SHOCK: Evo Gives New Miata 3.5 Stars

The Best Car Magazine in the World (Evo) has given the new MX-5 3.5 stars, saying "It doesn't quite work."

After a month of rave reviews for the new Miata, the Evo review was the one I had been waiting for, the definitive review. If you don't read Evo, you should. It is easily the best car magazine written, and their reviews are, IMNSHO, absolutely authoritative.

So what're the problems?

"[The steering] is very quick to respond ... but there's too much friction in the system, a friction that ruins the transparency it's possible to feel even via power assistance if it's engineered the right way. The result is an artificial dartiness, a resistance to turning that you suddenly get past and then the nose dives in."

#2: "It's not fast enough. ... The reality is that [the 2.0 liter] feels a bit flat, is not bursting with a desire to rev to the heavens and is little more engaging than its relative in the Ford Fiesta ST."

#3: "The US-spec test cars were ridiculously short-geared."

"This is all a bit troubling. ... I wanted to love this car. Its whole being is clearly hinged around all the right things, the bonding with the car, the thrill of driving. How can those who think that way, then, not see how they've missed the mark?"

"So, dammit, it should be brilliant, and relying on some buyers' lack of dynamic discernment is no excuse. Nor, I imagine, would its creators want it to be. They just need to cook those ingrediants a little more."

:monkey:

S.

Who is Evo? Sorry but I've never heard of them......

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Originally Posted by POS Racing

Who is Evo? Sorry but I've never heard of them......

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Euro auto magazine. They are a typically more critical of car design and performance.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/evo/

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Originally Posted by wrxmr2eater

Euro auto magazine. They are a typically more critical of car design and performance.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/evo/

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Thanks! :thumleft:

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Originally Posted by wrxmr2eater

Euro auto magazine. They are a typically more critical of car design and performance.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/evo/

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Ooohh... I wonder what a cross-Atlantic subscription would cost!



I'm too lazy to go look it up... ;)

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Originally Posted by Treibenschnell

Ooohh... I wonder what a cross-Atlantic subscription would cost!



I'm too lazy to go look it up... ;)

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More than 8 bucks an issue last time I checked. But like all magazines they can be had cheaper. Just have to find one in a subscription clearinghouse.

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Originally Posted by wrxmr2eater

More than 8 bucks an issue last time I checked. But like all magazines they can be had cheaper. Just have to find one in a subscription clearinghouse.

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I wonder if they have a media discount! Hmm...

Well, I dont konw if I want to read that magazine now. :thumbdow:

UK Auto magazines do tend to be a bit more... critical? driver oriented? less concerned about the number of cupholders?... than American Auto magazines. But tell me srivendel, what cars do they like? My only complaint about UK Auto Mags is they tend to dismiss all American cars out of hand, and think the TVRs and Rovers are the best vehicles in the world (no bias there, eh?) :roll: .

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Originally Posted by Kestrel

My only complaint about UK Auto Mags is they tend to dismiss all American cars out of hand,

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Isnt the Miata from Japan? I agree with them dismissing American cars, but do they do it with Japanese too?

EVO is usually pretty good. Yeah, they can be kind of critical, but I prefer that to the mainstream American car rags, which can't seem to really say anything bad about any car. EVO did give the previous Miata five out of five stars, and have always spoken highly of it as a pure driver's car. As Kestrel pointed out, they're typically more concerned with clipping apexes than carrying Big Gulps in their reviews, especially of sports and sporting cars.

I'm still interested in getting behind the wheel of an NC and reaching my own verdict, but so far I'm not won over. The styling is nice, but doesn't really call out to me, and the way Mazda is packaging the options on the NC are going to hurt the Miata's grassroots competition appeal

Not to jump in to defend a car that I haven't driven or even seen in person, but...

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Originally Posted by srivendel

#2: "It's not fast enough. ... The reality is that [the 2.0 liter] feels a bit flat, is not bursting with a desire to rev to the heavens and is little more engaging than its relative in the Ford Fiesta ST."

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Come to think of it, I've heard many this many times regarding the NAs and NBs. How many times have you heard this from friends?

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Originally Posted by srivendel

#3: "The US-spec test cars were ridiculously short-geared."

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I suppose in our country of speed-limited highways it'd make more sense to trade some of that double-the-legal-limit-plus speed (that you can't use) for acceleration (that you can).

I guess we'll all have more strong opinions after flogging them in October. :)

Chuck

PS: I remember when they did the GRM challenge in Orlando using the (then-new) Corrados. They brought three or four of them, and after a day of 120+ people autocrossing them only a couple ran and none of them had clean gearboxes. While I'm guessing the ZZL will probably be easier on them, it'll still be a great "abuse" test. Wanna buy an NC? Wanna know what'll die under abuse? Go back at the end of the weekend and look behind the trailer to see the ones that are parked...

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Originally Posted by Kestrel

UK Auto magazines do tend to be a bit more... critical? driver oriented? less concerned about the number of cupholders?... than American Auto magazines. But tell me srivendel, what cars do they like? My only complaint about UK Auto Mags is they tend to dismiss all American cars out of hand, and think the TVRs and Rovers are the best vehicles in the world (no bias there, eh?) :roll: .

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The NB was a 5-star car. Their favorite non-expensive cars include the Cooper S JCW (but they complain about the large wheels), the Renault Clio 182 Cup/Trophy, and Lotus Elise. They also believe the new GTI is a return to form for VW.

I find their reviews very discerning. For instance, they view the current M3 as brilliant yet somewhat one-dimensional. They consider the Pagani Zonda to be the best of the current crop of supercars, even though it's not the fastest. And they're not willing to call every single Evo/WRX that comes along the Next Great Thing. Their articles always strike me as quite honest, and written from the perspective of the lay, hardcore enthusiast driver.

S.

Sounds like a good magazine. If they are as discerning and enthusiast-oriented as you say they are, their opinion does matter... in a way that Car & Driver's opinion doesn't.

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Originally Posted by Kestrel

and think the TVRs and Rovers are the best vehicles in the world (no bias there, eh?) :roll: .

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:lol: But TVR's are the best vehicles in the world!

TVR kicks ass!

if yah didn't notice I'm a big fan

You have to remember... if it weren't for Americans there would be no such thing as a cup holder in a car.

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Originally Posted by srivendel

They consider the Pagani Zonda to be the best of the current crop of supercars, even though it's not the fastest. .
S.

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I would second that view, although a few others top my list. That is one of my favs and the material/build quality and reliability surpases its supercar competitors IMO. The interior on the Pagani is a work of art wrapped in alcantra and leather and such.

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Originally Posted by ccage

Not to jump in to defend a car that I haven't driven or even seen in person, but...


Come to think of it, I've heard many this many times regarding the NAs and NBs. How many times have you heard this from friends?


I suppose in our country of speed-limited highways it'd make more sense to trade some of that double-the-legal-limit-plus speed (that you can't use) for acceleration (that you can).

I guess we'll all have more strong opinions after flogging them in October. :)

Chuck



PS: I remember when they did the GRM challenge in Orlando using the (then-new) Corrados. They brought three or four of them, and after a day of 120+ people autocrossing them only a couple ran and none of them had clean gearboxes. While I'm guessing the ZZL will probably be easier on them, it'll still be a great "abuse" test. Wanna buy an NC? Wanna know what'll die under abuse? Go back at the end of the weekend and look behind the trailer to see the ones that are parked...

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They messed up a few Mazdaspeeds at MSR when they brought the dealers in to run them a couple of years ago. I hope we get to have that much fun in October at Lone Star Park!