48. Mazda MX-5 – reminds you of why you fell in love with cars in the first place

Just updated for the 2019 model year, the MX-5 gains an extra 24hp for its range-topping 2.0-litre engine, and, at last, reach-adjustable steering on the inside. Thankfully, with this small update, Mazda seems to have left the MX-5's core competencies untouched, so it remains light, agile, affordable, and fun. Actually, scratch that last part.

The MX-5 isn’t fun, it’s amazingly good fun, laugh-out-loud fun, at times. Designed to be simple and enjoyable, rather than complicated and fast, the MX-5 reminds you of why you fell in love with cars in the first place, but thanks to being a Mazda, is also reliable, reasonably practical, and easily useable on a day-to-day basis. Standard 1.5-litre soft-top is all the sports car you could ever theoretically need, but for those who want more, there’s the RF model, with its ‘Retractable Fastback’ hard-top body, and the option of that more powerful 2.0-litre engine.

Best model: MX-5 1.5 Roadster for €28,195

Price range: €28,195 to €37,095. Finance from €312 per month.