Mazda MX-5 ND (2015-2026)

The perfect modern day roadster – This is Mazda’s golden child. For the past 20 years, the MX-5 has set the bar for what a sports car should be. And unlike other sports cars, it's barely changed over that period in all the best ways. It hasn't gained weight, its wheelbase has hardly grown and it's still one of the best value sports cars you can buy today. The MX-5 has always been… Read more

more on the practical side of build quality. Everything is put together with great accuracy and a lot of plastic.

That means there aren’t any luxurious trims to be wary of when it starts to rain with the roof down, and it can weather those harsh Aussie UV rays in summer.

For $42,184 drive away, the MX-5 represents the best value for a convertible in Australia. This is the base model MX-5, and to be honest, it’s a fair price against competitors like the Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ.

The MX-5 is covered by a 5-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and has capped pricing for its first 5 services.

Service intervals are every 10,000km or 12 months (whichever comes first), and totals $1817 over this period.

MX-5s are notoriously reliable thanks to their simple engine design and lack of complicated parts, especially if you opt for a soft-top variant.

I’ll be honest: the MX-5’s sound system is lackluster. It does the bare minimum, but it’s not going to make you want to exclusively purchase the MX-5 for this reason.

What I was deeply impressed by was the integration of speakers behind the passenger seats. It allows you to listen to music with the roof down, and even make clear phone calls (with no complaints about wind noise from those on the other line).

Road noise is pretty obvious, but despite having a fabric roof, it’s still pretty quiet compared to the Subaru BRZ. However, passing external sounds can penetrate the interior more than a traditional coupe.

The naturally aspirated 2.0L engine doesn’t produce an addicting exhaust sound like you’d find on the likes of a Hyundai N car. Rather, it’s understated, with a deep bass and subtle overrun burbles. You could make it louder aftermarket, but I prefer the subtlety and raspiness of this engine - it reminds me of an old school Austin Healy roadster.

This car weighs just over 1,000kg, so it’s not going to take a lot to stop this thing. The brakes are quick to bite, but are easy to modulate for smooth day-to-day operation.

The MX-5 is now only available with a more powerful naturally aspirated 2.0L four-cylinder motor, producing 135kW and 205Nm!

For a car that weighs so little, this power goes a lot further than you might think.

This engine loves to rev through to redline, and it's rewarding to do so. You truly can have a lot of fun driving this car within the confines of the Sydney metropolitan area.

Even though Subaru worked hard on improving their naturally aspirated four-cylinder, this engine is just so much better. The lack of a turbo generates a more engaging drive and really suits the chassis of this car.

Not to mention, power is exclusively sent to the rear wheels, making harsh acceleration a breeze.

Outside of the Toyota GR Yaris, this is the best 6-speed manual I’ve driven this year.

The slick transition between gears was intoxicating, and clutch control came so naturally. Compared to other manuals I’ve driven, the 6-speed in here made the MX-5. I can’t imagine how the automatic would even be considered with a transmission so great.

Even in traffic and during low-speed manoeuvres, this lightweight transmission requires little effort to operate - not to mention that this is one of the lightest 6-speed manual transmissions ever built.

Mazda has a philosophy of the rider and horse as one. That’s exactly what I experienced in the MX-5. Firstly, you’re sat towards the rear wheels, with the engine and large bonnet leading the charge.

The roadster has a softly tuned suspension setup, making driving over harsh roads in such a low riding car far more bearable than a Subaru BRZ.

Once you’re hitting corners, the MX-5 comes alive. It’s reactive, predictable and playful. Steering feel is some of the best I’ve experienced ever, and allows you to read the road and tires through your fingertips.

Combining a lightweight construction, a rev-happy engine and a six-speed manual, you have the best driving experience for less than $100,000.

The lack of a turbo and the fact that it requires you to rev out this larger displacement four-cylinder means you’ll find the MX-5 to be a little thirsty on fuel.

I averaged just under 10L per 100km when driving around in the MX-5. It’s right on the money for a four-cylinder performance car. What I found obvious is that you could easily reduce that consumption figure, as long as you don’t lay into that throttle often.

This is a tiny car by modern standards. The interior is great for those who are 6’2” and smaller.

You have one of the best driving positions at your disposal, made easier to adjust to your body thanks to the inclusion of a telescopically adjustable steering wheel.

There’s a large rev counter and supplementary info in front of the driver, a basic touch screen slapped in the centre and a few buttons splashed around to control the air conditioning.

There’s nothing outstanding regarding the design, allowing you to have all the basics and simply focus on driving.

What really transforms the driving experience is the ability to quickly unlock the roof and throw it behind you at any given moment. You open up the light and remove the feeling of claustrophobia that the closed roof can bring. I certainly made the most of every clear sky that came my way.

