Has anyone here driven the new retractable top Miata? How does it compare to an RX-8, especially in terms of noise, driving comfort, handling, and fun-to-drive factor? I've had my RX for three years and need to decide whether to wait for the next version of the RX, to spend money customizing it, or buy a Miata.

although it offers more headroom then the 8, that's about the end of it on the comfort front. Seems fairly quiet, handles 2nd rate to the 8 (IMO), and is a somewhat fun car to drive.

The obvious reason anyone would consdier a PRHT miata would clearly be the convertable fun-factor...because you're going to pay a PREMIUM for the PRHT. It does tuck away nicely and looks very svete when down, but that's about it for the ooo's and ahh's. I considered it, but after all the newness of the test drive wore off, I almost croaked at a starting base price in the $24K for a PRHT. After all options on the GT they had, good friggin gosh, about $30K.

Nice car, and if you have a HARD ON for a hard top convertible OR if miatas are a passion for you, it may be your ticket. By all other means, if the convertable part isn't you're main reason for looking at it, move on. For that price, there are MANY-a-nice-cars that can be had for that price range.

The NC seems to get very lukewarm reviews from most Mazda lovers, which is a real shame. Mazda need to hurry up and fix up the mushy suspension and other issues.

I liked it.

RX8 compared to the miata


MIATA=GAY and for GAY to be MEn


RX8= FUN MAN CAR. makes lots of women go crazy over it. NONE GAY. looks better. sounds better,NOT GAY, Back seats, sleek look, NOT QUEER. ROTARY engine. NOn MANGINA friendly.

just in case people are not following, the message is clear, the RX8 is in no way, shape or form gay. It's completely muthafuckin hetro

RX8 compared to the miata


MIATA=GAY and for GAY to be MEn


RX8= FUN MAN CAR. makes lots of women go crazy over it. NONE GAY. looks better. sounds better,NOT GAY, Back seats, sleek look, NOT QUEER. ROTARY engine. NOn MANGINA friendly.

there seems to be some serious problems with sexual orientation here...i don't believe either car has much to do with gay, queer or a mangina for that matter.

That said, i wouldn't let that play much of a deciding factor...

Don't worry hes from the bronx probally dominican...being from brooklyn...trust me he has to post that or he will be shot for just looking at this thread

Don't worry hes from the bronx probally dominican...being from brooklyn...trust me he has to post that or he will be shot for just looking at this thread


yea so what, how many people you see driving that car arround that look straight. if you from BK then you should now, thats all you see in the west village. now if you got offended by my comment then im sorry i didnt know we had gay people in the forums. either that or you just some angry black guy that cops kept messing with in BK and had to move to TX because you running. or hey maybe you were that 4th person with those guys they shot (the one with the gun). or maybe you just a white guy, maybe italian who was sick of black people in BK and decided to go to a red neck state were he can relate more.


P.S. I am from the Bx, and i am dominican SO what.

http://scientificblog.newsvine.com/_news/2007/04/12/660498-is-your-car-gay
'read on your own.

RX8 compared to the miata


MIATA=GAY and for GAY to be MEn


RX8= FUN MAN CAR. makes lots of women go crazy over it. NONE GAY. looks better. sounds better,NOT GAY, Back seats, sleek look, NOT QUEER. ROTARY engine. NOn MANGINA friendly.

With ignorant comments like this, I'm not sure anybody is going to listen to anything you have to say about any car. Your stock is plummeting rapidly. Grow up.

RX8 compared to the miata


MIATA=GAY and for GAY to be MEn


RX8= FUN MAN CAR. makes lots of women go crazy over it. NONE GAY. looks better. sounds better,NOT GAY, Back seats, sleek look, NOT QUEER. ROTARY engine. NOn MANGINA friendly.

Isn't it usually the ones that feel the need to make such statements are also the ones that have something they're hiding?

This poor thread has been derailed.

Does it really matter? Obviously to some Neanderthals it does.

Don't worry hes from the bronx probally dominican...being from brooklyn...trust me he has to post that or he will be shot for just looking at this thread

Anything agains Dominicans??

I think the soft-top, or even the detachable hard-top looks way better than the power top version. Plus, having owned a Miata, the simple one hand operation to open or close the soft-top from the drivers seat is part of the purity of the car. And the hard-top was no quieter than having the soft-top up anyways.

I've driven the soft top version and wasn't that impressed. The PRHT is a very cool feature IMO, but the current MX-5 isn't my cup of tea. Most Miata fans agree that the previous generations handled better. Although the current MX-5's suspension is similar to the RX-8's, even Best Motoring stated that it didn't handle as well as the 8 and that something just didn't feel right at the limit.

If I were shopping for a Miata, I'd go for the last gen Mazdaspeed version. Simple mods (intake, exhaust etc.) really open up the turbo's potential, providing ~200 hp at the wheels. And they weigh about 500 lbs less than the RX-8.

