Why The Mk2 MX5 Is BETTER THAN THE Mk1 - NA vs NB (2001 1.6 California Road Test)

The Mazda MX5 is credited with recreating the sports car genre and is now a well-loved classic. But for Joe Miller, its Mk2 successor is the one to go for…
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Пікірлер: 63

  • @OdykKayne
    @OdykKayne4 жыл бұрын

    I will say that I personally like the MX5 NB's styling more than the NA....I do like the NA though! :)

  • @vossler360
    @vossler3604 жыл бұрын

    I've always considered the refreshed NBs to be the ultimate evolution of the original MX-5 design philosophy. The NB was derived from the NA, but the later NC was a completely different car.

  • @TheGeordietheWitchandtheWench
    @TheGeordietheWitchandtheWench3 жыл бұрын

    Yeah... but lights go up....light go down!!!!!

  • @mick0846
    @mick08464 ай бұрын

    I've just bought the 2.5 1.6 and feel like I'm missing out with the 1.8 6 speed. This has made me feel much happier with my purches. To be honest once I'm on the twisty roads. I absolutely love it apart from the rust that is 😂

  • @ClassicsWorldUK

    @ClassicsWorldUK

    4 ай бұрын

    You can't see the rust from the driver's seat ;)

  • @mick0846

    @mick0846

    4 ай бұрын

    @ClassicsWorldUK true 😂 " it's better than most" to quote the last mechanic who worked in it

  • @freejrs
    @freejrs3 жыл бұрын

    Have owned both na and nb and pushed them to the limit. Both are exceptional cars with similar dynamics but different characters. Na is more raw and stripped back whilst nb is more refined and composed. Both come alive when you push them hard. For me na is the pick of the two but it's a close run thing.

  • @justultrra3568
    @justultrra35684 жыл бұрын

    *NB prices go up $1000 from this video alone*

  • @ClassicsWorldUK

    @ClassicsWorldUK

    4 жыл бұрын

    Well what’re you waiting for? Grab one now 😉

  • @Tehblood
    @Tehblood3 жыл бұрын

    I do honestly feel a lot of bias here that goes against the na. I dunno if thats the styling or whatever. I think both are fucking fantastic to be clear. But I do feel like some of the criticism of the na was a bit out of place.

  • @lloydvehicleconsulting
    @lloydvehicleconsulting4 жыл бұрын

    Mr Miller, sir! Good to see they have let you loose on the Classics World channel. I think we both quite liked the Mk2 MX-5s we tested last month, didn't we?

  • @ClassicsWorldUK

    @ClassicsWorldUK

    4 жыл бұрын

    We did indeed! You know it's a good car when the review takes longer to film because you're too busy driving!

  • @lloydvehicleconsulting

    @lloydvehicleconsulting

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@ClassicsWorldUK, yes, sir! I had exactly the same problem with the Mk 2.5 MX-5 that I filmed. We had an absolute blast!

  • @Vollgasmus7
    @Vollgasmus73 жыл бұрын

    3:00 I love how you explain that completely dry and scientifically 😂👍🏻

  • @drewwagar
    @drewwagar3 жыл бұрын

    Driven both the NA and the NB extensively. I found the opposite in terms of handling and power. The NA is lighter, faster and more nervous than the NB. Retro styling aside, the NA is much less likely to rust too!

  • @Denis9ROCKSTAR
    @Denis9ROCKSTAR4 жыл бұрын

    I personally like NB's over NA's, but your statement on the grippiness in NA being better and feeling more safe than NB, i think it's quite the other way around... Or you ain't driving it fast and sketchy enough :)

  • @OwlSamurai

    @OwlSamurai

    4 жыл бұрын

    Ai, although he also has the 1.6L which from what I've researched, is quite a drop in power from the 1.8L so maybe that has something to do with it. The 1.8 being 138bhp and the 1.6 being 109bhp .

  • @GW8419

    @GW8419

    3 жыл бұрын

    Definitely. Complete opposite of the reality!

  • @Denis9ROCKSTAR

    @Denis9ROCKSTAR

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@OwlSamurai both had 1.6 and 1.8 version i think, not 100%, but the 1.6 engines are faster to rev up and in general more fun to drive over 1.8's in my opinion at least :)

  • @friendlyreptile9931

    @friendlyreptile9931

    Жыл бұрын

    @@Denis9ROCKSTAR The 1.6 is like a dead horse compared to the 1.8 and even that thing is not rly fast.

