2013 Mazda MX-5 Reviews

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the used 1989-2014 Mazda MX-5.

We are in a holding pattern ahead of the all-new, Italian-cloned roadster set for landing in 2014 and to settle our impatience and keep us amused, Mazda rolls in a reheated MX-5.It's not what we are waiting for but it's enough of a distraction to rekindle interest in a car that for 23 years has globally kept the spirit of roadsters alive. Yes, it's really good to drive. Few cars are as simple, as forgiving and as fun as the MX-5.The Toyota 86 and its sibling, the Subaru BRZ, are cut from the same cloth but - as yet - can't lose their top.Where the MX-5 falls down badly is value for money. But more than 16,000 Australian buyers have, since 1989, forgiven its price tag and bought what is arguably the cheapest classic car on the market.Not a lot, to be frank. But if you measure value in terms of emotion, fun, ownership comraderie and the simplicity of motoring, theMX-5 is a winner. It costs $47,280 in its most basic, six-speed manual guise with a metal folding roof (fabric roof models are discontinued) which is $460 cheaper than its equivalent launched in 2006.But the cash doesn't go far. Even Bluetooth is optional. Cruise control, four airbags, 17-inch alloys (but no spare), an electric folding composite-material roof, seven-speaker audio (but no Bluetooth) and leather seats are standard. Add $2605 for BBS alloy wheels and Recaro seats made of leather and alcantara.Same as, really. The grille is a bit deeper and there's a new bumper - which weighs 0.4kg less than the old one - and lip spoiler, and the trim colour in the cabin is different. It's still a cutey at a scratch over 4m long, is as ridiculously low as die-hard rivals from Lotus and Caterham, has a boot that can take a soft overnight bag and a roof that folds so neatly that it doesn't affect the minimal boot space. It's not made for big people and of course, it only holds two.This is a simple car that's based on the Lotus Elan principle - compact, cheap to build (but expensive to buy) and using as many off-the-shelf components as possible. There's a 118kW/188Nm 2-litre petrol engine in the front, six-speed gearbox behind and drive to the rear over multi-link suspension. Even the steering remains hydraulic and there's no annoying stop-start system. Sometimes the simpler things in life are best.This is a four-star crash-rated car with four airbags. It has all the relevant brake aids such as electronic stability and traction control. But it has no spare and to be honest, it's not a car that brims you with confidence when travelling alongside other - always bigger - traffic.Sometimes you have to forget about the price and the lack of some features that we take for granted. On the open road, the more undulating and tightly curved the better, the MX-5 revives that sense of being at one with a car. It's compact, condensed and almost cramped behind the steering wheel but it fits the body like a glove and responds immediately to the driver's deflections.The steering is sharp and the engine, looking a bit deflated in output, is actually a good balance for the handling. The engine is also broad in its torque delivery - good for the city - yet will rev cleanly to 7000rpm and above. The firm suspension and placement of the seats close to the rear axle invite the tremors of road undulations into your spine, but that comes with the territory.Roof up it's relatively quiet - though there is some wind whistle - and down, the cabin is quite comfortable when the windows are up and the standard wind deflector is in place.

