Cars.com Names Mazda MX-5 Miata 2017 Play Car of the Year

JAN. 10, 2017 – The 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata has been recognized as Cars.com’s 2017 Play Car of the Year in its annual awards program. The world’s best-selling roadster excelled in quality, innovation, and value—the three key criteria that Cars.com experts used when evaluating the nominees.

MX-5 has gone through four generations of innovation, resulting in the current model year that delivers a lightweight, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive vehicle that is unparalleled in the driving pleasure it provides. The refinements over the years have resulted in Mazda designers continuously improving the driving and handling dynamics, making MX-5 one of the world’s favorite open-top sports cars to take on the road.

Available in a choice of three trim levels—MX-5 Sport, Club and Grand Touring for soft top models and MX-5 Club and Grand Touring for the new-for-2017 MX-5 RF retractable fastback—MX-5 can come outfitted as a pure driving machine all the way up to a leather-lined roadster. All three trim levels provide unadulterated, wind-in-the-hair joy from behind the wheel that’s rare among vehicles on sale today. Yet, they’re also thoroughly modern with many features that would often come at much higher price points in other cars like available adaptive LED headlights, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-departure warning.

Whether it’s a daily drive to and from the office or a weekend adventure with the top down, MX-5 delivers a one-of-a-kind driving experience that continues to redefine the notion of “play.”