Miata vs. Crossfire -

The Miata is lighter and feels much more nimble than the Crossfire does. The Miata also provides the driver with better steering feedback than the Crossfire does. In fact, from what I remember behind the wheel of a Miata, it communicates to you and responds to your desires in a manner that is most uncommon among inexpensive sports cars. That's why they are big fun to drive. And, aside from feel, the weight distribution and suspension design are spot-on... it's a formula that has worked extremely well not only on the road, but also at nearly every road racing course across this country. On the other hand, the Miata does not have near enough power, and it is commonly seen in the summer time.

The Crossfire, while a bit harder to see out of and less communicative with the driver, is far more composed in everyday driving. Its ride is creamy and hushed, and everything works with a velvety smoothness. There is not one economy car bone in its body, and it feels that way. On the road, the body stiffness is remarkable; the recirc ball steering gear is not. If your Miata is anything like my 2003 Protege, squeaks and rattles abound. It also lacks the kind of artistic attention to detail that you'll get in a Crossfire (and that pinched view of the road ahead makes driving the car big time fun). Add in a sweet sounding and powerful V6 that is light-years ahead of the Miata, and literally tons of grip from its huge tires, and it is easy to see that the Crossfire is gobs of fun in its own right.

I hate to look at it only as being better or worse than the Miata in certain respects, because I think if you got one, you would end up loving it for entirely different reasons than you loved your Mazda.