There are plenty of sports cars that we all fantasize about burning around a track on the weekend. The Porsche 911, any generation of the Corvette, the M2, and most Mustangs are regularly seen out on the track, tearing up rubber. However fun these expensive cars are to drive, there is a small, affordable, and much-loved two-seater roadster that is a track-dweller's favorite that people don't want to trade up from. The ND Miata Has The Track-Day Formula Figured Out Mazda Since the early 1990s, the Mazda MX-5 Miata has been the go-to for budget-conscious sports car drivers, and models from every generation have done more than prove themselves on the winding back roads; they have become the wallet-friendly track-day companion for thousands across the U.S.Since its inception, the MX-5 hasn't changed a huge amount; like the first-gen models, the current generation is rear-wheel drive, has a front engine layout, is lightweight, is readily available with a manual transmission, and has a forgiving nature at speed. Today, Kelley Blue Book says you can pick up a 2016 model for as little as $16,550, while the top-end price for a 2026 MX-5 Miata RF is $38,750. So, hardly bank-breaking prices. 181 HP And A Lightweight Chassis Put The Focus On Driving William Clavey | TopSpeed The latest generation of the MX-5 is called the ND generation. It launched in 2016 and the 2026 MX-5 Miata is the most recent model you can buy. Despite the added weight of some modern tech in the cabin, the ND Miata is refreshingly old-school and has a maximum curb weight of only 2,511 pounds.Power (2019–present models) comes courtesy of a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated Skyactiv-G inline-four good for 181 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 151 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. Power is sent through either a six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual to the rear wheels. Automatic models are slightly heavier and don't give the hands-on feeling that you want on a track, but the option is there. Why We Would Choose The Miata If We Only Had One Week To Live 2024 Mazda MX-5 Front Three Quarter parkedWe've had the pleasure of test-driving numerous Miatas over the years, and while the icon receives tweaks to the formula, it always feels as pure as its mission statement dictates. Our latest romp in the Miata delivered similar vibes, with our Club trim coming equipped with BBS wheels, Brembo brakes, Recaro seats, and upgraded Bilstein shocks. While giving it a bump in the handling feel department, the upgraded package also granted it even more racer aura. The cabin is small, impractical, and, on longer trips, fatiguing, though it's not unlivable, and, of course, you can't expect a Miata to deliver commuter hatchback practicality.On the road, any and every complaint melts away with the miles. The balance, the reflexes, and the lightweight connection to the road is something that Mazda engineers cherish, and it shows here. We, as well as many other publications, refer to the Mazda MX-5 Miata as the poster child for having fun in a slow car. The modest 181 horsepower is more than enough to zip the small coupe around with grin-worthy enthusiasm, and the chassis balance and manual engagement are just as rewarding. Punch the accelerator pedal in the MX-5, and the small engine's induction system is immediately heard as it gulps in air for maximum revs. Throttle response is lightning quick, the sort of stuff you'd normally find on high-caliber Porsches. Autocross And Time-Trial Results Show What The Miata Can Do MazdaA 2026 MX-5 can hit 60 mph in between 5.5 and 5.8 seconds, so it really isn't the fastest sports car you can buy for under $20,000, but where the MX-5 ND trumps a lot of more expensive cars is how it behaves through the corners and in tight bends. You get 50:50 weight distribution, a short wheelbase and compact footprint, a limited-slip differential that pushes power nicely to the rear, and, thanks to the low curb weight, low inertia, so you can change direction quickly.You don't always need the most powerful machine to do the best on a track, and the ND Miata proves it. LapMeta says a modified ND has recorded a 1:42.4 at Laguna Seca, a 1:19.6 at Thunderhill West, a 1:37.8 at Mid-Ohio, a 1:49.9 around Sonoma's long layout, and a 2:26.0 at Sebring's shorter configuration.Ian Wright | CarBuzz | Valnet Things look even more interesting on tighter circuits. An MX-5 ND has recorded 1:15.0 at Waterford Hills, 1:24.9 at Harris Hill Raceway, and 1:38.7 at Pueblo Motorsports Park. Even at the longer Phillip Island circuit, it has posted 1:48.8. These are not supercar numbers, but that's not the point: the Miata can keep producing useful pace across some very different tracks. Spec Miata Gives Owners A Reason To Stay Bring A Trailer The MX-5 Miata's track-day appeal goes a lot further than turning up for an open session and seeing how brave you feel. Spec Miata has built an entire grassroots racing community around NA and NB MX-5s, with drivers competing through organizations like SCCA and NASA around the U.S. The cars are cheap enough to get started with, the fields are usually healthy, and most importantly, there is almost always somebody else to race.Spec Miata says race-ready cars can be bought for around $10,000 or built from roughly $15,000, depending on how much work you want to do yourself. Or, thanks to how much can be done to build up an MX-5, you can do it yourself, as long as it follows their rules. The series has multiple sanctioning bodies and regional events, so you're not building a race car that only