Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The Mazda Miata has gotten increasingly more expensive the longer it's been on sale. This is happening for a few reasons, inflation chief among them. This pesky financial fact of life governs all, from the price of goods to what we're all paid for our labor. In many cases, it's easier to raise the cost of goods than to pay more for labor, which is why so many new cars feel so expensive.The automaker also wants to make a profit on a niche sports car, and has raised prices several times in order to do that. Currently, the new MX-5 starts at $31,665 MSRP for the Sport model. In 2004, the same entry point to the Miata lineup cost $22,098, but that's before you factor in inflation. Do so, and the new car looks like a massive bargain.The Miata Used To Cost MoreChase Bierenkoven22 years ago, the Mazda Miata was a much more expensive car. Toss that figure into the CPI Inflation Calculator, and that $22,000 swells rather dramatically. The same money has the same buying power as $39,847.04 in today's dollars.AdvertisementAdvertisementToday's Miata is undoubtedly a better bargain as a result of the passage of time. It's faster, quieter, more comfortable, safer, and more efficient than the Miata was twenty-some years ago, to say nothing of the fact that it is cheaper by some margin. For the same inflation-adjusted price, you can have a loaded Grand Touring Miata and several options.Hardtop Miatas will run you more than the cost of the old car, though, ranging from $38,450 all the way up to a whopping $41,900.Some Miatas Aren't Quite Such A BargainChase BierenkovenView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleMazda has found other ways to make money on the Miata in the preceding years. Our 2026 model year test car, this blue Club model, costs a whopping $43,000 after destination, delivery, and options. That's largely due to the cost of options.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe costliest among them is the Miata's exceedingly pricey $4,900 Brembo/BBS/Recaro package, which adds excellent Recaro bucket seats, a mandatory manual transmission, forged 17-inch wheels from BBS, an aero kit, and bigger brakes from Brembo.Mazda didn't offer anything of the sort until very recently. In 2004, the most expensive option on the Miata order sheet was $1,650 in 2004 dollars, or $2,975.27 in 2026 dollars. That was not a performance option, but a blue leather interior. Hopefully that puts into perspective just how absurdly expensive that package is.While older Miatas offered nothing of the sort, it's certainly a worthy upgrade. It takes the Miata from a sports car to a Sports Car. Better brakes, real seats, and enhanced suspension are something the Miata just couldn't offer at its price point all those years ago.2004's Miata Is A Bargain NowChase BierenkovenView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementJust for funsies, let's see what today's Miata money translates to in yesteryear dollars. By far the most you should pay for an NB is around $15,000. In 2004 dollars, that works out to $8,748, or under half what Mazda was charging in the day for one.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Jul 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
+17 others
!['What the [Expletive] Is That?:' Customer Complains Car is 'Shaking Like Crazy.' Then His Mechanic Takes a Closer Look At The Tire](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4ubW90b3IxLmNvbS9p-bWFnZXMvbWdsLzQwRTk0cS9zMS9tYXpk-YS1taWF0YS1vbi1zdHVkZGVkLXdpbnRl-ci10aXJlcy10ZXN0LmpwZw/79e14514a276098b50ad4c871b42cc60.jpg?t=20260731&post_id=3458)
!['What the [Expletive] Is That?:' Customer Complains Car is 'Shaking Like Crazy.' Then His Mechanic Takes a Closer Look At The Tire](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4ubW90b3IxLmNvbS9p-bWFnZXMvbWdsL01rWVFNNC9zMS9pbWdf-ODY0Mi5qcGc/6f1ec4b4318a8b257cc3e8a877ffe35f.jpg?t=20260731&post_id=3458)
!['What the [Expletive] Is That?:' Customer Complains Car is 'Shaking Like Crazy.' Then His Mechanic Takes a Closer Look At The Tire](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4ubW90b3IxLmNvbS9p-bWFnZXMvbWdsL2xFM3dsVy9zMS9pbWdf-ODY0OC1jb3B5LmpwZw/347bc674f00c1700fd29d2c57e842287.jpg?t=20260731&post_id=3458)
!['What the [Expletive] Is That?:' Customer Complains Car is 'Shaking Like Crazy.' Then His Mechanic Takes a Closer Look At The Tire](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4ubW90b3IxLmNvbS9p-bWFnZXMvbWdsL2JnMTJHdi9zMS9tYXpk-YS1taWF0YS1vbi1zdHVkZGVkLXdpbnRl-ci10aXJlcy10ZXN0LTAxLmpwZw/93bb67d2c8cc97fba8d2ff15175061ca.jpg?t=20260731&post_id=3458)
!['What the [Expletive] Is That?:' Customer Complains Car is 'Shaking Like Crazy.' Then His Mechanic Takes a Closer Look At The Tire](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4ubW90b3IxLmNvbS9p-bWFnZXMvbWdsL3BiM3E5by9zMS9tYXpk-YS1taWF0YS1vbi1zdHVkZGVkLXdpbnRl-ci10aXJlcy10ZXN0LTAyLmpwZw/99624eda68d3f45fcbd7939f0443e37f.jpg?t=20260731&post_id=3458)
!['What the [Expletive] Is That?:' Customer Complains Car is 'Shaking Like Crazy.' Then His Mechanic Takes a Closer Look At The Tire](https://cdn.topcarnews.net/thumb/id/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4ubW90b3IxLmNvbS9p-bWFnZXMvbWdsL1hCNlBYVi9zMS9tYXpk-YS1taWF0YS1vbi1zdHVkZGVkLXdpbnRl-ci10aXJlcy10ZXN0LTAzLmpwZw/544d73fd805018640d3a35252e9dbb76.jpg?t=20260731&post_id=3458)
