Why Do I Drive a Mazda MX-5 (ENG) - Test Drive and Review

Why Do I Drive a Mazda MX-5 (ENG) - Test Drive and Review
Mazda MX-5 is a roadster launched in 1989. And it’s not just any roadster. In 2016 Mazda announced it sold one million examples of this small sports car. And more than a dozen years earlier the MX-5 became world’s best-selling roadster, when sales topped half a million. What’s behind this success story?
The MX-5 was always small, light, agile, and relatively cheap. By relatively cheap I mean priced as a well-specced compact hatchback. Not even a hot-hatch. In the world of sports cars and cabriolets that’s a low price.
This is the fourth gen Mazda MX-5 or ND, as enthusiasts refer to it. Or to be more specific ND2, as this is a face-lifted version. I’d even call it ND2.5, because Mazda constantly updates it. What’s new in 2023? Let’s find out!
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↔ Mazda MX-5 dimensions:
✔ length: 3915 mm
✔ width: 1735 mm
✔ height: 1230 mm
✔ wheelbase: 2310 mm
✔ boot/trunk: 130 L
💲 Mazda MX-5 starting price: 30 990 euro
💲 Mazda MX-5 price as tested: 40 690 euro
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Marek Drives reviews are independent and based on personal experience with cars provided by car manufacturers for media to review. No carmarker has any influence on what is being said in the review, nor are they given a preview. No carmarker pays me to do these reviews. My sponsors are you - the viewers, Channel Members, and occasional non-carmaker entities, whose sponsorship is always clearly marked.
Chapters:
0:00 intro
1:15 MX-5 history
2:15 why MX-5?
3:15 what's new in MX-5 2023?
3:45 performance
4:05 driving impressions
5:45 convertible or RF?
8:00 cockpit
9:45 boot
10:20 pricing
10:40 conclusion

[@PaulHojda]

I bought a 2023 1.5 ND2 to use as a daily driver. I absolutely hate it on the highway, it's stupidly loud inside with the top up. But then I get off the highway, put the top down, give it some beans on country roads and fall back in love with it again

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Yeah, it's not a highway cruiser. I'm seriously considering having it delivered to more suitable driving destinations :)

[@BrateTebra123]

I did a 2500km road trip last summer. It was rough but fun fun fun 🔥

[@MarekDrivesENG]

@BrateTebra123 last time I did 2.5k km was in 2021, but that was mainly German autobahn. We drove to Trebur (the X-Raid MINI fiasco :) ), and then to Berlin.

[@MrPlayboy28]

I exchanged a 2021 SEAT Ibiza FR Sport a 2021 ND2 R-Sport and I’ve been using it as my daily since Tuesday. On the highway the ND with the top up is quieter than the Ibiza. Until 60mph ND with the top down and the windows up is as noisy as the Ibiza with the from windows down.

[@kevinn1158]

The MX5 is THE sports car to own. No pretentious wildly powered supercar nonsense. This is just charming fun to drive convertible. I wish I had a place to park this as a 2nd car.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

You can always sell the kids for experiments, get rid of that SUV, and have an MX-5 :)

[@ochayethegnu2915]

I’m pretty happy with our “fleet”, a MX-5 NC1 2.0 Sport with Meister R CRD coilovers, a Skoda Superb estate, a Fiesta 1.25 Zetec and a light electric motorcycle. Covers all the bases.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

When do you find the time to drive all of this? I've given up motorcycles, because there's nowhere fun to ride around where I live, and I can do my commute by metro/Brompton.

[@BrateTebra123]

2022 I both a ND2 MX-5 1.5 for 26.000eur. A bargain if you ask ne. The car is fun, a dream to predict what it will do with each input and it catches eyes wherever you appear. Not only there is no better fun car in the price range but it has huge following and legacy. You can not go wrong with MX5!!! Fun fact #1, I achieved 4.2L per 100km consumption on a weekend drive from and back home! Fun fact #2, I did a 7.3s run with the 1.5 although the offical figure says 8.3s !!

[@MarekDrivesENG]

You must be following Mazda's rigorous weight-shedding regime :)

[@BrateTebra123]

@@MarekDrivesENG Yes, I think it helps I weight 70kg 😄

[@marcverbeke]

Marek, good work. Top 👍👍👍

[@alliejr]

Best car ever. Full stop.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Indeed.

[@royanderson535]

I swapped out the Bridgestone tires that came on my 2023 MX-5.the result was a much quieter ride. My upgraded tires are Michellin PS 5. Really the Bridgestones produced so much road noise that was unbearable. Hope this "tip" helps.

[@dannyphamous]

Great review! My 2020 has been my daily driver since new

[@glenndavid8725]

I sold a GR Yaris and bought an MX5 nd, 100x more fun to drive and not as slow as people who've never driven one make out!

[@paulchappell]

I’ll keep my 2013 2.0 litre PRHT NC, thank you. Very fair review, as always.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Thanks! Ours is a 2011. Anna doesn't want to sell it, so it'll stay with us, until we won't be able to get in and out :)

[@robtt997]

I have a 2006 NC 1.8. It’s not fast but great fun as you can ring its neck . Totally reliable, of course, and it’s been properly rust proofed so is a keeper .

[@rocketdreamer]

Am sure Gordon Murray ❤️ it! 2me 2ndcar I'm case, would be happy having this tested here.

[@The_Hero_Is_Back]

I’m an EV driver but if I were looking for a reliable and reasonably-priced two seater sports car, this would probably be top of the list. This might be the only car on the list, now that I think about it.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

I'm waiting for that MINI Cabrio Cooper SE to come along.

