2020 Mazda Miata Trim Levels with Comparisons & Configurations.

For 2020, the Mazda Miata is back and ready to shine. As a small and sporty car, the Miata has always been one to garner attention, and the new model is built with some modern features. This year, Mazda has made some minor aesthetic tweaks, and a major change is that the Miata now has many driver-assist features and smartphone integration.

The Miata is ideal for those people who want to stand out as they drive around town. It only fits a driver and one other passenger, and the cabin feels kind of like a small cockpit with its close quarters. Leg room is up to 43.1 inches, so taller people can still fit inside the car. Cargo room isn't the reason anyone turns to the Miata, as the car only has 4.59 cubic feet of space.

What it may lack in size, it makes up for in personality. It sits low to the ground and has an aerodynamic design, and its smooth curves and muscular stance are quite stylish. The LED headlights are tapered, and this angle highlights the sporty nature of the Miata. Every exterior detail seems to work together, and the car looks fairly distinguished, which is a bonus considering it's priced much lower than many other sports cars.

All Miata models run on the same SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter engine. With four cylinders, 16 valves, and variable valve timing, it can generate 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. While these numbers aren't sky high, they're pretty impressive considering the Miata only weigh about 2,300 pounds. It doesn't take that much power to get such a light vehicle to go zooming down the highway.

Note that premium fuel is recommended on the Miata. There is a choice of either a manual or an automatic transmission. They're comparable in fuel economy, with the manual Miata earning approximately 26/34 (city/highway) miles per hour. The automatic version matches the city fuel economy of the manual version, and its highway mileage is estimated to be 35 miles per gallon.

The manual transmission has six speeds and a short-throw shifter. The automatic version has six different speeds as well, and it gives drivers the option to use Sport mode and paddle shifters. Rear-wheel drive is used to improve handling on the Miata.

There are three trims of the 2020 Mazda Miata, which can also be referred to as the MX-5. The Sport is the entry-level trim, the Club is a mid-level option, and the Grand Touring is the one packed with the most features. Any of these would be fun to drive, and this guide will go over how the trims differ from one another.

Compare the 2020 Mazda Miata Sport vs Club Trim Levels. What is the difference?

What's great about the Mazda Miata is that it comes with a cloth convertible top. Both of these trims have a black soft top, which can be quickly lowered to provide an open-air experience. The black can contrast nicely with other colors, giving that cool, two-tone look.

While both the Sport and Club trims have LED taillights and headlights, only the Club has LED Daytime Running Lights. In addition, it has a black lip spoiler in the back to enhance its aerodynamics. The Sport rides on 16-inch aluminum alloy wheels, and these are bumped up to 17-inch versions on the Club.

Under the hood, the components are mostly the same in the two trims. The Club has the addition of a limited-slip differential, at least on the manual version. This feature can improve handling when things are slippery, as it ensures that power will be sent to the wheel that has good traction and not to the one that's spinning but not doing anything meaningful.

Moving to the interior of the Mazda, the biggest differences are seen in the technology department. The Sport comes with HD Radio, an AM/FM system with six speakers, and a seven-inch touchscreen through which the MAZDA CONNECT infotainment system is controlled. Putting in such a large screen in a compact car was a nice touch, one that many drivers will surely appreciate. With Bluetooth, phone calls can be made hands-free and media content can be streamed. Since there are controls mounted on the steering wheel, drivers can keep their hands on the wheel at all times.

In contrast, the Club trim of the Miata has a Bose nine-speaker sound system. It comes with a big advantage in that it has smartphone compatibility in the form of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also comes with SiriusXM Satellite Radio, so people can have more forms of entertainment. Like the Sport, the Club has two USB audio inputs and an audio input jack.

There are a few other ways in which the cabin of the Club has been upgraded. It has heated front seats, and the driver and passenger can choose from three heat settings. It has black cloth seats like the Sport, but its seats have a silver stitching that's used as an accent. Both trims have a leather-wrapped steering wheel and padded armrests, and the Club has a piano black bar trim on its seat backs.

It can be convenient to unlock the Miata and get things started, since it has an advanced keyless entry system and push button start. The trunk lid has a remote release, and there are a few places that are useful for storage.

