Top 7 Miata Interior Mods

The Mazda MX-5 needs no special introduction. It’s been around for a while and in a few different flavours to garner all the love and respect any car deserves from the motoring community. The nameplate has scooped up dozens of awards for being lightweight, peppy, fun, good for the street, and even better on the track.

Even older versions are holding up both in price and reliability. The engines, transmissions, and chassis are still rock solid and can take a few mods to satisfy power-hungry gearheads. But as with all cars, the interior is where age shows itself.

Most owners will have thrown quite a bit of cash into sprucing up engines, changing out wheels and tyres, upgrading brakes and suspension, replacing worn electrics, and tending to rust and leaky soft-top roofs. While this caters to performance and maintenance, personalising the interior is the best way to make your car your own.

Miata owners have a ton of options, thanks to the burgeoning aftermarket scene. That said, finding the right MX5 interior parts for your desires and needs is simple. Most parts are sold new, but if you’re down on cash, used parts in good condition are also a good buy. Here are a few interior changes that can bring new life into a tired MX-5.

Seats

Getting new seats isn’t just for show. They need to be comfy, have enough bolstering to the sides to keep drivers put in bends, and a suitable back and head support to prevent fatigue.

If the seats in your Miata have seen better days, and there are visible signs of wear, time to start shopping. Cracks, tears, wrinkling, and odd smells are some tell-tale signs. In addition, creaking and any noise mean metal frames or mounting brackets are at the end of their days. Loose seat belts are another giveaway and a safety trap that need immediate attention.

Buyers can find OEM replacement seats that recreate the original car’s look. They can be both in fabric or leather. Red leather seats were optional in higher trims in the NA, and two-tone leather in special edition NB and NC model variants.

Anyone stuck with fabric in the lower trim cars can still opt for fine-grain aftermarket leather seats in contemporary or classic designs and colours. This option adds some character to the otherwise spartan interior of older cars.

Heating is another option not to overlook. You can add heating kits to both existing seats or new cloth or leather seats. And these provide a bit of warmth on colder days. For sagging or damaged headrests, replacement units are easy to come by, as are OEM replacement seat belts.

Steering Wheels

Early NA and NB Miatas had either a three or four-spoked steering wheel (depending on trim and market), with leather again reserved for higher trims. Most NA variants lack driver airbags, but these started appearing in the NB variant and came standard in NC cars. The latter also had wheel-mounted controls for the stereo and cruise control.

Replacement wheels in leather and in a three or four-spoke design are easy to come by and go well with matching leather seats. Wooden wheels are a nice touch if the car has other wood fittings or can be combined with light-coloured leather seats or trim. Aftermarket Euro steering wheels will also require a steering wheel boss. Left and right stalk assemblies are also available and are sold either new or used.

Handbrakes and Gear Knobs

Handbrake sleeves and gear stick gaiters are prone to cracks and tearing and can spoil the overall look. Fortunately, these are easy to replace, with leather variants offered in black or tan.

There’s more variation with gear knobs, and buyers can choose black rubber OEM replacements for the vintage look or step up to chromed aluminium or wooden knobs. You can fit NC models with a 6-speed gearbox, and here, knobs also come in leather.

Handbrake sleeves should be of the same materials as gear knobs. Leather knobs go well with leather sleeves, and chrome knobs with chrome handbrake sleeves. While not necessarily a part of the interior trim, you can also find complete handbrake assemblies and handles to match the existing trim.

Interior Trim Elements

Swap out the entire instrument cluster for better legibility and a more contemporary look. Black background clusters mimic the original look, but buyers can also go with cream. Speedos in dash clusters can be optioned with different top speeds and have a different fit between model variants.

Going on with the chromed theme, look for chrome air vent rings and side demister inserts, chrome controls for the air-conditioning and heater, and a chrome and stainless-steel rear-view mirror. Pair this with a stainless-steel instrument cluster surround, and the same material in the heating panel and the surrounds in the window switches.

Stereo

Cassette players were only an option in NA models. NB and NC models turned to CD players. Stereos were either standard or high-end Bose offerings. These also included additional speakers in the headrests. The new model variants have audio and navigation provided by the MazdaConnect system sitting atop the dash. This has phone integration to connect both Android and Apple phones.

You can easily replace older units with aftermarket stereos, either in a single DIN or double DIN size. The latter will have larger touchscreen displays, built-in Bluetooth (for hands-free calls), satellite radio, and phone charging.

Speakers are also easy to swap out, with woofers in different sizes and output paired with silk-domed tweeters. You’ll get more volume and bass from subwoofer and amp combos. Look for speaker mounts and enclosures in the right fit for the doors and panels for the console suited to the radio.

Car Mats

This is one of the cheapest MX5 interior parts, but not to be overlooked. Keep the interior clean and free from liquids and stains with a bespoke set of car mats. Look for tailored carpet mats (in black) with an included heel insert and fixings that prevent creepage.

Wind Deflectors

Mesh wind deflectors were offered on the NB models as standard kits to prevent buffeting and reduce noise at higher speeds. You can also fit these on NA cars with no modification or drilling. Just fold them down when not needed. Buyers can get deflectors on their own or combined with a stainless-steel roll bar.