Miata Mailing List: January 1996, Message #167
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   From: rmueller@msd.cts.com (Rainer Mueller)
Subject: Consumer Reports
   Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 00:03:26 -0500

David Kay wrote, "Business Week....isn't as worthy of response as was 
Consumer Reports when they did that terrible review of the Miata."

That must have been some time ago, because for the past couple of years 
Consumer Reports has rated the Miata as "recommended".  Allow me to quote 
from their 1995 Buying Guide:

MAZDA MX-5 MIATA              Sports car under $25,000      RECOMMENDED
Trim lines: none  Body style: convertible  Predicted reliability: much 
better than average  Owner satisfaction: better than average
This rear-wheel-drive two-seater harkens back to the British sports cars 
of the 1950's and 1960's, with their hard and noisy ride, but the Miata 
is weathertight and reliable.  A peppy Four and a crisp five-speed manual 
transmission with a short shift pattern enhance the sporty appeal.  
Nimble handling, precise steering, and powerful brakes add to the fun.  
Tall people may feel cramped.  The exhaust note is music to a car buff's 
ears, but wind noise is a problem.  The trunk is tiny.  Most controls are 
easy to work, the displays are clear, and the climate-control system is 
capable.


Wind noise a problem?  No duh!  It's a convertible for chrissakes!


For the 1996 Buying Guide, Consumer Reports listed the 1995 engine as 
1.6l instead of 1.8l, but it was still "recommended."  I quote again:

MAZDA MX-5 MIATA
Predicted reliability: much better than average.  Depreciation: average.
A rear-wheel-drive two-seater that's as fun to drive as any sports car, 
despite a noisy, stiff ride and small trunk.  Excellent handling, 
steering, and brakes and smooth-running engine add to the fun.


Hope this sets the record straight.

Rainer Mueller
'95 white
--still looking for a name.....Edelweiss....Angelica....Whitey....?  
Suggestions gratefully accepted.

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