Mazda MX-5 2016 Long-term test - 4

Mazda MX-5
Long-Term Test (Finale)

There’s no doubt that Mazda should be applauded in returning the ND-series MX-5 back to its roots. Lighter than before, and bringing a new SKYACTIV-G 1.5-litre engine to the mix, the MX-5 once more displays that you can have fun driving at sane speeds… so long as the car talks to you. Just how well does the latest iteration communicate in the context of its ancestors?

I remember the initial hype surrounding the original NA-series MX-5 well. I may have been nine years old, but was already devouring car magazines (the internet was still a few years’ away) and the lithe Mazda appeared as a breath of fresh air.

As it continued to win car of the year gongs for its refreshingly 1990s interpretation of 1960s British roadsters, my interest continued to grow… especially when my Dad’s boss purchased one off the showroom floor. It sounded good from the passenger seat, and the open top was really fancy to this primary schooler’s eyes, but the raspy little 1.6-litre engine didn’t feel that brisk.

Jump ahead a few years and a chance opportunity to drive the car which perhaps most influenced the MX-5’s gestation: a Lotus Elan (no, not the naff front-driver built under GM influence, but the lithe, Ford-powered rear-driver of the 1960s). This was the later Sprint version (albeit with a fixed head), with the big valve cylinder head and twin Dell’Orto carburettors snorting up front.

Mostly, I remember its near-telepathic steering, its taut damping and soft springing... and a constant unburnt-fuel smell.

Having met a former president of the MX-5 club previous to that, battle lines were drawn: I’d find a drop-head Elan, grab my mate’s NA and see just how close the MX-5 could run the legendary Lotus.

In the end, the Elan – a box-fresh Series Three roadster that remains the finest classic I’ve ever driven – proved that little bit too charismatic, quick, and communicative for the manual-steer MX-5 to handle, but it was a close-run thing. And I know which one would require less maintenance…

Another perspective arrived a few years later (man, I feel old), when that same NA (thanks DJ) came along to a comparison with a 10th anniversary NB-series, the gnarly Oz-only NB SP and a then-current NC-series.

In moving through each of these generations, it appeared that Mazda was giving in to market demand. As kit was added, weight increased, and items such as power steering and air-con took precedence over driving simplicity.

Sure, the NB 10AE’s power steering was sparkling, as was its six-speed gearbox, but it was larger and 60kg heavier than the original. The SP certainly addressed near-constant cries for more grunt, but the chassis lost its sparkle as it struggled for traction.

Then there was the NC.

The 2.0-litre engine produced 118kW but didn’t embrace revs like its predecessor and at 1167kg it felt distinctly overweight. Sure, the gearshift and driving position had been honed, but the lack of specification relative to its high purchase price (nearly $50K for the 25th Anniversary we tested) and – crushingly – the disconnected (electric) steering largely disappointed.

Thankfully, Mazda sought to address these common NC complaints with the ND.

Firstly, they stripped back the price – at $31,990 (plus on-road costs) for the base model, it immediately hoists the ND into small hot hatch/Toyota 86 turf.

Second, they stripped weight out. At 1009kg kerb, ‘our’ ND 1.5 is some 158kg lighter than the 2.0-litre NC.

Third, they’ve added a revvy, sprightly 96kW/150Nm high-compression 1.5-litre four-pot to the snout. Sure, it’s 22kW off its predecessor, but it’s more in touch with MX-5 traditions… and you can always opt for the updated 118kW/200Nm 2.0 for another $2500 if power is your be-all.

After reading previous ND coverage, I wanted to reserve judgement until my own hands touched the leather steering wheel.

As Feann previously noted it’s actually a squeeze for the taller types to lower in, but once you do there’s a welcomed sense of rightness in the cabin. The way the manual (hurrah!) gearshift falls to hand, the pedal placement, the sense of a cabin trimmed of excess (some would say, trimmed of equipment…) with a focus once more on the driver.

The fabric roof proves easy to operate as well as being lightweight, and the small-capacity four-cylinder fires up with a willing zing. So far, so good.

Immediately the gearing feels better in-sync with the engine’s power delivery and there’s a keening bout of induction noise reminiscent of the earlier cars as the ND zings towards maximum revs.

Sitting low and with its sharp throttle response, the MX-5 performs a trick the NA delivered so well: it feels faster than it really is, and lets you enjoy its performance comfortably within this country’s conservative speed limits.

Weighted superbly is that slick manual gearshift, which makes the MX-5 an utter delight rowing up or down the gears; it’s a cliché but there are occasions where I short-shift just so I can reverse the process, to the accompaniment of a vocal throttle blip. It’s all about engagement.

Sizing up a well-known, double-apex left-hander near home, a rather sizable chink in the MX-5 armour hits with a clang.

It’s the steering. Lovely by 1980s standards – and good if not great by 1960s Elan standards – the NA’s manual rack (hydraulic power assistance was optional) was one of the original MX-5’s highlights. Even the move to standard power assistance in the NB gave strong response, accuracy and enough feedback. We’ll skip the NC’s crack at electric assistance and confirm that the ND’s (still electric) helm is much improved over its immediate predecessor, but its lack of self-centring is quite disconcerting.

In something like a Toyota 86 (which has phenomenal steering, despite sharing electric assistance and the same front-engine, rear-drive layout, so it can be achieved in this format) this corner becomes a natural flow; turn to the initial apex, let the car straighten a little naturally then gently apply the second amount of lock. In the MX-5, you physically return the wheel to centre with a counter stab of lock, then pitch it back in.

It’s a curiosity felt even when lane-changing on a freeway, and makes what should be a near-thoughtless process for an experienced drive one of initial frustration. Thankfully the rest of the cornering process is cleaner and clearer, and it’s lovely to feel a sports car that moves around on its suspension, offering a supple ride and allowing the chassis to lean a little before taking a set into a corner, maximising the natural effect weight transfer has on grip.

Mid-corner, ease back the throttle and the car will tighten its line appreciably as weight shifts forward; it’s actually more fun to steer the car with throttle rather than the sometimes-detached steering.

Melding the keenness of the earlier cars with enough modern convenience and up-to-date styling, the ND MX-5 is (mostly) a return to purity, but with a modern twist. It will be missed in these parts.

2016 Mazda MX-5 pricing and specifications:
Price: $31,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 96kW/150Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 6.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 142g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Four-star ANCAP

Related reading:
>> Mazda MX-5 Long-Term Test (Introduction)
>> Mazda MX-5 Long-Term Test (Update 1)
>> Mazda MX-5 Long-Term Test (Update 2)
>> Mazda MX-5 Ice Academy Feature
>> Mazda MX-5 v Toyota 86 Comparison Test