Surprisingly, the MX-5 has been built to maximise every nook and cranny for storage and practicality. There’s a rear boot that’ll house 130L of space, a centre glove box between the drive and a tiny compartment under the driver’s elbow.

You could take a trip away in the MX-5, but you’ll need to ditch the hard shell suitcases for duffle bags and debate which pair of shoes to bring (no, you can’t bring both). But at least the MX-5’s roof doesn’t impact the boot storage at all, and when you raise it up, it provides an additional storage shelf.

Buy this thing if you love driving. That’s my reasoning to myself.

If you value the driving experience above all else, there’s a reason why the MX-5 is still regarded as the holy grail of pure sports car experience.

I love my Abarth 500, but the ND Mazda MX-5 is my next car for now. When I need to move on from my car, there’s nothing really as engaging, unique and encouraging to drive than the MX-5.

I can see clearly why it’s so revered, and it’s deserving of all of its praise. It’s so special that Mazda is carefully working on the NE generation to continue what makes the ND so great into the next generation. Sure, if you need more space, seats and features, there are other options out there. But nothing - aside from the Subaru BRZ - comes this close to a pure driving experience like this.

*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.

Perfect selection of factory upgrades but not entirely necessary for everyone – It’s Mazda’s slightly more aggressive MX-5 offering here in Australia. The MX-5 GT RS is essentially a handling package that’ll cost you around $10,000 more than a standard MX-5. So all I have to do in this review is decide for you if it’s worth it, or simply a factory upgrade you could do without. The most affordable MX-5 starts pricing at… Read more

$37,990 before on-road costs. Where this GT RS model of the MX-5 range is priced from $47,620 before on-roads.

You don’t get any engine or power upgrades. Instead, you get extra goodies like heated leather seats, BBS wheels, Bilstein dampers, front Brembo brakes, extra bracing around the front suspension struts, and body colour matched interior trim.

The MX-5 is covered by a 5-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and has capped pricing for its first 5 services.

Service intervals are every 10,000km or 12 months (whichever comes first), and totals $1817 over this period. Below is a breakdown of these service intervals and corresponding costs.

There’s no additional sound generated from this more aggressive MX-5 sadly. So you’ll need to opt for the aftermarket if you want a little more sound from this motor.

You do get BOSE speakers which are absolutely worth the upgrade, especially since they throw in some speakers into the headrests which make open-top phone calls a lot easier.

There wasn’t much issue with the standard MX-5 and it’s braking set-up thanks to it weighing barely 1000kg.

Throw on some larger front Brembo brakes, and you can delay you braking into corners since these bite a lot harder than the standard set. That translates to faster lap times compared to your friends who skimped on getting a GT RS.

There’s also front AEB just in case you’re busy looking in the reflection of a shop front to see how cool your MX-5 GT RS looks while you drive past.

Power outputs remain the same thanks to no power upgrades being made to the GT RS. That means you get the same 135kW and 205Nm produced by the 2.0L naturally aspirated four cylinder motor.

It’s a brilliant thing, and a lot smoother to run up the rev range than the flat-four motors found in the GR86/BRZ.

Outside of the Toyota GR Yaris, this is the best 6-speed manual I’ve driven this year.

The slick transition between gears was intoxicating, and clutch control came so naturally. Compared to other manuals I’ve driven, the 6-speed in here made the MX-5. I can’t imagine how the automatic would even be considered with a transmission so great.

The GT RS is able to send it through corners with more composure and less playfulness than the standard MX-5.

Those Bilstein dampers don’t ruin the ride for daily driving, but they absolutely allow you to exploit more of that power when pulling G-forces through tight corners.

Additionally that front strut bracing keeps the front of the GT RS flatter for longer, which helps convince the little roadster to stay composed and keep it’s rear in check. Where the standard MX-5 might become a little side-ways happy, the GT RS will feel like a surgical scalpel through that same corner.

This is a tiny car by modern standards. The interior is great for those who are 6’2” and smaller. You have one of the best driving positions at your disposal, made easier to adjust to your body thanks to the inclusion of a telescopically adjustable steering wheel.

That stiffened handling setup doesn’t do much to ruin the ride here. Although the standard MX-5 will be ever so slightly more comfortable if that’s what you’re after.

These upgrades aren’t too cheap on the aftermarket, so you might end up only saving a small amount of money if you did these upgrades yourself on a base MX-5. And you should, if you don’t want the additional creature comforts you get on this higher specced MX-5.

It’s a great base to add power on if you want to, but what it really is, is one of the best ways to exploit the power and handling of the ND Miata. It’s an absolute treat to drive, and will make you fall back in love with the art of driving. You won’t win a drag race, but with the GT RS you’ll be able to keep up with hot hatches with a lot more horsepower too.

*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.