![](\"https:\/\/cdn.motor1.com\/images\/static\/16x9-tr.png\")
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\nMazda introduced the Miata RF in late 2016, giving the fourth-generation roadster a retractable hardtop option. An owner who has a 2023 model loves the little car but regrets picking the RF over the ragtop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While the Miata RF has a solid roof, it’s still considered a convertible for track-day purposes, which means it needs a roll bar if the owner wants to truly compete in his local time-attack series. They are available from retailers, but installing them interferes with the roof’s retractable functionality. Once the car has a roll bar, the roof can’t go down, which is an aspect of the vehicle that the owner enjoys.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
He wants to commission a custom-fabricated piece because he enjoys the hardtop and the extra insulation it provides, so a soft top isn’t an option. The RF also has a more coupe-like appearance than its soft-topped sibling.<\/p>\n
He has driven the car 3,728 miles (6,000 kilometers) in the last six months and is loving it otherwise. The vehicle doesn’t have any fit-and-finish issues, nor any squeaks or rattles. In the video, he says the Miata is “one of the best cars I’ve owned as a regular everyday car.” That is high praise for the impractical little thing coming from an owner who loves small cars like the Honda S2000, Subaru BRZ, and Honda Del Sol.<\/p>\n
He also highlights the car’s low ownership cost. It’s cheap to buy, cheap to own, and cheap to modify. It provides a solid platform for people who want an economical roadster, a weekend warrior, a dedicated track car, or anything in between.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mazda could fix the roll bar issue in the future as the company promised earlier this year that the Miata “will never die.” The current-generation Miata ND is nearing its 10th anniversary, with production starting in 2015 for the 2016 model year. It could arrive as a hybrid, not unlike the company’s new Iconic SP concept the brand revealed at the Japan Mobility Show.<\/p>\n