Monday 24th October 2022

Mazda MX-5 lineup refreshed for 2023

Mazda rearranges some deck chairs; we're just thankful the ship is still afloat

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Rear-drive sports cars of the lightweight, petrol-powered sort are in decline - we can all agree about that. But you’d hardly know it from the width and breadth of the latest MX-5 lineup. Were you plucked, Matrix-like, from 1996 and deposited in 2022 and handed a Mazda brochure, you’d assume the world was still buying these things like proverbial hotcakes. Not shunning them in favour of something much heavier and almost certainly more boring. 

So it’s with a sense of bemused satisfaction that we can report several changes to what is a ten-model range. (Yep - ten, in a world where Ford builds only one derivative of the Focus ST.) Granted, this is mostly about naming conventions, but it’s worth running a rule over it because a) knowing how they equate to what went before is important in a purchasing situation, and b) it’s vital to be supportive of a manufacturer still building two conceptually different variants of the same sports car. 

On that score, probably the most important thing to note is that Mazda UK has finally opted to designate the convertible MX-5 (i.e. not the Retractable Fastback) as the Roadster. The firm has been doing this elsewhere for some time now, and has finally opted to bite the bullet over here. So if the local salesperson says ‘roadster’ don’t look around for something you’ve never seen before; he or she means the ragtop - which, frankly, is the one you should be buying. 

Precisely which one is harder to say. Where previously there was SE-L and Sport, there is now Prime-Line and Exclusive-Line. So far as the 1.5-litre Roadster is concerned, at least; for the 2.0-litre Roadster, the Sport Tech and GT Sport Tech have now become Exclusive-Line (again) and the new range-topping Homura grade. So there’s a simplification in there somewhere, alongside the exciting prospect of red Brembo front brake calipers for the flagship model, assuming you want the manual ‘box (which you do). 

It’s much the same story for the RF, which is now available as an entry-level Prime-Line model with the 1.5-litre motor, or can be had with either engine in Exclusive-Line trim, or as a 2.0-litre exclusively in Homura garb. The kicker is that you can have the RF as an automatic with either engine if you choose to spec it (which you shouldn’t). 

Elsewhere the differences between trim levels are much as they were before - a full rundown is already available on Mazda’s website - although it’s worth noting for the record that the MX-5 now starts at £25,800 for a Prime-Line 1.5-litre Roadster, runs to £32,460 for the 17-inch BBS-wearing 2.0-litre Homura (which, let’s not forget, also gets the limited-slip diff) and tops out at £36,000 for a top-spec, automatic RF. Mechanically speaking, the spec is unchanged throughout - although there is the addition of Zircon Sand to the colour choice for the first time. A pivotal change? No. But we’re just thankful the world’s best-selling two-seat convertible is with us for the foreseeable. Small mercies, eh…

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[simongrif2010]

Just sold our 1.5 RF, miss it already. However, just became too impractical as a daily car, mainly due to age and the indignity of exiting by rolling onto the pavement like a z lister leaving the nightclub… never missed a beat, loved the small size and fun of just driving it. Designed to do exactly what it was intended, light and fun.

[Agent57]

Why to car makers give their trim levels such long silly names?

Not just Mazda, but if you put the full name on a badge it would take up the whole of the bootlid for some cars.

[Roy H]

Looks a lot better with the rag top. To me anyway.

[irish boy]

Brilliant little cars which are cheap to run compared to many a thing due to their low appetite for fuel and consumables.

Just as a set of springs.

[Volare]

Brilliant little cars, glad they are still going!

[Vee12V]

Roy H said:

Looks a lot better with the rag top. To me anyway.

It's also a lot more enjoyable with the roof down as there's no wind hitting the buttresses.

[MrGeoff]

Still looks fresh. Would love one but I'd just find it too impractical with a family. One day....

[bennno]

Really need to simplify the names and produce these in a few nicer colours, perhaps limited run per year of green, blue, yellow.

