People complain my Mazda MX-5 NC2 is fat.
Let me be clear. I'm fat. My car isn't.
The MX-5 NC2
I'm the proud owner of a 2013 MX-5 NC2 2.0 PRHT. That means it's a convertible Mazda. A small, fun, black car, with a hard top. Let me stress that again: it's a car that's fun. When people talk about an MX-5 or a Miata, they are referring to the same thing. When they discuss an NA, NB, NC or ND, they are talking about that one thing. Fun.
The NC
Some claim the NC offers the least fun. I disagree. This post is about why the NC is fun. And how it can be made even better 😄
For the die-hards: a 2013 is supposed to be an NC3, but my car was build in 2011 and thus an NC2. It only received its first registration in 2013. The first two years of its life it must have been sitting patiently on the factory parking lot, and after that it sat pretty in the showroom. But it wasn't driven for two years.
There have been four different basic variants over the year, called (by the enthusiasts) the NA, NB, NC and ND. The NC1 and NC2 are mostly the same, except for the nose and engine. The NC3 is just a touch-up.
To help you identify which model is what (and because it's time to insert a nice picture) check out this story on motor1.com. Note that the NC1 model was updated with a different front around 2009 into the NC2.
I just love the NC. It's definitely the best of the bunch. Better than its predecessors, and better than its successors. In fact, it's so much fun that it beats a lot of older and newer cars based on the fun factor alone - that unidentifiable thing that just makes you smile.
And I like to smile a little more...
What's slow and fat?
Let's ignore drivability, torque, creature comforts, and just focus on the horsepower per kilogram ratio. I mean, the lighter the car, the faster it is. And with a more powerful engine driving should be more spirited, right? Well... No.
I've gathered some numbers of the different MX-5 / Miatas, and added some other cars for reference.
Citroen 2CV 1980 - 29 hp - 560 kg - 0.05
Renault Twingo 1996 - 825 kg - 55 hp - 0.06
Fiat Panda 2004 - 1125 kg - 77 hp - 0.07
Chevrolet Malibu 4.4L V8 1980 - 1460 kg - 122 hp - 0.08
MX5 NB 1.6 (softtop) - 990 kg - 110 hp - 0.11MX5 NA 1.6 (softtop) - 965 kg - 115 hp - 0.12
MX5 NC 1.8 (softtop) - 1080 kg - 126 hp - 0.12
MX5 ND 1.5 (softtop) - 1078 kg - 132 - hp - 0.12
Toyota 2022 RAV4 Hybrid - 1745 kg - 218 hp - 0.12
MX5 NA 1.8 (softtop) - 990 kg - 131 hp - 0.13
MX-5 NC 2.0 PRHT (hardtop) - 1207 kg - 160 hp - 0.13
Passat GTE Variant 2016 - 1735 kg - 218 hp - 0.13
MX5 NB 1.8 (softtop) - 1025 kg - 140 hp - 0.14
MX-5 NC 2.0 (softtop) - 1165 kg - 160 hp - 0.14
MX5 ND 2.0 RF (hardtop) - 1159 kg - 184 hp - 0.16
MX-5 NC 2.0 PRHT BBR Super 200 (hardtop) - 1207 kg - 200 hp - 0.17
Golf GTI 2007 - 1357 kg - 230 hp - 0.17
Tesla Model 3 Standard - 180 kw / 240 hp (?) - 1836 kg - 0.21
Porsche 911 GT3 2012 - 1505 kg - 475 hp - 0.31
(All the numbers above are from https://car.info, and may differ depending on versions, regions, years, etc.)
Let's start with the elephant in the room: those numbers don't mean that much. A car is more than just an engine. It isn't the power to kilogram ratio that defines the speed or fun of a car. It might tell you something about how quickly a car accelerates in a straight line, but that's about it.
Still, I thought it fair to include some reference numbers, and what it does show you is that the MX-5 / Miata (often called one of the best cars ever) isn't that exceptional when it comes to the power / weight ratio.
