Thousands of different car models have been marketed since the automobile became popular. However, only a very small proportion can earn their living. icon label. Today we are going to talk about one of the most special cars of the last decades, the Mazda MX-5, and why precisely it is a special model.
First of all, it must be taken into account that the Mazda MX5, also known as Miata in other markets, it was first introduced at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show. That is, more than 30 years have passed since its first release. In 2016 the fourth generation of this Mazda roadster, which is still just as charismatic as the first.
The Mazda MX-5 is a product that falls in love as a whole, but the spark that lights the fuse and leaves you totally captivated by it jumps when you drive it. And it does so without being a practical car, without being the most beautiful model and without being a fast car. Just because, this Mazda is a whim, but a whim very easy to understand. Why is it so special?
Mazda MX-5, the most affordable sports car on the market
It must be borne in mind that a car can be very powerful and not have a hint of sportiness, in the same way that a sports car does not necessarily have to be a very powerful vehicle. There is also no reason for a very high price. Sportsmanship is something else; a philosophy rather, who hiroshima mark I rise to interpret perfectly.
It is like a set of sensations. From my point of view, a sports car has to make you feel good when you drive it, gotta paint smiles on your face when you go through a curved area and you have to transmit information through the steering and the steering wheel, also having a touch of the brake that is a little hard and precise. Oh, and if it's a manual transmission, much better.
The Mazda MX5 achieves all of that, but you can also convert it, it has a longitudinal naturally aspirated engine, it's rear-wheel drive and its weight is really tight, with little more than 1.000 kilos. The ingredients seem to be taken from the best cookbook. And to this we must add the price, which is not crazy at all. Well, nowadays there are no cheap cars, but The 30.000 euros that Mazda asks for does not seem unreasonable to me comparing with the rest.
Why is it so much fun to drive a Mazda Miata?
As I said before, Mazda's Miata is a sports car without exaggerations. That is to say, it has very contained dimensions and does not have a huge engine with gigantic power figures, as is the case with a modern BMW Z4, for example.
This in the end means that we have a very low weight and the manufacturer can afford to create a sports car with not too hard suspension and rather narrow tires. In addition, without engines of several hundred horsepower, there is currently a 1.5-liter option with 132 hp and a 2.0 with 184.
Both are atmospheric and send power to the rear end, with a really sweet mechanical sound and just the right volume.
All this, together with a very fast and informative steering make driving feel a lot without having to go at high speeds. It is a car that is very enjoyable at a legal pace, which is always a plus. And as if all this were not enough, it has an exquisite manual transmission, of which you feel the inserts perfectly and that intoxicating mechanical touch, also with very short travel.
The cheapest sports car to maintain
With all of the above, as you have seen, it is not a complex car, but quite simple. It has more than proven and simple engines, wheels of normal dimensions that will not be expensive to replace, thanks to its low weight. fuel consumption is like that of a utility.
In fact, in the current generation, called the Mazda MX-5 ND, I I would recommend before opting for the canvas roof body than by the hardtop of the RF variant. And he would do it for three reasons. In the first place for the purest and most classic aesthetics of the canvas. The second reason is that the soft top option is easier to operate and less prone to breakdown. And thirdly because the car costs much less when buying it.
Details aside, The most expensive thing that can be in this car when it comes to maintaining it is the price of the insurance, which will not be as affordable as a utility vehicle, for example.
Disadvantages of the Mazda MX-5
But beware, what the Mazda MX-5 also has its weak points. The first is that if something is a whim, it cannot be perfect. And yes, the MX5 is a quirk; not very expensive and in a way quite reasonable, but a treat.
The main weakness of the Mazda roadster is that not a practical car. It is not easy to make a purchase with it due to its small trunk capacity, to give an example. Inside we hardly even have space to leave the mobile, the wallet and the keys. The only glove box goes between the seats and is not exactly comfortable to open.
On the other hand, being a fairly small car, not everyone will feel comfortable inside it. If you're 1,80'XNUMX" or taller, you'll already feel too cramped with the roof closed and perhaps the legs are not comfortable when driving. If you are at that height or something else, it is advisable to test the car well before taking the big step.
In third place, It is not the most comfortable car for long journeys. Of course, you can take a long trip and rest assured, its standard suspension will not tire you at all. Two other factors will do so, such as the aerodynamic insulation of the cabin with the roof closed, obviously, and the little linear stability of the direction, the self centering, because you have to make more corrections than normal. Both of these aspects increase fatigue at highway speeds.
Anyway, if it were perfect in these last aspects it wouldn't be a Mazda MX-5. This car has never been perfect in any of its four generations, and there we have it, best selling roadster of all time with a huge legion of followers anywhere on the planet.
More information about this model
- Plazas 2
- Power 132 - 184 hp
- Consumer goods 6,3 - 7,6l/100km
- Assessment 5