[@AHarker100]

I had 3 series 3, last being 25th Anniversary model.

[@laupakhin]

Funnily enough, they've stopped selling the 1.5 ND where I am and now we only get the 2.0 engine😆 Thanks for the review Marek, I knew the ND was a bit smaller but the size change seems quite significant compared to the NC. I had considered an NC when I purchased my GT86 and the main thing that swayed my decision was that the GT86 was a lot easier to live with as a daily driver. I still look on enviously at people driving their MX-5s to work even though I couldn't make it work with my lifestyle.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Until recently the 2.0 L was the only option in Poland, because nobody bought the 1.5 L. Now they are going back to 1.5, which nobody will buy, because "car for pussies". GR86/BRZ are no longer available, because they don't comply with new EU data protection and safety regs, so if you want something vaguely sporty, and maybe even convertible, you'll have to go for Audi, BMW/MINI or Mercedes.

[@kotfast]

You don't have the facelift there, that's the non-facelift model. You can tell from de DRL, that on yhe new model is in the main headlamp and the indicators are led un frot and on the rear at the new model. The navigation unit is much bigger, looks similar to the CX5

[@sergedurand6519]

We don’t have the recaro, bbs, brembo, bilstein, roll bar pack in Mexico, and that’s restraining me to get the mx5. I drive a cooper s two door, hard top, manual transmission, updagraded it with bbs, brembo, and a better exhaust and air filter. It’s a lot of fun, but I really want a lighter RWD, I just don’t want to go through the hustle that is getting all this extras shipped and installed. A shame cause if they offered the package at my local dealership I’d just get one no brainer

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Did you try driving the MX-5 in your local stock form? Maybe you'll like it nonetheless.

[@sergedurand6519]

@@MarekDrivesENG I haven’t, not bad enough they don’t offer the package I’m interested in, they don’t do test drives on the mx5s. Also I can’t get an intermediate trim level like say alcantara seats and Bose speakers, they offer two trims only, either the most basic one with manual transmission but without the Bose speakers and the non leather or alcantara seats, or the RF with an automatic transmission only.

[@Shay-eo5kp]

Wished you reviewed the ND3 with the 2 liter engine. And for the eternal debate, what do you recommend, 2nd gen BRZ (which is now actually quite powerful with good torque) or the ND3? Please compare only stock to stock, without any suspension upgrades and such (that some people claim the ND is very much needed)

[@MarekDrivesENG]

I've never driven the BRZ (only GT/GR86, and nerds say they are somehow different from the BRZ). I'd say tour the MX-5, track the BRZ, but not the other way round.

[@ridgmont61]

Good to have a review by someone who knows MX-5. They are great fun cars. (I have had 2 NCs) That red colour of the ND2 is stunning.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Why change the NCs? Anything wrong or just changing cars, as you go along?

[@ridgmont61]

@@MarekDrivesENG Will swap for an ND next year. NC 2.0 Sport had great fun - interior quality a bit poor but driving fun just makes you giggle.

[@takuan650]

I am toying with the idea of getting that new 'Bugatti Tourbillon'. My butler ordered one of those for his cleaning woman.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Great idea. Perhaps an Aston Martin Valiant for the plumber?

[@natoftw]

How does this compare to a base porsche boxster 718?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Different animal. To use a boxing analogy, MX-5 is more nimble, but 718 carries more punch.

[@JulioGarcia-ns8ip]

Im a tall guy (190 cm) and I didn't fit in the ND. Would I fit in the NC?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Probably not. Several of my taller friends complained they were uncomfortable, often heads sticking out, and top of the windscreen in their line of sight. HOWEVER AFAIR @EverydayDriver suggest installing a Lotus (?) seat in the MX-5. It's lower, and therefore taller drivers fit better.

[@hedydd2]

I simply wouldn’t fit and if, be any miracle, that I did manage to get behind the steering wheel, it would probably take a crane to extract me.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

That's why I prefer our NC ;) But even that's too small for taller drivers, whose heads stick above the windscreen.

[@Schaneification]

Just too small for me at 6'3" . I want my old 240Z BACK !

[@kommentelek.]

youtube.com/@MarekDrivesENG Which one would you buy as a used car NC2/3 (2.0L, PRHT) or ND1 (2.0L, RF)? Mainly from driving perspective? I'm torn between the PRHT and RF. Would you take into account the relatively high ND1 gearbox failure rate? As we know the current ND gearbox revision is the v5, and even some of the 22-23 ND2-s have gearbox failing issues.. Good review.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

As far as driving is concerned, I think you'd have to aim for facelifted ND. And yes, the early NDs had some issues. I like the NC, because it's bigger, and it was my daily for 10 years or so. ND is great as a weekend toy.

[@kommentelek.]

@@MarekDrivesENG Does your NC has Recaro seats? If yes, how does it feel compared to the ND's Recaro seats?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

@kommentelek. no, just standard leather(ish) seats. I think Recaro seats became an option on NC3 and/or some limited edition of it. Mine is NC2 Sport. All stock. 17" wheels, heated seats, and that's it.

[@Taliskerop]

Cannot watch this video in high quality Marek.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Something on your end. I have HD on my side.

[@nats50]

The 2 liter has barely enough power, forgivable and drivable, but why the less powerful 1.5 was even made, sold, and driven is dumbfounding.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

They had an engine they could use, and wit it they wanted to meet the design goal of sub 1 ton vehicle. AFAIR they failed, because new safety tech, but they tried :)