Who is Miata owned by?
The MX-5 Miata is owned by Mazda Motor Corporation, the Japanese automaker behind the roadster. This article explains who owns the Miata and how Mazda's corporate structure and partnerships shape its production and distribution.
The Miata and the company behind it
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a lightweight, two-seat roadster that Mazda has produced since 1989. Ownership of the model rests with Mazda Motor Corporation, the brand responsible for design, engineering, manufacturing, and global marketing of the car.
Mazda’s corporate ownership and partnerships
Mazda is an independent Japanese automaker, publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The company operates globally through a network of regional subsidiaries and partners. In addition to its own governance, Mazda maintains a strategic alliance with Toyota Motor Corporation, which holds a minority stake in Mazda and collaborates with Mazda on shared platforms and product development.
Key ownership facts about the Miata and Mazda are summarized below.
- Mazda Motor Corporation is the maker and global owner of the MX-5 Miata, responsible for design, development, production, and marketing of the model.
- Mazda is publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE: 7261), with ownership shared among institutional and individual investors.
- Toyota Motor Corporation holds a minority stake in Mazda as part of a broader strategic alliance, and the two companies collaborate on certain platforms and technologies.
- The MX-5 Miata is produced at Mazda’s plants in Japan (including Hiroshima and Hofu) and distributed worldwide through Mazda’s sales network.
These points illustrate that the Miata is owned by Mazda Motor Corporation as the corporate entity, while larger corporate relationships and investments influence the model’s development, production, and distribution.
Ownership concepts in practice
When people ask who owns a car model, they’re typically asking which company holds the rights to design, manufacture, and market the vehicle. In the case of the MX-5 Miata, that owner is Mazda Motor Corporation. Investors may own Mazda as a company, and partners like Toyota may hold minority stakes, but the Miata itself is not owned by an individual person.
Summary
In short, the Miata is owned by Mazda Motor Corporation, the Japanese automaker responsible for the MX-5. Mazda operates as an independent company with public shareholders, and it maintains strategic partnerships—most notably with Toyota—that influence but do not transfer ownership of the Miata itself. The model is produced by Mazda’s manufacturing facilities and sold worldwide through Mazda’s global network.
Is Mazda owned by Toyota?
No, Toyota does not own Mazda; Mazda is an independent company. However, the two companies have a strategic partnership and a reciprocal ownership stake, with Toyota owning approximately 5% of Mazda and Mazda owning a small stake in Toyota. This relationship includes a joint manufacturing plant in Alabama.
- Independent companies: Mazda Motor Corporation is a distinct and separate company from Toyota Motor Corporation.
- Strategic partnership: The two companies formed a partnership, which led to the establishment of the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing plant in Huntsville, Alabama, to build vehicles for both brands.
- Ownership stake: In addition to the partnership, Toyota has a small ownership stake in Mazda (around 5%), and Mazda has a smaller stake in Toyota.
- Past ownership: Ford previously owned a significant stake in Mazda but sold its shares by 2015, ending its control.
What car company owns Miata?
Mazda's
The MX-5 Miata is a symbol of Mazda's car-making philosophy, “Jinba Ittai,” which means horse and rider as one and expresses the type of fun-to-drive roadster engineers have intended to build since day one of the vehicle's inception.
Is Mazda now owned by Ford?
No, Ford does not own Mazda, although they had a significant partnership for decades. Ford began selling its shares in Mazda in 2008 and had completely divested its ownership by 2015, making Mazda a fully independent company. Mazda is now a separate, publicly traded Japanese automaker.
- Past partnership: Ford and Mazda had a long-standing alliance where Ford held a major stake and they shared platforms and technology.
- Divestment: Following the 2008 financial crisis, Ford began selling its shares in Mazda. This process was completed by 2015.
- Current status: Mazda is now an independent company with its ownership dispersed among various shareholders, including Japanese banks and investment companies.
- Strategic alliances: While not owned by Ford, Mazda has formed new alliances, including a strategic partnership with Toyota, which holds a small stake in Mazda.
Is Miata made by Toyota?
The Mazda MX-5 is a lightweight two-seat sports car manufactured and marketed by Mazda. In Japan, it is marketed as the Mazda Roadster or, previously, as the Eunos Roadster. In the United States it is sold as the Mazda Miata (/miˈɑːtə/), and it was formerly marketed under the same name in Canada.
