Cars are like members of the opposite sex. There are a million different kinds. Some get old, some are eclipsed by the new models, some are just classics, some you never want to part from, some don't last long, some are high maintenance to run, some crash early and are too expensive to repair, some make you ask yourself: "What was I thinking?"
Discussions like this are similar to ones on brunettes, gingers, and blonds.

 

My girlfriend has the new 2017 Miata. I have a 2005 S2k.

Between the two they drive completley different. I can see why people would compare them but to me they offer two completley different things.

The miata is a very spritely car. The best i can describe. is that it wants to hop between each lane and sort of skips along. You are always having fun. It's like a child skipping along cuz they just got candy or an ice-cream. Thats how light and nimble it is. It corners great but again with that super light skipping along happily feeling. Acceleration isnt the best at 120 TQ but its such a light car you kind of forget about it.

The S2k in my opinion is more of a beast. It takes things very seriously. When you put your foot down the i4 screams and you feel the power build till V-tech hits and the car just transforms into this crazy (but controlled) monster of a car. Its very direct in it's inputs and basically steps with purpose into everything it does. When cornering it takes it harder and faster than the miata. But i find it to be a lot more stable.

In the end i love both. Both are great for the backroad and both are great for top down cruises. Sometimes we'll take both cars out and then we'll switch on the way back so we can both experience each car on the same road.

I do prefer the S2k though.

Also both are completley stock. S2k only has lowering springs but thats it.

 

One thing I like about newer engine designs with VVT is that they can boost up instant torque when needed by altering cam settings, our older VTEC system can't do that and is more designed for high end HP.

 

RIP s2k. It was a good run.

 

FTFY

 

Title should be "Can the new Miata finally run with the S2000?"

 

Wow, that was so descriptive and enlightening. So well written! Thank you.

More than reading track numbers, more than stats and specs, more than our by comparison lame illustrations of martial artists or the fairer sex, your woods paint a story or what its really like to drive and experience these two iconic vehicles.

 

His description kinda reminds me of how the Honda Fit drives. I used to own one and pushing that car to red line on back roads was so much fun, and it handled very well for what it was. In the S2000 I feel like I can seriously attack corners at speed with great precision, and the sense of speed definitely feels more "urgent".

 

I've driven the new MX-5 a few times and it's a pretty fun car. It's a carefully crafted marketing formula designed to sell in relatively high volume at a low price point. I commend Mazda for drastically lowering the weight. The handling/braking/steering/shifting are all good and the fun factor is high. The interior is modern and well thought out. They did a good job with the available trim options. The automatic option, while detested by many, will ultimately double the sales volume, ensuring the success and longevity of the platform. And successful sales (~30,000 units in 2016) means that it won't be "one and done" like the S2000.

But it's not as exciting as an S2000. Maybe closer to an 08-09 S because Honda detuned the steering rack, clutch, handling, and added a bunch of electronic safety nets to keep people from driving off cliffs. The MX-5 is like a Junior version of an 08-09 S2000 with skinny tires, a smaller engine, and a manual soft top. It's a fun -new- car for around $20-30k.

I'd still choose the fun and excitement of a clean low mileage AP1 S2000.

 

Huh? Aside from continuing to shift the handling bias forward, away from oversteer every two years, and the switch to DBW throttle in '06 (which also added traction control that can be disabled at will) there are very few notable distinctions between any of the ap2 versions.

'08-'09 are very similar to the rest of the ap2's.

Something to keep in mind, ap1 vs ap2 are all much more similar to each other than one Miata generation is to the next.