Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.For want of something original to say about the Mazda Miata, I've decided to nitpick it. It's true, the Miata is just about perfect. The drivetrain is peerless in its inputs, feedback, layout, and every other respect. The ND looks elegant, not-too-shouty, and its interior is excellent. Truthfully, there is very little to critique here. However, because complaining is part of the journalistic profession, I've got a few gripes. Here they are.Passengers Will Probably Be Pretty MiserableThis lump is the source of your passengers' miseryChase BierenkovenThe Miata is not a car for passengers. This is true for two reasons. First, to have easy access to your drink, you've got to put one of the movable cupholders in the thigh of the person next to you. Second, every time you and a passenger get into the Mazda and set off on a journey, a timer starts. The problem is, under this lump lives some hot engine or exhaust component - doesn't much matter which. Eventually, the heat seeps through and suddenly your passenger's calf is roasting like a pig on a spit. Better them than you, though.The Cupholders Are Too ShortChase BierenkovenThe Miata does a lot with a little. Its cupholders can be relocated to behind the armrest or deployed as above, to give you easy access to your drink. Most of us use water bottles now, and if the center of gravity is too high, then the drink will fall out when you drive a Miata as intended. Bring something with a lid.Storage Space Is Not AwesomeChase BierenkovenView the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementThere's not a lot of room in the Miata for large items. The center armrest barely fits the key. The "glovebox" barely holds the owner's manual and a pair of sunglasses. The trunk will fit groceries for one, at most. To boot (pun intended), the opening isn't large enough for the kinds of items that could fit in there. If you want storage space, go get a GR86.The Folding Roof Has A Few ProblemsChase BierenkovenView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleThe RF might seem to be the most do-it-all Miata, but it has drawbacks just like the ragtop. For one, its powered mechanism can't be deployed over an oddly specific six miles per hour. The roof is also pretty slow, at least compared to the manual soft top. I got caught at a light holding up traffic on an otherwise beautiful evening.Then there's the weight. It's a full 80 pounds more than the soft top, which adds up in a car as small as the Miata. After all, the car only makes 181 horsepower. It's not a lot, and every pound counts in a car like this.It's ExpensiveChase BierenkovenThis car here costs $43,000. It's as loaded as Miatas can really get, with the RF folding roof and the Brembo/BBS/Recaro package, which adds, well, I'm sure that's apparent. I appreciate all these things, but that is also a damn sight more than comparable Toyota GR86s and Subaru BRZs. Even with their respective performance options, the two come out under $40,000 and offer more space and more power.AdvertisementAdvertisementThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Jul 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.