I wouldn't be surprised if many people aren't good at judging or even caring about steering feel, just look at the amount of performance cars that have terrible steering feel, yet they still get put on a pedestal and worshipped like they are some sort of deities.
As an S2000 owner, I can understand going with the ND3! Trading the F20c for less weight and better steering can make sense. I will say it's not a tangible factor, but the S2k feels special when I drive it like no other car I've tried. To be fair the only other cars I've tried would be a 2004 Corvette, 1987 Vette, Ge8 Fit (sick car btw), B6 S4, and a lot of boring cars.
Most car journalist dont check tire pressure when they review a car, n the problem is 99% of people and dealerships still think ur suppose to fill tires to what it says on the tire, but on the tire it says 50 psi which is the max pressure the tire could hold, the correct psi is on the door sill, n is usually 26-36psi n it makes a massive difference in ride, handling, steering feel, any car I get from the dealer first thing I do is deflate the tire because literally every single time there at the max pressure. Throttle house even admitted this happened with them in I think the c63s review where the pressure was way too high and they were like we dont like the ride its too harsh, then they found out about the tire n wrote it in the comment section of the video, pretty major mistake, if ur a journalist it aint hard to take a tire gauge n u can deflate from the gauge in a few seconds, also most new cars have the current tire psi inside the car no need to check with the gauge. For the big journalist this mistake could cost a car company millions in loss of sales since alot of people want a decent ride.
My ND3 came from the dealer with 50psi tires. Ridiculous. I set them all at 32psi and it made a remarkable difference in handling, ride and steering feel. Always check your car, front to back when you take delivery. I think they sometimes use highly untrained people to prep vehicles.
@@falcodog2917 same thing happened with my ND2 brand new n it was 50psi, correct pressure for the ND is 26 psi, try lowering it to 26 it will further improve it.
There is a third reason not to buy a manual Miata and it's because the manual Miata is not sold in many countries, only the automatic grand touring version.
The steering on GR86 isn't as good as my old GT86 but it never felt sticky with friction on the car i tested here in the UK. It still feels a lot better to me than m cars for example..
Jubbal, the rule is this on the forum. If the person has an ND2 and below, they are the cohort that is most likely to say there is no difference. The more mods and money they have put in their car, the less they will be open to the ND3 being better as they will take a bath on upgrading. Most of them have also not even driven the ND3s. 😂 Humans are capable of great things but most of us have very low self-awareness, immature and fall into predictable tropes and traps😂😅 Im sure I have my blind spots but not on this one. ND3 BBR on order in manual of course.
😂 so well said. i recorded another video saying something very similar a couple weeks back when I had the ND3. That video will go live in a few more weeks.
The same thing happened when the 2nd gen BRZ and GR86 debut, the 1st gen owners were trash talking the 2nd gen cars, calling them not a worthy upgrade, but then we eventually found out the improvements in performance with the 2nd gen are way more significant than what many people have expected.
this comparison has a LSD-less ND2, knowing they tweaked the LSD in ND3 as a direct result of the new steering, i think a better apples to apples comparison is needed the chief engineer was interviewed and said it's an incremental change for more neutral turn-in, maybe it'll come alive on track use that said, it's refreshing getting the feedback from a surgeon..you guys/gals must have great tactility!
I just want an affordable convertible, I dont care about it being rear wheel drive or front. Which car does not need much steering corrections on a straight road, MAZDA MIATA ND3 or MINI COOPER S convertible current gen? Thank you.
It’s been known that factory alignment can vary a lot. Knowing if both had same exact alignment would really be the final nail in the coffin and settle the debate.
Nice to watch someone that knows what they’re talking about! Bought a '21' 6 months ago and the first thing I noticed was the slow ratio steering and lack of feel, but not bad. I thought I was crazy because the steering is so often talked about and maybe I’m jaded from the different cars I owned, but I wasn’t super impressed, again not bad but not what I was expecting. After your review Im Going down to test drive a '24'. Thanks for the review. ✌️
Okaaay I believe you regarding the steering. But the more important question here nobody seems to be talking about is- did they fix that MONSTROSITY of a key fob with the ND3? Please, powers that be at Mazda, give us back the key fobs before 2019!
