The Mazda Miata has evolved into a serious enthusiast bargain. Back in the day, the first-gen MX-5 carried the same price tag as a V8 pony car. These days, it costs a couple grand more than the Honda Civic hatchback. That might say more about the state of car prices in general than it does about the affordability of Mazda’s roadster, but here we are nevertheless.
By today’s measure, the 2026 Miata is still a bargain, it’s just slightly less of a bargain than last year. The soft-top Sport now starts at $31,665 ($30,430 + destination). That’s $600 more than the equivalent 2025 model, which isn’t too egregious. After all, Mazda builds the Miata in Japan, making the impact of tariffs inevitable. Both the soft-top Club and the base RF (which is the Grand Touring; no Sport is offered) went up by the same amount, while the RF Club trim went up by $750.
Apart from the price change and the departure of the 35th Anniversary model, the 2026 Miata carries on essentially unchanged, down to the notoriously conservative color palette. Premium finishes in 2026 are limited to Aero Gray, Snowflake White, Soul Red, and Machine Gray.
The Miata’s grounded starting price isn’t the only good news for enthusiasts in 2026. Subaru just announced that the WRX’s base trim is returning this year, bringing its starting price down by about five grand. Subaru also plans to increase production compared to last year, when WRX sales dipped considerably thanks to short supply and higher base prices.
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