A car for serious drivers. After all, given the number who are either distracted or driving vehicles that are massive, attention isn’t optional. . . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

According to NHTSA, in 2023 there were 3,275 people killed in crashes involving distracted drivers. That’s 8% of all fatal crashes. Nine people per day died because of that.

In addition to which, 324,819 were injured in accidents related to distracted driving.

One of the biggest contributors to these accidents is the use of cell phones while driving—despite 31 states having laws that ban the use of hand-held devices while driving and 49 states with laws against texting.

Be that as it may, there are still those who apparently need to be using their devices while piloting an object that weighs, on average, according to the EPA, about 4,330 pounds.

What could go wrong, right?

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A friend rides a motorcycle for recreation.

I asked him about whether he’s concerned about distracted driving when he’s out.

He replied that (1) when he rides, his helmet is bright with reflectors and that he’s got a high-viz vest; (2) he tends to take his excursions at 7 am on Saturday mornings, when his biggest concern riding on country roads is deer.

Yes, he’s concerned that people won’t see him.

That can be a problem for motorcyclists and drivers of comparatively small vehicles.

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When driving the MX-5 I was stopped at a light, first in line.

I glanced in the rearview mirror and saw a portion of a massive chrome grille.

At the top of what I could see through the backlight was part of a Ford logo. Not the whole badge, just part of it.

It was an F-250.

In southeastern Michigan there are probably more F Series trucks, Silverados, Sierras, and Rams than you might imagine. That’s because many people in that part of the country qualify for employee pricing.

Back to the F-250.

Its height of the F-250 4×4 SuperCab is 81.5 inches.

That, of course, is to the roof.

The height of the MX-5 to its roof is 48.8 inches.

The point is, I wondered whether the person who was sitting behind the wheel of the truck could actually see me (yes, the Miata had to be visible because the truck stopped behind it, but the question was whether it was visible after that, for a reason I will get to in a moment).

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A friend is an excellent driver.

It is something he works at.

During a press drive program for a vehicle there was a gymkhana course set up.

All of the participants took runs on the track. Two or three times.

My friend stayed at it, lap after lap, until he was told it was time to move on.

Once while driving with him in a vehicle with a six-speed manual transmission he stalled it while making a left turn in a downtown intersection.

There we were, momentarily stopped amidst plenty of traffic.

He quickly got it restarted and engaged first in an instant so we pulled way.

I thought about that situation when I was stopped at the light with the truck behind me and a manual shift knob grasped in my right hand.

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According to MotorTrend, these are all the vehicles currently available with a manual transmission:

• 2025 Acura Integra and Integra Type S
• 2025 BMW M2
• 2025 BMW M3 and M4
• 2025 BMW Z4
• 2025 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing
• 2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
• 2025 Ford Bronco
• 2025 Ford Mustang
• 2025 Honda Civic Si and Type R
• 2025 Hyundai Elantra N
• 2025 Jeep Wrangler
• 2025 Lotus Emira
• 2025 Mazda 3 Hatchback
• 2025 Mazda Miata
• 2025 Nissan Z
• 2025 Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman
• 2025 Porsche 911
• 2025 Subaru BRZ
• 2025 Subaru WRX
• 2025 Toyota GR86
• 2025 Toyota GR Corolla
• 2025 Toyota Tacoma
• 2025 Toyota GR Supra
• 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

What do they all have in common?

None of them are particularly big sellers.

The point is, many drivers probably don’t know there are manual transmissions. And that sometimes people driving them can stall at a light.

After all, they think, you just take your foot off the brake, move it to the accelerator, and go.

And if you have your phone in your hand. . . .

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One benefit of driving a car like the Miata is that you are fully engaged in driving it.

You don’t have your phone in your hand because you need your hands to do the activity of driving the vehicle.

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In 2024 Ford delivered 765,649 F Series trucks.

In 2024 Mazda delivered 8,103 MX-5s.

The point is, there are a lot of large vehicles on the road.

There aren’t so many small ones.

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The Miata is small. 154.1 inches long and a 90.9-inch wheelbase. 68.3 inches wide and 48.8 inches high.

It snugly seats two. It has 4.6 cubic feet of cargo volume, meaning you’re not going to use this vehicle to help anyone move.

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But it is lithe.

It has a 181-hp four-cylinder engine. Weight distribution, depending on trim, is either 53:47 or 51:49. Either way, exceedingly balanced. And on the subject of weight, it is light, 2,469 pounds, which means the engine doesn’t have a whole lot of mass to move.

Fuel economy is 26 city/34 highway/29 mpg combined. Not great for such a small car.

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Here’s the point:

A Miata, especially one with a six-speed manual (a six-speed automatic), is a car for a serious driver who wants the car for driving—and not driving in urban environments where there is a lot of stop-and-go driving by people who are annoyed by all of the stop-and-go and so want to get on their way.

It is a car for someone who is going to be attuned to the environment and attentive to others while driving.

Check those boxes and you’re good to go.

Otherwise, probably not.