AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 93M
AZDA’S fourth-generation
MX-5 kicks off at just
$34,890 for the base model
1.5-litre/six-speed manual
Roadster. A six-speed auto
adds $2000.
The 2.0-litre GT manual is
$42,820; the auto is $44,820.
Stowing the lightweight roof
opens up an endless sky that
no sunroof can match. With
the side windows up, heater on
and the standard rear defl ector
in place, alfresco cruising is
possible even on a cold night. At
speed, conversation requires no
raised voices, while lifting and
securing the manual top again is
no hardship. If it is for you, then
you may prefer the 2.0-litre RF
power operated folding hard roof
model, priced from $40,200, or
$46,900 in GT trim, again with
the auto adding $2000.
You lower yourself gently into
the MX5, and if you’re long of leg
there’s a bit of yoga involved to
get comfortably installed behind
the wheel. The seating position
is higher than most sports cars,
there’s no seat height adjustment
and no reach adjustment for the
wheel either, so you either fi t the
MX5 or you don’t.
You’re snugly wrapped
in a traditional roadster
twin cockpit, facing a slim,
minimalist dash, classic satin
chrome-ringed analogue
instruments and spherical air
vents. Mazda’s easy to use
MZD Connect rotary controller/
cursor (plus touchscreen
functionality) infotainment
system includes navigation,
voice control that gets it right
most of the time and simple,
seamless Bluetooth.
It’s a tiny roadster, so there’s
precious little storage available
in the cabin and the 127 litre
boot requires a pack light
approach to touring.
Two USBs are provided, while a
camera, speed sign recognition,
low speed autonomous
emergency braking, blind spot
monitoring and rear cross traffi c
alert are standard.
The RF’s roof goes up and
down in about 10 seconds. In
blue skies mode, it’s calm in the
cabin; there’s some wind noise
around the roof buttresses, but
not enough to require raisedvoices. The driver’s seat headrest
has built in speakers – the next
best thing to headphones.
The Roadster’s 97kW/152Nm
1.5-litre twin-cam engine
(based on the Mazda2’s unit) is
one of the livelier non-turbos
we’ve experienced.
Armed with a lovely manual
shifter, it pulls both strongly
and sweetly off the line and revs
absolutely freely. Only when
needing to overtake quickly
does its lack of capacity require
restraint and caution.
The 135kW/205Nm 2.0-litre
engine perfectly demonstrates
the attractions of natural
aspiration: immediate and
proportionate responsiveness
to your right foot, a linear power
delivery that becomes eager and
willing as redline approaches,
and a rorty exhaust note.
It revs to 7500 and gets “on the
cam” in classic hot four fashion
from just below 4000rpm, so you
have plenty of revs to play with
and you can use them all. The
six-speed manual’s lever has a
precise, short throw action and
the clutch is light and progressive.
Mazda’s “driver and car as one”rhetoric is true. You don’t so much
sit in this car as wear it. Through
a set of corners, you know
exactly where the front wheels
are pointed, via super sharp
steering and intense, uncorrupted
feedback from the road.
The MX5 is fi nely balanced, so
not only is it a delight to drive,
it’s also easy and unintimidating.
You don’t have to drive it fast
to enjoy it, either. Happiness
happens at any speed.
It isn’t a hard case sports car,
so when you point it into a tight
corner, it rolls momentarily
before settling into a neutral
track. Roadholding is superb
and even on the choppiest
bitumen it never fl inches. It
should ride like a billycart,
but Mazda has engineered
reasonable compliance into the
suspension, so it’s comfortable
enough to do long distances.
The Germans could never
make a sports car this good
for the price because their
answer to almost every question
is “More.” Mazda’s less is
beautiful MX5 is Haiku poetry in
metal. An astounding machine.MAZDA MX-5 FROM $34,890
THINGS WE LIKE
Zingy, refi ned performance
Light, tight body
Superb dynamics
Simple, effortless soft-top operation
Compelling value for moneyTHINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE
No glovebox, or any other useful
storage really.
Tyre repair kit; no spare wheel
Not overendowed with torqueSPEX (1.5 manual)
Made in Japan
1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol/six-
speed manual/rear-wheel drive
97kW of power at 7000rpm/152Nm
of torque from 4800rpm
0–100km/h in 8.3 seconds (claimed)
4.9L/100km highway; 7.9L/100km
city; 95 octane premium; CO 2
emissions are 139g/km (Euro fi gures)
Warranty: Five years/unlimited
kilometres
Standard: Four airbags, stability
control, camera, low speed AEB,
blind spot monitoring, rear cross
traffi c alert, auto headlights, cruise,
Bluetooth, leather wheel and
gear knob, LED headlights, tyre-
pressure monitoring, 16-inch alloys
Redbook future values: 3yr: 52%;
5yr: 39%Safety
(Euro NCAP)
PerformanceHandlingQuality and reliabilityComfort and refi nementValue for moneyOverallSTARS
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