First generation – NA (1989–1997) The first generation MX-5 was introduced in 1989 and was in production until 1997. Upon its release, the car won numerous accolades such as
Automobile Magazine's 1990 Automobile of the Year and
Car and Drivers
10Best list from 1990 to 1992. It initially featured a
straight-four engine making 116 horsepower; in late 1993, a larger 1.8-liter engine was made standard in most markets. The MX-5 was designed with inspiration from the
Lotus Elan, with features such as pop-up headlights unique to the NA model. To keep the weight and price down, base models were not equipped with power steering, air conditioning, or a sound system, and had steel wheels. A five-speed manual transmission was standard, with the option of a four-speed automatic also available.
Second generation – NB (1998–2005) The second generation MX-5 was unveiled in 1997 and put on sale in 1998 for the 1999 model year. While it kept the same proportions of its predecessor, its most noticeable change was the removal of the
retractable headlamps, which were eliminated in the face of more stringent
pedestrian safety tests. The NB model of the MX-5 featured a slight increase in engine power, a refined interior design and the option of a six-speed manual transmission. In 2001, the model underwent revisions, the second generation boasted a slight increase in engine power, a more refined interior with an updated design, and a newly available six-speed manual transmission. In 2001, further revisions included slightly updated front and rear styling as well as variable-valve timing engine technology for the 1.8-liter engine, which now made . Updated models have since been known as NB2, while the earlier versions are referred to as NB1. While various special editions continued to be introduced throughout the entire NB production run, the Mazdaspeed MX-5 is distinctive for being the only MX-5 to be turbocharged at the factory. The Mazdaspeed variant, built for the model years 2004 and 2005, made from a turbocharged version of the normal 1.8-liter engine, enabling a quarter-mile time of 15.2 seconds and a time of 6.7 seconds. Other Mazdaspeed specs include stiffer and shorter springs, Bilstein shocks, and larger 17-inch wheels.
Third generation – NC (2005–2015) Taking design cues from the 2003
Mazda Ibuki concept car, the third-generation Mazda MX-5 was introduced in 2005 and was in production until 2015. This generation introduced
Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT), a variant featuring a folding hard top mechanism that does not encroach on trunk space. During its release, the third generation MX-5 received several accolades such as the 2005–2006
Car of the Year Japan Award and
Car and Drivers 10Best list from 2006 to 2013.
Fourth generation – ND (2015–present) The fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 was unveiled in 2014 and has been in production since 2015. An updated model was introduced in 2019 and is visually identical to the pre-update model; the engine was upgraded to and a dual-mass flywheel introduced to the powertrain in the manual transmission. The 2024 version received some minor tweaks. The ND generation introduced a
Retractable Fastback (RF) variant that features a rigid roof and buttresses that give the silhouette a more coupé-like appearance than the soft top convertible. The fourth generation MX-5 has received several accolades such as the 2015-2016 Car of the Year Japan Award, the 2016
World Car of the Year Award,
Car and Drivers 10Best list from 2016 to 2019, and the
Red Dot Best of the Best Award in Product Design 2017. In addition, the car is the basis for the
Fiat 124 Spider and
Abarth 124 Spider. ==Production numbers and details==