2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Test Drive

I thought that I was through with “Back to the Future” references, but that’s where Mazda is heading with the 2016 MX-5 Miata (with Android Car Gps).

After 25 years of getting bigger and heavier, the two-seat roadster has made a sharp U-turn, dropping weight and a couple of dress sizes with it.

At 2,332 pounds, the fourth-generation Miata is the lightest sports car you can buy in the United States and weighs around 150 pounds less than its predecessor. That loss is nearly half the weight it’s gained over the past quarter-century thanks to all of the safety equipment and creature comforts that had been added.

The new one still has all of that stuff. But an increased use of aluminum and high-strength steel, plus a few other tricks – like reducing the weight of the air conditioning system – have turned the tide.

Mazda’s engineers cut the fat wherever they could find it. The seats, for example, use dense foam, eliminating the need for springs. Instead of having a separate height adjustment system, the rails are angled so the seat rises as you move it closer to the steering wheel.

The Miata has gotten a style makeover to go with its trim new form, too. Where previous versions were cute and toy-like, this one verges on sexy, with bulging fenders and steely-eye headlights sitting at the end of a long and remarkably low hood.

Behind them is a 155 hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder that’s nearly overkill in a featherweight like this. It’s paired with a six-speed manual transmission or, to completely defeat the point of this car, a six-speed automatic. What about install Car DVD?

Fun fact: The manual transmission has no overdrive. Sixth gear is a 1:1 ratio. Compare that to an economy-minded runablut like a Chevy Sonic, which uses three overdrive gears in its search for fuel efficiency, and that pretty much sums up the ethos of the Miata. Nevertheless, its EPA rating is 30 mpg combined, up from 25 mpg for the last edition, so that weight loss clearly pays all kinds of dividends. (Meanwhile, the automatic transmission does have overdrive, and gets 36 mpg hwy, so it has that going for it.)

Prices start at $26,035 for a base Miata Sport. Step up to $29,720 and you get the autocross-ready Club, with its nifty bodykit, stiffer suspension and wider wheels and tires. Fork over $31,185 and you get the relatively luxed-out Grand Touring, which has leather upholstery, navigation, a lane departure warning system and a blind spot monitor. If installing an Android Car Stereo in your car, that would be great!