The 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata is a Better Daily than I Thought

Driving a fun car is the best when you can drive it everyday. Commonly regarded as an awesome weekend ride, today, I want to see if the MX-5 Miata is still as great to drive as I remember, and if it can handle everyday tasks as well. Common competitors include the Subaru BR-Z, Nissan Z Toyota GR86, VW GTI, Toyota GR Corolla and a whole slew of other affordable enthusiast mobiles.

00:00 Background
01:00 2024 Updates
02:29 Driving Impressions
05:25 Daily Driver Testing
08:46 Reliability
09:30 Final Thoughts

[dmaxcustom]

As a motorcyclist, that suffered a stroke and most likely has to leave my loved 2 wheels, this car attracts me a lot. A seat with an engine. I dont need much else.

[vlj]

"It turns mundane tasks into entertainment." That's exactly what it does, which is why it's a fantastic daily for those who fit in it and don't have a specific need for a back seat or a lot of storage space. Running routine errands around town is a lot of fun in the Miata, even while staying within the speed limits. There is almost no other car that does that.

[YoutuebPremiumUser]

You added the noise test which not a lot of automotive journalists does and it plays significant role in comfortability of a vehicle. +1 subbed.

[tyler]

I daily a 2016 ND1 Miata with the soft top and its actually never let me down once. I simply don't need to carry around much in terms of things or people day to day, so its perfect for me.

[corbinroberts]

Are we all gonna ignore what Jess said at 6:46 then? Lol

[nathansofparadise]

I have been dailying a 2022 for 2 years and its been great, I got 4 totally full paper grocery bags in the trunk no problem. I also took it on a week long road trip along the california coast and felt like the space was plenty adequate.

[zealotscout]

I was dreading my 2024 RF would not go up my garage, the drive way, speed bumps, the several ramps across my neighborhood. I am very happy to know none of these were a concern. The miata has excellent ground clearance, even more so than some sedans.

[JohnNathanShopper]

“It’s like shaking hands with Optimus Prime.” 🤣🤣🤣 Man, listening to this guy makes me feel like I’m 21 again.

[Doc]

YEARS ago (1990) I owned a Miata. It was Red with a Tan top and Tan Leather interior.
It was a Fun daily driver.
It’s classified as a commuter car instead of a sports car so your insurance is cheaper.
I’m too old and have too much arthritis now to get in and out of. Furthermore it can’t handle the 5-7 feet of snow we get every winter, so it would be a late spring through early fall vehicle for us.

[jacobweis]

I bought the RF version (hard top) a month ago, and best purchase of my life! The drive experience it provides can't be compared to anything. (for the price)
As 192cm (6.3) I can drive it very comfortably, even tho to a friend of mine its a big problem even tho hes only 184cm. If you have long legs, like me, no issue with the place, if you have big torso and short legs, you will have issues fitting it.

I considered to buy either the MX-5 / BRZ / Z4 Manual.. After trying them out all, I realized that the MX-5 are the answer!

[carlosbrigett]

I live by myself, if I ever need a roomier car, I'll rent one. I'd rather spend my money on something I'll enjoy driving.

[jterranova]

For years I drove my 1996 NA as a daily, in the winter, in the Northeast. No hard top. No abs. No traction control. No LSD. Just add snow tires.

[dippitydoinit]

Every time I see somebody driving a Polaris slingshot I wonder why they didn't spend less money on a Mazda Miata.

[tomc]

Had a 2019 for 3 years, sold it to try a couple more practical vehicles. Now I’m back in a 2023!😄

[ScottSchapiro]

I very much appreciate the noise test, but I wanted to point out the the dB difference going from 69dB to 76dB is much greater than it would appear since dB's are measured on a logarithmic scale, which means the difference between 76 dB and 69 dB isn't a simple increase of 7 units.

[diegoe.]

I carry IT equipment, big printer on my psgr seat, a couple of PCs, and two backpacks in the trunk. My miata rf has never let me down. Love it. 😊

[cryterion]

I just bought a 2017 Miata and I have not been using it daily but definitely it is fun to drive daily. Having the top down and feeling the sun/breeze even just while going to the store feels so freeing. Good for the mental health

[brandoncomer]

between amazon delivering everything straight to my door and not having kids, I almost never need anything more than a Miata. On the rare occasions I do need to haul something too big (ie lumber from Home Depot), I just rent a truck for the day. Only happens a few times a year. Another option is just to buy an old beater truck that you use specifically for those sorts of tasks and use the MX-5 for the other 95% of the time.

[db]

Great video, thanks. Cool that you showed dB reading too. That car is the exact version I would get, soft top 6M with Aero Gray and tan interior. For some weird reason every dealer around me only has automatics or RFs in that color combination. Seeing the one you drove just confirms it would be worth the wait.

[myonen]

I have the ill spoken of nc1 mx5 and it's my daily commuter. It gets great fuel economy, doesn't fail to put a smile on my face, is easy to park, and because of the massive aftermarket support it's relatively inexpensive to maintain. Honestly what else do you need.