As anyone who’s spent any time on the Tokyo subway will tell you, Japan loves peace and quiet. Apparently, Mazda had to make its MX-5 – arguably the newest sports car by North American standards – quieter to comply with new noise regulations that go into effect on July 1.
Sold as a roadster in its home country, the 2027 model year JDM Miata gets a larger muffler, new resonators and ribs in the intake and exhaust, and quieter tires. The steering feel has been tuned to match the new rubber, and the trunk depth of the retractable hardtop RF model has been modified to accommodate that larger muffler. This cool MX-5 is in compliance with the new UNECE regulations which have reportedly already resulted in the discontinuation of several Mercedes-AMG models in Europe.
To make things a little better for Japanese Miata buyers looking for big noise, Mazda has made an induction sound enhancer that pumps noise into the cabin standard for all soft-top cars, a feature that previously only came on the country’s RS-trim MX-5s.
calmer, purer, greener
Entering its 11th model year, the Japan-market version of the beloved ND Miata may have gotten quieter, but Mazda has also worked to make it a little more luxurious in other areas. Inherited from the Spirit Racing Roadster, the higher-trim manual model gets revised suspension and Bilstein dampers, better throttle tuning, a “heel-and-toe assist” that sounds like auto rev matching, and the engine now revs closer to the rev limit without losing power.
There is now also a special PS model that is meant for “pure sport” and includes 16-inch, black RAYS wheels, ventilated Brembos with silver, four-piston calipers, Bilstein dampers, and some black interior trim. It also introduces a new Zinc Green metallic paint option, which looks like it will be coming to a bunch of Mazda products, even those sold here in the US. I think I speak for most US MX-5 enthusiasts when I say: we’ll take that green, but keep that good stuff to yourself, thanks!
I’m sure this has a lot to do with the yen not being very friendly with the dollar lately, but here’s a disappointing fact I learned in the process of writing this article: When converting currencies directly, pricing for the 2027 Mazda Roadster in Japan starts at about 18,000 yen, equivalent to the dollar. That “buy a house in Japan and retire early” plan looks more attractive by the day.
