Mazda makes a number of changes to the 2019 Miata, the most important of which occur under the hood.
Returning from last year, the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder remains smooth, refined, and eager to rev. But now it makes 26 extra horsepower at 1,000 higher rpm (181 hp), and three additional pound-feet of torque at 600 lower rpm (151 lb-ft). Combined with a redline that’s 700 rpm higher than before, the changes mean the 2019 Miata makes more power across a broader rev range, and that directly translates into a bigger smile on your face as you work the 6-speed manual gearbox.
What’s that? You can’t drive a stick? Well, Mazda offers a 6-speed sport automatic with paddle shifters, but you don’t really want that, do you?
Working the Miata’s manual transmission is a delight of its own, thanks in part to a new lightweight dual-mass clutch flywheel. Recalibrated throttle response delivers quicker, smoother, and more linear acceleration than before, too, and Mazda has also re-tuned the exhaust to enhance the driving experience.
Collectively, these small changes make a big difference in the Miata’s driving character. I live near the Santa Monica Mountains, which are laced with some of the greatest twisty two-lane blacktop in America. It's the kind of environment tailor-made for the Mazda Miata: sunny and warm weather, writhing roads, and gorgeous views of Southern California’s coastline and mountain ranges.
During my week with the 2019 MX-5 Miata RF, I spent as much time as I could running the car hard across those ridges and down through the canyons. At one point, I just kept looping along one of my favorite stretches, thrilling in third gear’s newfound tractability between 35 mph and 75 mph.
Basically, unless you encounter an uphill 15-mph hairpin turn, you don’t need second gear. And since you shouldn’t be driving anywhere near 80 mph anyplace in this mountain range, you really don’t require fourth gear. Granted, the fun of having a manual gearbox is in the shifting, but when you’re exercising the car near its limits, leaving the transmission in third gear clarifies your focus and concentration while hastening your travel.
You still can’t accelerate to 60 mph without grabbing third gear, which is a shame if numbers and data matter to you. Personally, I don’t care about that, and I will tell you that it is sheer joy to run this car up to redline before each shift. If you’re a talented heel-and-toe downshifter, pedal placement is perfect for honing this skill, even for my size-13 feet.
Thanks to my Grand Touring test car’s GT-S Package, it felt nearly as well battened down as the Club trim. The Bilsteins provide a clear connection to the surface without beating you up, and the shock tower brace no doubt assists the P205/45R17 Bridgestone Potenza S001 performance tires in getting the car around corners in a hurry. Together with quick, sharp, and precise steering—and brakes that withstand significant amounts of abuse—the MX-5 Miata’s mechanical components produce symphonic performance honed to perfection.
Fuel economy also improves slightly for 2019, to 26 mpg city, 35 highway, 30 combined with an automatic, though the number remains 29 mpg in combined driving with a stick shift. That’s less than I averaged during a week and 500 miles of travel (29.6 mpg), much of it spent wringing the car out for all it was worth.