2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata gets a ton of significant updates
The 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata is officially here, and the updates previewed by the JDM model are thankfully being carried over into the U.S. spec car today. As we suspected, the update is thorough enough to perhaps call it the “ND3,” making it the third significant version of this generation.
Mechanically, Mazda says it’s installed a new steering rack with internal revisions for less friction and then updated the electric assist calibration through software. This results in “smoother steering action with a more defined ‘on-center’ feeling for relaxed freeway cruising, yet greater precision as the front tires are loaded up under hard cornering,” per Mazda. We’ll be excited to try it out.
Manual transmission Club and Grand Touring trims (read: not the base Sport trim) add a new asymmetric limited-slip differential that features a new cam mechanism for different ramp angles on acceleration and deceleration. Mazda says “a stronger lockup under engine braking improves stability at corner entry, resisting unwanted oversteer,” and “reduced lockup during acceleration reduces unwanted understeer.”
A new “DSC Track” mode’s been added to the stability control system and is designed to give you more leeway for track driving without completely losing stability control aid, which, again, is only on the Club and Grand Touring models.
As we expected, the powertrain options remain the same, meaning your only engine choice is a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder – 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque – paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic w/paddle shifters.
The aesthetic changes for the 2024 Miata are subtle, but look closely and you’ll notice new LED headlights, new LED taillights and new wheel designs. There’s also a new color (pictured first in the gallery at the top of this post) called Aero Gray that comes with a $450 upcharge.
Interior updates are far more substantial, as the MX-5 finally snags Mazda’s latest infotainment system. It plays on an 8.8-inch screen that can be controlled via the rotary knob on the center console, but is touch-capable when using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. This also marks Mazda’s first Amazon Alexa-integrated infotainment system, which allows for much more in-depth voice control over the car’s systems. In addition to the new infotainment, Mazda says a revised gauge cluster features simplified and higher-contrast graphics for easier reading. And for your comfort, the center console is now fitted with more padding.
Trim-specific changes make the Miata’s changes even more in-depth. The Club model gets revised seats with black suede accents strategically placed in the cloth material. And while the Sport requires a wired connection, the Club trim and up add wireless Apple CarPlay (but still wired Android Auto) capability. And don’t worry, you can still tack on the Brembo BBS Recaro package to the Club model.
Pricing for 2024 is up, but not prohibitively so. We’ll list all the base prices for the various trims for you below, including the $1,165 destination charge.
Soft Top:
Sport: $30,150
Club: $33,650 (add $4,800 for Brembo BBS Recaro package)
Grand Touring: $35,450
Grand Touring auto: $36,370
RF:
Club: $41,375 (includes Brembo BBS Recaro as standard equipment)
Grand Touring: $38,175
Grand Touring auto: $39,145
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