In the old Miata, the relationship between the driver, the dashboard, the windshield, and the sides of the car is preferable to the new MX-5. You feel like you’re sitting up taller with a better view out over a low and lovely hood. The seats also feel wider and better padded, and the upper door panels are covered in a soft material that’s friendly to elbows. Problem spots include a tighter footwell that makes heel-and-toe downshifting more difficult, and a parking brake lever mounted on the driver’s side of the center console where it can rub uncomfortably on the driver’s leg.