The day has finally arrived. After driving a European 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata with a smaller engine than will be offered stateside, testing a U.S.-spec Club model, and countless other tantalizing encounters with the little sports car, it’s here. The ‘it’ we’re talking about, of course, is the Miata’s online configurator that allows prospective customers to build and price the affordable (no, seriously affordable) roadster to their liking. Eager to kick off our week with a little daydreaming, we took to Mazda’s configurator to build the version we’d buy.
MODEL:
Mazda MX-5 Miata Club (base price: $29,420)
The fourth-generation Miata can be had in three basic flavors: Sport, Club, and Grand Touring. As far as base models go, the $25,735 Sport is a mighty good deal, coming standard with LED headlights, a six-speed manual, air conditioning, power windows and locks, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and a cloth roof. The $29,420 mid-level Club adds a sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein shocks, a limited-slip differential (manual transmission only), larger 17-inch wheels, a nine-speaker Bose audio system, a shock tower brace, and small front and rear spoilers. Finally, the $31,185 Grand Touring slathers leather over the interior and adds automatic climate control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated seats, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.
The thing is, you don’t really need any of that, and given how several C/D staffers own or have owned Miatas, you could call us purists. Thus it should come as no surprise that we gravitate toward the base Sport; trouble is, you can’t get the limited-slip differential that’s essential to putting the power down in tight corners unless you step up to the Club. Luckily, we totally dig the Club’s subtle spoilers, dark-finished 17-inch rims, and its general “everything you need, nothing you don’t” vibe. And for less than $30,000, it’s hard to find anything else this fun to drive.
OPTIONS:
Ceramic Metallic paint ($0)
Yes, you’re reading this right: We wouldn’t get any options. Not that Mazda offers many options to Club buyers, but even so, you might be surprised that we passed over the package that adds Brembo front brakes, forged-aluminum BBS wheels, and rocker-panel extensions and a rear bumper flourish. No question, we adore that option package’s trimmings, but the Miata is so light that does it really need Brembo front brakes? And while the 17-inch BBS wheels look mean painted black and surely improve handling somewhat (less unsprung weight), are they worth shelling out $3400? We think not, so we skipped those bits. (Buyers can get the body kit alone for $800, too.) Otherwise, the only major choices come down to color and whether or not you want keyless entry ($130) or a natty coat of black paint for the rear spoiler ($350). We can press a button on a fob any day, so no proximity key for us, and the spoiler looks cleaner when it’s body colored. As for the paint choice, we went with the ultra-cool-looking, no-cost Ceramic Metallic, which contrasts nicely with the Club’s dark-colored trim.
What this all adds up to is a Miata that’d be equally at home as a commuter or as an occasional track-day car—that limited-slip!—and one that looks rather aggressive in either role. Of course, this is just how we’d option out our Miata; even within the relatively limited confines of the Miata’s trim-level structure, there’s plenty of room for variation. And since the answer is always Miata, you can’t go wrong with any configuration.
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