1990 Mazda MX-5: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

4 builds left the factory as a 1990 MX-5, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 1 main configuration sell for $7,500–$44,995 today.

  • 1 main configurations
  • 1,296 vehicles built
  • 21 for sale right now
  • $7,500–$44,995 typical price range

Which MX-5 is yours?

Enter a VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or the title — and we’ll match it to its exact factory configuration, typical price and equipment.

Works with any VIN — a different year or model takes you straight to its own page.

Pick your MX-5

What people actually pay

20 price observations · updated Sep 6, 2026
Base configuration
$15,000
$7,275 $17,043 $26,810 $36,578 $46,345
Cost to run

21/26 mpg city/highway. Roughly $2,020/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 1990 MX-5

Safety, in plain English

What JM1NA351-L means

JM1 NA351 · L
JM1
the World Manufacturer Identifier Mazda registered — assembled in Japan
NA351
together encode the MX-5 line — Convertible, 1.6L 4cyl — as Mazda filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
L
in position 10 — model year 1990
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
Real VINs from this run JM1NA351 3L0132891
3 rare configurations — mostly fleet, export or irregular VIN patterns. Fewer than 20 known vehicles each.

Already looking at a specific MX-5?

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1990 Mazda MX-5 prices →