17:45 You can see here how eager the ND3 steering is to return to center. It almost snaps back. The ND2 would just get stuck or be vauge right around this area
I've owned my ND2 since January, love it but managed to get an extended test drive in the ND3 (albeit an RF, I have the ST). But I did detect a small difference in steering. For me, it felt around 15% better in terms of feedback feel, texture through the wheel and feeling the road surface. I Dont think I will spend the money to upgrade though, here in the uK the ND3 comes with intelligent speed assist where it will constantly beep at you for going over the speed limit, my nD2 doesn't have that and I really like that feature. yes, you can turn it off in the ND3 but I think one day in future, there will be some law that it has to remain on and cannot be disabled .. some software update. but yes, I did notice a small improvement.
I want to test drive one. I have a low mile 2006 S2000 in good condition that I'm happy with, but I'm curious how the Japanese roadster concept has changed to survive into the 2020s. Maybe the sales guy wouldn't let me drive it hard enough to find out.
The MX-5 is literally my favorite sports car I've even driven (and I've owned both generation BRZs and a 981 Cayman), but I don't think you could sell an S2000 to get one if that's what you were thinking. Not even saying that the S2000 is that much better than an MX-5, but just the fact that it's basically a collectors item now. The MX-5 may actually be the better car, but financially I don't think I could justify giving up a modern classic that is rare and appreciates in value for a new car that is mass produced and will depreciate. I'm not sure if that is what you were thinking, but regardless I'd suggest keeping the S2K or just getting both if you can afford it. If S2000s were a dime a dozen I'd say it might be worth trading for a Miata, because they are DAMN good and actually make great daily drivers, but since the S2K is what it is I don't think the difference isn't worth the switch.
Great review! I wonder if wheel alignment has anything to do with how it feels. Apparently the stock alignment specs have a wide range of margin. Just an idea - take both cars to a wheel alignment shop and have both cars checked. Then realign to 100% stock or Flyin’ Miata spec and retest steering feel on matching wheel alignments.
I mentioned this in his previous video but drove b2b my ‘23 club ST and my buddy’s new ‘24 club ST. Mine has the flyin Miata alignment done with increased caster. Neither of us got any discernible difference through the steering. Load up, centering and any road texture felt virtually identical. I’m sure Mazda re-tuned the steering rack but I’m willing to bet that the factory alignment is different now and that’s contributing to “feel” changes too.
@@jubbalandcars yep, I doubt Mazda would bother to do track alignment from factory. Mazda, to my surprise, put a good amount of effort in to steering that most other manufacturers aren't (looking at Subaru for BRZ).
Did you use the sport mode? mine works amazing! I have severe knee issues. Went from a 2020 Z 325hp to my current MX5 2023 GT auto. Love it. More fun than the Z IMHO.
The new ND3 wheels look awkward on every other iteration of the car except a Snowflake White Pearl GT with black soft top and black interior. With that combination, they blend into the overall scheme of things in a much less offensive manner. Los Angeles 2024 GT daily driver here whose "we all have different sensibilities and needs" is in having to sit in the most satanic traffic on planet Earth. A spasmodically dancing shifter sitting in Hell, or an automatic when you know you will never be driving on beautiful bucolic backroads or ever track the car? The answer, in my opinion, was self-evident....heretic and blasphemer be damned. (Former Machine Grey 2022 RF GT owner. The new steering improvement was stunningly apparent within 200 feet of driving around the dealership's crowded parking lot.) And yeah, I miss the front "snake fangs", hate the new GT radar module in the grill, but really wanted the upgraded LEDS and infotainment. Putting the soft top down in less than five seconds is nice. Better rear visibility with the soft top up than the RF is even nicer. Are we 2024 buyers "the last of the ICE breed?" Only time will tell. Que sera sera....
