The next Miata keeps the gas engine, the stick, and the soul — for one final lap
The next MX-5 keeps the gasoline engine, manual gearbox, and rear-wheel drive. But it could be the last Miata that does.
Mazda has just bought the world’s most beloved roadster a stay of execution. And it may well be the last one.
Australian outlet Car Expert quotes Mazda Australia boss Vinesh Bhindi: a senior company executive has hinted directly that the fifth-generation MX-5 will almost certainly keep its combustion engine — but precisely for that reason, it could be the final Miata built around that formula.
For Miata fans, this is good and bad news in one envelope. Good, because Mazda isn’t about to turn its iconic roadster into a heavy EV. Worrying, because even this stripped-down sports car is bumping up against the ceiling of emissions rules. Especially in Europe, where the 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G quietly disappeared from MX-5 spec sheets a couple of years ago.
So what do we know about the upcoming “NE” MX-5? Under the hood: a new naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine from the Skyactiv-Z family. No turbo. No electric assist at launch. Same layout as ever: engine up front, drive at the rear, six-speed manual. For the Miata, this isn’t nostalgia — it’s religion. People love it not for horsepower, but for weight, balance, and that direct line to the road.
And here’s where it gets interesting. Mazda wants to keep the new roadster under 1,000 kilograms. In 2026, that sounds almost impossible. Cars are getting fatter on airbags, driver aids, screens, and batteries. If the MX-5 has to bolt on a mild-hybrid system to clear Euro 7, that target becomes an engineering feat.
Timing? No illusions here. Skyactiv-Z won’t debut until late 2027, and not in a sports car — it’ll land first in a hybrid CX-5. Which means the new Miata isn’t coming before 2028. The upside: given that the NC and ND generations stuck around for more than a decade each, the NE could easily soldier on through most of the 2030s.
Europe is the real headache. Carmakers there are being told to slash fleet CO2 averages, and Mazda doesn’t have enough EVs to offset its gas cars. But that’s exactly why the brand needs the MX-5 more than ever. It’s a reminder car: that a vehicle can be interesting not because of a megawatt battery and three screens, but because of how it answers the steering wheel.
An electric Miata is, eventually, almost inevitable. But for now, Mazda looks ready to give the gasoline roadster one more honest lap. No extra weight. No chase for big numbers. No loss of that simple, almost forgotten pleasure of just driving.