If you want to know what does make a Miata stand out, then check out the different Youtube videos. More importantly, drive one yourself through a twisty mountain pass or on a narrow country road. And remember: most Miatas are stickshifts, and if you don't get the concept of a manual gearbox I'd suggest to stick with a Tesla. Nothing wrong with that.
Here's something fat!
Modern SUVs are ridiculous...
Is that your daily driver for your daily commute?
Cars are getting larger and larger, and it doesn't always make sense. I understand the safety of tons of steel, but... seriously? Aren't we overdoing it a little?
But this post is about Miata versus Miata
So, yes. The NC 2.0 is a pig. For a Miata. The heaviest of the Miata bunch. A full 58 kilos more than the ND RF (which isn't a real convertible) and even 242 kilos more than an early 1.6 NA... It's also a lot more car.
I've done a test drive in an NA and both versions of the ND, and I've driven 500+ kms in an NB. All the other driving was some test drives in 1.8 and 2.0 soft top NCs, and lots of mileage in my own NC PRHT.
Even I might admit that the original NA looks best, yes. But it's... not an NC...
The good
First the good news: they all drive great. In fact, I was extremely impressed how well the (old, ragged, crusty loaner of an) NB drove, even compared with my near new NC. Mazda managed to keep that driving feeling throughout the series, though there are some differences.
The (6 speed) gearbox of the NC is good better best. (Once it's warm. Cold you need a hammer to switch between 2nd and 3rd.) The NB came very close and might have been better when new, but the location of the stick is just better in the NC. The ND was a tad worse, but not by much.
Steering is somewhat similar, with the NC taking the cake, and the ND second. Newer NAs and NBs might have something to say to that, but I haven't had the chance to drive a 'new' NA or NB.
Driving from A to B
And now the bad things about owning a Miata (NC). Driving isn't just about a few blocks near your house. There might be a great, twisty backroad a hundred miles away, but first you have to get there. And that's where the NA and NB (and in some ways even the ND) fail.
And that's because the NC is an overweight pig, just a little heavier, just a little larger, and just a but more usable. But it's a car. The NA and NB are karts, and the new (?) ND shrank a little too much after washing. The Miata's latest incarnation is a little too tight, almost claustrophobic. Great for F1 drivers, but not so much for the balding portly 50+ senior suffering from a midlife crisis.
Like me.
(Also a con, the NC likes its petrol and oil. A lot.)
So, why is the NC still the best?
If the sum of driving qualities is about the same (and it is) then what else is there? Comfort. Yes. We're creatures of comfort. But let's be objective first...
- Airbags. Power steering. ABS. Traction Control. Stability Control. Nanny stuff. But damn, ABS is a must have when using a car on the road for regular use.
- Rust - NAs and NBs are quite crusty. The NC has its moments. The ND... who knows?
- Space - The MX-5 NC has the roomiest cabin, period.
- Glovebox - None in the ND. Where do I keep my chocolate cookies and my insulin?!?
- Hardtop - A little bit of additional silence when on the Autobahn, a bit warmer in coldish weather. And an ever so slightly lower risk of people breaking in and stealing my very cheap aftermarket Chinese radio.
- Seats - A personal thing, but I found the regular seats on the NC better than those in the NA and NB, and the ones in the NC were too small.
- Looks - Ah, darn it. I'm not sure if the NC has the best looks. The NC hardtop certainly looks better than the ND hardtop, but otherwise all are fine by me. Some call the NC a boat, but I think that's a bit harsh. Unless you call a Jaguar E-type a boat as well.
- Practicality - Where did they put the cupholders in the NA / NB?!? And the ND got it wrong again! Yeah, it's nice to make a car smaller, but when you take a road trip it's nice to be able to retrieve your beverage without damaging your spine.
