As a previous owner I love the soft top… but in my short 5 year ownership I had multiple problems with the soft top… someone cut it open once… got it replaced… the place that replaced it used a cheap one and a few moths later water started leaking into it… it was so bad had to be replaced all over again I went to a custom place and had a more expensive fabric one put on… less then 3moths later there was a cut in it ( never found out from what… so just be advised hard top might be just fine ( it’s small electrical motors probably won’t cost u what a new roof dose 900-1450😅
I have a 2019 with a hard top that goes all the way down. No wings on the sides. The best of both worlds, but I want to upgrade and am having a tough time deciding.
I have a 22 RF and I love it. The only issue I have is the design that causes water droplets to remain in the area behind the rear window/rear third light area after a rain or with morning dew. It's the design of the hard top that keeps those water droplets or moisture in that area even when you are driving. The wind does not circulate to blow those droplets away. That being said when you put the top-down and the rear window goes into the body then that body design causes the water droplets that may be right behind the rear window to be pelted into the interior when you're driving. I would assume that with the soft top the water droplets or whatever tends to blow away and dries that area quicker in the wind. I guess you may have to have an RF to really understand what I'm talking about after my convoluted story LOL.
It comes down to preference and the logic your looking for. If you live in a nice neighborhood, the weather is pleasant throughout the year, you want less wind noise with the top down and you don’t mind the noise with the top up get the soft top. Of you want an all round car that you don’t have to worry about the weather as much, you don’t want people to rip your roof off, you either want the automatic or the manual, you want less noise and less maintenance for dealing with soft top drainage. This is when the you get the RF.
Got the soft top. Lighter, easier to operate, significantly cheaper and I prefer the way it looks with the roof down but having said that there’s nothing wrong with the RF
After a few years your looking at $700-800 replacement plus labor. That and they "have" to be maintained. They get ratty looking quickly all soft tops are consumable items.
Soft top all the way. Yes, it doesn’t look as attractive when it’s closed. However the car is a convertible. That’s its job. It’s designed to be open-aired. The RF with the top open doesn’t seem to be open enough to justify all the mechanical stuff going on in order to open up. And besides the soft top is quieter at higher speeds I’ve heard.
Just bought an RF. It has Shelby Daytona vibes with its style, increased safety when parked and when driving, better for highway treks as I travel in mine for work frequently, usually top up. Downsides: slow operation, blind spots.
Guys before you start fighting HARD TOP you really gonna be glad when you just take it to a professional when it breaks instead of taking care of this GOD DAMN soft top every month
I don't think people have owned a soft top car before. You have to maintain soft tops pretty frequently or they get ratty in about 2 years. Eventually they all have to be replaced and cost $700-800 plus labor. Some other issues like they like to leak.
@@richr161what maintenance are you referring to? I have a 96 Miata and haven’t replaced the soft top since 2008 and it only cost me $300. I park it outside and don’t do anything to “maintain” the soft top. It still looks fantastic too.
@@arglc Literally looks brand new after I wash the car, little dirty right now. The plastic rear window is a little yellow now but the new ones have glass and I believe it was even an option back in the day.
Bought the RF... Had an issue yesterday when i was on the highway and it started raining. Had to pull over just to put the roof on! Lovely unpredictable British weather
I have an RF, but I'd have been happy with either and didn't have much of a preference either way. I was looking at low km used MX5 NDs, and my RF came up at the right price and with only 15000km (9000 miles) on the clock. It still smelled like a new car inside. So I bought that one, but it could just as easily have been a soft top.
I feel like it's super important to mention that you can't put a roll bar on the RF. That means no three-point harness. That means no track days. They do make a roll bar for the RF but it means the top can't come down anymore because it breaks the motor...... I just feel like if track days are important to you then you really need to know that. 👍
In Scotland I'd have the roof down more with the soft top. So easy to quickly flip down at lights, but also be able to get it up quick when the heavens open on a previously sunny day. Hard top looks amazing though. Would not kick it out of bed for farting
The hard top is also $3200 to $3500 more besides having blind spot issues & wind noise with the top down. 120 pounds heavier so its a weight penalty too. Since 2016 my Club ST has been absolutely great !
Probably depends on your usage of the car.. My RF is my daily driver so hard top is a bit quieter plus I like the look a bit more. (compared my previous soft top ND)
I have a 2019 with a hard top that goes all the way down. No wings on the sides like the RF. The best of both worlds, but I want to upgrade and am having a tough time deciding. RF - not gong all the way down is an issue also sides have a bad blind spot. The fabric top kills the car's overall appearance.
