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2012 Mazda MX5 Miata review
MX5 Miata The 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata rides on double wishbones up front, with a lateral-link layout in the rear and coil springs all around. Tires on the 6i are generously sized at 205/60HR16, with beefier 215/50VR17s on the 6s. Grip is very, very good, tenacious you might say, right up to the point where the front end pushes, telling you to lighten up. This doesn't occur until you've reached competition-level speeds, however. The amount of power-steering assist backs off the faster you go, to give good road feel, though still on the light side, at high speeds. Ride quality is plusher than we were expecting, but body roll is nicely controlled by the lateral-link rear suspension and the standard front and rear stabilizer bars. In other words, the car doesn't lean much in
corners. Road and wind noise does come through, however. We noticed more road and wind noise in cars with the Sport Package, so we suspect that the package's aerodynamic enhancements may be the cause.
Braking is better than in other cars in this class; the 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata stops in shorter distances. The optional antilock brakes demonstrated a marked propensity to arrest forward motion, with solid, progressive pedal feel, and good resistance to fade from prolonged heat buildup when driving hard for extended periods of time. The 2.3-liter, double-overhead-cam engine loves to rev. Below 3000 rpm, however, the four-cylinder lacks strong throttle response. Measured by the numbers, acceleration is on par with other four-cylinder midsize sedans. The Honda may be slightly quicker, but the Mazda feels younger and sportier. The four-cylinder works best with the manual gearbox, which is fun to row. Like the four-cylinder, it has continuously variable valve timing (VVT) for its intake camshaft; but on the V6, this feature seems to be used more effectively, providing better low-down torque along with a willingness to rev, good gas mileage, and a nice set of sounds from the air intake and the dual exhausts. The 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata interior is designed to be comfortable for front and rear passengers in the 95th percentile of all body shapes. The front seats are comfortable through a wide range of adjustments. We found them suitable for hard driving, with good upper body support and enough lower back support with the optional lumbar adjuster for all-day comfort. The rear seats are also quite comfortable. There's more than 96 cubic feet of useable space inside this car, according to the EPA measuring system, and that translates to plenty of room for four, or five in a pinch. There are half-liter cupholders in the doors and in both front and rear center consoles, and lots of other open and covered storage. The seat pockets and door pockets are huge. The interior design is complemented by carbon fiber, titanium and body-color finishes. The sharp-looking gauges are illuminated in red light, but are conventional white-on-black during the day, with nice, large and pleasing graphics. Controls are equally well-labeled, legible during the day and illuminated in red at night. Click HERE to Get 2012 car, truck, and SUV price quotes from dealers in your area.Home > Sitemap > Mazda > Nissan > Pontiac > Toyota > Volkswagen
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