2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club Long-Term Verdict

Crashing our long-term 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata into the side of a Lincoln MKX will go down as one of the worst experiences of my life. I'll never forget standing on the side of the road and staring at the Miata's mangled mug while the Lincoln's driver (who was at fault) tried to make small talk. "The car looks so new. I feel awful," she said. "And look at how cute it is. It must be so much fun." I was fuming. I looked back at the Miata, nodded in agreement, and managed to give her a pained smile. That pretty much sums up the power the Miata had on us for more than a year—all smiles, all of the time.

That accident put the Miata out of commission for a week. But despite the short break, we managed to rack up 35,782 miles through its 15-month stay. Not bad for being the tiniest car in #MTGarage. Our Miata was the Club variant packed with Bilstein shocks, a limited-slip differential, shock tower bracing, an aero kit, a Bose sound system, and the optional BBS wheel package with Brembo brakes. Its 2.0-liter I-4 (the sole engine choice for the Miata) put out 155 hp and 148 lb-ft, which was more than adequate for the 2,313-pound featherweight roadster.

Our long-term MX-5 was a carbon copy of the one that entered our 2015 Best Driver's Car competition, where the Miata had the least amount of horsepower and put down the slowest lap time around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. But still, we couldn't stop smiling. It's a big reason why the Miata earned a third-place finish just behind two quicker (and much more expensive) Germans while beating the Cadillac ATS-V, Mercedes-AMG C63 S, and more. "The 2016 MX-5 remains faithful to the Miata formula," we noted. "No gimmicks. No gadgets. No glitz. This is as pure and honest a sports car as you can buy from a mainstream automaker. "

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Although there was plenty of praise for the MX-5's six-speed manual gearbox and lively steering, some of our lead-footed staffers criticized the suspension for being too soft, specifically the Miata's tendency to squat on its outside rear wheel through corners. I consider it a good thing. It's what gives the Miata its uniquely perky personality, which turns the whole world into its playground regardless if it's hustling through Laguna Seca, charting an autocross, or navigating one of Trader Joe's notorious parking lots.

Road trips? No problem. The trunk easily accommodates two small carry-ons or duffel bags, and the Miata sips fuel on the highway—its Real MPG highway rating of 39 mpg tops the EPA's by 5 mpg. In addition to an epic and therapeutic road trip to Moab, Utah, I made the trek to Lake Tahoe, where our long-termer proved that snow is no excuse to leave your Miata at home. Armed with sticky Pirelli Sottozero 3s, the Miata tackled the slippery white stuff with little drama.

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Another notable road trip came courtesy of testing director Kim Reynolds. He drove to the Bay Area and coincidentally crossed paths with Derek Jenkins, Mazda's former design directorwho was largely responsible for penning the ND Miata. The ever-clever Reynolds coaxed Jenkins into autographing our long-termer's trunklid, and when word got back to Mazda's design team in Southern California, they wanted in on the action, too. Almost a dozen designers and engineers left their mark, including Julien Montousse, Mazda's current design director, and engineer Dave Coleman, who convinced the bean counters to bring the 2.0-liter I-4 to the States. (Other markets get a 1.5-liter I-4 as a base engine.) Based on the number of compliments our Miata got (a lot), this small but passionate design team has sculpted what's arguably the best-looking MX-5 to date.

In addition to its handsome looks, our Miata was pretty reliable, too, with four routine service visits totaling $347.27. That's comparable with our departed long-term Volkswagen GTI ($184.87 for two service visits), but neither of those cars can compete with our 2016 Subaru BRZ, which cost us nothing for three routine services because maintenance is complimentary for the first two years or 24,000 miles. Our long-termer exhibited premature wear on a few spots of the soft top, which was a known issue with earlier builds. Mazda rectified the issue, which required fitting an entirely new convertible assembly (covered under warranty). The new and improved top worked flawlessly. At around 25,000 miles, the air conditioner stopped blowing cold due to a component failure. Our dealer couldn't pin down a cause, but we suspect it was residual damage from the fender bender with the Lincoln.

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Frankly, there's very little I would change with the ND Miata. But nothing's perfect. High on my list would be relocating the infotainment knob. It sits behind the shifter on the center console, meaning my forearm would consistently tap it inadvertently when shifting. Also, the Miata Grand Touring's soft top (which has thicker insulation) needs to trickle down to other trim levels to help reduce wind noise. Again, very minor gripes.

Fun, reliable, and affordable, the Miata's magic is still very much alive in Mazda's fourth-generation roadster. It has provided us with wicked farmer's tans and countless memories—and now, pained smiles, too, because it's time to say farewell.

More on our long-term Mazda MX-5 Miata Club:

• Arrival
• Update 1: Rats, Road Trips, and Real MPG
• Update 2: Getting Fired Up at the Track
• Update 3: How the Miata Performs in the Snow
• Update 4: Tearing Up the Top
• Update 5: Fixing a Couple Issues With a Service Visit
• Update 6: Signature Styling

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