Miata is the contemporary embodiment of the 1950s sports car spirit, minus the irritations that went with the MGs, Triumphs and Austin-Healeys of the day.Handling is excellent. Miata reacts to the driver's input just like a Formula Ford race car: Lift off the throttle in the middle of a fast corner and you'll feel the chassis rotate as the car turns in tighter. Step on the gas again and it straightens out as weight is transferred to the rear and the rear tires gain grip. It's just perfectly balanced. Unlike most front-wheel-drive sports coupes, the rear-wheel-drive Miata does not mask poor driving technique. By the same token, it really rewards good technique. A good driver will become a better driver in this car.
For 2001, Mazda's engineers added a wider gusset at the rear of the transmission tunnel, added reinforcements behind the cockpit, and strengthened the side sills, all of which increased the rigidity of the chassis. As a result, the 2001 Miata turns in sharper. It also feels more solid and secure. Turn in to a corner and the car responds instantly. In fact, the steering is so quick, that you may find yourself turning in a little too early or a little too much for corners until you get used to it.
Miata now comes standard with P195/50VR15 high-performance tires on 15-inch alloy wheels; P205/45WR16 tires on 16-inch alloys come standard on LS.
An optional Suspension Package ($395 for LS, $1025 for base model) includes a front strut-tower brace, 16-inch alloy wheels with P245/WR16 tires, and a Torsen limited-slip rear differential. Miata LS also gets a set of Bilstein shock absorbers in this package.
Miata rides like a traditional sports car. It shudders over bumps like an old MG. When you run over ripples in the pavement, you feel them. But like the noise, it's all part of the experience.
The 5-speed manual transmission shifts smoothly. It features short throws from gear to gear. It is excellent and a big part of the fun of driving the Miata. You only have to push the clutch in part way to change gears. The LS model's optional 6-speed manual tightens up the ratios, allowing the skilled sports car driver to keep the engine revving more in the optimal power band for better performance. Fifth gear on the 6-speed is the same 1:1 ratio that fourth is on the 5-speed gearbox. Both use an overdrive ratio for the top gear; the achieve identical EPA fuel economy ratings of 23/28 mpg city/highway. The optional 4-speed automatic erodes the sports car driving experience considerably and drops fuel economy by 1 mpg in the EPA city cycle.
Throttle response is instant. Acceleration is brisk, and the new exhaust note conjures up visions of Watkins Glen and roots of American sports car racing. In fact, Miatas have won a number of Sports Car Club of America national championships. It's one of the most entertaining and one of the most reliable cars in SCCA Showroom Stock (unmodified) competition. Compared with the more expensive roadsters and some of the front-drive compact coupes, the Miata's little 1.8-liter engine does not provide a lot of torque. But it loves to rev and there's plenty of power to satisfy all but the hungriest sports car enthusiast.
For 2001, power has been increased to 155 horsepower at 7000 rpm (redline) and to 125 foot-pounds of torque at 5500. The increase comes from a new cylinder head that uses variable valve timing (VVT) on the intake camshaft, and raises the compression ratio to 10:1 (from 9.5:1). This system allows the driver to rev the engine right to the 7000-rpm redline, yet it increases torque throughout the rev range for improved flexibility when driving around town.
The exhaust system delivers a spirited tenor bark to go with the engine's increased bite. It's a high-tech echo of the '50s, and sounds exactly what sports cars are supposed to sound like. The Mazda engine isn't as smooth as a Honda, but its roughness somehow makes the Miata more endearing and adds to its sports appeal.
If you're a hard-driving enthusiast, opt for the Torsen limited-slip ($395), which comes standard on the LS model. Without it, you may encounter rear wheel spin when accelerating hard out of tight corners. On the other hand, if you're buying the Miata simply for its carefree open-air motoring and won't drive it real hard, then you may not need to spend the money on the limited-slip.
Braking performance is excellent in this sports car, primarily because of its light weight (2387 pounds with 5-speed, 2447 pounds with 6-speed). Models with 16-inch wheels benefit from bigger brakes, with larger discs, a larger brake master cylinder, a larger brake booster, and higher friction brake pads; add all that to the wider 16-inch tires and you should see shorter stopping distances and less brake fade. Anti-lock brakes ($550) are an option for LS models and a good idea because ABS helps the driver to maintain steering control in an emergency stopping situation. ABS comes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), which varies the front-to-rear brake bias according to load. Slam on the brakes, and it transfers more braking force to the front wheels as the weight transfers forward. EBD reduces stopping distances and enhances stability under hard braking.
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