The automatic (with the 1.6 de-rated to 105 hp) is seen as the single biggest NA devaluator and quite slow, but commenters note an NA6 auto-to-manual swap is only slightly more involved than a clutch job (~$1,000 in parts, a weekend), while some pitch autos as a niche pick for non-manual drivers.
Automatic transmission and manual conversion
Mazda MX-5 Miata (NA) · variant