I have an ND2 and I would say the steering is poor compared with many other cars I have owned over the years. In fact after driving four different cars with electric steering, I've come to the conclusion that electric steering is not even close to matching the last of the hydraulic systems. I haven't driven the ND3 yet, so will do at some point, but I never used to worry about steering on high performance cars in the past. I'm not sure why they can't make electric steering great - it's just power controlled by software. The rest of the software in my ND2 is awesome. It's packed with features that all work brilliantly. The 2 litre 184bhp engine is great and it is giving 40 MPG even when driven in a sporty way.
Do you consider the steering wheel to be too large? There is a much smaller wheel called Corsa 330. Wanted to hear your opinions on a smaller wheel. Will def increase the steering ratio perception and effort.
I love cars with great steering feel...have had quite a few of them. If you watch the steering wheel in both cars while this video in process you can "feel" the difference. Haha I don't even need to drive it ! I can see the difference. Great video of the joy of precise driving feel! 17:39
I have had 3 ST NDs and 2 RF NDs. One of my RFs had horrible wind noise right next to my left ear that I could not solve. The next RF was better, but still annoying. I also find the top down experience worse in the RF. I like the ST better, all-around.
It looks like the ND 3 doesnt need too many steering corrections when driving straight or on a highway. I drove an ND 1 on the freeway and I was terrified lol with the amount of corrections I had to make commuting to work. Does anyone else have a similar experience with ND1 or ND2 steering?
@jubbalandcars How do you evaluate the Lane-keep Assist System in the 2024 model? I wonder whether the Lane-keep Assist messes with the steering feel, even when switched off. AFAIK there was no Lane-keep Assist in the 2023 model and it was introduced in 2024.
Could the steering weight not feel the same because you're comparing the soft top to an RF? Only the ProductReview Cars channel review had a Mazda Press Programme driver (also drives F1 medical cars) who said the main difference is the new steering is lighter. Anyway, love your channel & thanks for this detailed comparison 😊👍
Weight is different, but the feedback is what I was primarily focusing on in the video, both on-center and mid-corner. On-center feedback (weighting not relevant since you're not turning) is markedly different thus eliminating the weight concern
@jubbalandcars That's fair enough. I personally prefer heavier weighted steering despite it not being conducive to good car control. But that is of course my subjective opinion whereas increased feedback is an objectively improved metric so makes sense that would be the focus.
ND2 automatic without LSD vs ND3 manual is not a fair comparison. Until Mazda or someone shows numbers and graphs I see this kind of comparison pointless, It's basically a "Trust me bro I feel it". Nice watch btw!
The new wheels are awful tbh. The old design was so classic, then they gave it this like knock off FR-S looking wheel, which was never great and already looks dated. A small gripe, but still sucks because they were so good at making the rest of the car better with each update, the new wheels just give it one step back. Still an amazing car though and I hope they make them for as long as they can for electrification. If I had the money I'd buy like 5 of them and just put them in storage so I could drive this generation for the rest of my life. Very curious to see how the new steering feels though. Can't say I had too many complaints about the "old" steering feel.
If I spent money to give up an ND2 for an ND3 .... does that say nothing? By my actions and costs incurred don't you recognize I give greater value to the ND3 than the ND2?
The comment you got really felt rude to me, I understand not agreeing but that comment basically said you are lying. Jason cammisa felt the difference, Brian Makse felt the difference, you are not alone, you all 3 are much better drivers than most. I don't feel steering whee feedback myself but i really want a car with one and see if I learn to recognize it. I have 2023 BRZ, I am not sure yet if I want a Miata to replace it, I do have other car. How would this compare with 987.2 base cayman/boxster?
Drive a car with a good hydraulic steering rack n no human being on this planet would be able to deny the difference since it is night and day. Also imo the miata is way more fun then the boxster and the brz theres no comparison, I drive my cars hard n even when not driving hard the miata is still fun thats what I love about it. Most cars struggle with being fun when just cruising around at 4/10ths or 7/10ths, the miata is fun in all situation, I bought mine over the 991.1 911 carrera s, the miata was more fun. U literally become the car when u drive it. Jason cammisa even said multiple times the miata right now is the most fun car to drive u can buy at any price range brand new, even more fun then the 911 GT3.
