In a world of big, heavy SUVs, overactive driver-assistance features and increasing electrification, Mazda MX-5 is a refreshing compensation.
It has a lot of safety equipment, mind you, but otherwise it’s pretty much the same old-school sports car you can get today if you don’t want to buy a Caterham or Morgan.
The RF uses the classic MX-5 formula and adds an electrically retractable targa roof. For a car that’s always been geared towards the thrills of the wind, the RF adds some utility but removes the 360-degree view you get with a convertible.
Is it worth paying extra over the standard MX-5?
How much does Mazda MX-5 RF cost?
You must pay a penalty for the electric folding roof, in the amount of $4310. The basic MX-5 RF is priced $42,770 before road costsor $47,108 drive away based on New South Wales postal codes.
The automatic transmission adds another $2000, and while most finishes are a free option, there’s a trio of metallic finishes – Zircon Sand, Soul Red Crystal, and Machine Gray – that attract a 595 surcharge. dollars.
While they are fixed-top coupes, SUBARUBRZ And TOYOTA GR86 are the MX-5’s most direct rivals. The base manual GR86 is $43,240 before on-road and the base manual BRZ is $40,290 before on-road.
How’s the inside of the Mazda MX-5 RF?
For a classic roadster model, the MX-5’s interior feels well-designed – but in an age of smartphones and more connectivity, it’s lagged behind. after.
The storage space is plenty, and that’s most noticeable when you just want to plug your phone in to use the smartphone mirroring feature.
There isn’t even a place to securely hold the phone – it sticks out from the recess at the base of the center stack and gets in the way of the gear lever and would slide out easily.
The cup holder is also effectively behind you, helping you hang cables through the cabin. I finally got my passenger to hold my phone.
There is no glove compartment, nor is there a bottle holder at the door.
There’s a storage compartment in the center console but you’ll be lucky enough to fit a wallet in, while the lockable storage compartment behind the seats is also small and hard to reach. There’s a small recess built into the passenger side of the center console, but we can’t imagine what you’d put in there.
You need to plug in your phone to use Android Auto (Apple CarPlay is wireless only), and although the outdated MZD-Connect system has more touch functionality than the newer Mazda Connect system on vehicles like the 3, but it’s not enough.
You can only use the touch function while parking, and while we love the dial, the MX-5 is positioned to be both unwieldy and frustrating to use with smartphone mirroring. bright. Sometimes it’s easier to tap the screen to control something than to use the dial, even in a manual, driver-focused sports car.
The MZD-Connect system is also laggy. Turn the car off when Android Auto is on and back on when the phone is not plugged in and you have to go through a long loading screen. While we’re whining, the graphics are also outdated.
However, the MX-5’s cabin does a lot of things right. Most of the switches are neatly within easy reach, and the analog dials are clear and easy to read.
The dashboard is completely finished in hard plastic, but stitching details as well as body-color trim and faux leather upholstery on the doors help improve the ambience. Everything feels solid and well built.
You hold the steering wheel and feel the touch thanks to the leather cover and the right size.
Seating is also great. They’re surprisingly comfortable and supportive, and despite being low, the MX-5 is easy to get in and out of.
Some other minor complaints: there are no passenger handles and the sound system is average at best – you need to get the GT to score the upgraded nine-speaker Bose sound system.
Open the trunk and you will see a rather deep but small storage compartment 127 liters on volume. You can leave a bag overnight here, but don’t even think about trying to stuff a suitcase in here.
What’s under the bonnet?
With the removal of the base 1.5-liter engine in 2022, all MX-5 models come with the former option. naturally 2.0 liter aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine manufacture 135kW power at 7000 rpm and 205Nm torque at 4000 rpm.
This is down quite a bit from the 174kW/250Nm output power of the latest BRZ and GR86, even though they weigh more than 100kg.
The engine of the MX-5 is combined with a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic transmission. All models are rear-wheel drive.
I consistently saw the lowest fuel economy, and over the course of a week – including plenty of highway driving but also some adventurous mountain adventures – I recorded total consumption. maybe 7.2L/100km. The official claim is 6.9L/100km.
MX-5 requires 95 RON premium unleaded fuel.
How does the Mazda MX-5 RF drive?
The RF roof really takes away the classic convertible feel of the MX-5. Boots behind you obstruct the view and you feel more encircled.
And for what? The cabin is still quite noisy at highway speeds, and you can still hear the wind around the mirrors, so it doesn’t seem like the quiet picture with the hardtop.
