Mazda MX-5 RF 2017 Review - International

Mazda MX-5 RF prototype drive
International launch
Tokyo, Japan

Added weight, added price and added luxury – the new Mazda MX-5 RF brings a new take on the classic roadster’s stripped-back ethos. The new addition arrives in Australian showrooms from February, priced from $38,990 (plus on-road costs). Can it live up to the brief and, more importantly, the name? We take on a whirlwind trip to Tokyo to find out.

Sequels are generally a tough sell. Many Hollywood producers and actors have fallen victim to the appeal of re-incarnating a box office hit, only to come away with a bitterly disappointing result.

Mazda’s new MX-5 RF is likely to be held to similar scrutiny should it not deliver on the existing and impressive soft-top roadster.

Already considered a modern classic thanks to a blend of simply yet effective rear-drive dynamics and an attainable price tag, the ND-generation MX-5 set automotive hearts aflutter at its introduction in 2015.

That didn’t stop Mazda from commencing development of the RF spin-off nearly two years ago, convinced the soft-top was deserving of a premium variant that would cater to a slightly older, more sophisticated demographic.

In the words of MX-5 ambassador Nobuhiro Yamamoto, considered by many the godfather of the MX-5, the RF is an important second derivative. But ask the Mazda stalwart which of the two he’d prefer and the self-confessed driving enthusiast makes no hesitation.

“It depends what you are after, I personally like the soft-top because of the purity,” Yamamoto-san says.

That’s not to say the MX-5 has lost any of its edge on the road.

First, the centrepiece. The retractable roof-top adds a further 45kg of weight to the MX-5’s overall mass. It comprises three separate body panels operated by 14 individual linkage arms – all controlled by two electric motors.

The roof operation takes 13 seconds total and can be deployed via a button at speeds of up to 10km/h (Mazda could have raised the latter figure but decided against it given distraction and safety repercussions).

The added luxury comes at a fairly hefty premium: the base model MX-5 RF comes in at $38,990 (plus on-road costs), a $6500 spike over the entry-level soft-top.

Much of that price is a direct consequence of Mazda’s decision not to offer the 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine in the RF that it offers in the regular soft-top. So the real-world comparison is more like a $3000 premium.

Standard features across the two-grade RF line-up include a 4.6-inch colour touch-screen, LED headlights with adaptive front lighting, cloth seats and a leather trimmed steering wheel and gear lever. Higher-spec GT variants sport Nappa leather and other neat trimmings.

In practical terms the roof works relatively well. Yes, other systems will operate at higher speeds on the move, though this one is a massive improvement on its predecessor, which had to come to a complete stop with the handbrake applied for any kind of action.

Furthermore, there is no exposed metal or mechanicals during the roof operation, the electric motors are quiet and the car retains its rectangular 130-litre boot – “big enough for two international-sized carry-on suitcases”, according to Mazda.

On the road the RF builds on the character traits of the soft top while bringing a slightly more refined edge. The car delivers on the same mechanical steering and communication traits thanks in part to an optimum 50-50 weight distribution between the front and rear axles.

In keeping with the MX-5’s rear-drive dynamics, engineers installed new suspension and a front stabiliser bar to compensate for the added weight.

And while our drive of the RF along Tokyo freeway was unlikely to unseat any dynamic blunders, the car felt well acquitted on smooth corners, with excellent road-holding, predictable front-end grip and lithely rear-drive dynamics we’ve come to know and love.

The carry-over 2.0-litre engine is a willing accomplice. While its 118kW/200Nm outputs are hardly anything to write home about, the four-cylinder wills the driver on, particularly between the middling to upper reaches of its 6500rpm cut out.

The soundtrack is equally endearing, especially once the engine segues away from the some low-rev coarseness.

Officially, Mazda says the RF is slightly off the 2.0-litre soft-top’s 7.1-second zero to 100km/h time, without nominating by how much. It is also incrementally slower around its Japanese test track, engineers say.

Mazda believes 70 per cent of RF buyers will nominate the manual transmission, an astronomical percentage by Australian standards. But the six-speed delivers on engagement, offering a meaty and mechanical throw, well-proportioned ratios and a light clutch take-up.

The matching six-speed automatic is similarly well suited to the engine’s peppy mid and top-end, with smooth, well-timed shifts en route to the 6500rpm cut out -- though it naturally does do a bit of peddling to offset the four-pot’s lack of low-down urge.

The steering retains its precision and strong mechanical origins, reacting positively to driver inputs while relaying excellent feel and weighting.

The benefits of the hard top really materialise on the open road, where improved road noise and wind noise brings a more refined experience to the two-seat cabin.

Careful consideration for the roof design has also endowed the Mazda with an excellent top-down experience. After intimately exploring a traditional flat-back convertible design, Japanese engineers opted for the ‘flying buttress’ style wings you see in the final product, believing they would help occupants feel safer while also reducing unwanted wind turbulence at speed.

The theory pays dividends on the road, the buttress neatly cosseting occupants from buffeting even at 100km/h. A small slot-in plastic ‘air board’ is the crucial centre piece; without it, engineers say occupants would be buffeted by a swirl of blustery air entering from behind the head restraints.

The renewed focus on driving comfort is reinforced by an admittedly slightly softer suspension tune, which adequately isolates occupants from most road imperfections, taking in some low-speed jiggle and thudding over the occasional irregularity. At highway speed the suspension simply coasts along the Tokyo freeway like an incoming freight ship.

Inside, the MX-5 carries over a delicate blend of old school primacy with elements of modernism. Splashes of high gloss trim on the door panels team with supple, comfortable seats and Mazda’s clever MZD infotainment system. Higher grade models bring seat warmers into the mix, adding to the ambience.

At first glance interior space seems a rare commodity, though most adults will take comfort in the head and leg proportions, especially during day drives. Longer journeys would require judicious packing.

Sure, the interior recipe isn’t perfect – there’s no reach adjustment on the steering wheel and no digital speedo – but it works pretty well, so long as you’re not fussed on door pockets. You do get a couple of make-shift cupholders positioned at the rear of the centre console, though.

Has the RF lost any of its purity by installing a whiz-bang electric roof? Hardly, but there is something refreshing about stowing the roof away by hand on a new, mostly-likely manual convertible model in this day and age.

Instead, the new addition simply builds on the proven MX-5 formula – without eroding the purity element. A hit by sequel standards, and a worthy addition to the MX-5 stable.

2017 Mazda MX-5 RF pricing and specifications:
Price: $38,990-$46,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 118kW/200Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual and automatic
Fuel: 6.4L/100km (in Japan)
CO2: TBA
Safety rating: Five-star Euro NCAP

Also consider:
>> Toyota 86 (from $29,990 plus ORCs)
>> Subaru BRZ (from $37,150 drive-away)
>> Mazda MX-5 2.0L Roadster (from $34,990 plus ORCs)