MX-5 MIATA NB

About the MX-5 Miata NB

The NB replaced the pop-up headlights with fixed units and the entire Miata community has been arguing about it ever since. Underneath the new face, the NB was a better car: stiffer chassis, improved suspension geometry, a standard 1.8-liter engine making 140 hp, and structural bracing that addressed the NA's scuttle shake. The NB Mazdaspeed Miata added a turbocharger and 178 hp — the factory acknowledging what the aftermarket had been doing for years. The six-speed gearbox on later models improved highway cruising. The hardtop option made winter ownership tolerable. The NB is the forgotten Miata — overshadowed by the NA's cult status and the ND's modern refinement. But as a driving tool, it's arguably the best-sorted of the four generations. Stiffer, more precise, and still light enough to feel alive at legal speeds.