The rush to ski season means summertime-styled rides are a fleeting fancy on Colorado roads. The venerable Mazda MX-5, better known as the Miata, epitomizes carefree, fair-weather motoring, and for 2025, it appears in its 35th-plus year largely unchanged from its 2015 fourth-generation self, which, in this case, is not such a bad thing.

My own experiences with the diminutive two-seater go back to a very early model I found buried in a snowbank in its owner’s driveway in Silverthorne, while he was temporarily living in a cave in Afghanistan, a few months after 9/11 – it was a great career opportunity for him.

That early-generation Miata’s simplicity, fun-to-drive character and then-inexpensive status cemented it as a modernized counterpart to British roadsters of the pre-Reagan era, my 1976 MG Midget included, plus Triumph TR6 and their ilk.

For 2025, the MX-5 is still a relative bargain, with a stock model starting at $29,530 and my moderately gussied-up Grand Touring model priced at $36,565, including delivery. You can spend a little more for a track package including Brembo brakes or versions with a powered convertible top; this is car where simple is probably better.

That’s because all models share the same 181-horsepower 2.0-liter four cylinder, with a six-speed manual being the best choice. Unlike the very seldom-seen new-generation Nissan Z, 400 horsepower would be a bad idea here, given its under-2,400-pound total weight. 

In general use, 181-hp is plenty, provided you goose the six-speed in the right spots. I took a quick rip up I-70 from Golden and no, you are not going to set any highway speed records on an incline, but your canyon cruising and cavorting will feel capably powerful.

It’s been several years between modern MX-5 drives for me and not much has changed in the vehicle, minus an 8.8-inch horizontal touchscreen that comfortably fits into the dash and provided vivid CarPlay map mirroring, or Mazda’s own navi system.

I also got some gentle nudges from a subtle lane-keep system that needed a deep dive into the setup screens to disable. Otherwise, it’s virtually identical to Miatas of the last decade; the Aero Gray Metallic paint job was as sharp as it was on a 2011 Scion tC.

That presents both endless weekend driving appeal and some real-world limitations. While it’s easier to get in and out of than a Porsche or even a McLaren, it’s still sort of like sitting inside an oversized sandal – and a snug one, at that. Long ago, I drove an MX-5 from Denver to Bozeman, Montana and back over a long weekend; I would not recommend that. 

What you lack in cabin space (there is a relatively deep storage space but it’s hidden back between the seats) you make up for in … pure driving experience. Pack lightly, as the rear trunk is less than 5 cubic feet – even an early-season snow brush took up a lot of room.

The best parts of the Miata experience are its down-to-earth simplicity, and that’s why it’s lasted. The weather-beating soft top unlocks and folds away with a one-hand motion, and easily pops back into place with a latch. Such was not the case with 1970s British roadsters. There’s even a heated glass rear window.

Top down, you get to feel, smell and hear every aspect of the driving experience, which is precisely the opposite of travel in a large SUV. The old-fashioned three-knob heater and air conditioning system can attenuate those convertible outings.

It’s a rear-wheel-drive reminder of the old days of motoring, with turns as sharp and smooth as you feel like making them. A track mode loosens up the stability control for even more thrilling turns. Rough pavement is also immediately evident, and long-distance drives on major highways are a bummer.

Scale is also critical here, so awareness of your surroundings is a must, as even a large dog poses a serious threat to a Miata on a side road (the whole car was half as tall as my neighbor’s old Chevy Trax). At night, I sort of appreciated the car’s automatic high beams, which temporarily blinded every single oncoming vehicle for a microsecond, but gave me a little more presence.   

Andy Stonehouse’s column “Mountain Wheels” publishes Saturdays in the Summit Daily News. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998, focusing on automotive coverage since 2004. He lives in Golden. Contact him at summitmountainwheels@gmail.com.