MX-5 MIATA NC

About the MX-5 Miata NC

The NC was the Miata that got too big — or so the narrative goes. A new platform shared with the RX-8 added 100 kg and a wider footprint. The 2.0-liter MZR engine made 170 hp, and the power-retractable hardtop made year-round ownership practical for the first time. The chassis was actually excellent. The NC on a track was faster and more composed than any previous Miata. But the weight gain dulled the seat-of-the-pants immediacy that defined the NA and NB, and the community noticed. The NC is the Miata that gets the least love — competent, fast, comfortable, and somehow lacking the magic that made the originals special. Mazda noticed too. The next generation would course-correct dramatically.