Close look - 2017 Mazda MX 5
The Mazda MX-5 is a real throwback to the two seater sports cars of the 1970’s. Cars like the Triumph Spitfire, Lotus Elan and MGB, cars that didn’t need big powerful engines instead they were more geared around putting a smile on the driver’s face. And it’s that philosophy of building a car around the driver that’s made the MX-5 such a huge success. The ingredients are simple small dimensions, rear wheel drive and an affordable price tag all wrapped up in a package that is stylish on the outside and clutter free on the inside. In fact it’s a recipe that’s proved so popular that over a million have been sold globally since it first went on display at the Chicago auto show in 1989. Over time though many more model rivals such as the MGF and Toyota MR2 have faded away, leaving the MX-5 in a category all on its own.
There are two four cylinder petrol engines to choose from a 1.5 or a 2 litre and as you’d expect they are very driver orientated. The manner in which you drive will really dictate which one you go for. The 1.5 litre has 131bhp and is only called spirited than outright fast. It will do 0-60 in 8.3 seconds and if you keep going will do a top speed of 125mph, but to get the most out of it you really have to rev the engine high and drive it much more on the limit. 460bhp 2 litre though is a much better all-rounder. As you’d expect it’s quicker to 60 by a second and has a faster top speed of 133mph.
As well as its dinky dimensions the MX-5 is also extremely light. It weighs only 1260kg which not only helps with agile handling but it also means it’s pretty economical too. The steering is light and precise and gives the driver real confidence when placing the car exactly where you want to on the road. The ride is comfortable at cruising speed whilst still maintaining to remain planted at high speed. One of the big drawbacks of the cropped roof though is that the refinement can be compromised at high speed like on motorways, but that’s not the case with the MX-5.
It seems quite low down behind the wheel and the pedals and the steering wheel are all lined up perfectly. The gear stick is positioned perfectly where your hand would naturally rest. It’s just a shame that the steering wheel will only adjust the height, it doesn’t adjust the reach. The dash layout is simplicity itself a hallmark of the MX-5 with controls that are within easy reach and straight forward to use. And that applies to the folding roof too. Unlike its predecessor that was available with a fully electric hardtop or a manual canvas roof this is only available with the latter. Now opening and closing is a relatively simple proposition and you do have to pull your body into all the usual shapes but closing it is relatively straight forward.
The high window line and rather cosy cabin does make you feel quite hemmed in though so there isn’t much space to get comfy and there isn’t much in terms of storage, and it’s the same when it comes to the boot. Many rivals are much bigger and there’s only really enough space for a couple of weekend bags.
This MX-5 is equipped with Mazda’s NZB connect 7 inch infotainment system. It’s controlled by touchscreen or a rotary dial which is a bit like BMW’s iDrive system. The controls are fairly intuitive, the buttons are nicely displayed and it’s pretty quick to respond. Doing simple jobs like pairing to mobile phones is fairly straight forward, simply touch the indication button and it will try to connect the phone, then connect and make sure your phone is paired up and ready to go and that’s it, it’s relatively straight forward.
Then if you’ve got satellite navigation as an optional extra you just hit the nav button on the home screen, hit the new destination, find the address and then just type in the town and the street name. Now again you can do this using the rotary dial or the touchscreen system. What’s also pretty neat are the shortcut buttons around the rotary dial which means whilst you are on the move you can simply choose your music or your navigation or your favourites with the touch of a button rather than using the touchscreen.
The MX-5 is attractive proposition and it’s largely thanks to its low level price. The only thing is though you don’t get a lot of equipment for your money. You have to pay extra for things like satellite navigation. There’s plenty of safety kit though with all models getting stability control and four airbags as well as isofix childseat bounce. Because the MX-5 is so light it’s pretty cheap to run. The 1.5litre will return an impressive 48mpg if driven carefully of course. The Mazda MX-5 is an improvement on its predecessor thanks largely to its more dramatic looks, improved interior and more powerful engine line-up. You’ll love the way it drives and be impressed by how little it costs to run. The only downside is limited cabin space. Find you perfect new or used Mazda MX-5 cars for sale with DesperateSeller.co.uk today!
