Do you think a Mazda miata is a sports car?

The brother thinks there are no sports cars under $50,000. I said "How about the older miata, it was in the top sports cars of the decade in the 90's." He said "Nope, a miata isn't a sports car."Do you think a Mazda miata is a sports car?
Lots of cars are "sporty" cars, but the Miata is truly a sports car. The handling is superior to many $50,000+ cars out there.



Regarding the height "issue," a 6'4" basketball player at my college owned a Miata and he said he had no problems getting in and out. And there is a ton of legroom inside.



The Miata isn't just sporty, it's a true sports car. Drive a Miata. Take it on a mountain road. Test the handling. Then tell me it isn't a sports car. Your comments regarding performance lead me to believe that you've never driven one.
I'd consider it a sports car, but I'm a girl so he wouldn't think my opinion would count ;PDo you think a Mazda miata is a sports car?
He is correct, the Miata isn't a sports car. However, a sports car convertible that is under $50,000 is a Honda S2000. Look up the stats - it is very impressive.
There are many sports cars under 50 grand. Miata, Honda S-2000, BMW. I used to own Fiat 850 spyders and even though they would only do 100 mph, they were still sports cars. Now, if you want to get into labels like "sports racer" or "exotic" then you get into bucks.Do you think a Mazda miata is a sports car?
who gives a $hit what his definition of a "sports car" is?
Of course it is. Your brother (and anyone else who says it's not) don't get it: a sports car is a car that puts driving fun over everything else. That doesn't mean they can't have some practicality, but they have to be fun - not always really fast, but still fun.



There have been many sports cars over the years that haven't been fast: Fiat X1/9, 850, and 124 Spider, Alfa spyder, almost any of the old British sports cars.



So - 2 seats usually, great handling, decent performance, not usually loaded with bells and whistles.



Current cars I would consider sports cars under 50K: MX5, Sky, Solstice, S2000, 350Z, base Corvette - and the best sub 50K car is a Lotus Elise. The reason I would say the Elise (and it's sister Exige) is a better sports car than a Corvette (they have about the same base price) is it's the purest sports car - no automatic, no power steering (the only car in the US without it) - it's just you and the car and the road. That said, the Corvette is of course faster and more practical, but the Elise is more fun.



My 2 cents!





EDIT - good response from "the brother", but on mine, you missed the point - I did not say that every fun car is a sports car, I said that a sports car was designed to be fun as the top priority. A Tercel, no matter how much modified, was not designed to be fun, it was designed to be practical, basic transportation. Part of being fun is looking the part - which all my examples do - and a Tercel does not. I'll also add one thing - a real sports car MUST have rear wheel drive. I left that out above, but you will notice that none of the cars I referred to are anything but.



At 6 feet tall, you would easily fit in an MX5, by the way, I'm 6'2 and have tested it out.



Fun debate no matter what anyone's conclusions are!



EDIT AGAIN - bro, you seem to just pick out small things and focus on them and once again miss the point. I did not say that RWD makes it a sports car, it said it's one "must have" for a sports car - no car designed from the ground up to be a sports car has FWD. The Audi TT is a good example (base model is FWD as it's based on the Golf/Rabbit) - despite having two seats (in convertible form) and being fairly fast, I don't consider it a sports car.



Last time - in my view - a sports car is a car that was designed from the very start to be fun in every way. Not always the fastest, but fun. Fun to look at, fun to drive, fun to own. Just because it can be out run by a luxury sedan doesn't make it less of a sports car. How many sports cars (by your definition) would get smoked by an M5 (a luxury sedan for sure)? A Boxster would get killed by an M5, but does that make it less of a sports car? Which would you rather drive when the sun is shining, the day is warm, and you have a winding country road in front of you? That's what I'm talking about, but clearly you don't get it.



By your definition an M5 or a C63 AMG are more of a sports car than a Boxter because it's faster, but I couldn't disagree more. Better daily driver maybe, better on the highway for sure, but not as much fun on that winding road.
Hi I’m his brother,



I will try to respond to this question with as much reason as possible. First, lets look at what the question should actually say and where this question was really derived from.



My friend tells me that he’s getting $50,000 CAN. Then he asks me (because I have fair knowledge of cars), what sports car can I get under that amount, BRAND NEW!!! I said he would be able to get a sport car under that amount but not brand new. This is true!



I, myself am 6"0 and don't what to be squeezed into a small soap box car. Therefore that eliminates all cars such as Saturn Sky's, MAZDA MIATA's and Pontiac Solstice's. Remember I don't what my knee's to be sticking up over the steering wheel and obstructing my view (Exaggerating (a little)). It's dangerous and uncomfortable.



Now with that said I will respond to each comment already given:



Mel: I do think your opinion counts but when I look at people driving Mazda Miata's or even in-vision it there a girl in the drivers seat (it’s a girly car). (Not being sexist)



remowlms: Thanks someone who agrees. But remember my friend is 18 years old and still has to pay insurance for it.



Ray K: Remember brand new and I thought that sports cars could do like 220 km/h easy.



dan7532: dude whatever. Why did u even say anything? You can just guess what we don't give a $hit about.



PMack: OK, I’m 18, my father has a Toyota Tercel. He has an aftermarket exhaust manifold and exhaust system. The car is light, quick and handles well if you knows its limits. Is a stick shift and fun to drive. I’m not the only person who has said this. Lets just say that it being fun to drive and all that doesn't make it a sports car. My father Toyota Tercel is not a sports car. And yes I have heard of the Corvette and Elise but my friend and I are 18 and after buying a car like that he won't have much money left over for insurance, which might be over $4500 a year.



Dave C: Yes the Miata is "sporty" and under $50,000 but remember getting in should not be a stunt performance.



Overall with that said the Mazda Miata is not a sports car "in my eyes". A sports car is something that’s main objective is performance.



EDIT:



PMack: Just because it rear wheel drive does not make it a sport car. Yes I would say it’s a “sporty” car but it doesn’t meet my standards for a sports car. Another example of a “sporty” car would be Toyota Celica; it has a 1.8L just like the new MX-5.



PMack and Dave C: About the height “issue”. In my opinion a sports car should not make someone look like a clown riding a tiny bike. My dad is 6”2 and probably around 250 Lbs and he would look like a freak driving around in a MX-5 with the top down; Dave C I don’t know how the basketball player you know gets away with it. My dad and this guy would look a lot better in Corvette, Viper or Porsche.



Dave C: I’m sure it does feel good and no I’ve never driven one but a Mazda Miata is just a small “sporty” car that is almost scratching the line between sports car and not sports car. In my opinion it’s just a wanna-be sports car. The only reason why you might think it is, is because it’s small and light. It doesn’t even have over 200 horsepower. I’m sure there’s a luxury car out there that can out perform it (remember their objective).



I don’t think this debate is fun! It’s 5 against me and remowlms (and he is only half on my side). Joking this is fun. I like arguing and think I’m good at it. LOL

KEEP IT COMING



EDIT EDIT:



PMack: I understand what you’re saying but to give the Mazda Miata the glorification of being called a sports car is wrong in my opinion. It’s a “sporty” car for the last time, just like a Toyota Celica or a Nissan 240SX. I just don’t think that the Miata can cut it that’s all. Plus I’m probably arguing with the wrong people here, your all probably Miata fans and own one.
sports car is a generous label for a miata