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Just as the 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata carries on the look and feel of a classic British roadster, it delivers those wind-in-hair thrills with even better-than-expected performance. The 2006 Miata’s four-cylinder engine—a 170-hp, 2.0-liter four—is very responsive and rev-happy, with sports car-perfect handling, quick short-ratio steering, and short-throw manual transmissions that are a joy to run through the gears. It’s not a lot of power, but since the Miata weighs less than 2,500 pounds it can nevertheless get to 60 mph in about seven seconds. A near perfect 50/50 weight distribution makes its handling predictable, and the quick-ratio steering is both secure at speed and extremely fast for parking or emergency maneuvers. The Miata handles like a go-kart at low speeds and shows a surprising degree of poise for higher track speeds.

The standard soft top is easy to use and surprisingly weather-tight. Just flick the header latches and flip it over the shoulder (most will be able to use one arm) into a shallow holding area. The only downside of the soft top is noise; the Miata’s top isn’t as well-insulated as some pricier soft tops, and you’ll get a fair amount of wind and road noise on the highway.