If you live in a market where ‘grey’ imports from Japan are common, and your car is badged ‘Roadster’ then it probably is a JDM car that has found its way onto your local roads – a vehicle import history check will usually confirm this (e.g.If your MX-5 was sold new in an export market like NZ, UK etc, then it is not JDM.sold with the steering wheel on the left hand side of the car to allow you to drive normally) then your car is definitely not JDM. If your Miata is a “North American new” car (i.e.Eunos Roadster for the first/NA generation, and Mazda Roadster thereafter once the Eunos name was retired) and these comply with Japanese rules and regulations like having right hand drive steering wheel placement, 180 km/h speedos, and other mechanical and aesthetic differences – you can learn more in our comprehensive MX-5/Miata buyer’s guide and history. To cut a long story short, there are “JDM Miatas” but they are called something else (e.g. Here in New Zealand, we see a lot of ‘Roadsters’ that are imported and sold variously as MX-5s (despite the Roadster badging).įor example, here’s a listing of an NC generation Mazda Roadster that was originally a JDM car that has since been imported to New Zealand: Mazda Roadsters are proper JDM variants, and can vary in terms of trim and specification to export MX-5s/Miatas. There are JDM Miatas/MX-5s, but these cars were sold new in Japan under the name ‘Mazda Roadster’ (or – for the first NA generation – the ‘Eunos Roadster’ … we are currently working on a more detailed article about the Eunos name, but basically it was Mazda’s attempt at establishing a higher end brand name) However, none of these cars are truly JDM! The Mazda MX-5 is the formal name for Mazda’s legendary two seat convertible/roadster, and in some export markets such as New Zealand and the United Kingdom, it is sold as the “Mazda MX-5”. The “Mazda MX-5 Miata” (as it is properly known in the American market – but typically just called Miata) is the North American version of the “Mazda MX-5”. This is where things get a bit more confusing, but we will try to keep the explanation simple. You can learn a lot more about the meaning of JDM here.īut armed with that definition in mind, what does it mean for the Mazda Miata? One Car, Many Names, Many Markets The JDM version of that car is the Toyota Celsior. performance, VIP etc)įor example, the Lexus LS 400 is not JDM that was an export car. It has a specific meaning, referring to cars – or variants of cars – specifically built for sale when new to the Japanese Domestic Market (however, some people do now use the term to refer to any ‘interesting’ Japanese car e.g. JDM doesn’t just mean ‘any Japanese car’. You can choose from a list of Inline fours available in anywhere between 1.5 to 1.9-liter displacement(and sometimes turbocharged from the factory), they all are great competent engines with just enough power to keep the car sporty and fun-to-drive and at the same time small enough to make working on it easier and cheaper than let’s say big blocks or V8’s.To determine if the Miata is a JDM car, we must first understand what JDM really refers to. The engines used also play a big factor in terms of how great this car is. This, and a great platform combined, make for a great handling, ever-lasting, and affordable sports car. The engine is picked up from a family hatchback and the materials used are cheap as well. The Mazda Miata is such a simple JDM car that there are no exotic materials used in the body or even the chassis. Another reason that the Miatas are so cheap is that they are built intelligently. There are a few reasons behind it, one of them is that they have made more than 1 million of them so far. Finding one for a project that needs a lot of work on it, can be acquired for scrap money. And that too, a running Miata that requires little to no work done on it at all. No matter where you are in the country, you can easily find a used Miata around your location for under $10,000.
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