@@Sideways_Singh I drive my car on track, so I have to check if I fit in Miata with helmet and pass the broomstick test after installing roll bar. It would be 35-40k car that would need some mods, not sure if I want to spend that much money.
If you daily drive it in heavy traffic a automatic is the way to go. While I plan to get a manual MX-5 my next daily driver will be automatic for sure.
I love stick shift but consider that all the new racing cars are going automatic- F1 cars, etc. etc. I am considering an automatic. I used to totally agree with you on driving a stick but so much has changed on automatics that they shift faster and are not heavy, etc. Just sayin.
That’s been true for automatics for close to 2 decades. And the automatic transmission in an F1 car is nothing like the auto in affordable consumer cars
@@jubbalandcars Agreed on the F1 but it is the dual clutch technology and it is venturing more into consumer cars. Paddle shifting was a new experience for me. As for the Miatas, I drove both and even with my familiarity with manuals (BMW/Inifniti G37) and others, I found my Interstate run test driving the Miatas in Jacksonville, very similar feeling running manual paddle or 6 spd. manual. When I ran the auto in purely auto mode it was sleepy- traffic mode I would say! I recognize heel-toe and speed shifting and track running as purely a manual endeavor; however, I selected an auto for my environment of traffic, interstate and occasional zooming around country roads- a totally different purpose rather than a medical reason. The Miata is sporty in either form. It is obvious you prefer manuals but you pulled out onto the road in the ND3 and at 4000 rpm you went crazy on manual talk but pulled out at 2000 rpm on the auto- only later pushing it hard to redline on the straight. Your manual shifts were slower than the auto. Still, I enjoyed your presentation. You pushed both cars nicely but find both of them sport capable, just that one is has a subdued 2nd nature while the other has race potential.
@@johnstobbscpa8081 I don’t think you understand. You didn’t make an argument, you just said things you did. How did you feel about the ND3 as compared to your ND2?
I wouldn't be surprised if many people aren't good at judging or even caring about steering feel, just look at the amount of performance cars that have terrible steering feel, yet they still get put on a pedestal and worshipped like they are some sort of deities.
As an S2000 owner, I can understand going with the ND3! Trading the F20c for less weight and better steering can make sense. I will say it's not a tangible factor, but the S2k feels special when I drive it like no other car I've tried. To be fair the only other cars I've tried would be a 2004 Corvette, 1987 Vette, Ge8 Fit (sick car btw), B6 S4, and a lot of boring cars.
Most car journalist dont check tire pressure when they review a car, n the problem is 99% of people and dealerships still think ur suppose to fill tires to what it says on the tire, but on the tire it says 50 psi which is the max pressure the tire could hold, the correct psi is on the door sill, n is usually 26-36psi n it makes a massive difference in ride, handling, steering feel, any car I get from the dealer first thing I do is deflate the tire because literally every single time there at the max pressure. Throttle house even admitted this happened with them in I think the c63s review where the pressure was way too high and they were like we dont like the ride its too harsh, then they found out about the tire n wrote it in the comment section of the video, pretty major mistake, if ur a journalist it aint hard to take a tire gauge n u can deflate from the gauge in a few seconds, also most new cars have the current tire psi inside the car no need to check with the gauge. For the big journalist this mistake could cost a car company millions in loss of sales since alot of people want a decent ride.
My ND3 came from the dealer with 50psi tires. Ridiculous. I set them all at 32psi and it made a remarkable difference in handling, ride and steering feel.
Always check your car, front to back when you take delivery. I think they sometimes use highly untrained people to prep vehicles.
@@falcodog2917 same thing happened with my ND2 brand new n it was 50psi, correct pressure for the ND is 26 psi, try lowering it to 26 it will further improve it.
Is S2K video next? Most excited for that comparison
Coming next week!
@@jubbalandcars looking forward to that too.
@jubbalandcars looking forward to seeing that comparison
I love the design, MX5 almost 10 years old. But it is not the market. I don’t see it on the road every day^ beautiful❤
There is a third reason not to buy a manual Miata and it's because the manual Miata is not sold in many countries, only the automatic grand touring version.