- Fuel Economy - The NC uses more petrol. No, wait. That was one of the serious advantages of the ND. Yeah, the Miata is supposed to be a little sportscar, but to have fun you need to drive it, and to do that you have to fill up now and again. So no, get an 1.5 ND if running costs are high on your list of priorities.
Yeah, the ND looks great, like a mini Ferrari. But to be honest, the RF isn't a real convertible in my book. Still a worthy MS-5 / Miata, but not a real open roadster, more a... targa kind of thing. Like a wannabe Ferrari.
Interior
A matter of taste. Most NC users have replaced the factory radio unit by now with some aftermarket Chinese Android box, or a Pioneer (seems to be the most popular dealer-option).
The ND's display is horrible, even in the newer versions. Mazda got that very, very wrong.
So?
So the NC drives just as well, if not better than the other versions, and is a little roomier.
And it has decent cupholders.
Don't let others talk you down. Cupholders. And it's fun too drive.
So pick up an NC today, and join the fun!
The dream daily...
Now, if I had some money to burn, I'd ask a coach builder to convert some poor ol' MX-5 into this as my daily driver... (The image below is someone's interpretation of an MX-5 that unfortunately doesn't exist, a kind of mini-928S, if you have to give it a name.)
Revenge of the Power-to-Weight ratio
And after singing all that praise, I still had my car modified...
If you look at that table above, you'll notice that the Miata has always been around 0.12, 0.13, and in a little sportscar that's more than enough. Of course you can score a Porsche Boxter or something similar and get a lot more bang for a lot more bucks. And lose your license faster 😇
The truth and nothing but...
But there is bit of truth to that power-to-weight ratio. My daily driver is a Euro Passat GTE (not the horrible US namesake) which weighs a lot more and has a meagre 1.4 liter turbo engine assisted by a 60 hp electrical motor, for an effective total of a bit above 200 hp. The combo provides a lot of torque and makes the Passat (unfeeling, wallowing whale that it is) nice and easy to overtake with. I feel the Passat is a bit underrated because it's 'mister slightly above average middle class car and boring as fuck'. And yeah, it is BAF (c2024 NineLizards), but it's also a comfy cruiser that feels well at home at highways and long distance trips, and takes twisty bends and turns at good natured speeds. And there's sufficient power to pass someone, even away from the highway.
The Miata is completely different.
It is at its best at B-roads, and likes its curves at indecent speeds 😏... But man, could it use a bit more torque for an easier life at low RPMs! A few additional horses when you need to pass someone is helpful. Now the numbers in that little table above suggest it should be fast enough, but those numbers don't tell the whole story.
(Try to drive an Euro Passsat GTE and a Toyota RAV4... The numbers might suggest a similar drive, but it's nothing like that, totally nothing.)
And so, striving for utter happiness, I opened up my wallet and put down the cash to have a BBR Super 200 installed. It has gotten louder, more aggressive. Power-wise it now feels similar to the GTE, even though the Miata has a better power-to-weight ratio after the upgrade (if not by much).
And the NC has more cupholders than a Volkswagen Passat GTE (in the front, at least). That's a plus, too.
Not done yet
Still there are things to improve. Put a slightly stiffer suspension in there, and you're fine, though it doesn't have to be something rock hard. My NC has a factory sport suspension which is comfy more than capable. Put in a better radio, sure, maybe add a rooftop controller and some decent tires, and go out to enjoy your drive.
Seriously though?
All MX-5 / Miatas are fun, regardless of engine, engine power, and mods. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with the ND!
(For looks I like the NA best, but after driving NA, NB, NC and ND, I have to admit that I'd always pick an NC or ND over the NA and NB. The later models are just way more car and drive better. My apologies to the purists.)
Wallpapers
Two shots of my car. This year I've done a quick tour of the coast of Spain, combined with a quadrupple crossing of the Pyrenees...
I. Was. There. (This is at or near the Col d'Aspin, south of Lourdes.)
What the hell am I doing behind this screen? I should be driving...
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