Mazda 2008 MX-5 Miata User manual

MAZDA MX-5 MIATA
ALL CHILDREN INSTINCTIVELY KNOW IT.
A FEW ADULTS STILL REMEMBER IT.
ONE UNIQUE CAR COMPANY REFUSES TO OUTGROW IT.
IN GROWN-UP LANGUAGE, IT MEANS THE EXHILARATION
AND LIBERATION THAT COME FROM EXPERIENCING SHEER MOTION.
BUT AS USUAL, CHILDREN PUT IT MUCH BETTER.
AND SIMPLY CALL IT ZOOM-ZOOM.
WE PRACTICE IT EVERY DAY.
IT’S WHY WE BUILD THE KIND OF CARS WE DO.
MAZDA. ALWAYS THE SOUL OF A SPORTS CAR.®
7755 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, CA 92618 • 800-639-1000 • © 2007 Mazda Motor of America, Inc. • Printed in U.S.A. 6/07 (110M) Part No. 9999-92-MX5-08
MazdaUSA.com
MAZDA CX-7 MAZDA CX-9 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA
MAZDA TRIBUTE MAZDA B-SERIES TRUCK MAZDA6MAZDA3 4-DOOR
MAZDA RX-8 MAZDA3 5-DOOR MAZDA5

†requires a subscription and Mazda satellite radio receiver accessory kit.
Available only in the U.S., except Alaska and Hawaii.
‡ Not for use on Grand Touring model with Premium Package.
* Color-keyed item.
DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED THE ZOOM-ZOOM WAY.
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EVERY MAZDA WE MAKE IS THE INSPIRED INTERSECTION OF INSIGHTFUL
ENGINEERING, STYLISH DESIGN AND SPIRITED PERFORMANCE. AND
THE ’08 MX-5 MIATA IS A STELLAR EXAMPLE. FROM ITS MOLYBDENUM-
COATED PISTONS TO ITS NEARLY PERFECT 50/50 FRONT-TO-REAR
WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION. FROM ITS STRIKINGLY ATHLETIC SILHOUETTE
TO ITS AGGRESSIVE DUAL EXHAUST OUTLETS. AND FROM ITS QUICK,
PRECISE STEERING TO ITS LEGENDARY HANDLING. THIS MX-5 MIATA
IS, IN FACT, THE 3RD GENERATION OF THE BEST-SELLING TWO-SEAT
ROADSTER IN HISTORY. THE AGILE OFFSPRING OF A COMPANY THAT
HAS BUILT MORE SPORTS CARS THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
A VEHICLE PASSIONATELY CRAFTED TO FORGE A FEELING OF ONENESS
BETWEEN CAR AND DRIVER. AND DELIVER A SPORTS-CAR EXPERIENCE
WITHOUT EQUAL. THE ZOOM-ZOOM WAY.

