The Mazda MX-5 Miata has been in production since 1989, and enthusiasts refer to its four generations by chassis code: NA, NB, NC, and ND. If you've ever seen someone say they want an NA and wondered what that means, this is the decoder ring. Each generation has its own look, its own weight, and its own fans.
Here's every generation, sorted quickest.
NA and NB: The Featherweights
The NA (1989 to 1997) is the original and the one with pop-up headlights, which no other Miata has. It's also the lightest, roughly 2,100 to 2,300 pounds. It started with a 1.6-liter making 115 horsepower, and a 1.8-liter arrived in 1994 that pushed output up toward 130. Those pop-ups are the reason the NA is the most instantly recognizable Miata, and a big part of why clean ones have gotten expensive.
The NB (1998 to 2005) is the second generation, and the headline change is what it lost: the pop-up headlights went away in favor of fixed units. It gained some rigidity and features and put on a little weight, to roughly 2,250 to 2,450 pounds. Purists are split, some miss the pop-ups, others prefer the NB's slightly stiffer body and cleaner nose. It remains the enthusiast bargain of the range.
NC and ND: Bigger, Then Light Again
The NC (2006 to 2015) is the odd one out. Built on a larger platform, it's the heaviest Miata at 2,450 to 2,650 pounds, and it moved to a 2.0-liter engine. It also introduced a slick folding hardtop option, which broadened the appeal but pushed the car further from the tiny, tossable original. It's the least loved by the featherweight crowd, which also makes it the cheapest way into an MX-5.
The ND (2016 to now) course-corrected hard. Mazda made it shorter and lighter than the NC, bringing weight back down to roughly 2,300 to 2,400 pounds and returning the car to its lightweight roots. The updated ND2 arrived for 2019 with a revised 2.0-liter making 181 horsepower, up from the earlier car's 155. It's the modern Miata, and it proves Mazda still understands what made the first one special.
Which One Wins on Looks
Every generation has a case in a faceoff. The NA wins on charm and those pop-ups, the NB on clean simplicity, the NC on presence, and the ND on modern, sharp styling. It's one of the rare cars where four distinct generations all have genuine fans, which makes any Miata-versus-Miata matchup a real fight.
Upload yours to WhipJury and settle which generation actually looks best, instead of arguing about it forever.
Sources:
Generation years, weights, and engine changes: OnAllCylinders
ND and ND2 output and weight figures: Wikipedia
Frequently Asked Questions
Cam Walsh has been obsessing over cars since before he could drive one. Based out of Atlanta, Cam covers automotive design, car culture, and the eternal debate over which whips actually look the part.
