The Mazda MX-5 Miata enters the 2024 model year with some minor updates that further help refine what is already a well-sorted sports car.
The updates have come at a cost, though. The 2024 MX-5 Miata in base Sport grade is priced from $30,150, including a $1,165 destination charge. It marks the first time the Mazda sports car’s base price has crept past the $30,000 mark.
The 2024 model can be identified by revised headlights with new LED daytime running lights. New LED taillights have also been added, along with new wheel patterns. Completing the exterior changes is the availability of the new color Aero Gray.
Inside, the designers added extra padding around the center console to improve comfort. The gauge cluster has also been revised with graphics that are easier to read at a glance, while the infotainment system gains a larger 8.8-inch touchscreen display complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant is also featured for the first time.
2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mechanical changes consist of a new steering rack that Mazda says reduces friction. This is combined with recalibrated software for the electronic power steering assist to result in what Mazda claims is smoother steering action during cornering and improved stability when cruising on the freeway.
Buyers of the track-friendly Club grade gain a Track mode for the electric stability control that provides more leeway from the system when track driving. The Club grade starts at $33,650, including destination.
An asymmetric limited-slip differential has also been made available for 2024. According to Mazda, it improves handling by reducing liftoff oversteer and delivering more predictable turn-in.
All MX-5 Miatas are powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine rated at 181 hp, with drive sent to the rear wheels. The standard transmission is a 6-speed manual but on the Grand Touring grade, which starts at $35,450, a 6-speed automatic can be swapped in for an additional $920.
The 2024 MX-5 Miata starts sales later this winter.
Mazda hasn’t indicated how long the current fourth-generation MX-5 Miata will stick around. However, the automaker has hinted that future generations will feature some form of electrification. The Iconic SP concept rolled out at the 2023 Tokyo auto show highlighted a potential direction where Mazda uses an electric powertrain with a rotary engine serving purely as a range-extender, a setup known as a series plug-in hybrid. However, Mazda may reserve such a setup for a bigger sports car akin to an RX-8 successor.
