Nothing validates a concept quite like an enduring fitness for purpose. That the ND Mazda MX-5 is now 10 years old, yet feels more desirable than ever, assuredly says something of the contemporary enthusiast car market. But it also points to what a superb job Mazda did in honing its vision of a roadster for a modern world. While significantly updated in 2018 (and modestly fettled last year), this is, to most intents and purposes, the machine that launched in 2015. Despite all that time, the little Mazda remains stylish, relevant, well-conceived and, perhaps most importantly, enormous fun. ‘The answer to everything’ might be underselling its significance, if anything…
Back in 2015, having a car as simple and as slight as the fourth-generation MX-5 - a model smaller and lighter than its predecessor, remember - was a welcome addition to a bustling enthusiast marketplace. It felt like a worthwhile update of a familiar formula, eminently recommendable for those who wanted a bit of drop-top fun and a step in the right direction as far as weight and complexity was concerned.
A few things have changed since then. The first is that the MX-5 became better and better from its auspicious start; the power boost in 2018 really woke the 2.0-litre Skyactiv four-pot up, and last year’s refresh, significant for the introduction of a new diff and the Competition ESC mode, reinvigorated the handling. In other words, it is better than it’s ever been. The second important change, you'll hardly be surprised to hear, is the decimation of the affordable performance segment in the past decade, leaving the Mazda as a proper beacon of hope that this type of car remains viable despite the constant angst around sales volumes, safety and emissions.
When the ND was launched, two-seat alternatives were plentiful. Hot hatches were abundant. Now, even at £10,000 more than the original RRP (or sadly only a few hundred quid more than the 2015 price, adjusted for inflation), there’s really nothing like the MX-5. Which is sad. We’re at the point where a 177hp Skoda Fabia is £30k, remember, so quite frankly it feels like Mazda can charge what it wants.
Yet despite all of that, it can seem that the MX-5 doesn’t enjoy the recognition it deserves. Imagine now if an established carmaker came out with a 1,000kg, 7,500rpm, rear-drive roadster that looked great and cost less than £35,000; the bunfight would be akin to the GR86 all over again. But because this is just an MX-5, because it looks just as it has for 10 years (only the keenest will note the latest headlight design), enthusiasm feels modest at best.
It shouldn’t - this thing is an unmitigated joy. Some of it is nostalgia-driven, no doubt, given its length of service. For me, wedged into a Mk4, even one with a much smarter new screen than it first had, immediately brings back the middle of the last decade: driving the North Coast 500 for the first time, or driving down to Brighton from a south London flat just because, or driving to meet girls I was desperately trying to impress (and failing to). There was always an MX-5, and it was always great. But it turns out there’s far more than just rose-tinted appeal to the MX-5 interior, because it still works an absolute treat. We all know how interior design has changed since 2015 - mostly not for the better - and the MX-5 serves as a perfect reminder of what’s been lost. That trio of HVAC controls is simple and stylish, ditto the driver’s dials, and if the infotainment dial isn’t really far enough forward, then the functionality is spot on. The wheel would look and feel fantastic even to those who aren’t familiar; it’s impossible to miss the heated seat button. No wonder little has changed.
It would be easy to say that nothing has changed in the way the ND drives, either, but that wouldn’t really be accurate. Early cars really did miss a bit of fizz in the powertrain and stability from the chassis; turning everything off always felt more adventurous than it should have, given the layout. The steering was a bit glassy, and the car was too keen to flop into oversteer at the merest hint of load.
This latest car is most certainly familiar, yet also markedly improved. It’s more secure and more precise, without totally abandoning the easygoing attitude. The new asymmetric diff introduced last year was an important change: ‘Strengthening the slip limiting force when the unloaded rear wheel is lightened during cornering enhances stability’, was Mazda’s quote; the introduction of the Competition mid-way mode for the ESC aimed for a ‘more dynamic, yet secure, drive experience’. And the steering was meant to do away with some friction - it did. Together, those changes make for a front-engined, rear-drive car that’s much simpler and safer, yet just as engaging. Harmless, wonderful little squiggles from roundabouts and out of slow corners feel too natural to go without.
What the MX-5 is not, however, is the last word in tacked-down dynamic bandwidth. Which is arguably what it should never be. But it can certainly be found wanting over pockmarked surfaces and significant elevation changes, the torsional rigidity and damping exposed just a little. Nevertheless, that criticism misses the point somewhat; an MX-5 could be stiffer, but then it would be heavier, and the effervescence of a 1,050kg roadster would be at risk. Far better a small sports car with exploitable, well telegraphed dynamic extremities than some aloof grip monster. Moreover, it’s easy to look more fondly on the drive (and some of its drawbacks) without any direct rivals; even allowing for that leniency, anyone who loves driving won’t leave the MX-5 unamused, be that from the cammy bark of the engine, the perfectly weighted gearshift, the firmness of the brake pedal or the lovely transition between grip and slip.
It feels, and this is intended very much as a compliment, like a classic car. Such is the way of the world now that the MX-5 has become the classic drop-top its makers wanted a new car to evoke from the start. Surrounded in the marketplace by overcomplicated, overwrought and overpriced performance cars, the Mazda is a return to a simpler time. And the appeal is enormous. It might shake, rattle and roll a bit, but at least that means you’re never accidentally doing 85mph; the engine needs revs for its best, rather than dumping torque in your lap at 1,800rpm, yet reaching peak power at 7,000rpm is never a chore; and modest dimensions that can make you feel a tad vulnerable are a boon on a country lane. Granted, the hot hatch crowd probably won’t get it, and you might worry about rust in a few years, but there is a host of upgrades available from established third parties to move Mazda's game on. The MX-5 couldn’t cosplay as a classic any better if it tried.
Yet it comes with all the benefits of a new car as well. It officially does more than 40mpg, it’s not going to overheat, phone pairing is a cinch and it’ll cruise along the motorway without too much drama. Not so long ago, the ND felt like a really good MX-5, but little more; in 2025, as so many others have fallen by the wayside, it seems nothing less than a celebration of all that’s truly great about driving. To experience a fizzy little 2.0-litre with a great six-speed manual and a game chassis, to know that it remains available to anyone with the wherewithal, definitely helps alleviate some of the gloom associated with a car obsession in 2025. Which is what the MX-5 experience has always been about, only now its virtues have never been shown off better, nor seemed more valid. Nobody really needs 10 stages of traction control, adjustable brake feel or variable steering weight in a road car - they need this.
Which is probably why the ND fundamentals haven’t changed much since it first arrived all those years ago. In case there was previously any doubt, there really is nothing quite like a small, fast(ish), light, rear-drive roadster; ask anyone with a Lotus Elan or similar for proof of that. To have that fun still around brand new feels like a real privilege, a Mazda, finally, to properly cherish. Everything rumoured about the MX-5’s future would suggest its maker is very keen for the uncomplicated bliss of its most famous car to continue as well, which must be good news. If only a few others could follow suit…
SPECIFICATION | 2025 MAZDA MX-5 2.0 ROADSTER EXCLUSIVE LINE
Engine: 1,998cc 4-cyl
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 184@7,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 151@4,000rpm
0-62mph: 6.5sec
Top speed: 136mph
Weight: 1,128kg (including 75kg driver)
MPG: 41.5mpg (WLTP combined)
CO2: 153g/km
Price: £33,415 (price as standard; price as tested £34,265 with Soul Red Metallic paint)
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