We bought a 1.5 in 2019 before the world became a weird place, at that time a 1.5L was £19600 but you could have 3k off and 3 years 0%

[pb8g09]

bennno said:

Really need to simplify the names and produce these in a few nicer colours, perhaps limited run per year of green, blue, yellow.

We bought a 1.5 in 2019 before the world became a weird place, at that time a 1.5L was £19600 but you could have 3k off and 3 years 0%

Wow that’s a steal.

I test drove the same model used around that timeand ended up with a Z4 for the same money (around £11/12k).

The Z4 is long gone now but I bet the Mazda wouldn’t be.

Got so much want for a 2.0 and a trip to BBR, but I just can’t justify it.

[SweptVolume]

bennno said:

Really need to simplify the names and produce these in a few nicer colours, perhaps limited run per year of green, blue, yellow.

We bought a 1.5 in 2019 before the world became a weird place, at that time a 1.5L was £19600 but you could have 3k off and 3 years 0%

Indeed. I'm told the price jumped shortly after that as the new punitive rules on emissions meant Mazda either a) had to radically change the engine to something they didn't want, or b) had to up the price to effectively make the same profit with fewer sales.

As for the names, I agree they're ridiculous, but that's a bit of a Japanese tradition, so I don't mind too much. Some bright colours would be lovely, though.

[Iamnotkloot]

The names are a bit silly but it's great that Mazda have kept this going.......long(er) may it continue

[RazerSauber]

I wish they'd remove "line" from time levels. I think the word in my head has been sullied by the likes R Line, AMG Line and VX Line where it's a case of you wanted all the looks without being able to afford the properly fast ones. Prime, Exclusive and Homura all sound perfectly fine in their own right.

Any news on the NE model? I'm assuming it'll finally be the time for the MX5 to go electric and use the E to represent that.

[cerb4.5lee]

I've always liked the shape of this generation, I've still never had a drive of any of the generations though. I imagine them to be good fun with their lighter weight ethos for sure.

[Goodwood63]

Fantastic small cars, great fun and cheap to run.
However £36K for a top spec one is now looking expensive, I know the worlds changed, but thats a lot for a fairly basic fun car.

[Ray_Aber]

Great cars, but as is often the case with cars these days (supply chain problems), it's really hard to spec the car to your desires.

I had a go over the weekend, inspired by the BBR article.

If I want a tan/light interior, I have to have black wheels.
If I want silver wheels, I have to have a black interior.

I want tan with silver wheels. Very frustrating!

[bennno]

Ray_Aber said:

Great cars, but as is often the case with cars these days (supply chain problems), it's really hard to spec the car to your desires.

I had a go over the weekend, inspired by the BBR article.

If I want a tan/light interior, I have to have black wheels.
If I want silver wheels, I have to have a black interior.

I want tan with silver wheels. Very frustrating!

Its £200 to have wheels dipped and refinished to better than factory standards, stop pontificating and do it.

[Mr-B]

Goodwood63 said:

Fantastic small cars, great fun and cheap to run.
However £36K for a top spec one is now looking expensive, I know the worlds changed, but thats a lot for a fairly basic fun car.

That is a big jump in price. I bought mine coming up to 7 years ago and it was top spec all but NAV which saved about £600 and it was about £25k. Would like to upgrade to the very last of these whenever that may be. Hope Mazda can keep churning these out for many years.

[Seano1878]

I’ve been looking at 182bhp 2.0 rag tops on something like a 69 plate, reasonable money, run it for a couple years and then get the Super 220 kit with springs with OZ wheels. Would go so well with my upcoming i30N.

[Agent57]

RazerSauber said:

I wish they'd remove "line" from time levels. I think the word in my head has been sullied by the likes R Line, AMG Line and VX Line where it's a case of you wanted all the looks without being able to afford the properly fast ones. Prime, Exclusive and Homura all sound perfectly fine in their own right.

.

Agree. Maybe the word "Line" should be replaced with "Like" or "Lite"

[georgeyboy12345]

I like that sandy grey colour. Not so much a fan of those stupid trim level names.