Tested: Mazda MX-5

20 October 2015 Redazione News, Tested

By Antonio Iafelice

The new MX-5 is here in front of me: I walk around, looking at it, observing the details and I really appreciate the new lines of the KODO design that give the idea of movement even if the car stands still. My eyes keep looking at her, while my head is unable to shake off questions such as: “How does it drive? Will I find again the typical driving feel of the previous MX-5? Will it be entertaining?” I can’t resist, I have to test it and give an answer to my questions, after all I am here in Barcelona for this very reason.

I am going to sit in the driving seat going into a cabin that at first glance might seem almost roomless, but that has a couple of good surprises. As a sports cars lover I admire a driving position with straight legs, so I’ve just played a bit ‘with the seat to find the right distance from the pedals and slightly recline the seat back to the shape it would seem to be the most ergonomic and comfortable than ever on the Japanese spider. The steering wheel is in smooth leather, with a perfect diameter and with the three classic races that we’ve seen on the Japanese girl over all those years: I try to imagine myself already looking forward and driving with an optimal handling and this does nothing but increase the feeling of a driving position nothing short of perfect. Even in this point, Japanese engineers have not forgotten anything and in fact I point out that on the new ND the seat has been moved even further down (as if the MX-5 was not already a quite low spider!) with the result of lowering the seating 2 cm more than the previous versions. Personally (I’m 1.77 meters tall) I find that the interior of the MX-5 is tailored perfectly: I nod as if to say “ok, so the driving position is perfect!”, to the Mazda responsible that kindly accompanied me to the car, he looks at me and says “Jinba Ittai”. What did he mean?? He does not answer, merely smiled and showed me the way to go for my test drive. Small premise: for the first day I chose to drive the MX-5 with the smaller engine, the 131hp 1.5 that on a car body that boasts a dry weight of only 975 kg (around 100 kg less than the outgoing version) should provide a good basis for fun already exploiting an advantageous power/weight ratio, always lethal weapon of the Mazda roadster.

I’m excited, I admit that: with the key inserted in the pocket of my jeans I press the start button and go! Leaving Barcelona and heading south is not easy: rush hour traffic does not play in my favor, but it is in this very situation that I immediately appreciate the comfort of my new traveling companion and merits of the passenger compartment: the high craftsmanship level, the softness of the leather, the very precise red stitching that give a touch of sportiness, combining different materials all pleasant at touch, not missing original styling cues such as inside door panels in the same color as the body as if to cancel every boundary between the interior of the car and the external environment that surrounds it. Not only I appreciate the efficiency of the automatic air conditioning, the stereo system enhanced by built-in speakers in the headrests of the seats, the visibility of the rear glass and, not least, the accuracy of the navigation system integrated in the dash with a 7” touchscreen. After a few kilometers traffic vanishes and the precise sat-nav directs me towards the motorway: I ride with a little pressure on the gas pedal in sixth gear at just over 2,200 rev/min and within the speed limits I can appreciate not only excellent fluidity, but also an enviable average fuel economy of about 17 km/l … not bad for a roadster that embodies such a sporty spirit!

The MX-5 grinds motorway’s kilometer as if nothing had to happen because of a ride comfort I did not remember on the previous generations and a much more valid soundproofing, even sitting under the new roof that, despite being the most compact ever adopted between those of the four generations, also happens to be the most well made ever seen on an MX-5, cutting about the 40% of the noise thanks to a new cylinder head cover and an floating aluminum panel! While I appreciate the convenience of driving the MX-5 I take this opportunity also to enjoy the beautiful skyline that shapes the landscape south of Barcelona characterized by green hills on my right and a deep blue sea to my left. The excellent sound isolation is only slightly interrupted by the ticking of the rain and the velvety but never too intrusive sound of the 1.5cc. Small “romantic” brackets: if you open the hood of the new MX-5, you’ll notice how the new engine is fully visible, without the plastic covers which have now all cars of today! Suddenly the quiet voice of the navigation system invites me to leave the motorway and take a path that will lead me towards the green hills where I will certainly test the quality and handling of the new born almond-eyed two seater.

