2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF review: Manual proves mandatory

Little known to man is more fun than an MX-5 Miata, a stick shift, and an open road

2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF review by The Road Beat

Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman

My last dance with a Miata did not go very well, but this routine proved a much more passionate affair thanks to the inclusion of Mazda's excellent six-speed manual gearbox. I've wrung and rung this sentiment repeatedly now, but if you're willing to put up with the comfort and space compromises of a Miata, you might as well go all-in and choose the manual. An automatic should simply not be allowed here. Instead of being a tiring and inconvenient form of transportation, the stick unlocks it—and your destiny—and makes you feel like a hero on every drive.

Picks

Despite nearly 10 years on the market already, the ND Miata is still a highly attractive and sharp-looking sports car. The RF version and its folding-roof design adds neat buttresses to the rear deck that blend beautifully with the sculpted body language. Roof on or roof off, this is a good-looking car that is proving to be an absolute future classic in the visual department, not to mention the prettiest Miata in its model history.

Boasting the distinction of the Grand Touring trim, this is the nicest Miata you can buy right now when it comes to outright quality. Soft padding around the cabin and leather seats bring a dose of relative luxury, elevating the MX-5 beyond being just a cheap bag of rattling bolts. Interior refinement is simply unmatched by any version of Toyota's latest GR86, for example.

Power has been added to the ND-series of MX-5, and with the ND3, horsepower is now 181 hp on manual transmission cars (slightly less on automatics), and with a redline stretching to a fun 7,500 RPM. Thanks to short gearing from the six-speed and a sub-2,500-pound curb weight, the Miata feels urgent in any of the first four gears, even from 3,000 RPM. Second and third gear from 4,000 RPM is absolutely lively, and there’s a newfound pull to the redline that the earliest ND models were missing. Get the launch right, and 0–60 MPH takes a smidge under six seconds flat—a velocity that could never have been dreamed of when the car launched 35 years ago (those early NA Miatas took nearly 10 seconds for the same benchmark). Better still, I averaged a stupendous 31.8 MPG overall.

Suspension tuning has also evolved to justify the new ND3 dubbing, and this most recent tester benefits from the improvements—some of which are reserved exclusively for manual-equipped cars (yet another reason to skip the tepid automatic). With new spring rates and damper valving, an effective limited-slip differential, and sharper, more direct steering, this is a treat to hoon and carve asphalt with. Gone is the slight hesitancy at initial steering input, replaced with an immediacy that helps give the gift of turning via telepathy. A short wheelbase also aids in characteristically swift direction changes without feeling nervous.

Mechanical grip is low overall thanks to the modest 205-section tires, but that's totally fine by me, as it's well-matched to the available power. This also allows you to explore and experience its limits at increasingly sensible speeds—unlike the latest supercars, which don’t break a sweat until you're doubling posted speed limits. There's also noticeable body roll, but it actually improves feedback and confidence by letting you lean on each corner of the car and feel distinctly what’s happening around you.

Front-end grip is nonetheless still strong, but really toss it into slower, technical sections and understeer can happen. Luckily, it’s easy and fun to combat.;A little patience and throttle lift regains control—or even rotates the rear for a dab of 'oppo during a slide. The results of all the minor changes together culminate in an improved sports car experience, boosting confidence and fun above all else rather than just outright pace. With a car that's now more hooked up to the road and your senses than ever, this is the best driving Miata I can remember.

But that isn't even the best part of the car. The real treat is when everything is tied together by the brilliant six-speed manual transmission. For a lightweight, low-power car, clutch effort is unexpectedly high, signaling its intent for serious drivers through its added interaction. It can be a bit springy on takeoff, so there’s an adjustment curve, but my god, the way your right hand can so intuitively snick and click through the gears ought to be studied by physicists or, at the very least, preserved in a museum.

Now, it’s not the best manual I’ve ever driven—that honor still goes to the Honda Civic Type R for its quintessential rifle-bolt mimicry—but the Miata gearbox is such a joy to use that you find yourself upshifting and downshifting just for the hell of it, a reminder of what can make driving so damn fun. It’s also incredibly easy to heel-and-toe on downshifts, with proper pedal spacing and a quick throttle response that makes rev-matching seamless.

