Handling is excellent. It reacts to the driver's input just like a Formula Ford race car: Lift off the throttle in the middle of a fast corner and you'll feel the chassis rotate as the car turns in tighter. Step on the gas again and it straightens out as weight is transferred to the rear and the rear tires gain grip. It's just perfectly balanced. Unlike most front-wheel-drive sports coupes, the rear-wheel-drive Miata does not mask poor driving technique. Conversely, it really rewards good technique. A good driver will become a better driver in this car. Last year's steering and suspension revisions make the new car more predictable in quick transitions. Mazda tweaked the rack-and-pinion steering system to make its initial response a little less abrupt. But turn in to a corner and the car responds instantly. In fact, the steering is so quick, that you may find yourself turning in a little too early or a little too much for corners until you get used to it. Braking performance is of the right-now variety with or without the ABS option and the pedal feel is excellent.

Miata rides like a traditional sports car. It shudders over bumps like an old MG. When you run over ripples in the pavement, you feel them. But like the noise, it's all part of the experience.

The 5-speed manual transmission shifts smoothly. It features short throws from gear to gear. You only have to push the clutch in part way to change gears. Heck, if your timing is good, you don't have to push it in at all. It is excellent and a big part of the fun of driving the Miata. A 4-speed automatic is available as an option, though this erodes the sports car driving experience considerably.

Throttle response is instant. Acceleration is brisk, and the new exhaust note conjures up visions of Watkins Glen and roots of American sports car racing. In fact, Miatas have won a number of Sports Car Club of America national championships. And with its keenly honed reflexes, it should keep right on winning. Compared with the more expensive roadsters and some of the front-drive compact coupes, the Miata's little 1.8-liter engine does not provide a lot of torque. But it loves to rev and there's plenty of power to satisfy all but the hungriest sports car enthusiast.

The engine is basically the same 1.8-liter twin-cam 16-valve four-cylinder that propelled the 1997 Miata, but Mazda has coaxed 140 horsepower out of it along with 119 foot-pounds of torque and improved its mid-range response. More power and reduced curb weight (this model is 45 pounds lighter than pre-1999 models) add up to better acceleration. The exhaust system delivers a spirited tenor bark to go with the engine's increased bite. It's a high-tech echo of the '50s, and sounds exactly what sports cars are supposed to sound like. The Mazda engine isn't as smooth as a Honda, but its roughness somehow makes the Miata more endearing and adds to its sports appeal.

Our car did not come with the optional limited-slip rear differential and, as a result, I encountered rear wheel spin when accelerating hard out of tight corners. If you're a hard-driving enthusiast, opt for the limited-slip. If you're buying the Miata for its carefree open-air motoring, there's no need to spend the money on the limited-slip.