Own a soft top ... easy to maintain ... I dont daily my Miata ... hard top is more expensive, heavier and doesnt offer that true open air driving experience when down ... all negatives with the soft top can be negated by the fact most Miatas like my own arent daily driven.
I never understood the soft top. Especially in expensive cars like Ferrari. You have all this beautiful car and you cover them with this shitty cloth. It looks like you have cheapend out on the car. The other part is: where can you use it? If you sit in your small safe neighborhood it's ok. But you are at risk everytime you are going in vacation of getting your soft top cut just because some asshole things he's going to steal something expensive from you.
I’ve never understood the idea of a hard top. They’re heavier, more expensive, more expensive if/when something breaks, and especially with the RF, it’s not a real convertible anymore. Might as well just buy a small coupe with a sunroof.
@@rilijn Back in 2010, indeed these kinds of mechanisms would break often. But with the ND and even the NC, they are pretty reliable. Related to the convertible part: when you put the roof down, the part behind the seats goes down, too. Only the pillars remain there. Because of this you still get the convertible feel. It's not a targa top. The targa top cars indeed have the problem you mention of not giving you the convertible feel. Related to cost: it's going to become costlier if the cloth keeps being cut by burglars. It doesn't even have to happen often. It's enough to be on one holiday and have it destroyed because some punk thought he was going to steal some valuables from you. Related to heaviness: it may be heavier, but it's still good. In terms of gas mileage, I also have a Mazda 3 2017, and I get better mileage in MX5 ND RF, if my scope is to be fuel efficient. And it's still fast. MX5 it's the poor guy's sports car. It's the best sold sports car because it is cheap. There are Porsches and other death machines for actual performance orientation.
How is the wind buffeting in the RF with the top open? When they first came out I recall hearing some complaints about it. I have owned two early generation Miatas. Yeah, the roof material eventually did need to get replaced, but that was after 20 years. I just love the look of the RF but if this was a third car that is garages and used on nice days, I say save money and get the soft top. If I parked outside and/or drive it to work every day, the RF could offer some security advantage (though bad guys can just break a window, too).
I have an RF and I have no issues with wind noise on the freeway. I've had a few convertibles (NB, NC, Boxster, Saab 9-3) and I don't feel like the RF is significantly noisier than them.
@@yamkaw346 when they break the windows the alarm can go off when they rip the soft roof i dont think it will do the same. I live in a country where a simple car alarm can attract huge crowd and those people are not ignorant people like in other countries fortunatly they beat thiefs here.
Soft top easier on the money when mechanical failures inevitably happens. Freedom at its best.
As a previous owner I love the soft top… but in my short 5 year ownership I had multiple problems with the soft top… someone cut it open once… got it replaced… the place that replaced it used a cheap one and a few moths later water started leaking into it… it was so bad had to be replaced all over again I went to a custom place and had a more expensive fabric one put on… less then 3moths later there was a cut in it ( never found out from what… so just be advised hard top might be just fine ( it’s small electrical motors probably won’t cost u what a new roof dose 900-1450😅
@@krissz22 this is why I’m holding out for a hardtop, no garage = it will get destroyed.
I just bought a Soul Red two litre RF. it’s fantastic. I’m 69 years young and it’s my first sports car!
@PalmTree8772 please explain what “it” is.
@@adriancoppin977jeez lmao
Aren’t they all 2 liter?
@@adriancoppin977obviously he means the car 🙄
I hope you have many more years of smiles in your Miata
You're gonna have a bad day with the soft top if ur neighbourhood is full of cats.
Soft top. Lighter and a true open top.
hard top. It saved me from losing my head.
For reals? Did you roll it? Was the top up or down? Thanks
team hard top
So tough. When the top is down, soft top for sure. When it’s up, hard top for sure.
I have a 2019 with a hard top that goes all the way down. No wings on the sides. The best of both worlds, but I want to upgrade and am having a tough time deciding.
@@levonparian6863 Yeah, that doesn't exist. Who you fooling?
@@levonparian6863 Why lie for no reason?
RF look is 🙌
I like how the RF looks with the top up. I don’t like how it looks with the top down. I got the soft top.
How have u been finding soft top care? Like what do u treat it with?
Hard top. It’s cold 7 months of the year where I live…
I have a 22 RF and I love it. The only issue I have is the design that causes water droplets to remain in the area behind the rear window/rear third light area after a rain or with morning dew. It's the design of the hard top that keeps those water droplets or moisture in that area even when you are driving. The wind does not circulate to blow those droplets away. That being said when you put the top-down and the rear window goes into the body then that body design causes the water droplets that may be right behind the rear window to be pelted into the interior when you're driving. I would assume that with the soft top the water droplets or whatever tends to blow away and dries that area quicker in the wind. I guess you may have to have an RF to really understand what I'm talking about after my convoluted story LOL.
