2020 Mazda MX 5 Miata RF 19

2022 Mazda Miata Review

The 2022 Mazda Miata remains the epitome of a two-seat, open-top roadster. Mazda has sold more than a million Miatas as of 2016, and it holds the title for the best-selling two-seat convertible sports car in automotive history.

If you haven’t noticed, the MX-5 has no direct competition. The Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ is only available with a fixed hardtop roof, while the BMW Z4, Toyota Supra, and Porsche 718 are on a different level in terms of pricing.

Setting The Stage

The formula is simple: throw a small engine in the front of a compact and lightweight convertible body, give it a double-wishbone front and rear multi-link suspension, monotube dampers, and a slick six-speed manual shifter.

Mazda’s execution is the finest expression of “Jinba Ittai” or the oneness of horse and rider, describing the unity between man and animal in Japanese mounted archery. The MX-5 Miata’s nearly-perfect 50/50 front-to-rear weight distribution and compact size ensures more smiles per mile, and you’ll be laughing like a loon upon exiting a corner.

And through it all, you also get a reliable daily driver with all the creature comforts and tech features expected from a modern car.

2022 Mazda Miata: What’s New?

For 2022, the MX-5 Miata has a few new tricks up its sleeve, particularly an exciting piece of tech that Mazda calls Kinematic Posture Control (KPC). It’s a nifty feature that applies light braking pressure to the inner rear wheel during high-g cornering. Mazda says KPC suppresses body roll and makes the steering feel sharper and linear around the bends.

The 2022 Mazda Miata remains available in a soft-top or retractable hardtop roof (RF), and you can also get an automatic gearbox if you like two pedals instead of three. There’s also a Brembo BBS Recaro package in the midgrade MX-5 Miata Club trim that adds – you guessed it – Brembo brakes, 17-inch BBS wheels, and Recaro sports seats, to name a few.

All 2022 Mazda Miata variants have a 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder delivering 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft. of torque. Lower trim models come exclusively with a standard six-speed manual, while the range-topping Touring has an optional six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. No matter which, the MX-5 Miata has a rear-wheel drivetrain.

2022 Mazda Miata: Trim Levels & Pricing

The 2022 Mazda Miata is sold in three trims: Sport, Club, and Touring. Below is a breakdown of each trim, including all standard features and pricing. Take note that the MSRP figures are inclusive of $1,015 destination fee. Our free and easy search tools* will help you find the best price in your area on a new Mazda MX-5 Miata.

MX-5 Miata Sport

The base Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport starts at $28,315 and is only available with a black soft-top roof. The standard fare includes black 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, daytime running lights, a rear glass window with a defogger, and gloss black mirror caps.

Meanwhile, the interior receives a seven-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated buttons for audio, Bluetooth, and cruise controls, manual climate control, a six-speaker audio system, dual USB ports, and one-touch power windows.

In addition, Mazda’s i-Activesense is standard in the base MX-5 Miata. It comes with blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and smart city brake support.

MX-5 Miata Club

The MX-5 Miata Club has a $31,815 base price. The features list includes performance-enhancing mods like a limited-slip differential, a front shock tower brace, and Bilstein dampers for niftier handling. Also standard are black metallic 17-inch alloy wheels, a gloss black front air dam, a subtle rear lip spoiler, black cloth seats with light gray stitching, and vinyl leather interior trim.

MX-5 Miata Club w/ Brembo BBS Recaro Package

The Miata Club with the Brembo BBS Recaro Package is only available with a six-speed manual, but you can have a soft-top ($33,815) or retractable hardtop ($36,565). The latter can fold or raise the roof in 13 seconds.

Besides the Brembo brakes with red calipers, dark gunmetal 17-inch BBS forged rims, and heated Recaro seats, the package includes an aero-optimized body kit with a rear bumper skirt and gloss black side sill extensions. The RF variant also gets a black hand-painted roof.

MX-5 Miata Grand Touring

The MX-5 Miata Grand Touring is available with a six-speed manual with a soft-top ($33,315) or retractable hardtop roof ($36,015). But if you like an automatic, you can have it with a soft-top ($33,815) or RF ($36,565) body style.

The Grand Touring variant builds upon the Club and adds 17-inch dark silver alloy wheels, body-color door mirrors, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, and cowhide upholstery. It also has more safety features like adaptive headlights with high-beam control and a traffic sign recognition system. For $300 more, you can upgrade to Terracotta Nappa leather seats, silver interior accents, automatic climate control, and a navigation system.

2022 Mazda Miata RF interior layout.
2022 Mazda Miata RF interior layout. Photo: Mazda North American Operations.

2022 Mazda Miata Warranty

Every new Mazda leaves the factory with a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. You might need additional coverage if you do a lot of driving (and drive you will with the MX-5 Miata). This helpful guide will answer all your questions about getting a Mazda extended warranty.

Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.

Photos & Source: Mazda North American Operations.

*Although always free for you, Automoblog and its partners may receive a commission when you use the services provided through that link. MSRP figures are subject to change.