Boston.com's view

MIAMI BEACH — It is a line I wish I had conjured: “You move through my dreams like a trout moves through a pool.”

Folk singer Greg Brown’s “Sleeper ” was playing in my head as I moved through heavy Florida traffic in today’s test car, the 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata. It darted like a flashing, silvery trout.

In the late 1980s, the tiny Miata brought back the drop top roadster and showed us that, unlike its English predecessors, two-seat convertible sports cars can be reliable, sporting, fun, and affordable.

Even at South Beach — where Lamborghinis, Maseratis, and Porsches are as common as Toyota Camrys in the Burlington Mall parking lot — the Miata held its own. At less than $30,000, it still drew a crowd when I dropped or raised the top. That may be because, for the first time, there is now a hardtop option. Sure, purists will say the ragtop is still the way to go, but many of them don’t live in snow country, where a hardtop raised for the winter is a fine deal.

Watching the three-piece metal roof fold and unfold is a Goldbergesque whir-click-thunk marvel of engineering. Try that, Lamborghini Gallardo!

Remember, we’ve only got 166 horsepower at our disposal and 140 lb.-ft. of torque, which should mean that the inline four-cylinder engine would slog at launch and lag in passing. Hardly. We’re only tossing around a bit more than 2,400 pounds (70 of that is the metal roof), and the MX-5 is nimble, quick, and able to zip out and pass at will.

I suspect that part of the zippiness owes to the crisp and responsive six-speed manual transmission. That’s right, six gears to handle 166 horsepower. It means never having to say you’re sorry for hitting a high gear too soon, and if snarling acceleration is your intent, you can drop from sixth to third gear, make up for lack of torque with high rpms, and do with the car as you will.

From the outside, the Miata is easily recognizable, even though it was redesigned last year. But there are differences that set it apart from Miatas of old. For example, big wheel wells surround the tires and 17-inch aluminum wheels, it rises from nose to trunk in a distinct wedge, and the rear quarter panels rise from the tires to the bumper, exposing twin-tipped exhaust pipes.

Inside, the first word that comes to mind is cockpit. A three-spoke steering wheel feels almost too solid for such a light and nimble ride. Leather seats hunker low and tight, and center console controls for climate and sound are easily handled.

Hugging a high-speed lane on the highway lets the MX-5 sail smooth as a tossed dart. Take it into corners and its wider-than-ever track, coupled with what feels like a perfect front-to-rear weight distribution, allows it to carve like a sharp ski on groomed snow.

Standard features on the rear-wheel-drive MX-5 include air conditioning, heated leather-trimmed seats, and basic front air bags. Unfortunately, if you want dynamic stability/traction control, you need to plunk down $1,250 for a premium package that also includes an anti theft alarm, keyless entry, and high intensity headlamps. Do it for the safety, especially since you’re adding to a base price that’s reasonable — just above $26,000 (including $3,000 for the hardtop version).

Even then, you’ll still be well below $30,000. That’s cheap for this much fun.

Royal Ford can be reached at ford@globe.com.