In making the redesigned 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata friendlier to taller people, the driving position is lower to the floor in deeply-dished seats that have firmer bolsters. In combination with a taller dashboard and cowl, the seating will seem too low to drivers familiar with the old Miata, and there is no seat height adjuster. The side sills are higher, too, and covered with material that is pliable but not nearly as comfortable to elbows as the softly-padded sills of the old car. At least the driver’s foot well has some extra room, appreciated by folks with larger feet. The three-spoke steering wheel is a joy to grip, despite a lack of thumb rests, but the view over the hood feels less expansive. Gone is the curvaceous bubbled bonnet of the old Miata, replaced by a bulbous beveled hood which looks like that of an original Dodge Durango from the driver’s seat.

Despite added leg room, head room, and interior space, we find the 2006 Mazda MX-5 to be less comfortable than its forebear. The main reason for this, aside from the lower seating position and more restrictive seat bolsters, is the design of the door panel. We can’t print the language one test driver used to describe the hard plastic cupholders that are molded into the door panels, but clearly Mazda has forgotten that a Miata is for driving, not sipping a café latte. These hard plastic protrusions are located exactly where your leg wants to brace for hard right-hand corners, and rest for highway cruises.