Living with the Mazda MX-5
Review by Jacob Lerklint
Can a week with the 2019 Mazda MX-5 change my stereotypical view on it? Let’s find out.
Having driven a couple of MX-5’s, new and old generation for shorter distances in the past, my first impressions of the Mazda MX-5 in general were not greatest. Slow, a rough ride, twitchy handling was all I got out of it. Is that all going to change now after I got to spend more time with it?
Just after picking it up from the dealer and driving it out on the motorway my earlier impressions still lived with me. It felt cramped, weak and noisy. Was this all it could offer? Is there nothing more to it? A couple of days later and a few hundred kilometers spent on twisty roads, my earlier opinion of it started to fade and it definitely began to feel better each minute while driving it.
"The manual gearbox is a peach to operate."
The MX-5 is a car you need to explore at full blast, preferably with the roof down even if you might get some peculiar looks. The steering has a really nice feeling to it even though it’s electric, the low weight of it (1050kg) definitely helps with that. The chassis feels well sorted even though it rolls around a bit in the corners. The MX-5 was never going to be fast but it’s quick enough and the throttle response is great due to lack of forced induction. The manual gearbox is a peach to operate, short throws and a nice notch to it. While the high compression Skyactiv “G” engine revs all the way up to 7500rpm and has fluent power band it doesn’t a make a great sound. Something that does make a great sound is the Bose stereo with speakers integrated in the headrests.
We are driving the fully loaded 30th anniversary edition which is limited to 3000 cars. This one is number 312. It includes stuff like expensive Bilstein dampers, lightweight alloys from Rays, Brembo brakes, super comfortable Recaro seats, and the striking Racing orange color. But most important it comes with a limited slip differential, which makes it fun to slide around. So, after covering almost 2500km in a week with the MX-5, did my opinion of it change? Certainly yes, as an all rounder and day to day sports car it sets the benchmark. It’s comfortable, reasonably quick, lightweight, nimble and fun. It has all the gadgets you need. However, I’m not sure I’ve been totally converted into a MX-5 enthusiast. Might need a track day with it to convert me and fully exploit the potential of its abilities.
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