.
For the base Sport trim, this comes with a black cloth top, along with 16-inch wheels. Step up to the Club, and you now get the new 17-inch wheels in black, along with a subtle body kit. As an optional extra, the Club trim can be specced with the optional BBS Brembo Recaro Package, which adds Brembo front brakes with red calipers, dark gunmetal BBS wheels, and, obviously, Recaro seats for the interior. This optional package, however, is standard on the RF Club. Lastly, the Grand Touring focuses on elegance and comfort, as this adds adaptive LED headlights, automatic high beams, and traffic sign recognition. This is also where you get those 17-inch wheels, but with a two-tone finish.
Enhanced Features For 2026
Moving inside the 2026 Mazda MX-5 Miata, buyers will appreciate the 8.8-inch Mazda Connect infotainment that was introduced in 2024, which comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Alexa Built-In. All variants also get the suite of Mazda i-Activsense safety features, though only the Grand Touring models with an automatic get adaptive cruise control. Opt for the Club models, and this is where you get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cloth seats with suede inserts, a Bose sound system, or the aforementioned optional Recaro bucket seats. Lastly, the range-topping Grand Touring gets leather upholstery, which can be made even richer if you go for the Nappa Leather ones.
As for the interior design itself, it has largely remained similar to what we’ve gotten used to for the past 10 years, though, since the recent facelift, the interior features more leather or leatherette surfaces for a premium feel. Noteworthy driving features include the Asymmetric LSD, Bilstein dampers, induction sound enhancer, and front shock tower brace when going for the Club models and above. These features, however, are reserved for the manual, which is basically your sign on which transmission option you should choose for the MX-5.