The steering on GR86 isn't as good as my old GT86 but it never felt sticky with friction on the car i tested here in the UK. It still feels a lot better to me than m cars for example..
There's a weird behavior near center that I despise. I talk about it in more detail on my GR86 vs FRS comparison video and some other GR86 reviews
@@jubbalandcars i didn't feel that but then i only had 40 min test drive..🤔
What about the track mode? How does it works?
The ND2 LED snake fang -lights makes it beautiful, ND3 stop /Start is useless on this gas saving car. 😮
Jubbal, the rule is this on the forum. If the person has an ND2 and below, they are the cohort that is most likely to say there is no difference. The more mods and money they have put in their car, the less they will be open to the ND3 being better as they will take a bath on upgrading. Most of them have also not even driven the ND3s. 😂
Humans are capable of great things but most of us have very low self-awareness, immature and fall into predictable tropes and traps😂😅
Im sure I have my blind spots but not on this one. ND3 BBR on order in manual of course.
😂 so well said. i recorded another video saying something very similar a couple weeks back when I had the ND3. That video will go live in a few more weeks.
Beautifully said 🙌🏼
The same thing happened when the 2nd gen BRZ and GR86 debut, the 1st gen owners were trash talking the 2nd gen cars, calling them not a worthy upgrade, but then we eventually found out the improvements in performance with the 2nd gen are way more significant than what many people have expected.
this comparison has a LSD-less ND2, knowing they tweaked the LSD in ND3 as a direct result of the new steering, i think a better apples to apples comparison is needed
the chief engineer was interviewed and said it's an incremental change for more neutral turn-in, maybe it'll come alive on track use
that said, it's refreshing getting the feedback from a surgeon..you guys/gals must have great tactility!
They did (are doing) the same with BMW M2's. Chris Harris called them out, said that they are just protecting the residuals on their cars. 🤣
I just want an affordable convertible, I dont care about it being rear wheel drive or front. Which car does not need much steering corrections on a straight road, MAZDA MIATA ND3 or MINI COOPER S convertible current gen?
Thank you.
Guess I will buy a used ND3 in a few years when my NB2 is going to be retired. :D
what is your height?
6'1"
It’s been known that factory alignment can vary a lot. Knowing if both had same exact alignment would really be the final nail in the coffin and settle the debate.
Automatic Miata = Blasphemy!
Great video!
Nice to watch someone that knows what they’re talking about! Bought a '21' 6 months ago and the first thing I noticed was the slow ratio steering and lack of feel, but not bad. I thought I was crazy because the steering is so often talked about and maybe I’m jaded from the different cars I owned, but I wasn’t super impressed, again not bad but not what I was expecting. After your review Im Going down to test drive a '24'. Thanks for the review. ✌️
Not everyone is as finicky about steering, but for me the steering in ND1 and ND2 was enough to make me not consider the car
Okaaay I believe you regarding the steering. But the more important question here nobody seems to be talking about is- did they fix that MONSTROSITY of a key fob with the ND3? Please, powers that be at Mazda, give us back the key fobs before 2019!
17:45 You can see here how eager the ND3 steering is to return to center. It almost snaps back. The ND2 would just get stuck or be vauge right around this area
Good eye
I've owned my ND2 since January, love it but managed to get an extended test drive in the ND3 (albeit an RF, I have the ST). But I did detect a small difference in steering. For me, it felt around 15% better in terms of feedback feel, texture through the wheel and feeling the road surface. I Dont think I will spend the money to upgrade though, here in the uK the ND3 comes with intelligent speed assist where it will constantly beep at you for going over the speed limit, my nD2 doesn't have that and I really like that feature. yes, you can turn it off in the ND3 but I think one day in future, there will be some law that it has to remain on and cannot be disabled .. some software update. but yes, I did notice a small improvement.
I want to test drive one. I have a low mile 2006 S2000 in good condition that I'm happy with, but I'm curious how the Japanese roadster concept has changed to survive into the 2020s. Maybe the sales guy wouldn't let me drive it hard enough to find out.
