7 Reasons Why The Second-Gen Mazda Miata Sucks

I don't know about you, but I always get a pang of sadness when I sell a car and watch it being driven away by its new owner. Except for one car, however - I couldn't wait to see the back of my second-gen Mazda Miata. That's right, the Holy Grail of affordable sports cars, and I was relieved not to own it any more.

Sure, it put a smile on my face in the twisties, but I found so much more to hate about it. To prove my dismay, here are seven things that drove me mad...

1. It's Too Damn Slow

My old Mazda MX-5, shortly before we joyously parted ways

Staunch defenders of the Miata will insist that 140bhp is enough for the real world. True, on the tightest of country roads you may not be wanting for more firepower, but everywhere else, you probably will. And while it possesses a rear-drive layout, its lack of power means you'll rarely be able to take advantage of that when the tarmac's dry. And to think, you can have it with an even less powerful 1.6...

2. The Engine Sounds Pathetic

I could have coped with the lack of performance, had there been a peppier noise to enjoy, but alas no. It's not like a four cylinder motor has to sound boring, so why the misery-spec engine note? It makes it all the worse with the roof down. Floor it through a tunnel and you'll be weeping by the other end. Sorry Mazda, but I like my sports cars to sound, well, sporty.

3. The Fuel Economy Is Woeful

This is what I wanted to do to my Miata after two years of ownership

I realise that in a sports car fuel economy isn't exactly number one priority, but struggling to get much over 30mpg in a 1.8-litre, lightweight car is simply unacceptable; particularly when heavier cars of the same era with bigger engines can do better.

4. The Interior Is Miserable

Source: mrcarblog.com

When it's not convertible weather - which in the UK is most of the time - you're cocooned in a miserable little space. Cheap-feeling plastics are in abundance, and the standard cloth seats look terribly dated, even in a car of this age.

5. It's Not A Good All-Rounder

You can use a second-gen to exercise with, but other than that, it's not that versatile...

This isn't so much the fault of the car, more people's perception of it. On many a car forum, the frequently posted 'what car' type threads usually result in a plethora of people suggesting the Miata. There seems to be a perception that the little roadster is the answer to all car choice quandaries, the car guy's defacto choice, if you will. But why? It has the 'fun to drive' box ticked, but that's where it begins and ends.

6. They Rust Like Crazy

Source: racingmx5.blogspot.co.uk/

Think buying Japanese means trouble-free motoring? Wrong! You see, the Miata was seen as a revival of the ethos behind the crop of small and simple British roadsters that had all but died off by the time the first gen version of Mazda's convertible effort arrived on the scene. That's great and all, but it would seem that Mazda also copied the rusty side of the old Brit roadsters.

Rust on first-generation models is well documented, but horror stories of the dreaded tin worm affecting the second-gen Miata are emerging at an alarming rate. Rust on the front chassis rails, among other places, have consigned many to the big scrapyard in the sky. That's why one of the things you'll often do as a Miata owner is check your sills in horror.

7. It Looks 'Cute'

All the best looking cars can be described with words like 'purposeful', 'sexy' and 'aggressive'. None of these adjectives are applicable to the second-gen Miata, however. The most appropriate word that comes to mind is 'cute'. OK, not Suzuki Cappuccino levels of cute, but not far off. And is that really what you want from a sports car? Thought not.

Any second-gen Miata owners care to disagree?