First-Year 1990 Mazda Miata Returns to Market With a Lower Asking Price

A remarkably well-kept first-year Mazda Miata has resurfaced for sale, and this time its owner is asking less money. The Crystal White 1990 roadster, showing roughly 30,000 miles on the odometer, is now listed at $14,000 on craigslist in Libertyville, Illinois — a drop of$2,400 from the $16,400 it carried when it was first advertised in early July.

Mazda built 57,972 Miatas for the North American market during that debut model year, and this example is one of 12,420 finished in Crystal White. Enthusiasts have long noted that the original Miata drew heavy design inspiration from the Lotus Elan, and the cues are easy to spot: the retractable headlamps, the grille opening, the door handles, the tail lamps and even the center console layout all echo the British classic.

Inside, the cabin presents as cleanly as the body. The car was ordered with Option Package A, which brought alloy wheels, power steering, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and an AM/FM cassette radio. Air conditioning was added as an option and is said to work, backed by a new compressor. The black soft top remains in decent shape, though the seller notes the rear window has grown slightly cloudy.

Under the hood sits the 1.6-liter DOHC inline-four, rated at 116 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and mated to a five-speed manual feeding the rear wheels. Recent maintenance includes a new timing belt, fresh rear brakes, new fluids and a stainless exhaust, with the original exhaust retained. The car is described as garaged and highly original — a detail that matters to collectors chasing unmolested early Miatas.

When the Miata launched in late 1989, it had almost no direct rivals, and demand was strong enough that dealers kept waiting lists and frequently tacked $5,000 to$6,000 onto the $13,800 sticker. At a$14,000 ask today, this example sits in familiar territory for low-mileage first-generation cars, and whether the reduced price finally finds a buyer remains the open question.