- Mazda’s MX-5 is widely considered as one of the best everyday cars for enthusiasts.
- Our QOTD is which four-door car is the best option when two more doors are a must.
The Miata is always the answer. That’s the self-containing acronym for Mazda’s long-loved two-door sports car that also goes by the name MX-5. Performance enthusiasts hold it in such high regard for numerous reasons. It’s relatively affordable, it has outstanding chassis dynamics, it provides excellent feedback, and on top of all that, it’s reasonably cheap to maintain over time, not to mention reliable.
But what about when you need the same qualities as Mazda’s most famous model in a four-door car?
The easiest route here might be to look at other Mazda models, but we immediately run into a problem: the Mazda6 sedan is effectively dead. It was put out to pasture in the US several years ago, axed in Australia this year, and Mazda hasn’t exactly rushed to bring it back or replace it – at least not yet. Unless, of course, you count the Chinese-made, China-based 6e EV as an indirect successor.
Read: Finally, Someone Made A Proper Gated Shifter For Mazda’s MX-5
Even if it was available or rumors about an inline-six powered replacement come true, we run into a second problem. Is the Mazda 6 even a good candidate for what we’d call an equivalent to the MX-5? Probably not. At least, not yet.
The outgoing 6 sedan was a perfectly good car in its own right but it wasn’t what performance enthusiasts would call a must-have. After all, it was (and still is in a few markets) a front-wheel-drive sedan. What makes the MX-5 so dynamically good is mostly down to its FR layout which the 6 doesn’t benefit from.
What Else Is Out There?
That proviso on its own pretty much rules out every non-luxury sedan on the market today. The Honda Civic, Accord, Toyota Camry, Kia K5, and most others are front-wheel drive or at the very least front-wheel drive biased. That even includes the very good Mazda3 Turbo. So let’s focus in on rear-wheel drive sedans. Options like the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing and CT4-V Blackwing are no doubt great performers but they both cost a lot.
The complexity of maintenance on a car from BMW, Audi, or Mercedes takes their cars out of the running too. Perhaps the best answer is one from an unlikely source. A few years ago, Kia killed off the Stinger with its excellent chassis, great turbocharged engine, and relatively low base price.
More: This 1990 Mazda MX-5 Is Probably The Closest Thing To A Factory New NA
On the other side of the coin, the Koreans are still building the Genesis G70 with rear-wheel drive. While it might not be as easy to maintain as the MX-5, Genesis does offer a lengthy warranty to help owners stay on the road and out of the shop. The base car costs just a touch over $40,000 and comes with 300 horsepower.
You could also make a case for the rear-wheel-drive Lexus IS, which has been around for ages, but bear in mind that it starts at nearly $42,000.
So, is there a better four-door alternative to the Miata? Or, in a world where the MX-5 isn’t exactly a sedan, is there anything that can truly fill its shoes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
