How many Mazda MX-5s are left in New Zealand?
Uncommon 1 in 651 on the road Built 1989-2026 Japanese import
Updated from the NZTA Motor Vehicle Register, counted as at 31 August 2026. Recounted every month.
The car that brought back the small, simple roadster. Mazda launched it in 1989 as its own take on the British sports cars of the 1960s, light and rear-wheel drive, but one that started every morning. It has been built ever since, over four generations, and is the best-selling two-seat sports car ever made. In Japan the early cars were sold as the Eunos Roadster, which is the badge many of ours wear.
Still on the road, by model year
The most are from 1990: 1,093 still registered. Every year is listed under the chart.
Every model year
| Model year | Still registered |
|---|---|
| 1989 | 522 |
| 1990 | 1,093 |
| 1991 | 601 |
| 1992 | 334 |
| 1993 | 168 |
| 1994 | 171 |
| 1995 | 59 |
| 1996 | 145 |
| 1997 | 116 |
| 1998 | 584 |
| 1999 | 260 |
| 2000 | 209 |
| 2001 | 136 |
| 2002 | 90 |
| 2003 | 59 |
| 2004 | 46 |
| 2005 | 447 |
| 2006 | 542 |
| 2007 | 352 |
| 2008 | 130 |
| 2009 | 84 |
| 2010 | 68 |
| 2011 | 50 |
| 2012 | 31 |
| 2013 | 14 |
| 2014 | 15 |
| 2015 | 110 |
| 2016 | 130 |
| 2017 | 157 |
| 2018 | 78 |
| 2019 | 90 |
| 2020 | 50 |
| 2021 | 56 |
| 2022 | 55 |
| 2023 | 26 |
| 2024 | 28 |
| 2025 | 40 |
| 2026 | 33 |
By generation
How many of each generation are still registered.
| Which one | Built | Left | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| First generation · NA | 1989–1997 | 3,225 | Uncommon |
| Second generation · NB | 1998–2005 | 1,380 | Uncommon |
| Third generation · NC | 2005–2015 | 1,721 | Uncommon |
| Fourth generation · ND | since 2015 | 850 | Scarce |
By badge
The versions the register records, most numerous first.
| Which one | Built | Left | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| RF | 336 | Scarce | |
| GT | 91 | Rare | |
| RS | 25 | Rare |
What Uncommon means
Spotto grades every car by how many are still registered in New Zealand. With 7,179 still registered, the Mazda MX-5 is Uncommon: the grade for cars with 1,200 to 7,999 left.
By how many are left it ranks 9th of the 71 Mazda models and 124th of all 2,903 cars in Spotto's catalogue.
The six grades: Common, 8,000 or more · Uncommon, 1,200 to 7,999 · Scarce, 175 to 1,199 · Rare, 25 to 174 · Super rare, 5 to 24 · Unicorn, fewer than 5.
Seen one?
Spotto grades every car on New Zealand roads by how many are still registered, down to the generation and the badge. Log the ones you spot, build a collection, and see who else has found one.