There are few rites of passage as intoxicating—or as enduring—as the first car that really matters. Not your parents’ hand-me-down Camry or the lease special you picked up for the monthly payment. I mean the first car that sparks something inside you. That invites you to shift gears not just literally, but emotionally. For countless drivers, that car is the Mazda Miata.
This week’s press car arrived in Soul Red Crystal Metallic, a color that catches the light like a jewel and practically begs to be driven top-down through golden-hour traffic. Inside, black Recaro sport seats— deeply bolstered—offered both comfort and intent, hinting at the car’s dual nature: elegant and playful, an all in one compact package.
A Pure, Unfiltered Experience
The Miata isn’t about excess. It’s not trying to dominate with power or impress with tech-laden wizardry. It’s about purity. A lightweight, rear-wheel-drive roadster that delivers joy at legal speeds and communicates with the driver in a way few cars today still do.
At just 2,450 pounds, the 2025 Miata Club RF feels like it’s been carved from air. It reacts instantly to input—steering, braking, throttle—all delivered with a tactile, analog honesty. Beneath the hood is a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine making 181 horsepower, and while those numbers won’t win bar bets, they win hearts where it counts: on winding roads, in flowing corners, and during those early morning drives when the world hasn’t fully woken up.
This particular Miata came equipped with the six-speed manual transmission—the default, and still the best. A torque-sensing limited-slip differential ensures power gets where it’s needed, especially mid-corner, and adds a surprising layer of confidence on slippery or uneven pavement. Want an automatic? You can get one on the Grand Touring, but in this car, rowing your own gears is half the point.
The Car That Teaches You to Drive
The Miata doesn’t compensate. It teaches. It tells you, in no uncertain terms, when your line through a corner is wrong or your braking was too timid. But it never scolds. It encourages. It’s a forgiving mentor with just enough of an edge to keep you honest.
For young enthusiasts, it’s the car that turns curiosity into obsession. For older drivers, it’s a reminder of what driving used to feel like before everything became filtered, softened, and over-assisted.
This tester also came fitted with the Brembo/BBS/Recaro Package, adding Brembo front brakes with red calipers, BBS 17-inch forged alloy wheels, and those signature Recaro seats that hug
you through every curve. Functional upgrades, yes—but also deeply emotional ones. They heighten the Miata’s sense of purpose without overstepping the line into flashiness.
A Gentleman’s Entry Point
It may be tempting to see the Miata as playful or unserious, but make no mistake: owning one is not the mark of a novice—it’s the mark of someone in on the secret. There’s elegance in choosing simplicity. There’s discernment in rejecting overindulgence.
Mazda hasn’t ignored modernity, either. The 8.8-inch color center display supports wireless Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™, paired with a Bose 9-speaker audio system, HD Radio, USB-C inputs, and even Alexa built-in. It’s all controlled through Mazda’s tiny multi-function commander knob, which feels intuitive enough to never distract from the drive.
Other standard features on this Club RF include push-button start, Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), and Traction Control System (TCS)—the kinds of safety and convenience features that fade into the background, until the day you’re grateful they’re there.
The Path It Opens
Owning a Miata doesn’t just get you behind the wheel—it gets you into the culture. You start noticing the weight of a clutch pedal, the way a good set of tires feels on cool asphalt, the smell of oil and leather and summer heat. You learn about handling before horsepower, balance before bravado.
And before long, you’re looking at Nissan Z’s, Porsche 918s, maybe even a Lotus Emira. The Miata is the automobile world’s “gateway drug”. But unlike most first steps, it’s one you never regret revisiting.
Final Thoughts
In a world obsessed with status and spec sheets, the 2025 Mazda Miata remains refreshingly sincere. It doesn’t need to shout. It knows what it is—and if you let it—it will show you who you are behind the wheel. Whether you’re just arriving in the world of enthusiast motoring or returning to its roots, there is perhaps no better companion for the journey.
MSRP for the MX-5 Club RF starts at $40,650, with this as-tested example priced at $42,430. Not cheap. Not expensive. But absolutely worth it for what it offers: clarity, connection, and joy—three things the world, and driving, could use a bit more of.
Because the first car that gets you? That’s the one that stays with you forever.
The Unofficial Ambassador for the State of Texas