Without rain, I open the roof, turning off the stereo, grasping the steering wheel with hands in the classic “9.15” position and eyes focused on the big rev counter positioned at the center of the analog instruments: in front of me just a long ribbon of asphalt inviting me to give life to all the 131 hp under the hood of the MX-5. Do not think twice: first gear, quick on the clutch, gas pedal down with violence and the right hand that immediately looks for the short and small gear lever to rattle off in rapid succession, as many of the six gears available! Maybe thanks to the slightly hoarse sound coming out of the 1.5, or maybe the wind, but the MX-5 seems faster while getting to 100 kph than the 8.3 seconds declared. The result of the first “violent” acceleration is a small crooked smile that confirms the effectiveness of the new 1.5 engine equipped with SKYACTIV technology and direct injection of petrol, characterized by a high compression ratio (13:1), double valve timing of sequential distribution and lighter intake and exhaust systems. What is most striking about the 1.5 is its regularity in gaining speed also supported by the excellent 6-speed gearbox. The advantage of dispensing such a linear brush is useful for all kinds of roads playing with the gas pedal: the delivery is so smooth from 1,500 to 4,800 rev/min which is an absolute fun to play with the perfect synchronization between the engine and the gearbox. In the new MX-5 the engine is positioned lower by 13 mm and tilted backwards towards the passenger compartment of 15 mm in such a way as to allow a perfect distribution of the weights between the two axles to the advantage of driving dynamics. Like the engine and transmission, also body and chassis are children of the SKYACTIV technology: both, thanks to the use of materials such as aluminum and high strength steels, now everything is more rigid to increase safety, and at the same time lighter than the outgoing model so as to increase performance and enjoyment of the same. Suspension is all new and include a double-wishbone at front and multilink at the rear. The result of all this new technology is a car that through tight corners reveals its agility: well planted on the ground, the MX-5 never flusters, you just have to enter a corner setting the optimal trajectory with small but decided impulses with the steering wheel, lean on the front pointing the apex and straight back with the accelerator.

It’s a continuous fast movements in which the left hand governs a very direct steering wheel, for the first time in electric mode, and the right hand “plays” with the small gear lever (only 40 mm of run!) only exploiting fast and safe movements that in no time let you to go from one gear to another. The MX-5 gives me a lot of confidence: I go over to see the limit at which driving fun is guaranteed. Road closed for traffic and traction control off to assess the degree of response of the most sincere MX-5 and find out with delight that still does not betray me and takes me back in time to the very first version that had no stability control. I do enjoy the engine, chassis and a driving style without filters. The switchbacks that climb the hills rich in vegetation south of Barcelona are theater for the incredible driving fun that has always been the workhorse of this Mazda roadster. I am getting more confident with good cornering speeds, step on the brake pedal knowing that the MX-5 will not betray me, “throwing” inside the front, firmly touching the apex and then back on the throttle decisively: this is where fun reaches its climax with a slight and gradual wagging tail outward and I instinctively opposite lock as if it were the most natural thing in the world! I do it once, twice, three … we get close more and more because the MX-5 does not have unpredictable reactions and especially because it gives me the impression that I am the only one to govern everything: involvement is the right word to describe this symbiosis so as the amazing speed of reaction of the MX-5 to my thoughts!

