Mazda MX-5 review: The perfect car for spring (and possibly all seasons)
“Have fun,” says the man with the umbrella. Despite his pessimism, I think it might stop raining and brighten up. Besides, you don’t get wet if you’re going fast enough. So, with a devil-may-care grin, I disengage the catch of the Mazda MX-5’s roof, flick it backwards and clunk it into place behind me.
Exiting the car park, I’m thankful for the excellent heater and the electronic bum-warmers that are now standard on even the entry-level model. It’s still only March, after all; the breeze that sneaks around the trailing edges of the windows is fresh.
But the first mild day of spring feels like the perfect time to take an MX-5 for a blast. Its blend of responsive, accessible fun with usability and comfort – not to mention affordability – make it a joy to drive in any circumstance.
And in any weather? Probably.
Pros
Huge fun
Reliable and eminently usable
Affordable to buy and run
Cons
Not all that roomy
Poor lower back support from seats
Small boot
Five alive
I’ve always had a soft spot for the MX-5 1.5; its engine seems more willing, keener to rev and sounds better – to my ears at least – when it’s being worked hard, compared with the larger capacity units. As I turn off the main road, the sun does indeed pop out and I find myself rushing beneath branches with the faintest suggestion of springtime foliage on them, so that’s exactly what I do.
The lane rises, falls and weaves, perfect MX-5 territory, flicking sweetly between second and third gears, with the rasping exhaust note singing out at the top of each gear ratio.
Of course, due to its relative lack of power – this version still has only 130bhp – doing so doesn’t necessarily put your licence in jeopardy, as it might in some far more potent machinery. Indeed, this is one of the joys of the MX-5, the possibility to have fun and sensible speeds.
You’d be hard-pressed to tell the revised car and the old apart unless you parked them side by side. The most obvious difference is the daytime running lights at the front – they’re now within the headlights, rather than in the front bumper.
Elsewhere, there’s a new infotainment system (as seen already in other Mazdas – it works well), more equipment and a new Track setting for the traction control, which allows a greater degree of slip at the rear before the power is reined in.
Mazda has also carried out some detail tweaks to the throttle response and steering with the aim of making the MX-5 feel even more responsive than before.
Room with a view
From within, the MX-5 is as right as ever, its handsome, high-quality cockpit wrapping around you, the dials recessed deeply into individual cowls, the short gear lever exactly where your left hand falls.
What a joy this car is compared with the latest of touchscreen-centric interiors. In the MX-5, there are buttons for everything, they’re right where you’d expect them to be, while the screen is operated exclusively by a central capstan controller, allowing greater precision when selecting menu options than prodding a screen.
The same downsides remain. Seats which only really slide back far enough to entertain sub-6ft drivers (and feel somewhat lacking in lower back support) and a tiny boot relegate the MX-5 to the position of a weekend toy – or a car for light-packing, child-free couples and singletons.
The thing is, you can forgive so much when you experience the MX-5 at its best. On days like these, on roads like this, the MX-5 feels like a puppy frolicking from corner to corner.
There isn’t much initial bite on turn-in, which may put off some people, while if you pile on the power too early the inside front corner can lift disconcertingly on its soft suspension.
Yet that’s just its way of telling you you’re probably trying to drive it a touch too aggressively. The MX-5 is not a hardcore driving machine. Covering distance at great pace is not the point.
The point is to have fun – to feel the tail squidge as you play with the throttle in a bend, perhaps letting it slip slightly wide before gathering it up again. To turn in and feel the cornering forces building through the wheel. To snick down through the gears using the delectably taut shifter before you arrive at the next corner. To allow the revs to soar as you exit the next one, knowing you’re probably not going to get yourself in trouble.
Power grab
Of course, that’s more likely in the 2.0-litre engined version which, on balance, is still the one to choose. The 1.5 is fun to thrash, but you have to rev it to get the best from it; under normal circumstances, it can feel a bit ordinary.
The 2.0-litre, by contrast, feels instantly gutsy thanks to its greater, more accessible torque. There’s an extra gear, which means the ratios can be closer, while the standard limited-slip differential means the car is more willing to rotate around its centre of gravity when you apply the power, helping you to guide it around the apex and allowing you to get on the throttle earlier.
The nose feels more precise, too; the 1.5 is fun, but the 2.0 feels more purposeful and turns in more aggressively. It’s a car with more bite, though it still has the fun, freewheeling air of the smaller-engined model.
How much does all this cost? For the most basic 1.5-litre, just over £28,000; the Exclusive-Line, which is the one you want, is about two grand more. The same again gets you a 2.0-litre engine.
£30,000-plus for an MX-5 might sound like a lot, but when you consider how much an electric family hatchback costs, it suddenly doesn’t seem exorbitant. And backed up by Mazda’s reputation for longevity – not to mention sensible fuel economy – it doesn’t feel unreasonable.
The Telegraph verdict
The fact is, you can’t really go wrong with any version of the MX-5. A drive in one feels as though you’ve just plunged into a cool turquoise lake and shaken off the scales of slumber.
Not much has changed, but then it didn’t need to. The MX-5 doesn’t have any real rivals to threaten its crown, while there wasn’t much wrong with the old car.
Having said that, the tweaks Mazda has wrought are worthwhile, bringing more equipment and greater precision without wrecking what makes this little car so special.
It’s springtime and Mazda still makes a pure, petrol MX-5 – what’s more, it’s better than ever. Buy one while you still can.
The facts
On test: Mazda MX-5 1.5 Exclusive-Line
Body style: two-door roadster (also available as a two-door convertible hard-top)
On sale: now
How much? £30,015 on the road (range from £28,015)
How fast? 127mph, 0-62mph in 8.3sec
How economical? 44.8mpg (WLTP Combined)
Engine & gearbox: 1,496cc four-cylinder petrol engine, five-speed manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive
Maximum power/torque: 130bhp/112lb ft
CO2 emissions: 142g/km (WLTP Combined)
VED: £270 first year, then £140
Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles
Spare wheel as standard: no (not available)
The rivals
Abarth 595C
162bhp, 39.2mpg, £25,910 on the road
For all the fuss surrounding the Abarth 500e, it’s worth remembering the 595 is still available in convertible form – and it’s about as close a direct rival to the MX-5 as there is. The Abarth provides more power for less cash than the 1.5-litre MX-5, and you get rear seats too, although its firm ride and slightly creaky interior mean it isn’t quite as forgiving to own and use.
BMW Z4
194bhp, 39.8mpg, £45,170 on the road
Time was the entry-level BMW roadster could be considered an MX-5 rival, but the two have grown apart and are now very different. The Z4 is more of a grand tourer – bigger, heavier and more powerful than the light, nimble MX-5. But with such a huge price premium, is it really worth it?
Toyota GR86
231bhp, 32.0mpg, £32,495 on the road
The GR86 is closely matched to the 2.0-litre MX-5 – you get more power and a pair of rear seats, but you lose the open-top roof. You pays your money, and so on. Having said that, there’s no doubt the GR86 is the more focussed of the two, with sharper steering and a more urgent front end.