Used 2011 MAZDA MX-5 Miata Grand Touring Convertible 2D

If you enjoy an immediate connection between steering wheel and roadway, you’ll revel in the performance of the MX-5 Miata. There is absolutely nothing extraneous to the architecture, and while its footprint may be an expansion on the ’60s-era Lotus that inspired it, there are few cars today – and virtually none in the U.S. market – that better combine fun, efficiency and affordability. And its hardtop (now about 2/3 of sales) makes the Miata amenable to most climes.

If – because of area, financial circumstance or proclivity – yours is a one car household, the MX-5 may not be your cup of sake. It remains a diminutive two-seater, providing comfortable accommodation for two adults of average size in combination with two briefs of average size. To its credit, the accommodation is much better than that offered by its one-time competitor, the Pontiac Solstice. But that will be little consolation when you’re trying to get your new living room from Ikea back to the casa.