Yep. Obvious choice, huh? Sure, you’ve heard it all before: “Mazda MX-5 is always the answer”, “it’s the people’s sports car”, “fast fun without the risk”... and so on and so forth. But 2020 has given us pause for thought in so many respects that it’s worth revisiting just what makes Mazda’s vaunted two-seater an object of affection for motoring enthusiasts and keen drivers across the entire spectrum.
The temporary closing of manufacturer press fleets at the onset of the first lockdown in late March was not without its challenges for us motoring scribes, but the resultant three months I spent as steward of this Soul Red 2.0-litre car came as no small consolation. The almost infallibly glorious weather that arrived at the same time - otherwise frustrating given the stay-at-home directive that had just been issued - only served to allow me first-hand experience of the attributes I’d been reading about for years.
It’s not a luxurious car by any stretch of the imagination: no door pockets or glovebox and a tiny boot will put paid to any illusions you might harbour of this being a ‘baby’ grand tourer, but the subtle concessions it does make to usability place it leagues ahead of something more stripped back and focused like a Caterham Seven, and the malleability of its powertrain gives it the edge over full-bore supercars when you’re feeling less frenetic.
It’s a lot of fun when presented with a suitably meandering stretch of Tarmac, no doubt, but you could quite feasibly argue that the MX-5 is at its most impressive on a simple trip to the supermarket. Show me another purpose-built, drop-top, two-seat sports car in which you can trundle along quite peacefully at 35mph, averaging 40mpg-plus and with your favourite podcast playing quite audibly over the sound of its engine, before rocking up, parking in a matter of seconds and not cringing every time a trolley comes near it.
Join the debate
Add your comment
In my opinion, the Honda Type-R is superior, as it's got everything as part of single package, i.e. great performance - great handling - can play role of comfortable cruicer if person wants do so and when suspension is set on softest setting amply comfortable enough for a family run, and can seat 5 not just in joking manner but in actual truth. It's sort of all in one package car, that IMHO makes it the far greater car overall.
But it's not a superior roadster is it? That's because it's not a roadster at all but a five door hatch. You may or not value open top motoring but it offers a very different experience, much greater than the difference between the best hot hatch and the worst, for example.
Deserved recognition for the MX-5... we will miss it if it's gone. I'm a bit concerned that the only choice in future will be crossover EVs in various sizes.
Eer then you miss entirely the point it can move 5 people - which a 2 seat roadster clearly can't. Your point seemed bit irrelevant, as I'm clearly aware it's a 2 seat roadster while the other car isn't -- however that's exactly why it's a greater car; as it combines everything you need in a single vehicle, ability to move the family - performance - sporting character and can even play a comfortable cruicer. In short, you need not other car it can play all the roles you need on the road, sure except being open top. It that's very important for you, there exists also 4 seat open tops however those tend not to be highly sporting or alternatively they're so hugely expensive.
You appear to have missed his point entirely.
You are comparing apples with watermelons.
Has to be the best 'everyman' choice yet. Yes, it's a safe option, but when you drive one you know it answers so many of the problems of todays motoring enthusiast requirements.
The answer to every question apart from 'can you pick the kids up on the way home?' in my experience.