The Miata turns 35 this year, and it’s handling middle age quite well. Sales of Mazda’s petite roadster are still strong, despite the fact the current generation has been on the market for eight years with only mild tweaks. Its success is more impressive when you consider it comes amidst a buying public that has turned sour on impractical sports cars, convertibles, and manual transmissions — all core components of the Miata experience. I wondered: How has it stayed relevant for so long when the entire world should have turned against it?