The MX-5 is literally my favorite sports car I've even driven (and I've owned both generation BRZs and a 981 Cayman), but I don't think you could sell an S2000 to get one if that's what you were thinking. Not even saying that the S2000 is that much better than an MX-5, but just the fact that it's basically a collectors item now. The MX-5 may actually be the better car, but financially I don't think I could justify giving up a modern classic that is rare and appreciates in value for a new car that is mass produced and will depreciate. I'm not sure if that is what you were thinking, but regardless I'd suggest keeping the S2K or just getting both if you can afford it. If S2000s were a dime a dozen I'd say it might be worth trading for a Miata, because they are DAMN good and actually make great daily drivers, but since the S2K is what it is I don't think the difference isn't worth the switch.
Great review! I wonder if wheel alignment has anything to do with how it feels. Apparently the stock alignment specs have a wide range of margin. Just an idea - take both cars to a wheel alignment shop and have both cars checked. Then realign to 100% stock or Flyin’ Miata spec and retest steering feel on matching wheel alignments.
I mentioned this in his previous video but drove b2b my ‘23 club ST and my buddy’s new ‘24 club ST. Mine has the flyin Miata alignment done with increased caster. Neither of us got any discernible difference through the steering. Load up, centering and any road texture felt virtually identical. I’m sure Mazda re-tuned the steering rack but I’m willing to bet that the factory alignment is different now and that’s contributing to “feel” changes too.
@@Accost2uask your friend to get alignment check? Or get same alignment done to his and compare?
@@ruturaj47 That’ll be the next step to get the closest comparison.
People so focused on alignment and for some reason don’t want to believe Mazda actually reduced friction and retuned the EPAS like they said
@@jubbalandcars yep, I doubt Mazda would bother to do track alignment from factory. Mazda, to my surprise, put a good amount of effort in to steering that most other manufacturers aren't (looking at Subaru for BRZ).
I’m in Vegas and have a manual nd2
Please fill out form on jubbalandcars.com and let’s compare my ND3 against your ND2
Subscribed due to great content and correct usage of the word “congruent.” An intelligent guy talking very intelligently about cars!
I like turtles 🐢
You should wear a mechanical watch to match the manual car! I'm so close to purchasing the new Miata RF! Thanks for your input! Thumbs up!
Good call on mechanical watch
@@jubbalandcars It must be a JDM mechanical watch to match the Miata. LOL!
Did you use the sport mode? mine works amazing! I have severe knee issues. Went from a 2020 Z 325hp to my current MX5 2023 GT auto. Love it. More fun than the Z IMHO.
The new ND3 wheels look awkward on every other iteration of the car except a Snowflake White Pearl GT with black soft top and black interior. With that combination, they blend into the overall scheme of things in a much less offensive manner. Los Angeles 2024 GT daily driver here whose "we all have different sensibilities and needs" is in having to sit in the most satanic traffic on planet Earth. A spasmodically dancing shifter sitting in Hell, or an automatic when you know you will never be driving on beautiful bucolic backroads or ever track the car? The answer, in my opinion, was self-evident....heretic and blasphemer be damned. (Former Machine Grey 2022 RF GT owner. The new steering improvement was stunningly apparent within 200 feet of driving around the dealership's crowded parking lot.) And yeah, I miss the front "snake fangs", hate the new GT radar module in the grill, but really wanted the upgraded LEDS and infotainment. Putting the soft top down in less than five seconds is nice. Better rear visibility with the soft top up than the RF is even nicer. Are we 2024 buyers "the last of the ICE breed?" Only time will tell. Que sera sera....
I have an ND2 and I would say the steering is poor compared with many other cars I have owned over the years. In fact after driving four different cars with electric steering, I've come to the conclusion that electric steering is not even close to matching the last of the hydraulic systems. I haven't driven the ND3 yet, so will do at some point, but I never used to worry about steering on high performance cars in the past. I'm not sure why they can't make electric steering great - it's just power controlled by software. The rest of the software in my ND2 is awesome. It's packed with features that all work brilliantly. The 2 litre 184bhp engine is great and it is giving 40 MPG even when driven in a sporty way.
