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Hats off to Mazda

2006 Mazda MX-5 (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

It is very difficult for car makers not to follow the trends that they themselves have established. I am talking about every vehicle growing in girth and power at each renewal cycle. For example, the 1983 Toyota Camry would barely classify itself as a compact by today's standards and a 2006 mid-sized Camry would have been positioned in the full-size segment back then. For many cars and trucks, this evolution has been necessary and has actually been beneficial to the car itself. The Camry is one such example. On the other hand, Volkswagens as they were known and loved 20 years ago, have lost much of their appeal and a large portion of their following.

The Mazda Miata is perfect; it always has been and should always be. Mazda undertook a daunting task when they decided to completely revise their superstar. Basically, it is not broke so it should not be fixed. The engineers and designers at Mazda must have worked their butts off to come up with ideas and solutions to retain the best of what the Miata was and make it better. I, for one, believe they have achieved the near

2006 Mazda MX-5 (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

impossible.

The 2006 MX-5 begins at $27,995 for a base GX. An optioned out GT automatic with hard top retails for $37,065. This price range is nearly identical to the 2005 Miata. Kudos to Mazda for this. I was fortunate enough to drive a Limited that retails for $34,495, ironically, the same price as the previously tested 2005 Miata Mazdaspeed.

Styling

The 2006 has a modern approach to the Miata's original design. By using many of the Miata's cues such as the rear-end's shape and lights and incorporating a more rounded and protruding nose similar to that of the first generation, Mazda has retained the essence of the original all the while adding a definite 21st Century touch to the final product. I must say that I like the fact that the RX-8 and MX-5 have the same general design for the front wheel flares and the indents at the top of the hood. Somehow, they are now real Mazda siblings even if they share nothing else but the badge.

2006 Mazda MX-5 (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

While remaining true to its origins, the new MX-5 has still adopted many of the coveted styling aspects that most of the new vehicles have: A high beltline. Where it used to be that I could put my elbow on the door by barely moving my arm away from my body, I must now lift my arm and prop my elbow onto the door. Along the same thought, the occupants of the MX-5 now have the impression of sitting lower even though the car has more ground clearance and is taller. Many appreciate this but I find that the new car has less of an open cockpit feel to it.

The MX-5 has certainly, albeit mildly, grown in every direction. The wheelbase is now 65 mm longer and overall, the car has been extended by 45 mm. This means that the wheels are now even closer to the ends than they were before. The next largest increase is in the car's width. These extra 48 mm allow for more hip and shoulder room. All these augmentations are appreciated however I can not help but think that they exist for the wrong reasons... To keep a virtually ideal weight distribution of 52/48, Mazda shifted components such as the engine further behind the front axle. They also lowered the gas tank and moved it closer to the cockpit.