2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 MX-5 Miata, and includes Mazda MX-5 Miata safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a two-seat roadster with rear-wheel drive and a four-cylinder engine. Lightweight, elemental and purist in nature, the Miata revived the classic sports car formula more than 20 years ago and has earned icon status in its own right. Often derided as a “chick car” because it doesn’t have a V8 engine or the ability to melt its tires down to the rims, the MX-5 Miata must be driven to be understood.

Every Mazda MX-5 Miata is equipped with standard traction and stability control for 2012. Previously, this important safety feature was offered only in an option package for higher-level models. Otherwise, the Miata continues without change. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

The 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata is available in Sport, Touring and Grand Touring trim levels, the latter two offered with a choice between a standard soft convertible top or an available power retractable hardtop.

If you’re looking for the lightest Miata and the purest driving experience, you’ll want the Sport model because it features the least number of features. Still, it does include air conditioning, power windows with driver’s side one-touch operation, power side mirrors, and a vinyl convertible top with a glass rear window and rear defogger. Cloth seats feature a manual height adjuster for the driver’s seat, and a mesh wind blocker is located between the seatbacks to help keep the cabin warm during top-down driving on chilly days. A leather-wrapped steering wheel and floor mats are also standard, along with silver cabin trim, a locking glovebox, a locking center console storage area, and a trunk light. The Miata is equipped with 16-inch aluminum wheels and dual exhaust outlets, and just in case you get bored with the sounds, smells and sensations associated with driving topless, there’s a six-speaker stereo with a CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary audio input jack.

The MX-5 Miata comes standard with a five-speed manual gearbox. A six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters is optional, and when you get the automatic the MX-5 Miata Sport is equipped with a Convenience Package that includes fog lights, power door locks with remote keyless entry, cruise control, audio and cruise buttons on the steering wheel, a trip computer, and an outside temperature indicator. This equipment can also be added to Sport models with the manual gearbox, and the Sport can also be equipped with a CD changer.

The MX-5 Miata Touring model adds another forward gear thanks to its six-speed manual gearbox, as well as a shock tower brace, 17-inch aluminum wheels, and lower profile tires. In addition to these handling upgrades, the Touring model receives fog lights, a chrome grille surround, silver seatback bar trim, a leather-wrapped shift knob, a CD changer, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with a HomeLink universal remote, and the contents of the Sport model’s Convenience Package. Get the Mazda MX-5 Miata Touring with the power retractable hardtop, and the car is equipped with chrome door handles, chrome headlight bezels, and four free months of satellite radio service.

An optional Suspension Package adds a sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein performance shocks and a limited-slip differential to the MX-5 Miata Touring, but this setup is not available with the optional six-speed automatic transmission.

The MX-5 Miata Grand Touring is the top-of-the-line model, equipped with leather heated seats with five settings, automatic climate control, and a Bose premium sound system. Soft-top models trade their vinyl roof for a cloth top in Black or Tan colors.

Options for the Grand Touring model include the six-speed automatic, the Suspension Package, and a Premium Package that adds Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, Xenon HID headlights, Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry and Ignition, an anti-theft alarm, and four free months of satellite radio service.

Satellite radio is available on any MX-5 Miata model, as well as wheel locks, a rear spoiler, and an Appearance Package with an air dam, side skirts, and a rear valence panel. Mazda dealers can also install a portable Garmin navigation system with Bluetooth, an iPod integration kit, cargo net, and a variety of cosmetic enhancements to personalize the car.

With just 167 horsepower at 7,000 rpm (158 hp with the automatic) and 140 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm, you might ask how it is that a 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata can be considered a genuine sports car. Curb weights range from 2,447 to 2,619, depending on transmission and model choice; weight distribution is 52/48 front-to-rear (51/49 for hardtop models); the engine is mid-ship mounted; and the Miata features rear-wheel drive. Combined, these factors make the lightweight, purpose-built Miata one of the best handling cars for sale today.

The MX-5 Miata Sport comes standard with a five-speed, short-throw manual gearbox. The Touring and Grand Touring models get a six-speed manual. All Miatas can be equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, but this option negatively impacts engine output.

Premium fuel is recommended for the Miata, but not required. Fuel economy ratings are 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway with the standard five-speed manual transmission. Get the six-speed manual or the six-speed automatic, and you can expect 21 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

Mazda equips the MX-5 Miata with dual front airbags, dual side-impact airbags, traction and stability control, and four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution. The airbags for the front passenger’s seat can be manually de-activated to safely transport a child.

No crash test information is available for the Mazda MX-5 Miata, however, given the low curb weight and compact packaging, it doesn’t take a Harvard MBA to figure out that this small car is vulnerable in a collision with a larger vehicle.

The MX-5 Miata receives the best possible predicted reliability rating from Consumer Reports, and is a quality award-winner according to J.D. Power and Associates. J.D. Power also says that it expects the Miata to return better than average dependability over time.

The MX-5 Miata’s engine is mounted in a front mid-ship location for greater handling balance. What this means is that the weight of the engine is located aft of the front axle rather than directly over the front wheels. This is similar to the way Infiniti packages its G37 models.

Standard performance enhancements on the Mazda MX-5 Miata include front and rear stabilizer bars, a lightweight flywheel, a short-throw manual transmission, a sport-tuned exhaust system, and high-performance tires.

To further improve performance and handling, Mazda declares war on excess weight through the use of aluminum for suspension components, structural elements, the hood, the trunk lid, and even the rear brake calipers.

The MX-5 Miata’s coefficient of drag measures 0.34 with the standard soft top and 0.32 with the optional power retractable hardtop. Weight distribution is 52/48 with the soft top, and 51/49 with the hardtop. Yeah, we’re thinking the hardtop is the way to go.

The MX-5 Miata’s trunk volume measures 5.3 cubic-feet, enough to hold weekend luggage for two. Neither of the top designs reduces trunk space when folded.

More than 20 years after the original Miata arrived, the car has lost a bit of its luster. Mazda builds few special edition models for loyal buyers to get excited about, and the last performance-tuned variant was the 2005 Mazdaspeed model. It remains a terrific sports car: affordable, extremely reliable, and all kinds of fun to drive. But we can’t help but think that maybe Mazda has forgotten about the Miata in much the same way sports car buyers have.

By Christian Wardlaw