Easy Driver, Great Teacher - 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Convertible Long-Term Road Test

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Easy Driver, Great Teacher - 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Convertible Long-Term Road Test

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata is the easiest manual transmission car to operate, which makes it not only fun to drive, but the best car for learning how to drive.

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s197gt

" I'd argue it's also the easiest manual transmission car to drive, which makes it the best car to learn in."

I'd also argue it ruins every other manual-equipped driving experience for the rest of her life.

i learned in a mazda b2000 truck, then drove a manual mazda protege, and it's been downhill ever since except for the rare honda manual driving experience over the years. our z3 isn't terrible. my mustang is ok, but i have to concentrate for a smooth start and that is annoying.

daryleason

What's bad is when you go from driving a manual transmission truck to someone's manual transmission economy car. You get so used to a heavy clutch, that a light clutch makes it sound like you're trying to blow the engine.

miata52

I taught both my girls (now 16 and 21) to drive stick in my NC. It was easy...so much so that my older daughter bought a stick for her 1st car. It also saved my then 15 year old a ticket. She got pulled over rolling through a stop sign...she told the cop she didn't want to keep it rolling and not have to go into 1st because she was just learning stick. The cop was so impressed he let us go and told her to keep it up.

subytrojan

Great story, Jonathan! Thanks for sharing!

darthbimmer

Great story, Jonathan. It reminds me of my first time learning a manual transmission-- which was also in a Mazda with my girlfriend (now wife), except she was teaching me!

jelfalan

s197gt said:

" I'd argue it's also the easiest manual transmission car to drive, which makes it the best car to learn in."

I'd also argue it ruins every other manual-equipped driving experience for the rest of her life.

i learned in a mazda b2000 truck, then drove a manual mazda protege, and it's been downhill ever since except for the rare honda manual driving experience over the years. our z3 isn't terrible. my mustang is ok, but i have to concentrate for a smooth start and that is annoying.

I don't disagree with this. I have a Z3 M coupe that I love dearly, but after stirring our ND's gearbox for a few days, it's a hard transition back to the BMW.

I do stand by the approach of learning the ropes in the easiest setting, just as grasping the concepts of skiing on a bunny slope will be easier than on a black diamond.