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The MX-5 Miata’s available Power Retractable Hard Top
can be lowered or raised in a class-leading 12 seconds.*
When lowered, the top stores itself neatly behind the
seats under a solid, stylish tonneau cover. And all without
stealing even a single inch of precious trunk space.
In true Mazda fashion, operating the available Power
Retractable Hard Top is easy and intuitive. One button
lowers the top. Another raises it. And a single, central
latch locks everything securely in place. All of which
can be accomplished from the MX-5 Miata’s cockpit.
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How do you enhance the best-selling two-seat roadster of all time? By literally raising the standards. And maximizing the Mazda MX-5
Miata’s fun-to-drive factor with a choice of two ingeniously engineered tops. Case in point, standard equipment on every Mazda MX-5
Miata is one of the most user-friendly convertible soft tops on the planet. Its single-latch simplicity, spring-assisted frame and space-saving
“Z-fold” design allow you to easily lower or raise it from inside the cockpit. Also available is a Power Retractable Hard Top. One that
can be completely lowered or raised in a class-leading 12 seconds flat.* One that gracefully stores itself behind the seats—under a hard
tonneau cover—without stealing a single inch of trunk space. All at the touch of a button.* One whose lightweight design (less than 80
lb) even helps preserve the MX-5 Miata’s agile driving dynamics. Best of all, both tops also deliver a durable glass rear window, an integral
rear-window defroster plus a handsomely integrated roof line that puts MX-5 Miata imitators to shame.
ONE OF OUR TOP CHOICES IS SURE TO BE YOURS.
* Once latch is disengaged or engaged. Based upon published times.
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The Mazda MX-5 Miata is 100% pure sports car. The genuine article. The real deal. An authentic lightweight, purpose-built, two-
seat roadster. Not some overweight, unproven pretender hastily cobbled together from shared parts-bin components. As such,
the MX-5 Miata’s legendary pedigree—and 18 years of painstaking refinement—are impossible to ignore. Its advanced engine
and track-proven gearbox are perfectly matched. Its precise rack-and-pinion steering system is astonishingly quick. Its front-
midship-engine layout promotes superb balance and responsive, directional control. While its track-refined 4-wheel independent
suspension system endows the MX-5 Miata with nearly telepathic reflexes, inspired agility and tenacious handling. As a result,
what the MX-5 Miata offers is an undiluted sports-car experience. One that transforms equal measures of mechanical magic,
adrenaline and exhilaration into an endless supply of smile-inducing freedom.
Power-assisted 4-wheel disc brakes, including
massive, 11.4-inch ventilated front discs, are
standard. As are an Anti-lock Brake System with
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and even
reinforced brake hoses.The end result is an
MX-5 Miata with remarkably responsive, linear
and fade-resistant stopping power.
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ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES.
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To ensure that the MX-5 Miata is exceptionally
nimble and ultraresponsive to changes in
direction, Mazda engineers have designed it
to have a “low yaw-inertia moment.” They
accomplished this by positioning much of the
car’s weight—including powertrain, fuel tank
and battery—as close to its center as possible.
A 4-wheel independent suspension helps
keep the MX-5 Miata glued to your favorite
patch of pavement. To optimize traction,
especially when cornering, the rear suspension
employs a sophisticated multilink design. Up
front, an advanced, double-wishbone layout
further enhances its legendary handling and
directional stability.
A hollow front stabilizer bar helps reduce
weight and minimize body roll. It also
enhances directional stability and traction
during cornering. Dynamically complementing
this crucial component are four gas-charged
shock absorbers and a rear stabilizer bar.
The MX-5 Miata’s nearly perfect 50:50
weight distribution—front to rear (including
driver)—pays off in an exceptionally well-
balanced sports car that offers remarkable
agility, superb directional response and
uniformly tenacious handling.
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VEHICLE CENTER LINE
ENGINE
REPOSITIONED
FRONT AXLE
LOW CENTRAL
FUEL TANK
POSITION
REAR AXLE

Mazda MX-5 Miata received the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles among compact sporty cars in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2006–2007
Initial Quality StudiesSM. 2007 study based on responses from 97,390 new-vehicle owners, measuring 250 models and measures opinions after 90 days of ownership.
Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of owners surveyed in February–May 2007. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.
“Highest Ranked Compact Sporty Car
in Initial Quality, Two Years in a Row.”
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is two-for-two, earning J.D. Power and Associates Initial QualitySM model awards
for both 2006 and 2007. But then, when you’ve designed, built and sold more sports cars than anyone else
in the world—including the best-selling two-seat roadster in history—you learn the true importance of
craftsmanship and attention to detail. And just how exhilarating exceptional quality can be.
THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS.