Crowned as one of the best selling sports cars in history, the new Mazda MX-5 is a welcome treat for its large – and still growing – fan base.Base model price has risen slightly coming in at $47,280. Top spec stays the same at $52,010.The tried and tested 2.0-litre four cylinder remains – no surprise there. Even with the base model outputs hold a respectable 118 kilowatts and 188 newton meters.Mazda has made bold changes to the frontal styling of its MX-5. Whereas every model to date had a grille that harked back to the original 1989 MX-5, the latest model follows a similar theme to the other passenger models in the extensive Mazda range.The result is that the latest MX-5 has a deep grille shaped to give it a 3D appearance. The headlights have a gunmetal effect in their surrounds. Foglights are a fashion item these days, so the MX-5’s stand out proudly to attract the younger generation.This is likely to be the final shape of the third generation MX-5 prior to the all-new model that’s due in 2014.Fascinatingly, the next generation of Mazda MX-5 sees the very Japanese Mazda company teamed with the legendary Italian Alfa Romeo organisation.We can’t wait to see what should be an excellent mix of Italian style and Japanese build quality. Cynics joke that it may be the other way around, but let’s think positive.The MX-5’s interior has also received a fairly mild rework. The previous silver decoration panels and aluminium-finish steering wheel bezel have been replaced by a glossy dark grey.Two-tone Recaro sports seats with leather and perforated Alcantara facings were featured on the MX-5 Coupe Sports versions we tested.Sadly, a lack of interest in soft-top convertibles in Australia means that only the folding hardtops are being imported. I say ‘sadly’ because the lighter weight of the ragtop makes the MX-5 soft-top even more nimble. It gives the car a purer appearance even when it’s closed. Ah well, such is the reality of marketing...Boot space isn’t too bad for a car like this, but packing soft bags makes more sense than using rigid ones if you’re planning an extended holiday in a Mazda MX-5 – and that’s exactly what you should be doing if you want to really get the most possible enjoyment out of yours.Chief engineer of the MX-5 Nobuhiro Yamamoto, came to Australia for the launch of his new toy. Earlier in his career he worked in Australia with the local Mazda racing team so he really knows his stuff Yamamoto-san says his team has made changes to the throttle and brakes to further improved the turn in and the general handling ability of the car.On the road during our recent week’s road test we found the latest Mazda MX-5 to be as delightful to drive as ever. We have been road testing this little roadster since day one in Australia in 1989 and are very pleased to report the new MX-5 continues to provide driving in its purest form,We tested it extensively in our usual drive route that takes in motorway, suburban and beachside driving, as well as the hinterland behind our home area on the Gold Coast. The latter is just the type of road loved by true sports roadster drivers. Mazda MX-5 gives you fast and precise control through the steering wheel and by way of the throttle pedal.Being on the wrong side of 60 I have to admit that getting in and out of the Mazda MX-5 is somewhat of a struggle. You don’t have to be over 60 to find that the interior is on the tight side.The driving position isn’t too bad for legroom but I found that sitting in the passenger seat and not being able to straighten my legs made it uncomfortable after a long trip. Anyone over six-foot tall may like to try it for size before falling in love with the sporting nature of this beaut little roadster.

Confession time, I am an MX-5 owner, a 2003 NB model which is pretty old but gives me a good baseline from which to assess the new model.This is a car that has sold nearly a million units since introduction 24 years ago making it the best selling sports car in history. I didn't need to be asked twice to take the new NC Series 3 Roadster Sport for a test drive.Surprisingly similar to my old MX-5 . . . plus 10-15 per cent but the drive feel is the same. It has a bit more go, a bit better handling and slightly better brakes, sounds better thanks to the exhaust note generator and is a lot more rigid in the chassis with no scuttle shake, roof on or off. At around $50 grand, it would need to be (a lot) better.This will be the last version of the NC as the new MX-5 due within the next 18 months will be a collaborative effort between Mazda and Alfa. Hopefully, Mazda will prevail in the gestation process to retain all the essential elements that go into what an MX-5 is, starting with rear wheel drive, the powertrain chassis and double wishbone suspension.But this "Last of the Mohicans" pure Mazda model is already showing signs of dilution with the disappearance (in Australia) of a rag-top version moving to all hard top roadster variants starting at $47,280. Mind you, they are following market demands which seems to prefer a folding hard top over the vinyl option. That would be price-related as the car is now shopped at a higher, more luxury conscious level than before.It will also be shopped against the new Toyota 86 and Sooby BRZ against which it loses out big time on price and performance. Still offers a roofless driving experience though and Mazda build quality. They have tweaked the engine computer to give better throttle response and fitted a stronger brake booster to give better braking as well as altered the face and some body hardware. It's essentially the same as the first NC model.All models get Bose audio, aircon, power mirrors and windows (without delayed closing), multiple wheel controls and cruise.Power comes from a 2.0-litre, petrol four-pot engine with variable valve timing (SVT) but no direct injection. It's good for 118kW/188Nm output both peaking at mid to high revs. The engine redlines at 7200rpm. Six-speed manual and auto transmissions are available though why you'd buy an auto MX-5 is unfathomable.A miniscule amount of weight has been pared off but the car still weighs too much at 1167kg, 100kg more than my old NB. I suppose the additional luxury kit would account for a bit as well as the fast operating roof folding mechanism. The Roadster Sport I drove scored leather-clad Recaros and gorgeous forged BBS alloys.Safety is adequately addressed with four air bags, high strength steel chassis stability control and other features.The drive is exciting. It has plenty of get up and spins out willingly to redline. Gear changes are aided by the short throw change mechanism and closely spaced ratios. The limited slip diff' gives you more drive out of corners but the stability control system is too pessimistic activating too early on fast corners to upset the car's composure (and your drive experience). Can be turned off though.Dual mode Sport and Comfort suspension would be an improvement because the standard setting is a bit soft. Couldn't cost that much. It steers sharply and has brilliant brakes, no complaints there. The chassis is much more rigid than my old MX-5. No satnav, only OK audio (it needs a subwoofer), no delay window close function, and too many hard interior surfaces detract from the package.

