• Mazda has sold more than 850,000 Miatas worldwide since the car debuted for the 1990 model year.

• America has always been the biggest market for the Mazda MX-5 Miata.

• Mazda says the MX-5 Miata is the single most-raced nameplate in the world.

• Mazda claims that every Miata’s design and development has been guided by the Japanese principle jinba ittai, or “oneness of horse and rider.”

• Today’s third-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata takes its exterior design inspiration from the first-generation car.

• Mazda engineers weigh every single component that is used to build the 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata, in an effort to reduce as much weight as possible.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport with a manual transmission weighs 2,447 pounds.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring with an automatic transmission and power retractable hardtop weighs 2,619 pounds. The top alone adds just over 80 pounds to the Miata.

• Aluminum is used to construct the 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata’s hood, trunk lid, front suspension control arms, rear suspension uprights, rear brake calipers, and the head and block of the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata’s engine is mounted in a front/mid-ship location for improved weight distribution and vehicle balance.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata’s weight distribution is 52/48 front/rear when equipped with a soft convertible top. The model with the optional power retractable hardtop is even better at 51/49.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata’s engine has a 7,200 rpm redline.

• With all Miatas, Mazda has aimed to deliver an engine sound mimicking that of dual-carbureted sports cars of the 1960s.

• With the 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata, a lightweight plastic composite intake manifold is specifically designed to transmit frequencies that match the desired sound profile, while suppressing unwanted engine noises.

• When equipped with a manual transmission, the 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata also includes an Induction Sound Enhancer (ISE) that delivers the engine’s natural induction sound to the cowl area via a series of tuned pipes and a passive resonance membrane.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata’s manual gear ratios are “close stacked to enhance the joy of driving.”

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata is available with an optional six-speed automatic that has paddles for upshifts and buttons mounted on the steering wheel for downshifts.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata’s standard vinyl or cloth convertible roof – depending on model – can be lowered or raised with one hand from the driver’s seat.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata’s optional power retractable hardtop provides the security and weather-tight performance of a traditional fixed roof but lowers and raises in just 12 seconds, without impinging upon trunk space.

• Every 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata is equipped with an “aero-board” located between the two front headrests, designed, when raised, to reduce reverse air flow into the cabin for greater comfort and less turbulence.

• Every 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata includes a front passenger airbag cutoff switch, so that small children can safely ride in the car.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata’s coefficient of drag is 0.34 with the soft top and 0.32 with the power retractable hardtop.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata has 4.6 inches of ground clearance.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata’s trunk can hold 5.3 cubic feet of cargo.

• If head room is a priority when buying a 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata, choose the soft top. It has 37.4 inches of head room, compared to 37 inches for the power retractable hardtop.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata contains no parts sourced from the U.S. or Canada. In fact, 95 percent of the parts used in its construction come from Japan.

• The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata is built in Hiroshima, Japan.

Note: This review was published on February 4, 2010. It may not reflect data that has become available for this vehicle since that date.