True… But sometimes one just doesn’t have time/money/effort to expend into “making it handle”.
Stock Miatas are considered: slow, fairy, rainbow, weenie, fruity, suspect, etc etc etc but one thing that can’t be denied is they will be tossable and respond to driver inputs nicely- right out of the box.
Owners have also spent afternoons lapping tracks in pretty much stock Miatas without boiling brake fluid or taking an unexpected detour into the grass / escape road as the pedal sinks to the floor (and a foul smell emanates from the driver’s behind).
This is more than can be said about “sports” cars like even a 350Z…