The Mazda MX-5 is the world’s best-selling two-seater sports-car, with almost one million delivered since 1989. In Australia, more than half of all sports-cars sold are Mazda MX-5s. But it has faced strong competition this year, so Mazda has given it a once-over to keep it fresh until an all-new model arrives in 2014 – that will also spawn an Alfa Romeo offshoot.You’ve heard of ‘if it aint broke don’t fix it’. Well what about ‘we turned the car inside out to save 804 grams?’. Because that’s the net result of the changes: trimming 700 grams from the newly designed front bumper (3.5 to 2.8kg if you’re curious) and a further 104 grams from the wiring loom by removing 10 metres of the 50 metres of wire in the car.They used to fit 50 metres of wire in the car? The engineers have also toyed with the suspension and steering a little and fiddled with the engine computer to provide more oomph from lower revs (even if peak power is unchanged). For all that, though, the car still doesn’t have a USB input. It still makes do with a headphone socket and a 12V power point. Which just shows you where Mazda’s priorities lie: driver enjoyment of the road ahead, not what’s happening inside the car.Prices remain almost unchanged. They’ve risen by $80 to $47,280 for the base model and $49,885 for the luxury version with Recaro seats and BBS wheels. Given the price rise is so minimal, I’m surprised it’s worth the paperwork. Anyone expecting a large price cut, therefore, will be sorely disappointed.Many pundits were expecting a price trim, if not a butchering, given the competition in this class starts as low as $23,990 (Hyundai Veloster) and $29,990 (Toyota 86). True, they’re not convertibles - but they are fun, small sports-cars.So value is a relative term. Compared to a Porsche Boxster or BMW Z4, the MX-5 is great value. But compared to what everyone else is buying right now, it’s still way too steep.The technology in the MX-5 is beneath the skin, in the aforementioned trimming of the wiring looms, the thinning of the front bumper, and the remapping of the engine’s computer. Mazda has also installed a new brake booster, said to provide better feel and have less “hysteresis”.I had no idea what that meant so I looked it up. Apparently it is “the dependence of a system not only on its current environment but also on its past environment. This dependence arises because the system can be in more than one internal state.” I still have no idea what it means or does, but the brakes felt good.The wheels are now charcoal in colour, there are black highlights in the interior that were previously chrome and the curvy bit of plastic above the speedometer is slightly lower so it doesn’t block the view of short drivers. The front bumper has a new bend in it and a bigger grille ‘mouth’. You know what, though? It’s an elegant, timeless shape. I’m glad they didn’t mess with it.Well you get a folding metal roof these days, which is way better than a fabric top. Mazda Australia has ditched the soft-top for the time-being. Only four airbags are fitted (two frontal airbags and one outboard of each seat) because there isn’t room for overhead “curtain” airbags. Stability control is standard but, as ever, good road holding means you hopefully will be able to avoid a crash in the first place.The MX-5’s 2.0-litre engine is unchanged (118kW/188Nm) but thanks to some computer wizardry Mazda has made genuine improvements to power delivery by increasing the amount of oomph at low revs.Although the MX-5 has a little less grunt than the Toyota 86 – the darling of the moment – it revs cleaner, sounds smoother and has a more even power delivery across the rev range. The suspension is less jiggly than I remember MX-5s to be, and the stability control no longer kicks-in in case you do something wrong – it now only kicks-in if you do something wrong.Brakes? Check. Bad points? The clutch pedal is too crowded, there’s not enough space around the floor. And I wish the driver’s side mirror was convex, so there was a better over-shoulder view.