Auto & Bike Blog: 2021 Mazda Miata Overview: Pricing, Trim Levels, Tech Features & Other Important Info

Details for the 2021 Mazda Miata have been released for the new model year. As with the previous three generations, Gen 4 keeps up the excellent work. The 2021 Mazda Miata is lightweight with a grip like a barnacle and lots and lots of fun. Oh, and they still cost less than a minivan.

Look, I’ll make no secret (again) about my love (complete bias) towards Mazda’s Miata. It is everything a sports car should be with the added benefit of being Japanese. Meaning it’ll work every time you turn the key. So Mazda’s main motto going forward has got to be “Let’s not screw this up.” And they didn’t.

The Miata – official name: the MX-5 Miata – gets some slight updates here and there for 2021, but nothing too radical. They don’t try to give it a back seat to make it more “practical” or give it a hybrid drivetrain to make it more “green.” It’s just the same old magic of light, tight, and handles right.

2021 Mazda Miata: Engine & Powertrain

The 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata is standard with a Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter engine with 181 horsepower (7,000 rpm) and 151 lb-ft. of torque (4,000 rpm). A Skyactiv-MT six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters are both available, depending on what you like.

2021 Mazda Miata Trim Levels

The 2021 MX-5 Miata comes in three basic models: Sport, Club, and the more luxurious Grand Touring. Each are offered in a soft top, but the RF (retractable fastback) is exclusive to the Club and Grand Touring. As a bonus, both the Club and Grand Touring include a limited-slip differential, Bilstein dampers, front shock tower brace, and a sport-tuned suspension.

Sport

The MX-5 Sport comes standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth capability for seamless smartphone integration. This is actually a big deal in a car like a Miata. As an owner of a first-gen Miata, I can tell you there’s never enough room for your stuff. Having Apple CarPlay and Android Android to keep everything integrated into one neat package without wires running all over the place (and looking for spots to stash stuff) is a big help.

Onboard is the Mazda Connect infotainment system with a seven-inch touchscreen, AM/FM six-speaker audio system including driver’s side headrest speakers, HD Radio, and dual USB audio inputs. There’s also a racy push-button start, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, a rearview camera, removable dual cup holders, and a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, shift knob, and parking brake.

The Miata Sport’s overall look is set off by a black cloth soft top, 16-inch Metallic Black aluminum alloy wheels, silver dual exhaust outlets, and LED headlights and taillights. Standard i-Activsense safety features include Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Smart City Brake Support, and a Lane Departure Warning System.

Club

The MX-5 Club features a Bose nine-speaker audio system (includes the passenger headrest speakers), SiriusXM radio, and heated black cloth-trimmed seats with silver stitching. Mazda also added black interior accents and vinyl leather around the cabin. Club models include 17-inch Metallic Black aluminum alloy wheels, a front black air dam, and a black rear lip spoiler.

There’s an available Brembo/BBS/Recaro Package ($4,670) exclusive to MX-5 Club with a manual transmission. This package includes Brembo front brakes, BBS 17-inch Dark Gunmetal forged wheels, heated Recaro seats, red rear brake calipers, and a black aero kit that includes side sill extensions and a unique rear bumper skirt. For the MX-5 Club RF, this package includes a hand-painted black roof.

Grand Touring

At the top of the heap for 2021, you’ll find the MX-5 Grand Touring with more premium and convenience features. Deep Crystal Blue is a new exterior paint option and White Nappa leather ($300) is a new interior color option and they look fantastic together. I’m not a big fan of white interiors, but hey, if you can keep it clean, have at it.

The Miata Grand Touring also comes with heated seats, heated side mirrors, automatic climate control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic on/off headlights, auto-dimming driver-side mirror, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink. (This video shows you how to program the Homelink system).

Connectivity features include navigation, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM, and a SiriusXM three-year traffic and travel link subscription. Optional safety features include Traffic Sign Recognition, Adaptive Front-lighting System, and High Beam Control.

2021 Mazda Miata Pricing

As always, the Miata is ridiculously affordable. They start around $28,000 and finish around $36,000 for the full-zoot, all-options power-retractable RF. It’s hard to wrong with any version, but (obviously) my choice would be the MX-5 Club with the Brembo package.

Here is a handy breakdown of the pricing by trim level. The figures below include the $945 destination and handling fee.

MX-5 Model	Transmission	Soft Top	RF
Sport	6-Speed Manual	$27,775	–
Sport	6-Speed Auto	$29,125	–
Club	6-Speed Manual	$31,235	$33,990
Club	6-Speed Auto	$31,835	$34,590
Grand Touring	6-Speed Manual	$32,715	$35,470
Grand Touring	6-Speed Auto	$33,240	$35,995

Even though the Miata is priced right, you might be able to save a little more, depending on incentives in your area. This free and easy search tool* will show you which dealers are giving you the best price.

2021 Mazda Miata Warranty

The Mazda factory warranty includes bumper-to-bumper coverage of three years or 36,000 miles and a powertrain warranty that lasts five years or 60,000 miles. Both plans include 24/7 roadside assistance for the vehicle’s first three years of service or 36,000 miles. To help you determine if you need additional coverage, see this free and helpful guide about extended warranty coverage for your Mazda.

Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.