It anticipated the arrival of all those now popular roadsters like the Porsche Boxster, the Mercedes SLK, the BMW Z3 and now the Honda S2000. Although, going into its eleventh year, the Miata's getting a little long in the tooth it still creates the benchmark for all those open cars that let us drive under the skies and commune with nature and get a bad hair day all at the same time. Compared to the Panoz hunk it looks like an Austin Powers Mini-Me but the 2000 model continues to dart quickly off the mark, turn on the proverbial dime, swoop around corners and respond fairly well, albeit a bit noisily, to the heavy foot. The convertible top has a glass rear window with a defroster-something we never got in our old MGs. If it weren't for the fact that only the LS has ABS as an option I'd stick to the basic model because the Miata is a typically noisy convertible, top up or down, and you have to strain to hear the sound system at high revs.
Access is a little awkward as is typical of all sports cars that are slung low.
Storage includes the glove box, small pockets in the doors that can each hold two CDs, and central console whose lid threatens rotator cuff injury. There's a parcel shelf in the rear occupied by the ragtop when the roof is down. The 5 cubic foot trunk will hold one 18 inch roll-on suitcase and a soft grip. Any imperfections of sports cars are readily forgiven by those driving the Miata. It goes where you point it-though you may feel every bump.