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2006 Mazda Miata MX-5 Compact Sports Car
New Car Review of the 2006 Mazda Miata MX-5 Compact Sports Car
Base MSRP Range: $20,435 - $26,700
Base Invoice Range: $18,871 - $24,642
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MSRP As Tested: $22,935
Versions: Base, Touring, Sport
Vehicle Category: Compact Sports Car
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: Rear-Wheel Drive .
Standard Engine: 2.0-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 16-valves, I-4,170 â€' horsepower at 6700 rpm and 140 lb-ft torque at 5000 rpm.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 6-speed automatic 23/30, 6-speed manual 24/30, 5-speed manual 25/30.
Transmission: Six-speed automatic, 6-speed manual, 5-speed manual.
Standard Safety Features: Driver and passenger airbags, Side airbags, Anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, Emergency inside trunk release.
Competition: Audi TT, BMW Z4, Chrysler Crossfire, Honda S2000, Nissan 350Z, Porsche Boxster, Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, Volkswagen Beetle Convertible.
I remember when I saw my first Miata. “Now THAT is a cool car,” I thought. Today, my reaction to Mazda’s zippy little sports car has changed little; it’s still fast and fun, with great lines that have only gotten better since Mazda redesigned and re-named it for 2006.
The third-generation Mazda MX-5 offers many new features for this year, and is actually cheaper than the outgoing model. These are among the many reasons that it has garnered so many awards â€' Consumer Guide’s “Best Buy,” BBC Top Gear Magazine’s Roadster of the Year, Australia’s Wheels Car of the Year … the list goes on.
Five models â€' the Club Spec ($20,435), Base MX-5 ($21,435), Touring ($22,435), Sport ($22,935) and the Grand Touring ($24,435) â€' are available for 2006. A third-generation special edition package boosts the Grant Touring to a price of $26,700. Although not a car for those well over 6 feet or for those who need lots of cargo space, the 2006 Mazda MX-5 is still the best-selling two-passenger convertible in the world.
PERFORMANCE
Mazda significant increased the MX-5’s horsepower and torque for 2006. Keeping the same four-cylinder, Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) 16-valve 2.0-liter aluminum alloy engine, the MX-5 jumps to 170 horsepower (at 6,700 RPM), and 140 lb.-ft of torque (at 5,000 RPM). It is offered as a rear-wheel-drive only.
Mazda also increased the number of transmission choices â€' the Club Spec and Base models offer a 5-speed manual, while the Sport, Grand Touring and limited edition offer six- speed manuals. A 6-speed sport automatic transmission with paddle shifters can also be had (for $1,100 more) on the Touring, Sport, and Grand Touring editions. While the automatic does lag slightly more than the manual, it’s not so much that it hampers one’s driving experience. And with 25 miles to the gallon in the city and 30 on the highway, it is about as economic in MSRP and MPG as a sports car can get.
