OAKLAND COUNTY, Michigan — It was a looooong Michigan winter this year with bitter temperatures, record snowfalls and chilly May days. In the South where I grew up, we hail the first songbird of April spring. Here in Michigan, I look for the first convertible of June summer.

It arrived in my driveway as a Mazda MX-5 Miata.

What a joy this little car is. With its drop-top, manual gearbox and normally-aspirated 2.0-liter engine, Miata is the purest expression of a roadster on the market today. It’s a throwback to the glory days of Lotus Elan, Alfa Romeo Spider, Fiat 124 Spider. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore.

Remarkably, the Miata has gained little weight over its four generations (Gen 1 weighed 2,210 pounds), staying true to its purpose as a driver’s car. Unlike other performance cars — Mini Cooper, Porsche 911, Chevy Corvette — the MX-5 has maintained its svelte, 2,332-pound figure by remaining tiny. At 6’ 5” I don’t so much sit in the Miata as wear it.

Knees in the dash, elbows in the console, seat all the way back, skull stuffed in the roof. Thank goodness the Miata goes topless. So small is the cabin that I can reach up, unlatch the roof from the windshield, pull it back, and stow in in the trunk in one motion. On a crisp 65-degree evening, I took the Miata over to Woodward Avenue to play with its kin — classic convertibles like Camaro, AC Cobra, Dodge Viper, Jaguar E-Type, MGB, Honda S2000, Mercedes SL, Chevy Corvette, Ford Mustang. But for the latter trio, all have left the market.

And none of them are featherweights as tossable as Miata.

Exiting Woodward, I headed for Oakland County’s twisties. Miata smiled that big jack o’ lantern grille smile and hustled from turn to turn, clipping apexes, rotating on demand, chirping tires.

Mazda makes the best six-speed shifter this side of a Porsche (or you can buy, ho hum, the automatic option) and it’s a joy to row. Relatively affordable at $30K, the Mazda is your car for summer fun — and to teach your children the joys of driving stick. Master the Miata’s manual and you feel in total command of the car.

Amidst this organic goodness, Miata hasn’t totally ignored the modern digital world. The cabin revolves around that glorious shifter, while modern cars (like the Tesla Model 3 in my garage) are built around big screens.

The Miata is properly equipped with an improved infotainment display.

My Android phone synced wirelessly with the nine-inch display and took over the touchscreen — a welcome alternative to the Mazda’s native, remote-controlled rotary device screen. The touchscreen works — ahem, as long as the car is in PARK, but then shifts to the rotary controller when on the move.

I set my destination to Zmash Padel in Sterling Heights and was off, listening to my Sirius XM subscription through the phone app on the screen. I cranked up my favorite COMEDY GREATS XM station so I could hear over the wind howling thought the cabin — eventually turning it off to enjoy nature’s (and the 2.0-liter engine’s) sound track. Though it pumps out just 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, the Miata never feels underpowered thanks to its light weight. The 12.8-lb/hp power-to-weight ratio is better than the turbocharged 2.0-liter, 13.5-ratio GTI, my favorite hot hatch.

The ride of the Miata is firm, if not harsh, over Detroit roads.

Beyond that rotary controller, ergonomics are good with the cabin’s round vents giving off an aviator vibe. On cold evenings, I cranked up the climate knobs to blow hot air while going topless (did I mention my head is uncomfortably stuffed into the ceiling when the top is up?). Even the cupholder is cleverly designed as a console snap on — so spare is interior room.

My Grand Touring model is less gym-toned than the Club trim, which is preferred if you want to autocross the little roller skate. But if it's track days you want to do, you’ll want to modify your roadster with a roll cage (not to mention optimizing the limited slip differential for better cornering grip).

That’s a big investment — and a big compromise to the Miata’s breezy, convertible cabin. If hot laps are your thing, the MX-5 (the most raced car in the world) community has a number of options. For example, my friend Tom bought a race-prepared Mazda Global MX-5 Cup car and tracks it at M1 Concourse in Pontiac.

Or rent an MX-5 Spec Miata for, say, $1,000 a day from the Sportscar Driving Association. That way you can navigate to the track (while getting an impressive 35 mpg, I might add) in your Grand Touring model — without having to worry about injuring it on track.

Back to the streets, did I mention that the MX-5 is a great date car? The cabin is naturally cozy for a big night out with your partner. Mrs. Payne is a big fan of the Mazda for its cute vibe, open top and free spirit. Rolling ‘round town, the Miata is not unlike taking a puppy for a walk. The car returns smiles from strangers and is a conversation piece at, say, Dairy Mat ice cream in Birmingham.

I just had to remind my wife that she has to pack light for road trips given MX-5’s wee boot and lack of a back seat. Heck, my tennis bag alone took up most of the trunk on my journey across town to Zmash.

For four decades, MX-5 has been halo to a brand that has evolved into into a mostly SUV stable. I’m happy to report that the MX-5’s DNA has been faithfully transported to everything from the three-row CX-90 to the best-selling CX-5 and CX-50 midsize SUVs.

Still, there’s no substitute for the Miata’s playfulness. So if you own a CX-50, be sure to leave room in the garage for a MX-5.

Topless of course.

2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, two-passenger sportscar

Price: $30,765, including $1,185 destination charge ($36,115 Grand Touring manual model as tested)

Powerplant: 2.0-liter four-cylinder

Power: 181 horsepower, 151 pound-feet of torque

Transmission: Six-speed manual; six-speed automatic

Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.7 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 140 mph

Weight: 2,332 pounds

Fuel economy: EPA 26 city/34 highway/29 combined (manual)

Report card

Highs: Fun to drive; easy to go topless

Lows: Limited cargo for trips; touchscreen only works in Park

Overall: 4 stars

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