Do you consider the steering wheel to be too large? There is a much smaller wheel called Corsa 330. Wanted to hear your opinions on a smaller wheel. Will def increase the steering ratio perception and effort.
I think a smaller wheel would be beneficial for this car, but I haven't tried one in a ND
Looking forward to all your future videos
All ND brake lamps and rear running lamps are LED
I completely agree with you on the new GT wheels looking way worse than the previous gen, the ND3 GT wheels are hideous!
Ya not a fan
Which do you think has the better steering and gearshift.FL5 TYPE R or2024 MX5?
MX5
Lemme get one of your passenger cupholders, I got my nd2 used and it only had 1 cup holder🤣
As a steering feel aficionado, what would you say are the best steering cars of all time?
Lotus Elise. I need to drive the Elan as well
Nice to see someone drive a Miata like how its intended. This car lives at 4k+
I love the design, MX5 almost 10 years old. But it is FLOODED THE market. I don’t see it on the road every day^ beautiful❤
I love cars with great steering feel...have had quite a few of them. If you watch the steering wheel in both cars while this video in process you can "feel" the difference. Haha I don't even need to drive it ! I can see the difference. Great video of the joy of precise driving feel! 17:39
Is it me or is that RF noisier than the soft top even with the tops up?
Yeah I was surprised by that... maybe something was off with the seal
I have had 3 ST NDs and 2 RF NDs. One of my RFs had horrible wind noise right next to my left ear that I could not solve. The next RF was better, but still annoying. I also find the top down experience worse in the RF. I like the ST better, all-around.
Is it possible to reprogram the steering wheel feeling somehow? I have an ND2 and i agree with you, the steering feel is not good enough.
No they made design changes to the rack to reduce friction
The RF is the one to get fun car I have a 2021 RF ND2️⃣
It looks like the ND 3 doesnt need too many steering corrections when driving straight or on a highway. I drove an ND 1 on the freeway and I was terrified lol with the amount of corrections I had to make commuting to work. Does anyone else have a similar experience with ND1 or ND2 steering?
They said they improved it on the ND3 over ND2 but I didn’t drive the ND2 enough on the highway to comment definitively
@jubbalandcars How do you evaluate the Lane-keep Assist System in the 2024 model? I wonder whether the Lane-keep Assist messes with the steering feel, even when switched off. AFAIK there was no Lane-keep Assist in the 2023 model and it was introduced in 2024.
I never tried it on. I had no issues with steering feel
Thanks!
What car do you drive ?
Could the steering weight not feel the same because you're comparing the soft top to an RF? Only the ProductReview Cars channel review had a Mazda Press Programme driver (also drives F1 medical cars) who said the main difference is the new steering is lighter.
Anyway, love your channel & thanks for this detailed comparison 😊👍
Weight is different, but the feedback is what I was primarily focusing on in the video, both on-center and mid-corner. On-center feedback (weighting not relevant since you're not turning) is markedly different thus eliminating the weight concern
@jubbalandcars That's fair enough. I personally prefer heavier weighted steering despite it not being conducive to good car control. But that is of course my subjective opinion whereas increased feedback is an objectively improved metric so makes sense that would be the focus.
ND2 automatic without LSD vs ND3 manual is not a fair comparison.
Until Mazda or someone shows numbers and graphs I see this kind of comparison pointless, It's basically a "Trust me bro I feel it".
Nice watch btw!
The new wheels are awful tbh. The old design was so classic, then they gave it this like knock off FR-S looking wheel, which was never great and already looks dated. A small gripe, but still sucks because they were so good at making the rest of the car better with each update, the new wheels just give it one step back. Still an amazing car though and I hope they make them for as long as they can for electrification. If I had the money I'd buy like 5 of them and just put them in storage so I could drive this generation for the rest of my life. Very curious to see how the new steering feels though. Can't say I had too many complaints about the "old" steering feel.
Great comparison - love it. Great work here.
The ND2 LED SNAKE FANGS WAS SEXY . …the ND3 * STOP START IS not needed with this gas saver❤
If I spent money to give up an ND2 for an ND3 .... does that say nothing? By my actions and costs incurred don't you recognize I give greater value to the ND3 than the ND2?
