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More power makes Mazda MX-5 even sexier
“Everything in the world is about sex except sex,” Oscar Wilde once observed. “Sex is about power.”
In that sense, Mazda just turned out one of the sexiest sport coupes in the history of the automobile. This notion occurred to me the other day as a new—and more powerful—2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF and I soaked in a sunny fall afternoon as we turned Texarkana’s one-and-only, infamous traffic circle into our personal merrygo-round.
Zoom-Zoom.
A great car gets better
This love affair started two years ago, when Mazda delighted sports car aficionados by rolling out a nearly perfectly balanced, expertly sorted, affordable, two-seater that elevated the phrase “fun-to-drive” to a new level. A short (91-inch) wheel base lets it turn sharply, while a comparatively wide (59-inch) track gives it cat-like paws. At less than 49 inches tall, it is close to the road for great aerodynamics.
Add in a taut chassis, a precise suspension, big wheels, wide tires and just the right amount of understeer and one has a car that hungers for tight turns and twisting roads. feedback from its rack-and-pinion and steering is perfectly linear. It goes where you point it and holds that line better than a quarter horse rounding a barrel.
To top that, last year rolled out a retractable hard top. The MX-5 RF (which stands for retractable hard top) gives the little coupe something it doesn’t really need, including some extra weight, but Mazda pulled it off.
I remain a fan of the standard soft top, which takes, like, three seconds to unlatch and flip back, but the hard top gives the car better aerodynamics
and is certainly a blessing in terms of comfort on long trips and in hot and cold weather, not that we ever see either in Texas.
And better
So now what?
How about doing a SKYACTIV® thing to the engine, which means go through it with micrometers and scales to trim every gram and improve every part possible? One hates to get lost in the details, but at this level of engineering, that’s where the cool stuff resides.
Pistons were lightened by 27g each, connecting rods by 41. The exhaust cam got increased valve opening and lift height. Valve and exhaust ports were widened, and port shapes altered for more efficient combustion. A lighter flywheel improved engine response and reduced drivetrain noise. The final drive ratio was increased. The throttle body got larger, the crankshaft stiffer and the fuel-injectors were set to run at higher pressures.
The result was an increase of 26 horsepower, to 181, significant in a 2,300-lb. car. Torque increased by 3 ft.lb. to 151. Redline increased from 6,800 rpm to 7,500.
That amalgam of numbers translates into what Mazda calls Jinba Ittai— “horse and rider as one.” A fret-driving car just got better. Add in an exhaust note with more bark and we’re back at ZoomZoom.
Want to jump into a hole in traffic or shoot around a log truck on a two-lane highway? Piece of cake for this car.
Power is more usable throughout the engine’s entire range, with the engine responding more quickly to every input. The increased torque means low-speed acceleration is a little quicker. Wind it out on a back road and the extra horses are immediately apparent. The prior engine started to get winded around 6,000 rpm. The new keeps climbing up to redline, quickly shooting the little car past 70, past 80, past 90m … oh, wait, is that a police car up ahead?
Ok, we can’t tell the top end, but Miata’s have never been about high speed. It’s the high handling limits that matter, and the improved engine pours even more joy de vivre into a daily commute or Sunday drive.
All that power does not come at the expense of fuel economy. Because it is more efficient, the new engine attains practically the same fuel economy as its predecessor, 26 mpg city, 34 highway, 29 combined with a standard six-speed transmission. Opt for the six-speed automatic ($1,350) and you can add one to the highway and combined numbers.
We know, most people can’t drive a stick these days. That means they’ll miss out on a real treat. The 2019 Mazda MX-5 has one of the cleanest, short-throw gearboxes you will ever lay hands on. Add in a stout, but perfectly aligned clutch, and one has the makings of a great afternoon on a closed-circuit track.
On the other hand, we’ve tested the six-speed automatic with paddle shifters, and it’s a hoot to drive, too. Hooks up nicely.
Safety second
The 2019 Mazda Miata MX-5 comes with some nice touches, such as a tilt/ telescope steering wheel and enhanced safety gear, little of it standard. A rearview mirror is standard, but niceties like low-speed brake assist, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, traffic-sign recognition and headlamp control are available in an option package or on more expensive models.
State-of-art technologies like dynamic cruise control and lane-keep assist, standard or low-cost with manufacturers like Toyota and Honda, are not available at any price.
In the Miata’s defense, we are not aware of any roadsters, even from Toyota, that make a full suite of safety technology available.
Small, but pricey
The Miata comes in three trim lines in soft tops, Sport, Club and Grand Touring. In the RF line, only Club and Grand Touring are available.
A nicely equipped MX-5 sport starts at $25,730, an increase of about $800 from 2018, and there’s not much you need to add. Standard are LED headlights and tail lights; 16- inch alloy wheels; power side mirrors; power windows; a 6-speaker audio system, including headrest speakers; Bluetooth phone pairing and audio streaming; two USB audio inputs; an infotainment system with a 7-inch monitor that features both touchscreen and control functions; a leather-wrapped steering wheel, parking brake and shifter knob; steering-wheel-mounted audio controls; and keyless entry. A safety package adds $450.
Club models ($29,950) are just what the name implies: a more edgy car with the basics needed for club racing on the weekend. That includes Bilstein dampers, shock tower brace and limited-slip rear differential in models equipped with a manual transmission. Clubs also get 17-inch wheels with 205/45 high-performance summer tires, front air dam and rear lip spoilers, and a 9-speaker BOSE® Premium audio system.
If you really want to go racing, you should consider a Brembo brakes package ($3,770)
Grand Touring models ($30,780) offer less of the performance stuff and more luxury touches, but you can pick up the dampers, tower brace and differential for $750. If you want to all-out, opt for Brembo Brakes with Recaro seats for $4,470).
The RF, available only on the Club and Grand Touring models, adds about $2,700. The most you can spend on a Mazda Miata MX-5 Grand Touring RF is right at $40,000.
That’s a lot for a car that you can take on a Sam’s or Costco run only if you drive solo, but there are more expensive mid-life crises.
Believe me.
Bottom Line: With the Toyota 86, Subaru BRZ, VW GTI and superb Mustangs and Camaros in the market, this may be the heyday of affordable sports car; none, however, have the Miata’s joie de vivre.