  • @hankrogacki8356
    @hankrogacki83562 жыл бұрын

    Agreed. Refined updated timeless design even today

  • @richroadin
    @richroadin4 жыл бұрын

    My Dad and I have 2 different kind of eunos British racing green auto and a silver manual love them both also both have fully working AC not minty shining but good usable fun drives

  • @richcruz936

    @richcruz936

    3 жыл бұрын

    Is the automatic a fun drive as well? I drive manual as well but with extreme heavy city traffic, I wonder if an automatic will be a better daily driver and still be fun on weekend twisty roads?

  • @richroadin

    @richroadin

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@richcruz936 for low down seats it is fun as it has a overdrive also so grin's always not to far away when opportunities arise

  • @SuperSina12
    @SuperSina124 жыл бұрын

    Hi mate, i agree with everything u said, and myself am looking for a mk 2, but everyone says that there are deals to be found but i cannot seem to find one that isnt a rust bucket for the life of me. Is there any chance that you could help? Loved the vid btw

  • @user-cn8vb9hh5z

    @user-cn8vb9hh5z

    3 жыл бұрын

    They are all rusty and more expensive to sort than a mk1

  • @oscarlainz
    @oscarlainz4 жыл бұрын

    I'd love my nb with the minimalist na6 dash

  • @juntin810
    @juntin8103 жыл бұрын

    99 sport package is the best NB out of the box in terms of performance.

  • @tynesteele
    @tynesteele4 жыл бұрын

    I got my eunos roadster for 2k and better looking than the mk1? Might wanna look again

  • @Sir-Prizse
    @Sir-Prizse2 жыл бұрын

    I have a NB because it is cheaper... but also because I like the design better, especially from the pre facelift. There's nothing special about my silver 1.6 and that's what I like about the car, I can leave it as it is or even modify it without losing much value... because the car was incredibly cheap. It feels like driving an old British classic, but I can also drive it as it was intended, without fear of breaking anything... If I wear something out, there are still enough replacement parts around and if I modify the car, it is still cheaper in tax than trying to get a German historic registration when the car is 30 years old and for that everything must remain stock.... boring.

  • @friendlyreptile9931

    @friendlyreptile9931

    Жыл бұрын

    That's true but some parts are WAAAAY overpriced. The switch for my powerwindows broke and the replacement part (NEW original mazda) was 85€ o.0. This is way to much money and the funny thing is that the same part on e-bay, will cost 100€+ *USED* xD

  • @ianrichardson5160
    @ianrichardson51604 жыл бұрын

    and that's why I have the 1999 10AE. best mk2 by far

  • @ClassicsWorldUK

    @ClassicsWorldUK

    4 жыл бұрын

    Excellent choice, Ian! We reckon that's a sure fire investment and a fun one at that!

  • @aka_ak74

    @aka_ak74

    4 жыл бұрын

    Amen to that! # 0197 says hello :-)

  • @ianrichardson5160

    @ianrichardson5160

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@aka_ak74 #6955 says hello back mate

  • @poncho828

    @poncho828

    4 жыл бұрын

    The 2001-2005 nb2 are better than the 1999-2000 nb1

  • @ianrichardson5160

    @ianrichardson5160

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@poncho828 for rusting yep :)

  • @dilumwimalaratna4149
    @dilumwimalaratna41494 жыл бұрын

    Well if you’d ask any mx5 purist an NA looks more 60’s than the dated 80’s you suggested. They copied the Lotus Elan for a reason.

  • @DDougz
    @DDougz10 ай бұрын

    I prefer the Azriona speical edition 1.8 vvt engine, abs black heated leather seats, and a LSD Noice

  • @christopherjohnston6343
    @christopherjohnston63436 ай бұрын

    You must have driven a naff NA. Having owned both an NB8 RS and an NA6 - the NB was overall better but if price was equal ((which it is in other market's) there's certain things about the NA handling and character that makes me smile more. Honestly i think most of your handling complaints probably come down to what eco tyres were fitted to the NA. My NA Is more playful than the buttoned down NB ever was

  • @snowleopard9749
    @snowleopard97494 жыл бұрын

    Kind of jealous how cheap these are elsewhere. They're upwards of 4000 GBP for a good one in Australia.

