Is the Mazda MX-5 a Good First Car?

If you’re wondering if the Mazda Mx-5 is a good first car you’ve come to the right place. When choosing your first car, there are a lot of factors to consider – affordability, practicality, reliability, and of course, fun! Let’s dive in and break down some of these factors, and give you some honest pros and cons to help make your decision easier.

Affordable Purchase Price

If you’re not picky about what generation Miata to buy, you can pretty much find one for sale at any price point. You can find project cars that need some TLC under $5000, cars in “driver” condition between $5000 and $15000, and “practically new” MX5s above $15000.

Obviously the lower your budget, the harder it will be to find a good car, but that is a universal truth about car shopping, not unique to Miatas.

Insurance Cost

If you’re considering a Mazda MX-5 for a first car, you might be a young driver. Car insurance companies are notorious for charging higher prices on younger drivers, particularly those under age 25.

Insurance costs can vary widely based on a plethora of factors, but generally speaking, Miata’s are cheaper to insure than other cars that might appeal to young enthusiasts. Compare the insurance quote to one for a Mustang or WRX and the Miata will likely come out much cheaper.

Reliability

One of the great things about Miatas are that they are reliable and cheap to own. Many of the drivetrain parts are shared with other mass-produced cars in Mazda’s lineup. This means that replacement parts are readily available and very affordable. In addition, Miatas are very lightweight which means that consumable parts like tires and brakes are more cost-effective.

Ease of Repair

Mazda MX-5s are some of the easier sports cars to work on. Unlike some sports cars, the engine bay is not cramped. It is also a well-documented car. With more than a million of these cars being produced, any problems that you encounter are sure to be well-documented. There are lots of resources, whether official repair guides or free sites like Miata.Repair that help make repairing your MX-5 easy and accessible!