Speed, agility, bullet-proof build quality
Mazda is one brand that cannot be overlooked in the annals of global automotive history and behold the Mazda MX-5 captured in this week’s edition gives you all the fun and style you’d want from a roadster. It is solidly built and affordable to buy, too.
Mazda roadster is lighter, faster, sharper to look at and promises a return to the “fun to drive” characteristics of the 25-year-old original model. This latest version reverses the trend of generational changes of MX-5s by being lighter and smaller than the car it replaces.
The fourth-generation version rear-drive roadster is new from the ground up and enters the market next July with a brand new rear-wheel-drive chassis and two new petrol engines; all built using the company’s SkyActiv technology.
It comes with either a 124bhp 1.8- or a 158bhp 2.0-litre engine. The 1.8 has a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the 2.0 has a six-speeder. A six-speed automatic is available with the 2.0. Both engines are capable of strong pace, but only come alive when they are subjected to a litmus test.
You want your roadster to be fun? The MX-5 will be right up your street. The light body and rear-wheel drive chassis give it outstanding balance and it just keeps on gripping through corners. Sensitive, communicative steering adds to the experience. The ride is firm but not uncomfortable, although Sport Tech versions have stiffer suspension that is less forgiving.
Refinement has also got its place in this Mazda model. With the roof down, the breeze is well isolated and the high-backed sports seats help prevent draughts around the driver and passenger. With the roof up, though, there is far too much wind noise at high speeds, and there’s a bit of road noise, too.
Like previous incarnations, the cabin looks cluttered and all controls are simple. Centre of the dash top is dominated by an infotainment screen, derived from the Mazda 3 hatch. Like other models, it is also controlled by a rotary knob, nestling next to the conventional handbrake.
Out there in the market, MX-5 is keenly priced and retains its value reasonably well, if not as well as a Mini Roadster. It’s the same story with fuel economy; reasonable, but nowhere close to the Mini. Servicing isn’t cheap, either and although the car is comparatively affordable to buy, a Mini Roadster will work out cheaper in the long run.
For passengers’ safety, all models come with stability control and twin front and side airbags, an immobilizer and an alarm are also standard. As is a system that pops up the bonnet to reduce damage to pedestrians in case of an impact. However, the soft-top will never be as secure as the hard-top.
Behind the wheel, the MX-5’s low-slung driving position is exactly what you want in a roadster. The seats are supportive, too, but the steering wheel only adjusts for height, not reach, and the pedals are very off-set. The rear window is rather small, but visibility isn’t bad for such a sporty little car.
Now let us take a look at the space and practicality. The MX-5’s roof isn’t electric, but raising or lowering it by hand could not be easier or quicker. The two-seat cabin is cosy rather than roomy, but two tall adults can fit without a problem. In as much as the boot is not exactly huge, the omission of a spare wheel means you should be able to cram in a couple of overnight bags.
The entry-level 1.8 SE models have air-conditioning, electric windows, remote locking and alloy wheels. The 2.0 Sport Tech adds larger alloys, fog lights, Bluetooth, cruise control, an upgraded stereo and leather seat facings. It also gains a bespoke suspension.
MIKE OCHONMA