Back on topic, I didn't drive the PRHT, but test drove lots of NC. I just didn't find it as special as the rx-8. the 8 handled better as verified by some NC owners too. The open top feeling is fantastic on a nice sunny day. The new NC looks more premium than the older ones though. However the interior is not as nice as the rx8.

Anything agains Dominicans??


BULLSHIT!!! you got your RX8 in DR????. Diablo loco yo queria ser uno de los primero alla. incluso i even called the Mazda dealers there to see if the car was being sold. y na!

to the topic aqui hay un grupo de gringo y carajito Ignorantes that cant take a joke.

why a miata when you can buy an RX-8? I actually like the miata, but screw the insurance rate and the shitty practicality of the damn car

wow, this thread sure got messy in a hurry. only a joke, people.

I like the new PRHT, but the new Miata is veering a bit too far from the original concept and the first two generations. It is trying to appeal to the mainstream and ended up a bit too soft and overstylized, inside and out.

The new Mini may be heading that direction if they don't watch it.

There seems to be a big lack of gays on miata.net, so what is that saying?

I like the PRHT, but if I were getting a Miata I'd probably just get the clamshell hardtop, remove the softtop, and just drive it like a coupe. It would also need a suspension upgrade, but after that it would be one nice handling car.

Has anyone here driven the new retractable top Miata? How does it compare to an RX-8, especially in terms of noise, driving comfort, handling, and fun-to-drive factor? I've had my RX for three years and need to decide whether to wait for the next version of the RX, to spend money customizing it, or buy a Miata.I haven't driven the retractable top Miata, but I owned three—all with detachable hardtops—before buying my 8.

The Miata is really two different cars: with no top, on a twisty 2-lane road, it's maybe the perfect car. The engine is like music to your ears as you rev it and change speeds, driving comfort is terrific (if you fit, of course), handling is spot on, and you feel like you're driving one of the most fun-to-drive cars you can buy—at any price. On a sunny day—or at night downtown—the combination of air, sounds and the way it all makes you feel are like a drug. But… take the Miata on the interstate and it's not a very fun car. That driving position that feels almost perfect when you first get in gets to be fatiguing after a few hours because you can't adjust it much. With the top up (or, for that matter, down) the noise—the drone—gets to be annoying after 10 minutes or so. Especially at speeds over 65mph. (Earplugs—or Bose Noise-cancelling headphones—help a lot.) And while the Miata will drone down the interstate all day at 80mph, it doesn't really like to—you can tell the car is out of its element and would prefer to be on a little back road tooling along at 50.) With the top up, it can feel cozy sometimes, but more often than not it just feels claustrophobic—particularly if you're in there for more than an hour or so. I once did 15 hours from NJ to Chicago and knew what Lindbergh must've felt like climbing out of the "Spirit of St. Louis"—even a 2-hour trip gets fatiguing. But… on a nice day with a twisty 2-lane, there's no car I'd rather be driving. (Of course, how many really "nice" days and nights are there? Top down is no fun when it's hot, hazy and humid.)

The 8 is much more comfortable, particularly on long trips. It feels as at home on the interstate as it does on a twisty backroad. And while the cabin is not large, compared to the Miata it feels spacious. But on a country road with the sun and clouds, you miss not being able to drop the top. In a perfect world, I'd have both cars—the Miata for beautiful days and nights on 2-lane roads and downtown, and the RX-8 for everything else.

And they weigh about 500 lbs less than the RX-8.
600 for the NB Miatas

The low speed acceleration and handling of the MX-5 isn't that far off from the RX-8. You would only really notice a difference if you drive around every day at 9/10ths+ or track the car. The PRHT is quieter without really sacrificing much performance (again you will only notice when racing). Now the RX-8 is a damn sexy car, and the bigger trunk+rear seats are very useful.
I find my MX-5 to be a great weekend car, and double the gas mileage doesn't hurt either.

I too think that the miata isn't too great on long trips...but i'm sure the 2.0 is up to the job.
i also think that the NC miata can get twitchy in the rear very easily when your tossing aroudn corners....compared the RX-8 which feels rock solid. I also agree that i didn't get that special connection/vibe while driving the miata versus an 8.
I also think that the styling just doesn't look right in the front.......feels too upright when your sitting in another car and NC miata is coming towards you. It needs a body kit to look lower/aggressive instead of soft.......otherwise it kind looks like a soapbar on wheels. I think mazdaspeed makes a kit for the NC miata and i think that should be standard...
Other than that. I think a miata is pretty good with gas mileage and i think it pretty cool that it has a retractable hardtop.

.......otherwise it kind looks like a soapbar on wheels.

this is sad, but so true of almost exactly how I would have visually described the base miata without any type of appearence package or ground effects. :scared: