Paradise Found

The Miata keeps Mazda pretty much at the top of its game. Consider the rotary-powered RX–8, the Tribute SUV, MPV minivan, Mazda6 sedan, and Mazda3 compact—all of them either the best in their class, or competitive with the best. The base Mazda3, for example, is powered by a tough 2.0–liter four-cylinder, the same engine that powers the Miata, with variable valve-timing inspiring its sixteen valves to 170 horsepower. You choose a five- or six-speed stick shift or a six-speed automatic, manually shiftable with little paddles on the steering wheel.

At the media introduction to the car in Hawaii, something could have been lost in translation, so program manager Takao Kijima used an interpreter. Engineers from other companies boast about power and speed, but Kijima spoke of “jinba ittai,” which is the coordination of a horse and rider as one, and of  “kansei engineering.”

Research on the kansei engineering concept started about thirty years ago at the Hiroshima University ergonomics laboratory. Kijima said that, in contrast to engineering automobiles to meet specific performance goals, the kansei approach challenges the engineer’s sensitivity and creativity. “The focus is not on direct measures such as performance,” said Kijima, “but rather the intangible virtues such as pleasure, beauty, and emotional attachment. Instead of 0 to 60 acceleration statistics, kansei engineering helps us understand how the car feels through the driver’s sense of touch, how it sounds at speed, how it looks with the top folded, and what pleasant scents can be enjoyed during a spring drive. ”

My introductory drive took place on Kona, on the Big Island, and I had never been to Hawaii. The black lava rock formations from an active volcano or two, the swaying palm trees, giant sea turtles, and gentle surf created an almost surreal backdrop. Add in the exhilarating drive in the new Miata and, if perception, indeed, becomes reality, I had found paradise. 

Reach John Gilbert at jwgilbert.com. He talks new cars with Charlie Boone on WCCO AM–830 Saturdays at 7 a.m.