FIRSTDRIVE MAZDA MX-5:IT'S HARD to define the moment at which something becomes iconic, but 20 years on the go and still turning heads is a good start. Happy birthday to the MX-5, which has had a minor facelift in preparation for parties planned later in the year.
The MX-5’s greatest attribute is that it harks back to the glory days of two-seater open-tops, but adds in the reliability and build quality that Japanese engineers can bring to the deal.
The icon of this format is, of course, MG, followed closely by the Alfa Romeo Spider of old. The problem was that both cars turned many petrolheads into part-time mechanics – fine if you had time to tinker, but not what most owners desire these days, particularly with all the advanced electronics involved these days.
The MX-5, however, references a time when Japan was transforming itself from a masterful imitator into a technology originator. What you got was a car that may have borrowed the DNA from elsewhere, but showed what a mainstream two-seat sports car could – and should – be. If brands like MG had built cars of this quality, they’d still be flying high today; Mazda claims it’s the world’s best-selling sports car.
The changes to this model are minor. The nose has been adjusted slightly, the suspension tweaked to give it even more dynamic driving characteristics and the standard specification has been slightly improved – not that Mazda slouches in terms of creature comforts. It’s a nicely laid out interior and, while it takes a bit of agility to get in and out with the roof up, it’s an easy car to run and own.
The great thing about it is that, if you start to throw it about and have some fun – at legal speeds of course – the car springs to life and joins in. The tail will slide out a bit for you as you fling it into corners, yet it’s all completely manageable and, truth be told, can make even the most befuddled driver look like they could hold a racing line with the best of them. It’s gloriously easy to drive and enjoy.
With the arrival of a hard-topped convertible version near the end of the last generation, there’s really no reason to make do with the rag-top, particularly in Ireland, though many still opt for one.
There’s only €2,000 in the difference and you’ll get most of that back in the resale; we’d wager more buyers will opt for the folding roof over the canvas.
Concerns over motors controlling the roof mechanism don’t really arise when you know it’s a Mazda and besides, it’s such a small roof that the mechanics involved are minor.
For a 124bhp 1.8-litre engine, the sound is sensationally raspy. Clearly the car has had some acoustic work done and it’s phenomenally sporty when you blip the throttle. The engine is combined with a five-speed manual transmission that’s a benchmark for wonderful short-throw little changes.
The price you pay for such adept handling is a rather firm ride and over some pretty rough roads in southern Italy – the sort that would make ours seem as smooth as putting greens – the suspension did on occasion bottom out. Then again, this is a two-seater sports car so there is little to gripe about if you find the ride a bit firm.
The good news is that prices have dropped as well, with the rag-top now €31,000, down €2,175 on the current version, and the roadster coupé with the folding metal roof down from €35,175 to €33,000.
That may still seem a little steep for a car that doesn’t offer much in terms of practicality, but you need only spend a few minutes behind the wheel on a quiet stretch of road, or drop the top down and cruise through the countryside, to realise just how much fun this car delivers in return.
There is one downside that’s worth mentioning, and it’s a bit of a sensitive issue when it comes to a two-seater. The simple truth is that, while the MX-5 is sleek and alluring, it lacks a certain muscular charm that’s on offer in premium-end Porsches or the likes.
It struck us when we wound our way through the narrow streets of Italian villages, passing sniggering Italian men. It seems that the typical southern Italian male has a certain prejudiced opinion about two middle-aged men driving an open-topped, German-registered, two-seater. My colleague’s Magnum PI moustache only added to their misconstrued ideas.
Far be it from us to cast aspersions, but the southern Italians certainly seem to have certain preconceived notions about men who drive MX-5s.
Even taking that into account, the MX-5 is a cracking little car to drive. With the passing of so many other viable rivals from mainstream brands, it has few challengers.
Take Mazda’s remarkable reputation for reliability, add in the sheer enjoyment you can have driving it and the possibility of open-top motoring, combined with a likely strong residual value and – if you can live with the small boot and only one passenger seat – this car is a no-brainer buy. It offers a level of fun unrivalled at twice the price.
Factfile Mazda MX-5
CC: 1798
BHP: 124 @ 6,500rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Top speed: 199km/h
0-100km/h: 9.9 secs
Fuel consumption: 7l/100km
CO2 emissions: 167g/km
Annual motor tax: €447
Prices: €31,000 for soft-top to €33,000 for roadster coupé