The soft top of the regular MX-5 Roadster can require manual operation, but pulling up or down is quite easy. The RF roof is just a touch of a button, but you can only operate it at a maximum speed of 10km/h. At least it only took 13 seconds.
Don’t make the same mistake as we did and try to go fast when the light is red – you’ll quickly hit 10km/h and the bells will blaring like you’re in a hit fighter jet. of the enemy.
It’s good that the MX-5 has blind spot monitoring as standard, as it has blind spots where you could lose a truck.
There are two schools of thought with the MX-5: those who believe that all you need is a relatively low-power naturally aspirated engine for fun, and those who want more power.
The chassis really feels like it can handle more power, but I lean more towards those in the first camp. You can have a lot of fun spinning the atmo engine and climbing through the gears.
The MX-5 isn’t what we’d call fast – we’d say it has “enough” power, like the GR86 or BRZ.
You can still provoke some nice, controlled overriders if you push it and the weight distribution is excellent. It feels light, balanced, and rotatable, like an MX-5.
The manual has a great shifting action, nice and tight feel. The clutch pedal is also well weighted.
I continue to be baffled by people buying automatic MX-5s, the automotive equivalent of wearing sneakers to the beach. If you have a crooked knee, you will be passed. If not, buy the manual!
The steering has a unique weight and communication, with plenty of feel on the road and the wheels are just the right size. The pedals feel a bit off-kilter and a bit intrusive into the rider’s footrest, but you’ll get comfortable pretty quickly.
The suspension tuning also doesn’t hide what’s going on underneath the car. That’s not a criticism, as the MX-5 really never felt harsh. But the car is small, sits quite low and hangs quite firmly, so it can clearly feel the terrain of the road surface.
Around town, it’s generally comfortable. Even when driving through tram tracks and changing surfaces, the MX-5 is quite supple. You won’t feel much about how bumps and bumps are in this car.
The RF roof has little effect on weight: it weighs just 27kg more than the equivalent softtop variant.
While we don’t think the MX-5 needs more power (or turbochargers) to deliver the thrill, the atmo engine could use some work in the audio department.
It revs up to 7500 rpm, but it gets raucous. Basically, this sounds like a Mazda 3and therefore does not have a particularly sporty or resonant sound.
What do you get?
Highlights of MX-5 RF:
- Limited slip differential
- Kinetic posture control
- 17-inch black metal alloy wheels
- 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Apple CarPlay wired, wireless
- Wired Android Auto
- DAB + digital radio
- Satellite positioning
- Sound system 6 speakers
- Automatic LED headlights
- LED tail lights
- LED daytime running lights
- Rain sensor wipers
- Polished black electric rearview mirror
- black fabric cover
- Climate control air conditioner
- Cruise control
- Leather-wrapped gear lever
- Leather-wrapped handbrake
- Leather steering wheel
- One-touch power windows
- Automatic anti-glare rearview mirror
- Push button start
The mid-range GT adds conveniences like leather upholstery, heated front seats, automatic headlights, keyless entry and a nine-speaker Bose audio system, while the top-of-the-line GT RS gets additional dampers. Bilstein and four-piston Brembo front brakes.
Is the Mazda MX-5 RF safe?
Mazda MX-5 has a Safety 5 stars from ANCAPbased on testing done in 2016. It scored 35.20 out of 37 points against the older criteria.
The following safety features are standard:
- Front and side airbags
- Low speed AEB
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear traffic warning
- Lane departure warning
- Monitor the driver’s attention
- Reverse camera
- Rear parking sensor
- Traffic sign recognition
- Assist to begin across hill
- Seat belt warning
- Tire pressure monitoring
How much does the Mazda MX-5 RF run?
The MX-5 is powered by a 5 year unlimited km . warranty.
It requires servicing every 12 months or 15,000 km, with Mazda recently extending the interval from 10,000 km.
The first year of service is limited to $337, $442, $418, $442 And $475.
CarExpert tests Mazda MX-5 RF
The MX-5 is as glamorous as ever, even appearing eight years after the current generation ND debuted.
It’s absolutely delightful to drive, with its communicative steering, responsive gearshifts and excellent handling.
Infotainment and cabin storage are the weak points, but these aren’t really ruled out. Even if the MX-5 was half as good as it is, what other small rear-wheel drive convertible would you buy at this price point? Spoiler alert: there aren’t any.
But for our money, we’ll stick with the standard Roadster. The RF’s thick pillars not only obstruct visibility, but they actually detract from the MX-5’s classic off-road driving feel.
Our advice? Pocket your savings and opt for the classic soft top.
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THAN: Everything Mazda MX-5
