Small cars — especially the sporty ones that hug the road and allow you to careen around corners with ease — are often the most fun to drive. For one thing, there’s something reborn in many of us that recalls the halcyon days of go-karting down a hill at high-speeds.
Recently, I relived those memories in the 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club RF and the one thing that kept coming to mind is that the lane-keeping was a major help for my spirited driving.
The convertible is an absolute thrill ride whether you are driving around a suburban location or taking it off the beaten path on a country highway at higher speeds. The vehicle has a 181-hp engine that is spritely enough for my tastes, especially since the main perk of this small car is that you are so low to the road and can see all around the vehicle as you take a corner.
That energetic drive aesthetic is no surprise to people who know the Miata. It’s intended as a responsive drive where you can feel the road and adjust quickly. I’ve driven the Miata on a track before and it just feels assured and easy to control. The fact that the car costs $37,550 (base price) is a nice bonus, since many convertibles cost north of that price.
Yet, during all of my tests, I appreciated something else that was responsive.
The lane-keeping kept an eye on lane markings and there was a nice and loud beep-beep-beep whenever I was too close to the side of the road or the yellow lines. The reason thats more helpful in a car like this is that the drive mechanics are so enjoyable. You want to drive, not look at a display or even have the car nudge you around. Whosoever designed the lane-keeping tech in the Miata knew that audible chimes were more important than anything.
As I drove, I distinctly recall the car beeping at me a few times as a warning to let me — the driver — adjust as needed. Thai was not an insult to my intelligence, Instead, it became part of the driving experience and an aid. I didn’t feel like it was a reprimand as much as the vehicle saying — hey, I know you like to drive, I’m here to help and assist.
I wish more lane-keeping tech was like this. It stayed out of the way and wasn’t obtrusive, yet it did jar me enough to make sure I was keeping an eye on where I was on the road.
Many cars don’t do that. On many recent tests, the lane-keeping decided to do more of a wrist slap by abruptly moving the vehicle back into the lane, whether you asked for that or not. In some cases, lane-keeping only beeps softly or flashes a warning, which to me isn’t quite as helpful. Yes the beeping is loud, but with the top down and the wind rushing it has to be.
I ended up using the lane-keeping during the entire test period mostly because I came to rely on the technology as opposed to being annoyed by it the entire time.