Every Miata is independently sprung at all four corners, but the geometry changed as the car grew up. NA and NB use unequal-length double wishbones on every corner; NC and ND switched the rear to a multilink.
Here is how the four generations lay out:
- NA (1990-1997) and NB (1999-2005) run double A-arms front and rear. This is the classic Miata setup: compact, tunable, and the reason these cars corner so flat for their era. Camber curves are friendly, and the same aftermarket arms and links fit both generations.
- NC (2006-2015) keeps a double wishbone up front but adopts a five-link rear hung off a larger rear subframe. The car got heavier and wider, and the multilink gives better ride compliance.
- ND (2016-present) carries a double wishbone front and a five-link multilink rear as well, in a much lighter package than the NC.
Practical takeaway:
- Parts do not cross generations. NA/NB wishbone arms, links, and bushings are their own world; NC and ND are separate again.
- The NA/NB double-wishbone rear is a gift for alignment. You get real, independent camber and toe adjustment without exotic hardware, which is why these cars are autocross darlings.
- NC/ND rear multilink trades some of that simplicity for ride quality and packaging, and its many links mean more bushings to eventually wear.
Do not assume a "strut" anywhere on a Miata. None of them use a MacPherson strut at any corner. Anyone telling you an ND is a strut car is mistaken.