ATNCHN

Went with a friend to the Mazda dealership to check out the new Mazda3.. and saw this little "girl" sitting at the loner's corner
Quickly I was drawn into it.. the design, the specs, the beauty.. I was sold and would take it in a heartbeat..

I know what most people think about the Miata.. feminine and weak
But if you haven't checked out the new one, you might want to google it right now before you tell me those facts about the old ones..

I'm typing this while half-drunk but I know exactly what I'm talking about, and I'm sure there are people out there feeling the same way as me..
Anyways anyone with experience with the car please shed a light as to how it compares with the S2000.. so far I haven't seen anything on the forum so far.. I didn't get to do a test drive today since I was just there with a friend mainly..

yitznewton

I've test-driven two AP2s and one ND. The S has better power-to-weight, more sporting suspension stock, and IMO more of a manic character. The ND of course has new carness, lots of potential in the aftermarket, and great community.

They are both great cars; it comes down to what you want out of it, and the subjective effect on you.

yitznewton

I don't mean to imply that the S doesn't have a good community; I know the Miata community better than the S.

ATNCHN

Haha, thanks for replying me in both the S2Ki and Miata forum
I might wait it out as the ND has only been recently debuted.. I'm sure there's a high possibility of getting one down the road given the fact how much I like them now

Gotpepsi

I love the new miatas! I actually really want to test drive one... Do they compare to the s2000 in terms of performance? It definitely seems more comfortable though.

yitznewton

S still has better power to weight, and ND typically still has softer suspension. The S is a more stimulating car to drive: louder, more raw. With a good aftermarket suspension and some tuning, ND can probably keep up, but it definitely has a different persona.

yitznewton

Truth is, I've seen many ND comparison reviews, but no direct ND vs. S yet. Would love to see that!

bitslop

That would be interesting, I'd love to read one too. I just bought an '06 Rio Yellow S, and I was considering the new Miata. Even though I paid a bit for the S (~$22k), it was still cheaper than getting a Miata club edition (guessing ~$30k after tax+registration), and likely less depreciation with the S.

But I think the new Miata looks very nice, and of course has a few more modern conveniences in the cockpit, if a bit less power. I bet it is a hoot to drive (I didn't go test drive one, since given my reasons above I decided I'd prefer the S).

kevinS2OOO

I walked into my local Mazda dealership to check out the ND...they didn't have one single manual transmission. What a shame.

ATNCHN

I have seen a few NB and NC miatas at the track before, and they were on par (if not even faster) than the S2000
Of course, mostly it comes down to the driving skills of the driver, but I wouldn't be surprise if there are better suspension and I/H/E for the Miata that can boost the miatas significantly
I will be expecting something similar for the ND miatas down the road, with lots of aftermarket parts for the track junkies