As I look back on this “magical feeling” coming at the end of my first day of driving the MX-5: waiting in a typical restaurant overlooking the sea meeting the Mazda responsible that the very same morning had given me the keys. I meet him with the same smile that had greeted me saying “Jinba Ittai”. Not even time for getting off the MX-5, which says, “then you understand what does Jinba Ittai mean??”. Reading the smile on my face even after “scrambled” my Arctic White MX-5, he anticipates my answer: “Chassis and body of the new ND are designed to provide the user with easy handling and agility with a perfect feedback as well as a confidence unparalleled for a small sports car. This ND is designed to be an appendix of the driver and to ensure a driving experience such as to capture anyone. And ‘this the special relationship that Mazda calls “Jinba Ittai”, a Japanese word that refers to the bond between the rider and his horse in the tradition of Japanese archers. In a few words: you think it and it does that.” and this is the magical feeling that has always characterized the Mazda MX-5 and that on the latter reached its highest expression giving me a lot of fun to drive and a lot of smiles on my face!
The enthusiasm after the first 24 hours in contact with the ND is a lot and curiosity to discover more and more has not abandoned me even a little: after the 1.5cc I want to drive the MX-5 in its most sporting version: the 2.0 160 hp as well as having 29 hp more also has a stiffer setting. The MX-5 in its most powerful declination waiting for me in front of the hotel is Blue Reflex Mica, a really nice shade of blue that contrasts with the almost leaden sky with which I wake up in a still silent Barcelona. The desire to find out the differences with the 1.5 version consumes me and in less than no time I sling on “my” new MX-5, this time heading north of Barcelona. It only takes a few kilometers to make me realize that the 2.0 delivers its power in a completely different way if compared to the 1.5: it’s thicker, immediately boasting a higher torque of 50 Nm at nearly 200 rpm less and with a less linear progression showing a torque peak now between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm, followed by a climb in speed which is more linear increasing revs. In fact the exact second less than the 1.5 (7.3 against 8.3) needed to cover the 0-100 kph is all here: the direct consequence of dispensing a bit ‘more power at low speeds associated to a power/weight ratio (160 hp and 1,015 kg) are slightly better than the 1.5 version. Because of these characteristics and with traction control turned off, when you squeeze the gas pedal down, all the back of the MX-5 runs off and in a little less progressive way than its little sister. This tendency is amplified even more by the arrival of a light rain, however, that makes the asphalt slippery enough to put in evidence most of both the sporting ambitions of the more powerful version of the Japanese spider that the intervention of the limited slip differential available on this car. Precisely in this configuration, the MX-5 highlights slightly more nervous driving behavior than the standard 1.5 tested 24 hours before, due to the presence of a front strut brace, the stiffened Bilstein suspension at the rear and the 17” alloy wheels (instead of the 16” of the 1.5). The sports suspension makes it all to copy the road surface in the most accurate way, but thanks to stiffer and wider tires, transfer some vibration at the steering wheel and appear to be the inevitable price to pay for a more sporty and less touristy driving style. Therefore the 2.0 has to be driven in a slightly more physical way than the 1.5, in order to fully enjoy its sportier trim and a sharper character even if everyday roads sacrifice that excellent compromise between excellent driving dynamics and comfort that I impressed me while driving the 1.5.

Now you may ask me: is it better the 1.5 or the 2.0? Answer: there is no better than the other, it all depends on what you look for in the Japanese roadster. What I want to emphasize is that the original MX-5 was not born to be a race car and the same thing goes for the new generation. Mazda definitely wanted to offer its customers two different points of view as to the driving dynamics of the wonderful car that is the MX-5, but without ever losing sight of the main objective, ie to improve an icon without compromising the essence that made it so popular. As Mazda engineers have succeeded in this challenge, is said by one of the brand managers present at the event, which welcomed me after the test drive, telling that the motto for the design of the new born was from the beginning of the ND project of “innovating to preserve”. In designing the new ND was essential to preserve the strengths that have always determined the success of the Mazda MX-5 and that made it “the records’ roadster” with over 950,000 units sold: lightweight, front-engined and rear-wheel drive, with a timeless design, lively performance, engaging driving dynamics, excellent quality and a competitive price. But the preservation was only the first step: the greatest challenge with the new ND has been to innovate using new technologies to ensure that even the fourth generation could embody the spirit of its ancestors without abandoning the winning features mentioned above and always showing a timeless car. For example, the ND is the MX-5 which presents the most basic model ever existed (1.5) but with its 131 hp is more powerful than the last one.

The new ND despite being born more than 25 years after the NA weighs only a few extra pounds more, while brings large amounts of equipment for comfort and safety. The ND is always fun to drive, goes faster, consumes less, is more secure, it is technologically advanced and reduces, as never made, emissions proving to be a very efficient car. Here are the winning secret of the new MX-5: starting from its aforementioned strengths has succeeded in it as to remain true to itself in 25 years and is technologically evolving without damaging its inner nature. Choosing the 1.5 or the 2.0 is a discourse of personal preference tied to the type of driving that you like the most: what will never change is the smile that will leave the MX-5 when you will find yourself at the wheel. Personally, the new MX-5 roadster is not just fun to drive and with a long tradition … it’s much more: if I were to find a definition after having spent 48 hours together, I’d like to think of it as a car that it’s always worthwhile to find an excuse to ride it as long as possible.