  • @ClassicsWorldUK

    @ClassicsWorldUK

    4 жыл бұрын

    Console yourself with a cheap V8 - they're fairly uncommon in Britain!

  • @Tehblood

    @Tehblood

    3 жыл бұрын

    I'm looking at all of this stuff now, where I am, its running 3 or 4 grand usd. For a decent enough, not trashed na. Same state of an nb is running 4 or 5, sometimes closer to 6. Granted youre likely able to haggle those down a good ways, especially if they want fees and such. Its actually pretty notable for me as well as I've always been an mx5 guy. I bought my last one, 94 r package(power nothing with lsd) for 2kish. Rusted as hell, from new York. But now even a heavily rusted car like the one I bought would get at least 3. Its only motivated me more to find a good one and keep it. I knew the zillions of cars sold would eventually start to dry up. And it seems we are getting to that point.

  • @MusikWeltmeister
    @MusikWeltmeister3 жыл бұрын

    From what I've read before, I thought NA and NB were basically the same car. So I am surprised about the authors impression being such a different driving experience.

  • @friendlyreptile9931

    @friendlyreptile9931

    Жыл бұрын

    They are basically the same but with differences in parts in critical places. I had the luxery to drive them all before i bought one and after going through a total of 13 testdrives, i choose the 1.8 NB (1999 non VVT b.c. i will go for a turbo and the BP4W engine is more robust). The 1.8 NB all have a limited slip differential and the NB in general has a wider track and a more direct steering compared to the NA. I also added a 6 speed from the anniversary NB (the other NB / NBFL 6 speeds, are notchy compared to this one) and a magnaflow exhaust for the NFS U2 sound XD

  • @jochem1986
    @jochem19864 жыл бұрын

    I think you're quite wrong on the styling. To me, an MX-5 is supposed to look like a classical car. Other than that, the NB looks extremely 90s, with those soft, round, bubbly shapes. It did not age very well at all.

  • @egeayvala1799
    @egeayvala17994 жыл бұрын

    the pop up hl got a big tax :D

  • @ClassicsWorldUK

    @ClassicsWorldUK

    4 жыл бұрын

    The Mk2 comes pop-up tax free!

  • @vinceyreay
    @vinceyreay2 жыл бұрын

    The weight advantage alone stands the NA ahead of the NB, as for the MGB jibe? hahahaha the emulation was of the Lotus Elan 🤪

  • @panchocoyote3608
    @panchocoyote36083 жыл бұрын

    I can buy an NB for one grand? Where?

  • @poncho828

    @poncho828

    3 жыл бұрын

    I paid 1300 for my 2002 SE

  • @farmerbobbygrows3338
    @farmerbobbygrows33383 жыл бұрын

    Personally I don’t like the pop up headlights at all and I know I’ll get hate but idc those things are more issues then there worth. I find myself extremely happy with my 1.8 nb power on demand and can get it going sideways with the tiniest clutch kick 38k miles one owner for 1800 I legit stole the car where i live average for it is 3500 to 4K

  • @ClassicsWorldUK

    @ClassicsWorldUK

    3 жыл бұрын

    Good man, excellent choice! -Joe

  • @S-Ltd1000
    @S-Ltd10004 жыл бұрын

    Of all the generation's the NB is my least favourite, the styling is bland. The crash protection you mention means they rust at the back and front.

  • @Tehblood

    @Tehblood

    3 жыл бұрын

    How can you honestly like the nc more than the nb. What a hot dog that car is lol

  • @GW8419
    @GW84193 жыл бұрын

    Having owned both and still own one of each now this is mostly rubbish. The mk2 is more refined, that's it. Looks worse (which is subjective of course) and the 1.6 is the slower than any mk1 bar the entry level late 1.6. They drive very similar but the mk1 is more tactile. Mk2 better as a daily car but cheap plastic interior and dials with no style. They are so similar to drive though this guy is basically describing the difference between a good suspension/tyre/alignment setup compared to a not so good one.

  • @benmarley3086
    @benmarley3086 Жыл бұрын

    They could’ve kept the pop ups for the NB, the last car with pop ups went out of production in 2004.

  • @friendlyreptile9931

    @friendlyreptile9931

    Жыл бұрын

    No they couldn't b.c. there is a difference between building a new car or keep producing an older version -.-

  • @xlex4198
    @xlex41984 жыл бұрын

    The NA is the N.1 no story!!