In the safety category, these two Mazda Miata trims are identical in what they have to offer. There are the usual mechanisms that are expected from modern vehicles, such as airbags, side impact airbags, and seat belts with pretensions. All of the Miatas come with a rearview camera to make it easier to see what's behind a driver when in reverse, and they have a tire-pressure monitoring system as well.

The Miata has a few driver-assist systems in place to protect people. Blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning systems alert drivers if other vehicles are in their blind spots or if they're about to veer out of a lane without signaling. Likewise, rear cross traffic alert provides useful information when it's hard to see the traffic behind the Miata. With Smart City Brake Support, the Miata can sense when frontal collisions are imminent. If so, the car can hit the brakes on its own in an effort to prevent an accident from occurring.

If anyone wants to add on to his or her Miata, the only option on the Sport is to get a Soul Red exterior paint color for an additional cost. On the Club, people can choose Soul Red or Machine Gray Metallic, and they can add the Brembo/BBS RECARO Package if they get a manual transmission model. This package includes Brembo front brakes that have red calipers that catch attention, BBS forged wheels finished with dark gunmetal, special sport seats, a bumper skirt, and extensions on the side sills.

Compare the 2020 Mazda Miata Club vs Grand Touring Trims. What is the difference?

Moving to the Grand Touring gets customers many upgrades. On the outside of the car, the Miata Grand Touring has heated side mirrors that can be useful in the winter. A trunk light provides some extra illumination when searching for something in the back. The wheels remain at 17 inches, but they get a dark silver finish instead of a metallic black finish as seen in the Club trim.

There are also many advanced lighting features in the Grand Touring. The headlights can turn on and off automatically, and the high beams can turn on if a dark road lies ahead and no other vehicles are approaching. Further, the adaptive front lighting system allows the headlights to angle themselves in an optimal position. This could change depending on the slope of the road, whether the car is turning, and if anything heavy is in the trunk.

The list of upgrades in the Mazda Miata Grand Touring continues when examining inside the cabin. The climate control system becomes an automatic one, making temperature control a little more precise. The rearview mirror is enhanced with an auto-dimming function that can prevent glare from bothering a driver at night, and it has HomeLink technology so it can act as a garage door opener.

Seats in the Grand Touring are trimmed with leather, giving the car a more luxurious feel. As seen in the other trims, the seats can recline and be slid back and forth so people can find their most comfortable positions.

A major upgrade in the infotainment system on the top trim is the addition of the Mazda Navigation System. Having access to directions and maps in the car itself is very convenient, and because the car comes with SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link, people can stay updated about traffic and weather. They can even use this program to find sports scores, gas prices, and the availability of nearby parking.

The safety systems in the Grand Touring and Club are almost identical. The exception is that the Grand Touring has the ability to read traffic signs. It can then provide that information to the driver, in case he or she didn't get a chance to see that sign.

Available packages in the 2020 Mazda Miata are numerous when going with the Grand Touring trim. The choices include the same two colors that can be selected on the Club, and it comes with a choice of Snowflake White Pearl Mica as well. Instead of the black soft-top roof, customers can get a gray top if they prefer.

While the Grand Touring does come standard with leather seats, Nappa leather is available at an extra cost. The Nappa leather in the Miata comes in a striking red color. As a full-grain leather, Nappa leather is known to be soft and luxurious, and it's also durable.

Overall, the Grand Touring has many elements that are of a higher quality than the Club. Whether this is worth the extra money is up to the individual customer, and since the Miata is more of a fun purchase instead of a practical one, there's a good chance that many people will go for it and get their Mazdas fully decked out.

Which Trim to Choose?

The Miata is a unique model in Mazda's 2020 line-up, as it's a two-seater sports car with some definite flair. It's a great choice for anyone who likes to stand out, and it provides people with the unforgettable experience of cruising down the road with the wind in their hair.

When looking at the three trim levels and what they bring to the market, the Club trim does jump out as a solid choice. It has the smartphone integration that so many modern drivers are looking for, and it has a nicer sound system than the base model. Plus, it comes with the wheel upgrade and the heated front seats. None of these are deal breakers or must-haves, but there's no denying that they can all be appreciated by anyone who likes nice things.

The thing that works against the Grand Touring is its price. However, some people will feel that the enhancements, to include leather seats and navigation, more than justify the jump in cost. The Grand Touring, with its add-ons, would appeal to those who have larger budgets to work with.