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Variable valve timing, in conjunction with
variable induction, is employed by MX-5
Miata’s advanced MZR engine to maximize
both low-end torque and high-rpm power.
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An ultralight flywheel, standard on all
MX-5 Miata models, is utilized to further
enhance the engine’s free-revving
performance, increase its responsiveness
and deliver more usable power.
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A limited-slip differential and Dynamic
Stability Control with a Traction Control
System are available on select MX-5
Miata models to help optimize traction
and handling—especially in extreme
weather conditions.
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The MX-5 Miata’s 166-hp 2.0-liter DOHC
free-revving engine boasts friction-
reducing, molybdenum-coated pistons;
electronically controlled port fuel injection;
and an electronic throttle. Translation:
17% more horsepower and 12% more
torque than the previous-generation MX-5
Miata. Plus a fuel-frugal 22 mpg city/27
mpg highway†when equipped with the
standard 5-speed manual gearbox.
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Weight is the common enemy of all true sports cars. Because extra weight can dramatically degrade everything from acceleration and
balance to agility and braking. Taking this fact to heart, the MX-5 Miata engineering team embarked upon a passionate weight-saving
“gram strategy.” Their goal: To optimize the MX-5 Miata’s impeccable road manners and horsepower per pound by ensuring each
component was as light—yet as strong—as possible. All told, 573 innovative, weight-saving ideas were generated. Which is why you’ll
find such generous use of aluminum in everything from the MX-5 Miata’s sleek hood and spirited 166-hp engine to its rear brake calipers.
And why lightweight, high-tension steel is an essential part of its ultra-rigid body structure. A weight-saving welding process was also
developed and patented by Mazda to more efficiently marry aluminum and steel parts. Even the rearview mirror was redesigned to save
a precious 84 grams. The inspiring results: An MX-5 Miata that’s nearly 400 lb lighter than its nearest rivals.* A true sports car that thrives
on being tossed into corners. And, perhaps most impressive of all, an indescribable feeling of oneness between car and driver.
DISCOVER PRECISELY WHY “LESS IS MORE.”
* Based on a comparison of 2007 model year roadsters under $25,000. † These estimates reflect new EPA methods beginning with 2008 model.
For more information on new mpg ratings, please see www.fueleconomy.gov.

The precise locations of both the MX-5 Miata’s steering wheel and manual
gearshift are engineered to promote a feeling of oneness between car and
driver. To determine which locations minimized muscle stress and unnecessary
movement—and were also the most comfortable and conducive—Mazda
engineers used multiple biosensors to exhaustively study driver interaction
across a wide range of different steering-wheel and shifter positions.
Convenient steering-wheel-mounted controls for the audio
system and cruise control (standard on the MX-5 Miata Touring
and Grand Touring models) allow you to engage and control
both features without taking your hands off the wheel. The MX-5 Miata’s high-bolstered driver’s seat is purposefully
engineered to provide both an ideal driving position and superb body
support. The seat’s wide range of adjustments, a tilt-adjustable steering
wheel and a refined interior layout all help create the largest, most
accommodating MX-5 Miata cabin ever crafted.
A short-throw, close-ratio, 5-speed manual gearbox comes
standard on the MX-5 Miata. Also available are a short-
throw, 6-speed manual and a 6-speed Sport AT automatic
transmission. For extra fun, the Sport AT allows you to
manually shift gears via the competition-inspired, steering-
wheel-mounted paddles or the console-mounted shifter.
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JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU GET YOUR HANDS ON ONE.
STEERING-WHEEL TILT
33 mm
SEAT SLIDE 230 mm
SEAT RECLINE
32º
OPTIMAL AREASHOULDER POINT
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Mazda’s Advanced Keyless Entry System (available
on MX-5 Miata Grand Touring models) eliminates the
need for a traditional key to unlock the doors and
trunk or even start the engine.
Virtually every element of the Mazda MX-5 Miata’s cockpit is dedicated to transforming your input into
meaningful motion. It’s a precision-crafted, remarkably ergonomic and confidence-inspiring environment.
One perfected by years of painstaking research, rethinking and refinement. Which is why you’ll find nearly 4.0
cubic feet more room for your head, shoulders, hips and legs to enjoy in this MX-5 Miata versus the previous
generation. And why the entire cabin has such a custom-tailored feel. With an abundance of rich textures,
quality materials and attention to detail wherever you look. You’ll appreciate the waist-level climate-control
vents. The covered, dual cup holders. The lockable rear console storage compartment. The clear line of sight
provided by the instrument panel and gauge cluster. The purposefully sculpted shift knob. And how the perfectly
positioned foot pedals enable smoother and quicker heel-and-toe downshifts. So gear up for real exhilaration.
In a finely crafted cockpit you’ll quickly find as emotionally rewarding as the MX-5 Miata’s on-road performance.