Used 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata for SaleNationwide

How much does the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata cost?

Prices are up 4.13% year-over-year — a sign of continued demand for this model year.

There are 204 listings available, which suggests a modest amount of inventory for shoppers to compare.

Is the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata a good car?

Yes — the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata earns a 4.9/5 user rating and an 8/10 expert rating. The standout strength is Look and feel at 10/10.

Owners consistently praise its fun, affordable character, easy maintenance, and reliable performance. The overview also points to a car that makes driving feel special without requiring a large budget, and it works especially well as a spirited weekend car or for single drivers who want open-air enjoyment and an engaging manual experience.

With 37.3% of listings marked as good or great deals, you still have room to shop carefully and find value.

Is the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata reliable?

Owners rate it 4.9/5, a strong signal of long-term satisfaction.

User feedback highlights reliable performance, easy maintenance, and overall value, while the expert cost-effectiveness notes describe it as cheap to own and extremely reliable. The performance write-up also supports that impression by emphasizing the car’s balanced layout, strong driving dynamics, and durable-feeling chassis behavior.

For used buyers, the main long-term ownership risk is less about mechanical drama and more about finding a well-kept example that hasn’t been neglected or modified heavily.

What should I look for when buying a used 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata?

At 66.2% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.

You should start with a vehicle history report and then prioritize a pre-purchase inspection, especially if the car has been driven hard or modified. Focus on condition details that matter in a lightweight roadster: top operation, cabin wear, tire condition, and signs of track use or curb damage. Because this model is often bought for fun, the best examples are usually the ones with clean records and careful ownership.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The base Sport is the simplest version, while the Club adds LED running lights, Mazda Connect, Bose audio, black cloth seats with red stitching, a front air dam, a rear lip spoiler, gloss black seat back bar trim, 17-inch aluminum wheels, a sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein shocks, a limited-slip rear differential, a shock tower brace, and induction sound enhancement. The Grand Touring adds the most comfort and convenience equipment, including leather-lined trim.
• Powertrain: The car uses a 155-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with a standard 6-speed manual. The automatic is available, but it gives up some of the more engaging hardware on the Club.
• Safety package: The Grand Touring trim gets rain-sensing windshield wipers, adaptive headlights, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. Those features are not mentioned for the lower trims.
• Infotainment: Mazda Connect brings a 7-inch touchscreen, a center-console control setup, Bluetooth with music streaming, USB connectivity, text messaging support, Pandora access, and an E911 automatic emergency-notification system.
• Fuel efficiency: The car is rated at 27 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined, and the expert drive returned 28.3 mpg during enthusiastic testing.

Which 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata trim should I buy?

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata is offered in 3 trim levels: Sport, Club, Grand Touring.

Here's the short version:

• Sport: This is the simplest and most affordable way into the Miata, so it makes sense if you want the purest version of the car and plan to keep costs down.
• Club: This is the best-value trim if you want the Miata’s character with the most meaningful driving upgrades. It adds the sport-tuned suspension, Bilstein shocks, limited-slip rear differential, larger wheels, Mazda Connect, Bose audio, and the more aggressive exterior details.
• Grand Touring: Choose this if you want the most comfort and the most safety technology. It adds the driver-assistance features and the more upscale trim treatment, making it the most complete daily-driver version.

The Grand Touring trim is also the only one called out with the full safety technology suite.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata?

This looks like a moderate, selective buyer’s market, so you can shop patiently and still find worthwhile listings.

• Deal availability: 37.3% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 204 listings available.
• Price trend: Prices are up 4.13% year-over-year.
• Clean inventory: 66.2% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $16,720, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

What is the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata's resale value?

The current average of $19,315 sits slightly above last year's $18,548.

That upward move suggests the market still values this model year’s mix of driving enjoyment and affordability. For a future seller, that’s a helpful sign: a car with steady demand and limited bargain pricing can hold attention better than a model that’s sliding quickly. The Miata’s appeal as a fun, accessible sports car also helps keep interest broad among used buyers.

Vehicles with strong owner satisfaction ratings, like this model year's 4.9/5, tend to retain buyer demand, which supports resale value over time.

Is the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata safe?

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata earns a 6/10 safety score from our experts.

Mazda’s safety content emphasizes a more robust structure and improved occupant protection, but it also notes that the car’s very light weight can be a disadvantage in a collision with a much larger vehicle. The Grand Touring trim adds rain-sensing windshield wipers, adaptive headlights, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic alert, which helps it avoid accidents in the first place.

One important caveat is that this car is not equipped with LATCH anchors, so child-seat installation relies on the automatic locking retractor seat belts.

Should I buy a 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2016 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2016 if:

• 37.3% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• At 66.2% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.
• Price trend: Prices are up 4.13% year-over-year.
• Owners rate it 4.9/5 — a strong satisfaction signal.
• The redesigned model emphasizes value, performance, engineering, and design in a way that makes driving feel special.

Consider the 2017 if:

• At $21,274, the 2017 costs more than the current year's $19,315 average.
• It adds the Miata RF retractable hardtop, giving you a unique roof option.

The bottom line: If you want the better value and the classic open-air Miata experience, the 2016 is the smarter buy. If you’re willing to spend more for the retractable hardtop and a more distinctive roof setup, the 2017 is the more specialized choice. For most price-sensitive shoppers, the 2016 delivers the stronger balance of fun and affordability.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 22, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.