Mazda MX-5 RF 2018 Review

What the Mazda MX-5 has always delivered in spades is a traditional mix of sports car packaging and driving dynamics. Despite the crumple zones, the airbags, the infotainment system, power steering and electric windows, it still recalls the flat handling and direct steering that was once the ideal (but not necessarily the reality) of European sports cars during the golden age from the end of World War II to the early 1980s.

But to expand the MX-5's circle of buyers, Mazda has tipped in the sort of equipment that draws in younger people who have no clear memories of Alfa Spiders, Lotus Elans and MGBs. In the latest instalment, the MX-5 RF GT – the flagship variant of the 'hard-top' MX-5 – has been re-tuned to ride gently and isolate the driver from road and engine noise.

Is the MX-5 now too soft? Hardly. Although the RF is supposedly quieter, there's still significant road noise penetrating at 100km/h. And at 100 klicks the engine is audibly revving at around 2400rpm in sixth gear.

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No change under the bonnet

The four-cylinder powerplant didn't get a thorough-going workout during our seven-day test, since the car was not fully run-in. What I can say is it delivers exploitable torque for easy daily driving in the suburbs. There's no labouring at low revs, which could be related to Mazda's noise-suppression work, and there's no flat spot launching from standstill. The MX-5 returned a real-world fuel consumption figure of 8.4L/100km over the course of the week.

While the MX-5's torque can't compare on paper with that of a Toyota 86 reviewed last year, the Mazda proved less frustrating to drive in anger than the Toyota, which doesn't develop peak torque until 6800rpm. On the exit from a tight, uphill left-hand bend, the MX-5's engine performance feels right in tune with its cornering prowess, whereas the heavier 86 just shouts the need for more grunt.

As already mentioned, the MX-5 was only available for testing during a wet weekend, which made the car a handful on the wet surfaces at times, and the stability control had to haul the car back into line with heavy-handed intervention – reflecting the car's native propensity for oversteer.

That's ultimately to the car's credit, however. Gentle acceleration through a corner will see the MX-5's nose push wider, but planting the foot will drive the rear-end out – and that's better than understeer any day of the week – although it can occur quite suddenly in the wet. Once the MX-5 is cornering at higher speeds on wet surfaces there's certainly a place for the standard stability control, unless the driver has F1-calibre reaction times.

Not too soft

If the MX-5's ride has been softened, it's not readily apparent on public roads. The ride was firm over tortuous bitumen, but the MX-5 only felt choppy and unsorted at higher speeds, which indicates Mazda's engineers have arguably come up with the goods for the car's latest model-year running changes.

Up to 80km/h or thereabouts it was acceptably compliant, and while the car sits low on the road, it offers enough clearance to negotiate driveways without scraping the underside. On a racetrack, however, the revised rear-end could be a liability.

The auto high-beam headlights – another new feature for 2018 – were excellent. Even on low beam the headlights were respectably powerful, shining a white beam well ahead of the car. But the auto-dipping facility spread the light evenly and dipped adaptively and progressively at the approach of another car.

While most of us will concede packaging for an out-and-out sports car in the MX-5 mould, the Mazda does push the boundaries. I found the pedals to be skewed to the right and there's not a lot of room in the footwell with the footrest alongside the clutch. Driving a Subaru BRZ STi the following week was a revelation. The Subaru is so much roomier behind the wheel, and the low cowl height adds to that perception.

In contrast, the Mazda feels claustrophobic – and that's not just a perception. To leave enough headroom with the roof closed – and it was not a pleasant weekend to have the roof open – I had to recline the seat more than I normally prefer and slump in the seat.

Despite that, and zero reach adjustment in the steering wheel, the MX-5 offers a better driving position than expected. The seats are comfortable and supportive, the instruments are readable, and the controls are located where they should be. Everything is easy to use, including the stubby gearshift lever, which snicks through the gates positively and communicatively.

It's not an especially light shift, but those who like manual transmissions will have few quibbles. Changing gear smoothly is more art than science though, with the take-up band for the clutch narrow and the pedal lacking feel.

While it's not an essential part of the hard-core sports car's make-up, the electric window on the driver's side should offer an auto-up facility in 2018. And on the subject of practicality and comfort, the MX-5 to its credit offers surprisingly deep boot space.

For this and other reasons, the MX-5 remains one of just a handful of sports cars that can be used on a daily basis. But basketballers need not apply.

How much does the 2018 Mazda MX-5 RF GT cost?
Price: $50,085 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 118kW/200Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 7.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: TBA
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP, 2016)