The MX-5 Miata has had a long and illustrious history for the Mazda brand having grown to become one of the most popular models for the company since it was first introduced back in 1989. In the nearly thirty years since its introduction it has won numerous awards and sold more than 1,000,000 models. It was even recognized by Guinness Book of Word Records back in 2000 as the “best-selling two-seat convertible in history”. Therefore, it is safe to say that the MX-5 Miata holds a special place for the Mazda brand and anyone who has ever owned one. AutoGuide.com editors decided to share their favorite MX-5 Miata memories as they looked back on the different model versions that they have had the opportnity to drive over the years. A total of six editors shared their story, we have the first three here so look out for the rest in a future blog. 1.) Managing Editor Jodi Lai - Jodi says that her favorite MX-5 Miata experience happened back in March of 2014 when she was testing out an NC MX-5 that had some incredible snow tires on it. Considering this vehicle is a convertible and the temperature at the time was a bitter -17 degrees (F), she understandably gained a few stares from pedestrians, fellow drivers, and a few police officers as she drove down the street with the top down. However, she says that with her parka, gloves, scarf, and fluffy hat that she barely felt the cold as she navigated this light, rear-wheel drive convertible sports car along the road. She says that what she remembers most from that experience is the look of surprise and delight that she gained from nearly everyone she passed making this one test drive that she will never forget. 2.) Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Yarkony - For Jonathan, his favorite MX-5 Miata was the Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata that he drove around Maui on his honeymoon. He says that when planning the trip he was looking for a convertible to drive around while he and his new spouse enjoyed the beautiful sites. He ended up lucking out by finding a local dealer in the area that specialized in renting exotic vehicles and they had this model in stock. What was even better was that this was the 2004 model which was the only MX-5 Miata to be equipped with a factory turbocharged engine. This, along with the manual transmission and compact size of this model made it ideal for traveling along the famous Hana Highway which is a long, winding coastal road that is located along the end of a volcano that overlooks the ocean. The turbocharged capabilities of this model made it ideal for experiencing a nice long drive along this scenic stretch of road. 3.) News Editor Jason Siu - For Jason, unfortunately, his very first experience behind the wheel of an MX-5 Miata was one that did not fully allow him to appreciate the power and capabilities of this model as he would have liked. His cousin ordered a new Miata and asked Jason to pick it up for him. What sounded like an awesome opportunity ended up being much more complicated than he had expected. Jason was used to driving a manual vehicle but on the flat roads of Southern California and Florida. So when he had to drive this new Miata on the steep, winding roads of San Francisco he quickly realized that he was out of his league. So he spent most of the time trying to make sure that he wasn’t ruining the clutch on the unfamiliar roads rather than being able to truly appreciate all that this model was capable of on these twisty country roads. "What’s Your Favorite Mazda MX-5 Miata Memory?" AutoGuide.com. N.p., 15 Sept. 2016. Web. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autoguide.com%2Fauto-news%2F2016%2F08%2Fautoguide-answers-what-s-your-favorite-mazda-mx-5-miata-memory-.html>.