This is a great—no, amazing—transmission, and it's the real heart and soul of the Miata. For that reason alone, the automatic shouldn’t even be allowed, let alone offered. I also love that the transmission is at its best under high-load conditions, like wide-open-throttle redline upshifts. The revs don’t hang too long, and the clutch disengages smoothly and snaps you right back into the power. Orchestral is what I'd call that. The subtle presence of tranny whine under acceleration is also a treat, reminiscent of straight-cut gears in race cars.

Nicks

People truly considering an accurate representation of the MX-5 likely won't care much about the negatives I’m about to list, but they do exist. And there’s no escaping the fact that Miatas are compromised in their pursuit and ideology of creating a lightweight and uncompromising sports car. When you're on a great back road, none of this matters—but when just commuting on the freeway or running errands, you remember this is a car meant for transportation, too.

Even with the electrically folding roof in place, this is a noisy car at freeway speeds. Flip the roof away—which can only be done when either stopped or moving forward so slowly you might as well be stopped (not while reversing, though)—and this RF does not give the same convertible experience as the traditional ragtop. All you really get is turbulence and noise. The height of the windshield keeps air passing overhead from actually touching or rustling through your hair joyously.

Over 60 MPH with the roof panel tucked away, and you’ll find yourself cranking the radio volume at least halfway to max just to hear your tunes, and that's with the upgraded Bose stereo this Grand Touring has. The RF design also traps wind right near your outside ear, and there’s simply so much overall buffeting that you get the worst parts of a convertible, but without any of the good.

Without a glovebox under the dash and only an awkward cubby between the seats that requires a solid vinyasa yoga movement to open, this is not a practical car in any sense of the word. The trunk is decent enough, but inside the cabin there’s barely space for a pair of sunglasses nor even a canister of my favorite Mentos gum. The center display also has noticeable lag when operating, much like a deteriorating iPhone.

Despite the fun body roll that aids connection and allows for sports car sensations at reasonable speeds, the ride quality is constantly bouncing and jiggling both you and your passenger. Soft suspension and a lightweight car ought to make for a comfortable and compliant ride—but that’s unfortunately not the case here.

And lastly, the main deterrent for many will be the $40,000 asking price, which just seems like too much for a Mazda Miata. Luckily, the purist-oriented Club soft top can still be had for nearly 25% less.

An incredible and authentic sports car at its core

The bare bones that make up the foundation of the current ND3 MX-5 Miata are undeniably brilliant. A chassis that urges you to explore its limits, the engine is as powerful and involving as ever, and the gearshift is one of the finest available at any price. Because of the turbulent airflow and added weight and cost of the RF, the best version remains the more affordable ragtop, which also gives you true wind-in-your-hair fun while actually being quieter with the top down. Miatas would be meaningless to me without the manual, as I’ve shared in the past, and experiencing Mazda’s little gem of a sports car with a proper stick shift revitalizes my belief in the MX-5.

2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring

As-tested price: est. $40,000

Pros: Unbelievably fun

Cons: RF is not the one

2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring (Manual) – Key Specifications

• Engine: 2.0L SKYACTIV-G Inline-4

• Horsepower: 181 hp @ 7,000 rpm

• Torque: 151 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

• Transmission: 6-speed manual

• Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive (RWD)

• Curb Weight: Approximately 2.500 lbs

• 0–60 mph: about 6 seconds flat

• Top Speed: ~135 mph (estimated)

• Redline: 7,500 rpm

• Fuel Economy: 31.8 MPG real world

• Fuel Type: Regular unleaded (87 octane recommended)

• Suspension:

  • Front: Double wishbone

  • Rear: Multi-link

• Brakes: 4-wheel disc with ABS

• Steering: Electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion

• Wheels: 17-inch alloy wheels

• Tires: 205/45R17

• Roof Type: Power-retractable hardtop (RF)

• Interior Trim: Leather-trimmed seats

• Infotainment:

  • 8.8" center display

  • Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

  • Mazda Connect system

• Audio System: Bose® 9-speaker premium audio

• Climate Control: Automatic

• Driver Assistance (Grand Touring only):

  • Adaptive Front-lighting System

  • Traffic Sign Recognition

  • Lane Departure Warning

  • Blind Spot Monitoring

  • Rear Cross Traffic Alert

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