The recipe for a good sports car may seem simple, but few automakers have been able to follow it as precisely as Mazda with the MX-5 model . Whichever generation you look at, its design was interesting and playful, the overall structure of the car was light, and because of that there was no need to use heavy and powerful aggregates. So the prerequisite for attracting attention and great driving characteristics was met with excellence, and it was also affordable, so it was not just a reservation for more mobile people. On the contrary, the MX-5 was created to hunt fat gentlemen in more powerful Mercedes on winding roads.
Like Volkswagen with its Golf model , Mazda knows very well that it is not necessary to make too many changes to something that has been proven to work for many years. Therefore, for the third generation , it decided to only highlight and improve the characteristic features of the car.
The third generation did not inherit much from its predecessor, although the basic philosophy is similar, but the designers needed to take the MX-5 one step further. They did it perfectly. The front part of the car has been completely redesigned, but the emphasis on smooth rounded lines has been preserved. You may be tapping your forehead, but it reminds me a bit of the Mazda RX-8 . From the side, at first glance, the pulled out edges of the fenders catch the eye. I really like this detail, it is distinctive and fits the car perfectly. Every centimeter of width is useful. The rear is more similar to the previous generation, but the height has increased by 20-40 mm. This is due to the space for folding the roof. I keep talking about the MX 5 as a convertible , but I'm not quite right. There is a choice of both a classic soft folding roof made of synthetic fabric and a fiberglass hard top . An interesting fact is that the fixed roof is only 18 kg heavier than the fabric roof. The total weight difference compared to the roadster is 37 kg (braces, wiring, steel trunk lid instead of aluminum, etc.). For the sake of completeness, I would like to add that the manufacturer is the Webasto company , and the assembly of both types of roofs takes only 12 seconds. The third generation has grown overall by 20 mm in length, 40 mm in width and 20 mm in height, so the overall dimensions are 3,995 x 1,720 x 1,254 mm.
Like the exterior, the interior was also redesigned , which retained a minimalist concept. You are not distracted by a bunch of buttons, the only essence remains driving and enjoying it. A considerable amount of gray plastic was used here, but thanks to the high -quality workshop processing , this does not matter at all. You definitely don't have to be ashamed to drive with the roof down and let passers-by take a look. The cabin is not only beautiful, but also functional, and thanks to mastering the aerodynamics, you can drive with the windows up, together with the deflector between the seats , up to 130 km/h. Unfortunately, you will no longer hear the audio system from Bose, which deserves a better performance. Another disadvantage will be felt by taller people, who will not be sufficiently covered by the windshield. The last detail is the absence of blowing warm air on the neck area. Yes, this option is offered by cars like Mercedes-Benz, but Mazda could improve it by the next generation. Comfort is ensured by the air conditioning, which also has three special modes for driving with the roof down . If you are taking any luggage on the trip, you can store it in the 150 liter luggage compartment, which is not affected by the folded roof, which has a separate space behind the seats. Behind them are other lockable boxes for small items.
Under the hood, the MX-5 received two four-cylinder sixteen-valve naturally aspirated power units . The weaker unit has a volume of 1.8 liters with a power of 125 hp, enabling acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.4 seconds and a maximum speed of 196 km/h. The more powerful two-liter has a power of 160 hp, and with it Mazda accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 s, and then further up to the limit of 210 km/h. With both engines, count on a high-quality driving experience, as the torque is available in a wide range of revolutions (2500 to 6700 rpm). Engine power is transmitted through a five- or six-speed manual transmission . Fuel consumption is around 10 l/100 km, corresponding to the fuel tank, which can hold 50 l.
The chassis of the MX-5, like the entire car, is tuned to the best possible level . Compared to its predecessor, the center of gravity has moved 18 mm towards the road and the overall weight distribution has also been worked on. It holds very well in turns, and is very forgiving on bumps and eliminates unpleasant vibrations . There is a trapezoidal axle at the front, a multi-element axle is used at the rear.
From the previous lines, you can already guess what driving in the Mazda MX-5 will be like. You will not discover the charm of this car on the highway, but on winding roads in the mountains , where you will appreciate the small sports steering wheel , which provides pleasant resistance, and the small gear lever with precise tracks. The whole atmosphere brings joy and adrenaline even at lower speeds, so you enjoy yourself within the limits of the law. When I mentioned the mountains here, you don't have to worry about low temperatures, you won't get cold in the Mazda with the roof down even at a temperature of 15 ⁰C. Pleasantly.
In 2005 , the price of a new model was around 800,000 crowns , if you look at the bazaar, the price ranges from 300,000 to 600,000 crowns.
Source: Mazda, edmunds.com