Should I get this or learn to ride a motorcycle?
I vote unicycle
The comment you got really felt rude to me, I understand not agreeing but that comment basically said you are lying. Jason cammisa felt the difference, Brian Makse felt the difference, you are not alone, you all 3 are much better drivers than most. I don't feel steering whee feedback myself but i really want a car with one and see if I learn to recognize it. I have 2023 BRZ, I am not sure yet if I want a Miata to replace it, I do have other car. How would this compare with 987.2 base cayman/boxster?
lol yeah that guy was a clown and deleted his comment
Said the same stuff in Miata forums and I just screenshotted the response there
Drive a car with a good hydraulic steering rack n no human being on this planet would be able to deny the difference since it is night and day. Also imo the miata is way more fun then the boxster and the brz theres no comparison, I drive my cars hard n even when not driving hard the miata is still fun thats what I love about it. Most cars struggle with being fun when just cruising around at 4/10ths or 7/10ths, the miata is fun in all situation, I bought mine over the 991.1 911 carrera s, the miata was more fun. U literally become the car when u drive it. Jason cammisa even said multiple times the miata right now is the most fun car to drive u can buy at any price range brand new, even more fun then the 911 GT3.
@@jubbalandcars yep, I missed the original comment before deleting but saw your screenshot.
@@Sideways_Singh I drive my car on track, so I have to check if I fit in Miata with helmet and pass the broomstick test after installing roll bar. It would be 35-40k car that would need some mods, not sure if I want to spend that much money.
@@jubbalandcars Hes doubling down in the forums 😂 Not worth your time
Do you know if there are alignment setting differences between the two? Self centering and responsiveness can be heavily influenced by alignment.
Not sure. Curious about caster especially
The rf has stiffer springs btw cus more weight on the rear so the rear has slightly stiffer springs.
I felt like in forza horizon 😂 I want to test an nd3!!
How does the steering feel of the ND3 compare to an NC?
Comparison for the future
I have an rf with an automatic transmission its great fun! Love that i can put it in drive in heavy traffic and drink my coffee on the way to work.
If you daily drive it in heavy traffic a automatic is the way to go. While I plan to get a manual MX-5 my next daily driver will be automatic for sure.
Auto 2024 club
I love stick shift but consider that all the new racing cars are going automatic- F1 cars, etc. etc. I am considering an automatic. I used to totally agree with you on driving a stick but so much has changed on automatics that they shift faster and are not heavy, etc. Just sayin.
That’s been true for automatics for close to 2 decades. And the automatic transmission in an F1 car is nothing like the auto in affordable consumer cars
@@jubbalandcars Agreed on the F1 but it is the dual clutch technology and it is venturing more into consumer cars. Paddle shifting was a new experience for me. As for the Miatas, I drove both and even with my familiarity with manuals (BMW/Inifniti G37) and others, I found my Interstate run test driving the Miatas in Jacksonville, very similar feeling running manual paddle or 6 spd. manual. When I ran the auto in purely auto mode it was sleepy- traffic mode I would say! I recognize heel-toe and speed shifting and track running as purely a manual endeavor; however, I selected an auto for my environment of traffic, interstate and occasional zooming around country roads- a totally different purpose rather than a medical reason. The Miata is sporty in either form. It is obvious you prefer manuals but you pulled out onto the road in the ND3 and at 4000 rpm you went crazy on manual talk but pulled out at 2000 rpm on the auto- only later pushing it hard to redline on the straight. Your manual shifts were slower than the auto. Still, I enjoyed your presentation. You pushed both cars nicely but find both of them sport capable, just that one is has a subdued 2nd nature while the other has race potential.
Owned an ND2 [and an ND1]. Drove the ND3. nuf' said.
You didn't say anything
😂
@@dotcom173 By spending dollars I did. I paid to have better. However, your comment truly said nothing.
@@johnstobbscpa8081 I don’t think you understand. You didn’t make an argument, you just said things you did. How did you feel about the ND3 as compared to your ND2?
@@johnstobbscpa8081 You didn't say if you bought the ND3 or not.
Headlights still suck. .