The word ICON is often used loosely, but it is a term certainly befitting of the Mazda Miata. Having sold over 1.1 million examples since it debuted over 30 years ago, it has rightfully earned that title. But the story of the Miata didn’t start in a boardroom; it began in a driveway. Long before it became the world’s best-selling two-seater sports car, a young Bob Hall was watching his father fall in love with British cars in the post-war years. There were cars like the Alta Sportsman first, then an MG TD, a Triumph TR2, and finally an MGA Twin-Cam, each light, eager, and impractical, but delightfully fun to drive. Sadly, these cars would eventually be killed off owing to increasing safety regulations and emissions norms.
By the late 1970s, Hall was a journalist on the East Coast, now working for MotorTrend. During a visit to Mazda HQ in Japan, he suggested a small, affordable, front-engine, rear-wheel drive roadster to Kenichi Yamamoto, Mazda’s head of R&D at the time. Nothing luxurious or complicated. Just a modern interpretation of those British cars that his father loved, sans their fragility. While Mazda at the time was focused on rotary engines, it didn’t forget that conversation with Hall, and soon, he’d be working for the Japanese automaker as a product planning manager, with his idea finally taking form.
A small R&D team in Southern California began sketching, modeling, and testing what would eventually become the NA Miata, which the rest of the world would come to know as the MX-5. Miata roughly translates to reward in Japanese and four generations on, MX-5 has never strayed away from its core identity of being a driver's car first above all else, and yet, it’s the original NA that remains the benchmark, with values steadily on the rise today, as a much younger demographic is now starting to realize the significance of this sports car ICON. What should you look for when buying a first-generation Mazda MX-5? Let's find out.
History of the Mazda MX-5 (NA): Reviving the Classic British Roadster Formula
Two teams on either side of the Pacific were tasked with developing this lightweight sports car. Where the Japanese team had a front-wheel drive and midship platform in mind, it was the California team’s roadster prototype that would be green lit for production. Mazda’s engineering effort, led by Toshihiko Hirai along with stylist Tom Matano, came up with a recipe that was all about balance and simplicity rather than outright power. Ironically, this was also in line with Lotus founder, Colin Chapman's philosophy of 'less is more'.
Built on its own dedicated platform, the concept of Jinba Ittai (horse and rider as one), still used to this day on Modern-day Mazdas, dictated every decision they made. Fit the driver like a glove. Keep the controls light and direct. Use a small, durable engine to keep cost and weight down. Everything from the seating position, pedal placement, steering weight, and even sound was tuned to capture the essence of that magical two-seat roadster formula. From the onset, the goal was a perfect 50:50 weight split and a curb weight of just above 2,100 pounds, both of which were achieved by the time the production variant broke cover at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show.
The result wasn't a radical-looking thing, but that was precisely the point. While the rest of the automotive world was busy gluing wings onto wedges, this small, compact roadster looked unfashionable, with its low hood, pop-up headlights, a friendly facia, and softly rounded proportions. The design was timeless with universal appeal, and the overall form harkened back to those aforementioned European roadsters like the Lotus Elan, which inspired its design. And yet the Miata was unmistakably Japanese in its utility and function. Everything just worked. A perfect example of this was how you could operate the soft-top mechanism with just one hand.
But besides design, two key defining aspects that made the Miata a smash hit were its price ($13,000, which is ~$36,500 adjusted for inflation today) and handling. The lightweight chassis, fully-independent double wishbone suspension, and disc brakes on all four corners meant the Miata offered go-kart-like handling, despite packing modest power. CarandDriver, in its 1990 road test, said, “The Miata is great fun to zip from corner to corner." It was simply a driver's car through and through. John Davis from MotorWeek called it “a feast for the senses and the ideal everyday sports car.”
NA Mazda Miata: Model Years, Trims, and Specifications
The NA Miata was available in the United States between 1990 and 1997. Early cars came with a perfectly adequate 1.6-liter twin-cam four-cylinder putting out 116 horsepower and 100 pound-feet of torque. Then, for 1994, Mazda upgraded the powerplant to a 1.8-liter engine with 128 horsepower and a much sturdier differential. They paired either with a five-speed manual or the much rarer four-speed automatic. The three-pedal variant is the one you want.
As for trims, the base model was bare-bones with a Spartan interior. The optional "A" Package added power steering. The "B" Package gave you the famous daisy design alloy wheels and cruise control. The "C" or "LE" Packages, available from '92 onwards, added luxuries like leather and a limited-slip differential. Colors varied by year, but shades like Classic Red, Mariner Blue, and British Racing Green are most common. Factory hardtops (initially only offered in red) were optional and remain highly sought after today, often fetching $2,000 or more on their own.
Mazda Miata Price: Current Market Values and Reliability
For years, the Miata was the definitive affordable sports car for under $5,000. Those days are now long gone, and as of 2025, prices have risen sharply, and clean, unmodified examples now sit between $10,000 and $14,000; low-mileage cars edge toward $20,000. Special editions like the 1993 LE (in black with red leather) or the 1997 STO (in Twilight Blue Mica) are now collector favorites and could fetch even more.
However, condition and originality are what dictate values. Cars with factory paint, matching hardtops, and minimal rust are in demand because, despite their reputation for reliability, age is catching up with these cars, and rust is the number-one killer, besides some minor electrical gremlins. Interiors fade, dashboards crack, and bushings soften. Yet nothing is terminal, as every flaw can be mended on a budget.
Mechanically, the 1.6 and 1.8 engines are near-bulletproof if maintained. Regular oil changes, a timing belt every 60,000 miles, and an eye on the cooling system keep them content. Radiators are inexpensive, so preventive replacement is smart for hot climates. Replace tired suspension components, and the car should regain its original tautness, which defined its legendary handling. Highly modified examples can be bargains, but you’ll want to check the quality of the work. The Miata’s huge tuning scene has spawned everything from tasteful coilovers to turbo kits and V8 swaps. Purists, though, tend to favor stock or lightly upgraded cars.
Why the 1st-Gen Miata Remains An Enthusiast Favorite
Drive an NA Miata today, and you’ll realize why it's still so desirable. It’s the kind of sports car that makes even a grocery run feel intentional. This is something that even folks like Mate Rimac and Christian Von Koenigsegg who run hypercar companies, get. Also, unlike most true classics, it’s practical. It starts every time. It doesn’t overheat in traffic. It sips fuel at around 28 mpg and when something does break, it won’t be an expensive fix. You don’t have to be a mechanic to own one; you just have to care enough to maintain it. You can daily one or even take it on road trips, if you keep up with wear items, or you can build one for autocross or track days with light, reversible changes.
If you need alternatives, consider a Toyota MR2 for a mid-engine flavor, a later BMW Z3 for more comfort, or an S2000 if you want a bigger performance envelope. Where other cars have grown in size over time, the Miata has vehemently stuck to the same compact dimensions to this day.
With the NA, Mazda considered an idea that seemed risky but banked on simple engineering values. A famous quote from Clarkson can be used to describe the 1st Gen Miata. A ‘60s throwback, without the ‘60s drawback. Only this time, it was embraced by the masses, and the reason the NA continues to endure is because it reflects something rare in the car world: sincerity. You can find one for the price of a used crossover, but what you get in return is an honest, analog experience that modern cars simply can’t replicate.