Soft to drive, hard to daily
Though either would be good in each situation
Soft top💯
It comes down to preference and the logic your looking for. If you live in a nice neighborhood, the weather is pleasant throughout the year, you want less wind noise with the top down and you don’t mind the noise with the top up get the soft top. Of you want an all round car that you don’t have to worry about the weather as much, you don’t want people to rip your roof off, you either want the automatic or the manual, you want less noise and less maintenance for dealing with soft top drainage. This is when the you get the RF.
Hard top for me 100%
Got the soft top. Lighter, easier to operate, significantly cheaper and I prefer the way it looks with the roof down but having said that there’s nothing wrong with the RF
After a few years your looking at $700-800 replacement plus labor.
That and they "have" to be maintained. They get ratty looking quickly
all soft tops are consumable items.
Super cheap. Thanks for the info. I’ll go soft top now 👍
@@richr161Depends on quality really, and Miata tops are known to last long.
I have had a soft top Miata and now I have an RF. There's pros and cons to both. Either way, it's a Miata.
Hard top for me
Soft top 👍🏼 The hardtop has too much wind buffeting with the top down.
Soft top. I don’t want a half of a convertible. I want the top down. I’m also in California so our weather is amazing.
I want the RF.
Soft top all the way. Yes, it doesn’t look as attractive when it’s closed. However the car is a convertible. That’s its job. It’s designed to be open-aired. The RF with the top open doesn’t seem to be open enough to justify all the mechanical stuff going on in order to open up. And besides the soft top is quieter at higher speeds I’ve heard.
Just bought an RF. It has Shelby Daytona vibes with its style, increased safety when parked and when driving, better for highway treks as I travel in mine for work frequently, usually top up.
Downsides: slow operation, blind spots.
Guys before you start fighting HARD TOP you really gonna be glad when you just take it to a professional when it breaks instead of taking care of this GOD DAMN soft top every month
I don't think people have owned a soft top car before.
You have to maintain soft tops pretty frequently or they get ratty in about 2 years.
Eventually they all have to be replaced and cost $700-800 plus labor.
Some other issues like they like to leak.
@@richr161what maintenance are you referring to? I have a 96 Miata and haven’t replaced the soft top since 2008 and it only cost me $300. I park it outside and don’t do anything to “maintain” the soft top. It still looks fantastic too.
@@yamkaw346No way it is still looking fantastic if you have been parking it outside for 15 years.
@@arglc Literally looks brand new after I wash the car, little dirty right now. The plastic rear window is a little yellow now but the new ones have glass and I believe it was even an option back in the day.
I had the first generation Miata(‘92) which had an optional removable hardtop. I never even considered getting it. Soft top all the way!
HARD
I’ve had both and it’s just about a win for the RF.
Bought the RF... Had an issue yesterday when i was on the highway and it started raining. Had to pull over just to put the roof on! Lovely unpredictable British weather
I have an RF, but I'd have been happy with either and didn't have much of a preference either way. I was looking at low km used MX5 NDs, and my RF came up at the right price and with only 15000km (9000 miles) on the clock. It still smelled like a new car inside. So I bought that one, but it could just as easily have been a soft top.
I feel like it's super important to mention that you can't put a roll bar on the RF. That means no three-point harness. That means no track days. They do make a roll bar for the RF but it means the top can't come down anymore because it breaks the motor...... I just feel like if track days are important to you then you really need to know that. 👍
I love soft top
Definitely the soft top!! Looks far better
How’s the noise installation on the soft top? I’m assuming not that great.
Hard top
Hard top. I live in an area with heavy rain season.
The hard top has no advantage when it comes to rain. Just like the soft top, the seals on the hard top will dry and leak with time.
In Scotland I'd have the roof down more with the soft top. So easy to quickly flip down at lights, but also be able to get it up quick when the heavens open on a previously sunny day.
Hard top looks amazing though. Would not kick it out of bed for farting
The hard top is also $3200 to $3500 more besides having blind spot issues & wind noise with the top
down. 120 pounds heavier so its a weight penalty too.
Since 2016 my Club ST has been absolutely great !
I think you meant the hard top is more ??
@@davidhoppe1757 Your right TY !
I want the soft top one so bad but with how shitty the weather is in my country I can't imagine it fairing too well long term 😭😭.
Soft top for sure
Probably depends on your usage of the car.. My RF is my daily driver so hard top is a bit quieter plus I like the look a bit more. (compared my previous soft top ND)
RF❤
Hard top has better sound proof and in a hot summer day, AC better on hard top.
