The 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club Edition Makes You Feel Like a Million Bucks
If you’ve ever met a Miata owner you know the love affair is real. There are a few cars that are instantly recognizable on the road and that keep their personality decade after decade. The Mazda MX-5 Miata is one of those special cars.
I have always found the Miata to be cute – it’s tiny, it’s sporty, it’s convertible. Surely it’s fun to drive, right, even if it isn’t practical?
But I wasn’t prepared to have an absolute blast or for my kids to beg to take turns riding in it. Everywhere we went people commented on the Mazda MX-5 Miata. When the top is down and you’re cruising the winding highway you feel like a million bucks and even a child recognizes that.
This story is 100% human researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. No AI was used.
Living the Sports Car Dream in the Mazda MX-5 Miata Club Edition
The inside of the 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club edition, the mid-level trim priced from $32,485, is everything a sports car driver dreams of; suede Recaro seats, a manual gear shift, analog dials, carbon fiber accents, and a premium sound system.
Under the hood is a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 181 horsepower, more than enough to make this a zippy coupe. The 50/50 weight distribution keeps the Miata solidly on the road and lends itself well to the grounded feeling you get when driving a 6-speed manual transmission, the only option in the Club edition; the top of the line Touring model is the only one that offers an automatic transmission.
I enjoyed my commute to town so much in the Mazda Miata MX-5 that I made the 30-minute drive multiple times the week I had this car. These long, smooth and winding highways are made for cars like this and the Miata made me wish for a sports car of my own.
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Top Down, Wind in Your Hair and a Smile On Your Face
The convertible soft-top on the Mazda MX-5 Miata is super easy to operate. There’s a latch in the front and another in the back and all you have to do is release to open it and then slide the top back to open or forward to close, and latch it again. It’s as easy as opening the door. I’ve driven a couple of convertibles with complicated tops that made you almost not want to bother, but this one is a breeze.
See those little round rings between the seat backs? Those are the drink holders and they are the only ones in the Miata. They’re a little awkward to reach, but they weren’t in the way of our elbows. We hunted for and discovered the only space to put your phone is inside the center console and the space there is just big enough for your device, nothing else. But it felt like a small price to pay for joy I felt shifting gears as I accelerated.
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She’s Got Style, She’s Got Class
I don’t recall seeing exterior paint colors continued on the interior of a car before and this design feature really stood out to me. When you choose a fun color like Zicron Sand it’s really cool to get to enjoy it while you’re driving. Paired with the carbon fiber accents on the doors and center console the Miata reminds me of a well-put-together outfit. Classy all the way.
Inside the Club edition comes with one interior choice: Black cloth and suede. There is a tan leather upgrade but like the automatic transmission, it’s only available in the Touring model. The Club model does come with standard wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a 9-speaker Bose sound system.
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The Tardis Trunk
What kind of trunk space do you get in a tiny little coupe like the Miata? It might be the Tardis of trunks, with quite a lot more space than it appears. From what I’ve heard, you can fit a set of golf clubs in here. I don’t golf, but I do grow and sell cut flowers and I used the Mazda Miata MX-5 to deliver bouquets a couple of times.
My tray fit nicely in the boot and there was plenty of head-space for the blooms. Keep in mind that this is the only storage space in this car. There are no cubbies up front so you may have to put your handbag in the trunk.
Road Noise 0 – Bose Sound System 1
Speaking of acceleration, you really do hear it with the top down. That’s why these Bose speakers in the headrests (just 2 of the 9 total speakers) are a must. They do a really good job of getting high-quality audio right where you need it.
The seats in our model are part of a $4,800 upgrade that includes the Recaro seats, BBS alloy wheels and Brembo brakes.
The Only Question Left is “Where Should We Go?”
If you could drive the 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club anywhere, where would you take it? We felt the Zircon Sand color was very patriotic and deserved a visit to the local veterans memorial. Of course it also went to church, the grocery store, the coffee shop, and to take my oldest son to work. I only wish we’d had time to escape to the mountains for a drive through the tree-canopied roads of northern Arkansas.
Good Things Come in Small Packages
Starting at $28,985 and topping out at $34,285 for the Touring model, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is a well-priced option for someone who wants the sports car life without the price tag of some of a luxury brand. The model we drove was $38,900 thanks to extras like the heated Recaro seats, red Brembo brakes, and the color-matching side sills. Oh yeah, and the destination fee.
But it still felt like we were getting a lot of fun for the money and I think that’s what makes the Miata such a fan favorite.
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