Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Updated MX-5 even better for drivers
The fourth-generation MX-5 debuted back in 2015 and more than seven years later it’s still going strong. So strong, in fact, we haven’t yet seen spy photos of a replacement being tested. The fifth-generation ‘‘NE’’ model will probably be electrified in some form, so this could be one of the last chances to get a traditional MX-5 as a brand-new car. For 2023, Mazda has given the little roadster a small update in the form of the GT model.
OUTSIDE
Very little has changed here, aside from the snazzy new Platinum Quartz Metallic paint. It looks great, but I think I’d still take mine in that gorgeous Soul Red.
Standard GT features include adaptive LED headlights, a dualexit exhaust, new BBS forged allow wheels, red front brake calipers and gloss black door mirrors.
Otherwise this is the same
MX-5 as it’s been for the past seven years, in proper soft-top form. If you liked the happy/frowny face then, you’ll still like it now, but it’s certainly getting to the point where it could use an update.
INSIDE
The cabin is tiny, as you might expect, with very little storage. Larger phones don’t quite fit in the centre console tray and can easily slide out, so best keep them in your pockets.
I was hoping for upgraded seats in the GT model but no such luck. The standard seats are fine, but they could be more supportive.
Otherwise, the cabin has aged rather well, mostly. The dials remain superb but the aircon controls feel dated, as does the tiny non-touch screen. Interestingly, Apple CarPlay is now wireless, but Android Auto is cable-only.
UNDER THE BONNET
Mazda’s 2.0-litre atmospheric fourcylinder continues to supply power here, 135kW of it along with 205Nm of torque. It’s paired with a six-speed manual transmission, as is proper, but you can also get it with a six-speed automatic if you’d prefer.
The engine likes to be revved, with a redline beyond the 7000rpm mark, and the manual is as slick as ever. Only Honda’s Civic Type R can really match the feeling of changing gears, and that costs over $10,000 more than the MX-5.
Mazda has also given every MX-5 its new Kinematic Posture Control system (KPC) to further
Base price: $57,590 (RightCar estimated Clean Car Programme fee/rebate: zero band).
Powertrain and economy: 2.0-litre inline-four, 135kW/205Nm, six-speed manual, RWD, combined economy 7.6L/100km, CO2 176g/km (source: RightCar).
Vital statistics:3915mm long, 1235mm high, 2310mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 127 litres, 17-inch alloy wheels.
Safety: 5 stars (Source: Ancap, tested 2016)
We like: Still one of the best driver’s cars out there, good on fuel, GT addons
We don’t like: Getting on in age now, sports suspension good but not great, needs better seats
improve handling. It can recognise speed differences in the rear wheels while cornering and apply a small amount of brake on the inner wheel.
According to Mazda, this prevents rear-end lift, stabilising the car during hard cornering and on rough roads.
GT models get Brembo brakes up front, Bilstein sports suspension and a front suspension tower brace bar as well as KPC to round out performance tweaks.
ON THE ROAD
Putting all that together results in an unsurprisingly superb drive. The powertrain is brilliant for hard driving without instantly breaking the speed limit, and despite no automatic rev matching, the pedal box is friendly to heel-toe downshifts.
KPC works subtly but it does work – flicking through corners is a more stable than before, helping maintain traction and drive. Paired with the front brace bar, the GT is certainly the sportiest the MX-5 has ever been to drive.
The steering is direct and so well weighted it’s easy to forget it’s electric nowadays, and the beefier brakes are much appreciated.
Bilstein suspension on the GT model helps reduce body roll, although it is still more present than some of the competition. The softer tune makes it better around town, but it’s easy to feel thrown around the cabin a bit. Better seats would certainly help.
VERDICT
Pricing the MX-5 GT under the $60,000 mark means that, despite it’s aging bones and lacking seats, it’s an easy choice for those wanting an honest, frontengined, rear-drive, naturally aspirated, manual roadster.
Other options include the Toyota GT 86, which is more powerful, larger, newer, but not a convertible, heavier and more expensive with a Clean Car fee of $3220 pushing its price to $60,210.