This year’s model marks the 20th anniversary of the car that brought back a fascination of driving a roadster with the top down, which means it might be a good time to look into buying a used Mazda Miata.

At this year’s Chicago Auto Show, Mazda showed off its 2009 MX-5 “Mazda” roadster along with cars from the previous 20 years. Although the 2009 model is not a radical transformation from last year’s edition, it did receive a facelift which harkens back to the original car – an immediate success when it hit American roads in 1989.

The success of the Miata has not been lost on the people who keep some of the most important records in the world. According to Mazda, Guinness World Records certified the car as the world’s most popular production two-seat open-top sports car in 2000.

It doesn’t appear that that record will be broken anytime soon as the company says the Miata has sold 857,201 units through last December.

MSN autos says that one of the reasons why the car has remained so well-liked is that it has stayed true to its initial form throughout two decades.

“The popularity of the Miata is largely due to the fact that Mazda has never changed the underlying idea behind the MX-5 – it’s still a lightweight, sporty, fun-to-drive sports car,” writes the site.

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A first car is a big deal in American culture. It’s going to be the car a man remembers for the rest of his life, so it’s probably a good idea to make it a good one.

Askmen.com recently compiled a list of the best used cars when guys are making their first purchase, and all are under $21,000.

According to the site, the best car is the 2004 Mazda3, which can be had for under $18,000. Although the car would be considered a compact, it’s got the largest trunk in its class and with 148 horsepower it has some zip too.

Saturn has had a pretty good record for reliability, so it’s no surprise that the website lists the 2005 Saturn Ion as one of the best buys. Although it has a sporty look, the Ion comes in a four-door model which makes it easy to fill up with groceries, moving boxes, or just friends. Plus, with dent-resistant panels it’s a good car when parking can be an issue.

Towards the higher end of the price range, askmen.com lists the Honda Civic Hybrid as it’s number three choice. But the higher price tag might be offset by the fuel economy – 51 miles per gallon highway and 46 mpg in the city.

Rounding out the list are the 2004 Toyota Corolla and the 2004 Volkswagen Golf.

Find New York Used Cars with New Jersey State Auto.