Ron Perry’s 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata Driving Impressions:
Opening the door on a Mazda Miata and seeing an automatic transmission staring back at you can be a real buzz kill. Or at least I thought that until about 30 seconds into my drive of the 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata equipped with a new six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. It seems that no matter the transmission set up, a Miata is always fun to drive, and by throwing in paddle shifters Mazda has kicked the fun factor up a notch.

The automatic is tight and smooth whether you are using the paddles or not, and the low-end torque launches you from a stop almost as well as a manual transmission will. Downshifts are monitored by software that doesn’t allow one to occur if the rpm’s are too high. Try to downshift at the inappropriate time and the dash display showing your current gear just flashes at you as if giving you a raspberry. In manual mode, the computer does automatically downshift to first gear if you forget and will even let you do a second-gear start. Even with an automatic transmission, this is the same taut and tight little go-cart we have all come to love and admire – but with just a little different twist on the driving experience.

Thom Blackett’s 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata Driving Impressions:
Getting the keys to a Mazda MX-5 (or Miata, or whatever the company decides to call it this week) with an automatic transmission is like picking up Pam Anderson, only to have her greet you wearing a chastity belt. The idea of fun just seems to slip away.

There’s no telling how well the resulting evening with Ms. Anderson would go, though it would surely be filled with stimulating conversation and endless inner frustration. The MX-5, on the other hand, proves to be nearly as playful without a clutch pedal as it is with one. Engine power is always at the ready with just a slight punch of the accelerator, and the paddle shifters allow the driver to ring out the little four-banger for all its worth. Handling is tremendous, making quick slices through traffic a simple affair. With its tiny body, the MX-5 is a blast to toss into tight spaces on southern California’s 405 freeway. And when the occasional driver gets peeved at your dicey moves, use the paddle shifters to drop a few gears and leave that stressed commuter in your dust.

Quite frankly, I’ve never been a Miata/MX-5 fan because of the car’s cute looks and egregious impracticality. However, that perspective softens each time I get behind the wheel, especially when this little ride can provide fun with an automatic transmission.

Christian Wardlaw’s 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata Driving Impressions:
I caught Miata fever driving a 1994 model equipped with an automatic transmission, and became an owner after sampling several with a manual. Since that time, I’ve owned four Miatas, all with a dedicated clutch pedal. It’s not that Miatas equipped with automatic transmissions are dull to drive – anything this tossable with a convertible top is gonna be fun to some degree – but true enthusiasts like to choose their own gears and be involved with the driving.

But now, with the debut of a new six-speed automatic on the redesigned 2006 Mazda MX-5, I may need to reconsider the benefits of keeping my left leg planted on the dead pedal. The excellent Audi/Volkswagen Direct Shift Gearbox has already impressed me as a reasonable substitute for a true manual, and as far as one of my favorite sports cars is concerned, the MX-5 Miata’s automatic makes shifting my own gears seem anachronistic.

Equipped with paddle shifters and a manual shift gate for the gear selector, the clutchless MX-5 proved fun to drive on a twisting mountain road and easy to drive in the crush of rush-hour traffic. Once I acclimated to the positioning of the downshift tabs and upshift paddles, it was easy to blast down Latigo Canyon Road in Malibu in second and third gears, ultimately timing shifts better and changing gears more smoothly than with the standard manual transmission. So what if I couldn’t heel-and-toe this one – I’m not much good at it, anyway. And in traffic during the 405 freeway commute, it was nice to just creep along without continually engaging the clutch.

Though this car felt slower than the six-speed manual we tested earlier this year, the engine still revs freely, the car accelerates better than any Miata before it except the Mazdaspeed version, and it got 28.4 mpg during a week of driving. If you’re like me, spending plenty of time in traffic and starting to feel the aches and pains of middle age setting in, you really ought to try this new six-speed automatic in the MX-5.

James Fabin’s 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata Driving Impressions:
Have you ever really driven a car? I’m talking about getting behind the wheel and truly driving a car with none of those unnecessary gadgets and electronic nannies to detract from the experience. I’m talking about a true back-to-basics car – the kind that you point where you want to go, punch the throttle and the thrill of driving brings a smile to your face. Mazda’s latest version of its popular Miata is one car that is all about driving.

Getting comfortable behind the 2006 Mazda MX-5’s wheel takes no effort – even with the top up I was able to easily slide in and make the adjustments needed to get my rather portly self comfortable. As expected in a roadster, visibility with the top up is limited, but drop that top and visibility is amazing. The interior layout is very straight forward, buttons are easy to locate and read, and the steering wheel-mounted controls keep you focused on driving.

Taking off and heading for the highway, the first thought that came to mind was “highly responsive” – press the gas pedal and this car responds with instant acceleration. At lower speeds the car quickly pours on the acceleration thanks to its light weight, but on the highway it is more miserly when you punch the throttle. I’m not saying it’s slow, but personally I would like to see more ponies under the hood to allow for faster passing of all the unexciting cars.

On the highway or on side streets, the ride is firm but not disrupting. The car also allows for clear communication between the road and the driver through the oversized steering wheel. Take the Miata along a twisty road and you will quickly build the confidence to really push this car – and it doesn’t mind being pushed at all. Handling is outstanding – and this is coming from a guy who has been driving a BMW Z4 3.0 for the last year and a half. The Miata’s handling is so good that you can’t help but look for twisty roads and fly down them while grinning from ear to ear.