makes sense for one particular weekend. It is a proper racing ecosystem. A Deep Racing Infrastructure Keeps The Platform Competitive Ian Wright | CarBuzz | Valnet Spec Miata has been around long enough to develop something most cheap race cars simply don't have: a massive support network. Not only is there generally someone to race against, but there is also a huge amount of shared knowledge behind the cars, so it becomes very easy to get involved.Parts, setup advice, technical information, and race prep have been refined by thousands of competitors over decades, while Mazda continues to support the platform. That makes Spec Miata unusually approachable for grassroots racing; when something goes wrong, chances are somebody in the paddock has already broken or done the same thing to their car. Familiarity And Owner Love Can Be More Valuable Than Another 100 Horsepower Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet Spec Miata is deliberately not a horsepower war. The cars are based on 1990–2005 NA and NB Miatas, with different generations balanced using minimum weights and restrictor plates. NASA says the best-built engines typically only kick out 120 to 125 horsepower, while minimum weights range from 2,275 to 2,450 pounds. That sounds very modest, but we have all seen how well low-horsepower, proper driver's cars can perform.That is one of the main reasons drivers stick with the MX-5. The MX-5 is one of the sports cars owners keep the longest, with iSeeCars saying that, on average, 7.6 percent of original owners keep their Miata for 15+ years, which is far longer than everything from the Corvette to the Z4.Bring A Trailer The Miata's lack of power becomes part of the fun rather than a limitation. You have to learn when to brake, how much speed you can carry into a corner, and when to get back on the throttle, because there aren't those extra 100 horsepower waiting to rescue a bad exit. In Spec Miata, especially, getting quicker means becoming a better driver, not just finding a quicker car. Cayman Ownership Changes The Upgrade Math PorscheWidely seen as the "entry-level" Porsche sports car, the Cayman is the more expensive, but far more potent track companion that has also made a name for itself. At its most meager stock level, the 718 Cayman (2017–2025) is good for 300 horsepower, thanks to a 2.0-liter turbo flat-four. That translates to a slowest 0–60 mph time of 4.9 seconds.Compared to the ND MX-5, the 718 Cayman is in another league for pace. At Road Atlanta, LapMeta records 1:30.46 versus the ND's 1:44.51, while Watkins Glen shows 1:56.35 against 2:17.67. At Willow Springs, it is 1:24.59 versus 1:35.52, and at LimeRock, the gap narrows to 54.8 seconds versus 59.06 seconds, but the Porsche remains very much ahead. Purchase Price Is Only The Start Of The Porsche's Extra Cost Porsche These lap times may be all the convincing you need to get a 718 Cayman over an ND MX-5, but then there is the Porsche-grade pricing. While prices are slowly coming down for the Cayman, Kelley Blue Book says a 2017 Cayman still has a minimum used price of $45,800, while something like a 2025 model will cost you between $74,795 and $166,195.The prices for the 2017 model aren't bad for their caliber, prestige, and what you can do with them, but there is no escaping the fact that the price range of an MX-5 ND is so much lower, even for new ones. That can mean a lot if you are pushing it around a track and not just driving it on the road. Tires, Brakes, Insurance, And Maintenance Can Quickly Widen The Gap PorschePutting any road car on a track takes its toll on parts and will inevitably mean you are going to spend more on maintenance and repairs, and where the MX-5 undeniably pulls ahead is in ownership costs. According to Edmunds, the average five-year cost of owning a 2020 Cayman S is $65,166.That includes $5,915 for insurance, $11,996 for maintenance, and $9,749 for repairs. Bear in mind that this is calculated for road use, not track use. RepairPal also says that it will cost you up to $7,220 to replace the wheels on a 718 Cayman, while average quotes for tire replacement range from $250 to $500+ per tire, without fitting.Mazda On the other hand, Edmunds says it will cost you $44,754 to own a manual transmission 2026 MX-5 Grand Touring over five years. Insurance comes in at $3,776 over five years; maintenance comes in at $4,124, and average repairs are just $601 over the same time.Of course, this is for road use again, and track days are going to up these costs, but tires are also cheaper (around $150 to $250 per wheel), and if you ding up the wheels, RepairPal says it will cost you between $598 and $626 to replace them. You Should Run The Numbers Before Trading Up Front 3/4 shot of 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata parkedYou should absolutely buy a used 718 Cayman today if the badge prestige, faster 0–60 mph times, powerful engine options, and a far more technical experience are what you are looking for from a track-day sports car. If you already own an MX-5 that you take around a track, upgrading to something like a Cayman is going to bring more exhaust noise and likely quicker lap times, but you should consider how much it will cost if seat time is more important than one or two lightning-quick laps.Whether you are chasing tenths in Spec Miata or simply trying to make your next track day cleaner than the last, an MX-5 gives you something to work on. You could spend a huge amount more buying and running a Cayman, but we can see why people don't give up on their MX-5s: they teach you how to drive fast and enjoyably, affordably.