Get both～
Replaced the soft top on my NC. Never again. Im getting an RF for my next Miata.
Pls explain why you’ll never own a softtop again ?
@liljfunk21 because you will inevitably need to replace it and that shit is a huge hassle. Much rather have the RF, plus they look better.
the noise on soft top is much more obvious , wait until u get passby bus or lorry .
I'm about to trade in my 2016 soft top for a 2024 hard top. Can't wait.
Mission accomplished. I now have a 2024 with a hard top. I love it.
@@smstnitcwhy did you make the change?
I have a 2019 with a hard top that goes all the way down. No wings on the sides like the RF. The best of both worlds, but I want to upgrade and am having a tough time deciding. RF - not gong all the way down is an issue also sides have a bad blind spot. The fabric top kills the car's overall appearance.
The soft top
The Hard Top Is Like My Audi But The Back Is Strange
Soft top
Own a soft top ... easy to maintain ... I dont daily my Miata ... hard top is more expensive, heavier and doesnt offer that true open air driving experience when down ... all negatives with the soft top can be negated by the fact most Miatas like my own arent daily driven.
I never understood the soft top. Especially in expensive cars like Ferrari. You have all this beautiful car and you cover them with this shitty cloth. It looks like you have cheapend out on the car.
The other part is: where can you use it? If you sit in your small safe neighborhood it's ok. But you are at risk everytime you are going in vacation of getting your soft top cut just because some asshole things he's going to steal something expensive from you.
Beside hard tops looks way better and cool
The point is to have it down haha
I’ve never understood the idea of a hard top. They’re heavier, more expensive, more expensive if/when something breaks, and especially with the RF, it’s not a real convertible anymore. Might as well just buy a small coupe with a sunroof.
@@rilijn Back in 2010, indeed these kinds of mechanisms would break often. But with the ND and even the NC, they are pretty reliable.
Related to the convertible part: when you put the roof down, the part behind the seats goes down, too. Only the pillars remain there. Because of this you still get the convertible feel. It's not a targa top. The targa top cars indeed have the problem you mention of not giving you the convertible feel.
Related to cost: it's going to become costlier if the cloth keeps being cut by burglars. It doesn't even have to happen often. It's enough to be on one holiday and have it destroyed because some punk thought he was going to steal some valuables from you.
Related to heaviness: it may be heavier, but it's still good. In terms of gas mileage, I also have a Mazda 3 2017, and I get better mileage in MX5 ND RF, if my scope is to be fuel efficient. And it's still fast. MX5 it's the poor guy's sports car. It's the best sold sports car because it is cheap. There are Porsches and other death machines for actual performance orientation.
Soft top fabric will go bad. So either will cost you money down the road. Hard top is a little heavy but so much more sexy. I have the hard top
Sure soft top
Hard
How is the wind buffeting in the RF with the top open? When they first came out I recall hearing some complaints about it.
I have owned two early generation Miatas. Yeah, the roof material eventually did need to get replaced, but that was after 20 years. I just love the look of the RF but if this was a third car that is garages and used on nice days, I say save money and get the soft top. If I parked outside and/or drive it to work every day, the RF could offer some security advantage (though bad guys can just break a window, too).
I have an RF and I have no issues with wind noise on the freeway. I've had a few convertibles (NB, NC, Boxster, Saab 9-3) and I don't feel like the RF is significantly noisier than them.
The soft top I like better
Hardtop, a much more well-rounded, god for bid if an unfortunate situation was to arise your head will be saved lol
If you're on the highway and it starts raining and you have hard top, that's rough bro
RF looks better up & down.
Rf plsss lord
Soft top.
soft for sure, looks more miata when the top goes down
Soft
RF all day long....to problems with cut tops or needing to leave the vehicle un- locked best of both worlds....
RF model is $7000 more though and adds weight. So I’m going soft top.
Depends where you live
RF .
RF
Does the hard top add any chassis rigidity? I'm inclined to take the soft top just for the weight savings.
They should do a new automatic roof version that hide completely all the hard roof and looks amazing like soft roof version.
Is there no common sense on the net anymore ???
Rf easy
I got the RF. It's also a lot quieter on the road.
I choose the Honda S2000
RF for me. Just for the safety against theft
It’s still got glass windows my guy
@@yamkaw346 when they break the windows the alarm can go off when they rip the soft roof i dont think it will do the same. I live in a country where a simple car alarm can attract huge crowd and those people are not ignorant people like in other countries fortunatly they beat thiefs here.
Both have advantages, however, mildew and 80 inches of rain, we went with the RF. Nicer appeal when top is up.
Hard top it is
RF