Initial Quality – In the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Initial Quality Study (IQS), which measures owner satisfaction with vehicle quality after 90 days of ownership, the Mazda MX-5 Miata was not rated due to insufficient sample size.

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Performance and Design – In the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout Study (APEAL), which measures owner satisfaction with performance and design attributes of a vehicle, the Mazda MX-5 Miata was not rated due to insufficient sample size.

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Vehicle Dependability – In the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which measures owner satisfaction with a vehicle’s reliability after three years of ownership, the Mazda MX-5 Miata was the top-ranked vehicle in its class, receiving 5 out of 5 Power Circle Ratings for dependability.

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Fuel Economy – The 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata is equipped with a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels through a five-speed manual, a six-speed manual, or a six-speed automatic transmission. According to the EPA, the MX-5 Miata is rated to return between 21 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, regardless of transmission choice. Our review vehicle, equipped with a six-speed manual, averaged 23.5 mpg during a week of mixed, energetic driving. Combined with the car’s 12.7-gallon fuel tank, this actual fuel economy figure results in an approximate 295-mile range between fill-ups. While the MX-5 Miata is designed to run on regular unleaded, Mazda recommends using premium instead.

Safety – Neither the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has performed crash tests on the 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata, so no crash-test scores are available.

Environment – According to the EPA, the 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata consumes 14.3 barrels of petroleum annually with a manual transmission and 14.9 barrels of petroleum annually with an automatic transmission, resulting in a carbon footprint rating of 7.7 tons per year with the manual and 8.0 tons per year with the automatic. In California and the New England region, the Mazda MX-5 Miata receives an air pollution score of 7 out of 10. In other states, the car receives an air pollution score of 6 out of 10.

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